WWYD - rehome or puppy with kids?

[Greenrailings]

The puppy has been carefully researched and well-bred, and the adult rescue dog (6 years old) has been carefully assessed in a foster home.

If you had 4 year old and 7 year old children, which would you go for?

Rescue dog because puppies are insanely hard work and often horrible for periods of time with their bitey little teeth. Toilet training is also a horrible chore. Also you have no real idea on personality or what they will be like. We got two rescues when ds was 4 and it was so much easier right from the start then the puppies I've looked after.

Thats a tricky question as all dogs are individuals.
I however would always pick the adult and I love puppies and kittens.
Got the cat when he was two and unwanted, we had no kids but both working full time.
Already neutered, litter box trained, best decision we ever made.
Fast forward two kids, one 13 year old cat and we got a doggie.
Shes 2 and a half, again unwanted pet. So easy to discard animals isn’t it. She’s very good with kids, toilet and crate trained. However barks at everyone and is anxious to be left. I’m helping her work through this as she is ours now.
I will always rescue, puppies and kittens always get picked. More rewarding and you see what you get.
It’s hard to raise a puppy and a kitten, with a busy life, kids, school runs, etc. Most rescues will vaccinate and assess animals so it’s easier to know what you’re getting you know.

Puppies are hard work and harder still with young children.
So as long as it's from a reputable rescue and has been tested with children, I'd go for the adult rescue.

Legitimately thought you were asking whether to re-home your puppy or your kids.

I'd always, always go with a rescue myself. Puppies are hard work and there are far, far too many lovely dogs without homes for me to feel it's justified going to a breeder. A reputable rescue will make sure it's a good fit, Dogs Trust had us back and forth about six times with my dog (rightly so) because the poor thing had come back twice and they wanted to make sure she was going to the right place.

Definitely rehome the kids.

I would always go for the puppy.
You can never ever be sure of the history of a rescue, no matter what they tell you.

Bonded pair, semi-housetrained, unable to be left, no basic training, terrible recall, incredibly fussy eaters, high maintenance costs.

No thanks 🫣

Thanks everyone. I think this is mostly confirming what I already thought - I've had my head turned by a litter of beautiful puppies but I think the rescue girl is probably a safer bet (assuming we're lucky enough to get through the next stages of the matching process). She looks perfect for us, she's from a reputable local rescue, not an imported dog, with full post-adoption support.

I'm more of a second-hand kind of gal anyway.

Are you willing to tell us what type of dog she is? I do agree with you going for the rescue dog!

I think what type of dogs we are talking about is relevant .

Is it a sausage dog?????

I'd want to know some background of the rescue dog, but as you said they've been carefully assessed in a foster home and it's a reputable rescue they should've picked up any concerning behaviours. Positives of an older rescue dog is that they have (usually) had some training, they are calmer, you don't have to do the puppy or adolescent stage, and it's lovely seeing them settle and enjoy life (especially if they've had a less than great life before). Negatives are you (probably) have them for less time, it can be difficult to undo bad habits, they might have an unknown history - medical and what they've experienced (but the fact yours is fostered reduces that). I rehomed an 8 year old and he has a very puppy like love for life. There's some cracking rescue dogs out there. Positives of a pup are that you've got a blank slate. Negatives are you have to go through all the puppy and adolescent stage, and from my experience younger children can find the puppy exuberance in particular cemetery over-whelming and scary. Good luck with whatever you choose.

I’ve recently got my first puppy in 15 years and I’d forgotten how much work it is initially and how hard those first few weeks are. Like a human baby, they need constant attention. She’s now coming up 5 months old and it’s so much easier, but I’m home full time, don’t work at the moment and my DD is 20 and at Uni. I’d go rescue dog as long as it’s well assessed, known history and it’s a good reputable rescue centres with back up. Most important thing is to make kids realise dogs need their own space and not overcrowd them with cuddles.