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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Viewing a puppy on Sunday-terrified.

101 replies

UtterlyTerrified1 · 07/07/2023 16:45

My 19 year old has saved diligently for the 5 months she has been working in order to buy a puppy to be trained as her assistance dog (she has autism and bipolar disorder). We are going to view a chihuahua puppy on Sunday from a reputable breeder. She is desperate for a chihuahua and has been for years. I am terrified!!

We had a French Bulldog x Pug x Staffordshire Bull Terrier for 8 years-rescued him at 2 1/2 and had him until he died. He was very much my dog and I loved him to the moon. However, I have enjoyed the freedom of not having a dog since he passed-no rushing back to make sure he isn’t lonely, no dragging the little dd (aged 4 at the time) out for walks 3 x a day over the holidays or in the evenings on a school night, no incontinence issues etc.

We are in rented accommodation and I am home full time for the next 3 years as I am studying. The landlord is happy for us to have a dog, and as she is to be trained up as an assistance dog she will be dd’s when she moves out (but due to her diagnosis she will not be moving out any time soon). However, I am a very anxious person and am really struggling with this.

I’m scared of the damage to the carpets during toilet training. I’m scared because we don’t have a garden. I’m scared because dd is 19 so all the actual grunt work will fall to me. I’m scared that we will never find anywhere to live if our current landlord gives us notice to quit because we have a dog. I’m scared that the dog won’t like us. I’m scared that I don’t know how to look after a puppy, and I am scared of what will happen when I do go back to work after my degree. I am absolutely fine with having a dog in the house. I love dogs, but all I feel is fear and trepidation at the moment. Please help!

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 07/07/2023 16:47

Who is going to be doing the training?

DustyLee123 · 07/07/2023 16:48

Sounds like it’s not right for you now. And it will all fall to you.

NoStockingsNoSoxes · 07/07/2023 16:48

I hope I’m not derailing by saying er what a chihuahua? As an assistance dog?

Honestly I would have to say no if she’s not capable of caring for it herself and you don’t want a dog. It’s really asking too much of you.

Paperbagsaremine · 07/07/2023 16:49

DustyLee123 · 07/07/2023 16:48

Sounds like it’s not right for you now. And it will all fall to you.

This seems a very valid point of view.

Motorina · 07/07/2023 16:50

How important is the assistance dog element to you? Not all puppies will turn out to have the right makeup to be an assistance dog. That's true even of guide dogs, where they are on a carefully selected breeding scheme, and, even then, many fail to make the grade. It's certainly true of a chihuahua.

I'm not saying don't get one. But assume you're getting a pet, and everything else is a bonus.

Togiveandtoreceive · 07/07/2023 16:52

This doesn’t sound promising OP

KateyCuckoo · 07/07/2023 16:52

I don't think that's how assistance dogs work! You don't just pick any old dog and train them, it's the other way around.

Also a chihuahua sounds like a terrible choice for that job.

Togiveandtoreceive · 07/07/2023 16:53

And a chihuahua as an assistance dog? Sure

Togiveandtoreceive · 07/07/2023 16:53

It would seem neither you nor your daughter have done even the tiniest bit of research in to this breed
and what makes an assistance dog

RedHelenB · 07/07/2023 16:55

DustyLee123 · 07/07/2023 16:48

Sounds like it’s not right for you now. And it will all fall to you.

This. Personally I wouldn't. Love my dog to pieces but he'll be my one and only.

Smartiepants79 · 07/07/2023 16:55

I don’t know anything much about dogs but even I’m 🤨 at the idea of a chihuahua making a good assistance dog! This does not sound like a good plan to me.

Leo227 · 07/07/2023 16:55

I can't think of a worse breed as an assistance dog..

Whadda · 07/07/2023 16:56

Chihuahuas aren’t in a position to assist themselves, let alone a disabled human.

Popcorn640 · 07/07/2023 16:59

I do know people who have been able to train family pets as assistance dogs, properly through reputable organisations, and are now properly signed off as legally recognised assistance dogs. It's is a huge amount of commitment and work and nothing in your post suggests to me you or your DD have researched this?

I would be very sceptical that a chihuahua would cut the grade...

Aside from this - it doesn't sound like you actually want a puppy or are in the place to commit to it?
"Not whilst you are living in my home" is a perfectly valid answer to your daughter.

moostermum · 07/07/2023 16:59

A chihuahua puppy will piss everywhere. Believe me, I know!!

Undisclosedlocation · 07/07/2023 16:59

A chihuahua is err…..an unusual choice for an assistance dog! Exactly what specific breed characteristics have you made this selection for? Liking them is I’m afraid NOT anywhere near a good enough reason!
As a trainer, I’d say this has disaster written all over it and I would urge you to reconsider
You clearly don’t want a dog yourself (not unreasonably) and should imo put a stop to it

hiredandsqueak · 07/07/2023 17:00

Our dog is great for my autistic ds 28 and dd 20. She's not an assistance dog at all just a much loved dog who will happily sit on their knees and be stroked when they are anxious, who will act the clown to make them laugh, who sits outside their bedroom doors if I nip out to make them feel secure. But I do the walking, the feeding and the picking up poo. It doesn't sound like now is the right time to get a dog for you.

WetBandits · 07/07/2023 17:01

What can a chihuahua realistically assist with? I’ve never met a chi that wasn’t neurotic.

frecklejuice · 07/07/2023 17:02

My friend has a chihuahua and to be honest it's a fucking awful little dog, in fact it's barely a dog! It walks for 10 minutes and she has to put it in her bag because it refuses to walk anymore and it yaps constantly plus is really snappy!

I just cannot imagine a chihuahua as an assistance dog 😂

maybebalancing · 07/07/2023 17:03

Your dd wants a dog.

It is highly unlikely that this particular dog would be an assistance dog, the breed isn't known for these abilities and there doesn't seem to be any plan in place to actually train the dog.

Your dd maybe is thinking of an emotional support dog, which is basically a pet with an extra piece of paper.

So the question is do you want a pet dog in your house? Do you have the time and money to train and care for them?

You are definitely right that renting with dogs is much harder.

Unless you are in a good space to take on a pet I would say no.

LadyVictoriaSponge · 07/07/2023 17:05

don't think that's how assistance dogs work! You don't just pick any old dog and train them, it's the other way around.

This in spades, you can’t just pick any dog and say it’s an assistance dog. You really need to reconsider what you are doing it has failure written all over it, it’s not just about your daughter’s needs it’s about if you can give a dog a good home for life and after reading your comments I really don’t think you are in the right place mentally to have a dog.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 07/07/2023 17:05

Living in a flat is not fair on anyone in this situation when you don't haveva garden to house train the puppy. Are you honestly going to take the dog out for a walk every 15-30 mins in the early days for toilet training?

Then there's the assistance dog bit, I think what you mean is an emotional support animal which is not the same as an assistance dog. What assistance is this teeny tiny dog going to do? What if the dog doesn't want to assist? You can't just train any old dog.

AgnesX · 07/07/2023 17:07

A chiuaha as an assistance dog? An untrained one at that - and neither of you have any experience if training any animal in that role?

Please don't.

NoTouch · 07/07/2023 17:14

You are scared because everything about it is just wrong.

Floralnomad · 07/07/2023 17:16

Sounds like a recipe for disaster however if you plan to go ahead I’d try and train it to go on puppy pads in a large litter tray . I usually am completely opposed to pads but I think in your situation it may be the best answer .