Puppy & 2 year old

[Cait73]

My 2.5 year old grandson came to live with me and my 10 year old dog just before his first Birthday. I recently had to have my beloved dog put to sleep as he had advanced heart disease that developed into heart failure.

I'm absolutely lost without my dog. I'm thinking of getting a puppy but it was so long ago that my dog was a puppy I can't really remember too much.

Is it the worst idea I've ever had? I'm not currently working, little one is at nursery part time and our home is fairly sizeable plus we have a decent puppy/dog proof garden.

I'm planning on using baby gates to give puppy and toddler their own space plus large puppy crate for added privacy.

Please tell me I'm not completely bonkers, apart from toddler I live by myself and I'm lonely, we live a really outdoorsy life I feel we have a lot to offer a dog.

Any experiences would be hugely welcome, thank you

We got our first ddog when ds was a year old.
A big powerful breed I had had before dc...
Under super supervision a great relationship developed.. 10 years.
Subsequent dc and ddogs came along. When youngest dc was born we had 2 x year old ddogs. He adores them. Commitment and supervision and some of our best memories were created...
No regrets.
Oh and ignore the ddog /dc mix haters who will be along soon...

We had a 9-year-old mini poodle when my younger brother was born. They grew up very well together. Dog passed away when my brother was 16

Sorry 9-month-old!!! Not 9-year-old poodle

We got ddog when dc was 4. I wouldn't have wanted to get one when dc was any younger than that as dc could understand when we said- puppy needs to sleep, they're puppy toys etc etc. With a 2 year old it's much harder as the understanding isn't quite there. Is your grandson going to be living with you permanently? I would probably wait a few years tbh. Puppies and toddlers are hard work and not a great combination.

@Wigalish I have full custody of my grandson so I'd say he'll be here a while

I've sacrificed a LOT to kept my grandson safe I'm not sure I can sacrifice not having a dog, ideally I'd like a dog but reluctant to rescue with him being so small. Even child tested dogs still have a history we know nothing about,

I hear you re comprehension and I know it's going to be a job. This is very annoying!!

@30degreesandmeltinghere I love your reply

I don't know if this helps, potential puppy

Is it just you and your Grandson or are other people in the house too?

It will be hard work if just you.

Early days puppies sleep a lot usually at the wrong time though! So will be awake during bath times and meal times

Then the puppy will nip everything and everyone. Keeping the two apart may stress the puppy and cause whining etc

The puppy will easily give you broken nights to start with

Socialising the puppy takes up time and needs to be fitted in around 2.5 year olds day

Puppy will steal all your grandson toys and may chew them.

It may be hard to go to training classes with a 2.5 year old

Then the teenage months - the new dog will have loads of energy and will have forgotten everything you have every taught them. You will need to exercise them with your grandson every day.

Going to child friendly parks outings etc may not be suitable for dogs.

Loads of reasons as to why not

@PollyRoulson you make some very valid points, all of which I need to consider.

Yes it's just me and the monster but he is starting preschool in September 4 days a week so that'll help.

We're out 2-3 times a day anyway I'm in a beautiful part of South Devon lots of child/puppy friendly spaces but I also have a big garden

My Mum will toddler sit while I take puppy to training classes, I need puppy to know I'm top dog so this time alone (plus the times gs is as nursery and/or in bed)

I know it's going to be work, work I could probably do without but if I put the effort in during the first few months I think the rewards outweigh the downsides?

Of course you can get a puppy. You have clearly thought about things - e.g. having a crate for the puppy to have some quiet time and help stop the toddler pestering him, and from your post would seem able to offer what both the puppy and grandson needs. We train and compete with our 4 dogs and our 2 DS have grown up with them - including 2 from puppies.

You sound very informed. Keeping them separated is key- great idea about gates.

Go for it!

Separate yes but not so much so that there is no scope for a relationship to develop!! Ddog needs to see dc as a 'normal' part of it's daily life not as a guest... And dc needs to learn boundaries around ddog not see it as a novelty... Balance is key!!

Of course they won't always be separated there'll be lots of supervised interaction, I just think it's important for puppy and toddler to have their own space

Luckily I have enough space, the kitchen is big and overlooks the front room so puppy shouldn't get lonely but will be able to sleep and eat in peace

Can increase their together time as we go along, I'll be in and out like a yo yo while we toilet train, if nothing else I'll be very fit

@30degreesandmeltinghere toddler has been learning "respect" with my old dog it's really important to me I'm a massive animal lover, I think it's so important children grow up respecting ALL animals

I just need them both to be safe but the ultimate goal is obviously the 3 of us all sharing the same space

Exciting times op!! We have 2 ddogs of the same breed - if you were to ask ds 6 his favourite he would say he loves them the same and he would just squeeze both in next to him rather than opt for just a cuddle off 1!! So canny it's tear welling!!

@30degreesandmeltinghere my "old dog" died gs is still waiting for him to come back despite me doing all the "right" things (I said he died I didn't say he's gone away or gone to sleep) he truly loved the old boy but he's stopped asking for him every 5 minutes

It's so difficult to explain .. Ds was 5 when ddog1 was pts.. After a month he asked why ddog was still left at the vet's..

Wasn't easy explaining cremation either..
He looked horrified!.
We scattered ashes in our /her favourite places. Helped ds a bit.

I have a 2.5 year old & 2 DDogs and it sounds like you are well prepare for it.

One thing we have done is stopped toddler going in the utility as it’s DDogs’ space - particularly our older dog will go there for a rest if the place gets too busy. Could you do similar maybe with a crate if you don’t have a room?

Good luck with both

I’m really glad to read this as we’re hopefully bringing a puppy home soon and have a 2 year old. I’m fully aware it will be challenging but have support and either puppy or toddler can be looked after by someone else when necessary. I grew up with dogs that were my best friends!

@suziedoozy yes crated area or puppy/dog can have the conservatory (moving forward) toddler will 100% learn to leave puppy/dog alone at times 

@30degreesandmeltinghere yes gs doesn't understand why dog couldn't come back from the vets I did explain he was v poorly and even the vet couldn't make him better, the joy of being 2 is by the time he realises how final death is, enough time will have passed that it won't affect him too much. He's got a framed photo of "his" dog that he feeds at tea parties and yesterday he took it into the garden for a wee lol

We lost old Spuddog in June. Spudpup joined our family a couple of weeks ago.

It’s been tricky, probably trickier than I anticipated. DS is 5 and has ASD. He is quite scared of Spudpup as it stands, but he is getting better, gradually (he was fine with Spuddog, but Spuddog died at the age of 14 - but of a contrast to Sharknado-pup!). We have a baby gate up between the kitchen and living room so everyone has their own space. At present, I’m in the kitchen with Spudpup while DS watches a film next door. We do use a crate, and I’ve been getting DS to do some training over the baby gate, so he can get Spudpup to sit and to come. We also go for walks together. In time I think they’ll be fine together, but at the moment it’s a question of space, supervised interaction, and time. And DH and I tag-teaming to make sure Spudpup and DS both get plenty of time with us (DS and I have been out together all morning while DH worked on the kitchen table so Spudpup had company).

So basically, do it, but do it with your eyes open!

I think you'll be fine, as long as you train the dog properly and introduce them slowly.

You might also want to consider going for a smaller/ "child-friendly" breed like a yorkie/ miniature poodle/ schnauzer etc.

Big dogs are lovely but really all dogs are somewhat unpredictable and you need to be a bit careful where young kids are involved.

@Spudlet Thank you for sharing all super helpful

@onelittlefrog it's 3/4 shihtzu our last dog was 1/2 shihtzu it's the breed for me ❤️