Do you regret getting your dog?

[mildlysweaty]

NC

I can't comment as don't have my own experience (yet?), but interested in anecdotes as feel it could help our decisions. There are some doubts lingering.

Thanks!

I absolutely love mine to bits and can't even begin to imagine how sad I'm going to be when he's gone, but if I could go back in time and make the decision again knowing what I know now then I would never have got a dog

Yes!

DH adores him but I wasn't sure at the time and now I know I'm definitely a cat person.

We had DDog from a puppy and he's grown bigger than I expected. He's a Lab cross and weighs around 45kg. He's also hard work. I do take him a walk on my own in the woods occasionally but neither of us would take him to anywhere busy with people. When we go out shopping etc. he stays in the garden. (It's a big garden of around 2 acres.)

DH is in his 70's so if he goes before me, I'm really not sure what I'll do with the dog.

No regrets they are both lovely and great for getting me out the house walking.
They are a commitment though.
Training required, expensive to put in kennels if you go away. I do sometimes leave mine for periods at home alone and they are fine as long as they have sufficiently long walk in morning and early evening.

Regret is too strong a word as our boy was awesome and I'm glad he was in our lives but they are so tying that when we lost him unexpectedly two years ago I knew we wouldn't get another. Still miss him but don't miss having a dog. I need the freedom/flexibility/spontaneity that we couldn't have with a dog.

I have name changed.

Yes, I regret getting our dog so much. He’s lovely, but he’s a tie, sometimes I wish I didn’t have to walk him, he is very territorial and hates anybody visiting the house and barks at them (but is fine with other people and dogs on a walk) so visitors are a thing of the past, he’s also not completely toilet trained despite our best efforts. DH and I both wish we had a cat instead.

Yes, to a point. I am very fond of our dog as are the children and enjoy walking him etc but he is such a tie and a responsibility and it is very difficult to be spontaneous though I am much less anxious about leaving him alone than many would be. He is 10 but a collie so could live at least another 6 or 7 years. Once he's gone I will never have another pet. It doesnt help that I'm the only adult in the house with no family nearby so it's me or paid kennels, those are the options if I need to be away longer than a day.

I am laughing at you name changing, it's a dog. No one's going to tell him 🙄. You haven't even said anything that bad

Short answer: yes

I’ve been shredded in the doghouse section before, I’m not taking any chances!

I would regard that as a badge of honour to be honest, there are some absolute extremists on there whose opinion I wouldn't worry too much about.

Not for a second He's the light of my life
He was easier than I thought as a puppy, but took a while to housetrain
Westies are known to be stubborn!
He's 8 now

Yeah, I've just been well and truly put in my place on The Doghouse just now... Clearly I know nothing 🙄

There were days in the beginning that seriously tested my patience, but my dog is my whole world now. I couldn't live without him. No regrets at all!

No don't regret it one bit....but I'm not sure we'll get another one. It's just so tying. But perhaps when we retire and have got some travelling out of the system.

We adore her and she's funny and loving and changed our life (and the rest of the family's lives) completely. We love walking her and having a dog is just ace. She's well behaved, not through any particular training, but she's a gentle dog who pootles around happily. She adores DH and he absolutely loves having someone around who loves him unconditionally - he was having real empty nest syndrome.

But it only all works as my in laws look after her in the day while we work full time. And they happily have her while we are on holiday. I can't see my DH every putting her in kennels so I don't know what will happen when the inevitable happens and we all have to go away for a family wedding or something. We haven't had that problem yet in the 4 years we've had her.

It is bloody hard work for the first year but no regrets. No one will ever love you as much as your dog and the feeling is mutual 😍

I do not regret getting him at all. Some people thought we were crazy at the time as I was pregnant and he’s a rescue. And I got some funny looks when I took him to training classes heavily pregnant and told them I’d only just got him. But honestly he’s the perfect dog for us. The rescue had no concerns about him living with a small baby and I can see why. He’s so gentle and has endless patience. He and my son are best friends.

How could anyone resist?!?

Gorgeous! Is he a GSD?

For small parts of every day! Although I really love him.

Life is better with him than without him, he brings so much joy, but it is a big commitment and definitely not something to be taken lightly.

I'm very ambivalent about our dog. He's a rescue greyhound and objectively an easy, nice dog and I'm his absolutely favourite person but I'm so drained by having another needy being to keep alive. And the walks that he loves so I do them on rotation are boring me to tears after 3 years.

I can take it or leave it. Same with the cat. I do most of the work with her. H walks her on weekends and does the morning feed and poop. I do the other days, vet, general well being, night feed, fresh water in/out, buy the food, treats and toys. Attempt to train. Kids profess to love her but do shit all with her. I organise the care if we go away, not often, but still.

im the one that does all the thinking and planning in the house so she’s an extra load on my shoulders.

Yes, and my only outlet is posting about it on Mumsnet.
I love my dog but I resent him too. He is so needy and whiney and I feel like the most boring owner in the world. I underestimated how the responsibility would make me feel -drained, on edge, stressed etc. I feel responsible for his entertainment and that pressure is too much.

I'm also heartbroken that my two decade dream for a dog, particularly this breed, has made me feel like this.

That’s so sad to hear @Cavalierchaos
Just wondering if there is anything you could do to improve the connection between you and your dog? Maybe a few 1-2-1 sessions with a good dog trainer or a fun agility class?

Yes and no.

I love him to bits . He’s a 4 year old beautiful husky who’s so lovely natured but the hairs are relentless. He’s walked 3 times a day and everyone local knows him, he’s spoilt rotten but has terrible separation anxiety. When he was a puppy he wrecked the carpet/new couch etc, I thought “wtf have we done?!” but he’s calmed down and is a joy. I would never get another dog though. dd has plans for a house full of cats when she’s older ( and dog is no longer here ) and I’ve told her no chance. I miss my lovely clean home to be honest, it’s never ever felt the same since getting our dog. He has a charmed life and is so loved though so it’s just something I have to deal with.

My husband just came home with a puppy 5 days ago as "a surprise". While we had talked about it before and both laminated on how much we wanted a dog i felt very blind sided. I couldnt say no and if im honest I'm angry and stressed and I am sleep deprived and his farts are very eggy which is giving me the bowk. But then I look at his cheeky wee face and it doesn't seem so bad.

I'm still annoyed at my husband though because I feel this dog will become another stressor for me while he swans about being completely unbothered.

(2 seconds later)
And then I change my mind again because the egg smell is back. Silent but violent is defo for my wee pooch.