New pup?

[BunnyLily]

Hey 👋 just after some opinions please 🙏 so we have a 4yr old mixed breed dog at the moment, she’s really well behaved, also two house cats that the dog usually chases!
im a single Mom with two kids 9 and 14, I’ve got two jobs and doing a MSc part time from home. We’ve been offered a puppy, she’s a small breed but not house trained, we live in a 3 bed semi, is it going to be a handful or do you think I’ll cope?! Life is busy as it is so don’t know if it’s a step too far?!

Young puppies are like young kids and need the same amount of attention and time - especially if not housetrained. Are you able to be home, all the time, for about three months (depending on how old the puppy is)? Really young puppies can't be left for any real amount of time and some won't be okay being left at all. You also can't predict how a puppy will get on with the older dog.

I'm not saying don't do it, by the way - I'm not sure from your post how much time you're at home. Getting my puppy was the best thing I ever did. But it was like a small hairy bomb going off in my life.

Thanks for your reply, I’m at home 80% of the time away for max 2 x 5 hrs a week. I can walk every day. I’m just not sure how it will fit in with the rest of our lives. It’s hectic as it is. Was thinking of getting a child gate for the kitchen and a small crate with bed maybe to start.

Gate definitely. Crate maybe - good idea to crate train in case of emergencies, but sometimes people think it's the same as alone training and it's really not. I used a big puppy pen downstairs that gradually expanded till it was just protecting the bookshelves, and he slept in the bed with me from night two as I couldn't bear to hear him crying. What breed is the pup and how old?

Two dogs is very different from one and you can never predict how the older dog will feel about a puppy. Sometimes it works out, other times it doesn't. One of my adult bitches refused to accept a puppy and they had to live in separate rooms for almost two years before she finally accepted him. I'm not trying to scare you, the chances are that it won't be that difficult, but you need to be prepared that it can be. It can't always be predicted; our bitch was calm but she was clearly happy with her life how it was and did not welcome the disruption of a puppy.
So you really need to have the time and the space to be able to make the introductions very gradual.
I see you mention a gate and that is an essential item when you have more than one dog. Personally I don't crate and never have but my dogs are large, I have no experience of small breeds.
You say you're at home a lot so that's another plus. But two dogs, two cats, two kids, a job and studying is a lot. Factor in house training as the nights are drawing in and it could be hard work.

She’s a French bulldog,

You can’t leave a puppy for five hours. So it’s a no.
And your existing dog isn’t trained if you’re letting it chase the cat.

being offered a puppy is a poor reason to get one. If you weren’t completely sure already and actively looking, then no, it’s the wrong move. Even if you were looking, a puppy should be a carefully thought out and fully researched purchase from health tested parents of a breed that fits into your lifestyle, not some random pup you happen upon

Two dogs is generally 3 times the work for at least the first year or so.i say this as a dog trainer currently grappling with a much wanted 11 week old pup alongside two fully trained adult dogs

So a walking vets bill then?
sorry I know that’s harsh but Frenchies have terrible health issues

Aren't they also notoriously difficult to toilet train?

Yeah, thanks for your info.. I don’t think we will go for her. Maybe look out for an older rescue in the future. I’ve just had a google about health issues ect.

To quote your post, ‘life is busy’. Having a pup is like welcoming a toddler/baby into your home, one that needs twenty four care and supervision. From your post, I don’t think you have the time for this. Also the expense, insurance etc

I’m also suspicious of ‘offered a puppy’. By whom? Why are they getting rid of it? Why did they ask you to take it?