Loads of newbie questions about getting a puppy!

kjmtidea

I don't drive so walk everywhere, we have a heath which is 5 minutes away. We take the kids there a lot anyway. I am always up for a challenge and would probably enjoy training it, even if it doesn't go to plan!

I have so much more to read and learn, definitely an on going thing.

foreign_correspondent

kjmtidea wrote: »

Thank you for all of that. I did look at the rescue dogs but the local website said no children under 6 and mine are 2,3,5 and 7. I thought a puppy would be best because it would grow up with the kids and wouldn't have anyone elses bad habits! I will definitely look into an older dog though.

A dog with kids that age is especially hard work - pups tend to mouth and nip (it is a normal stage of developement) and little ones tend to naturally react by squealling, waving arms and running, cos it hurts - which to a pup seems like an encouragement to play and do it more... people have posted on here who have had real problems, either with the children becoming scared of the pup, or the pup finding it such fun that it it becomes hard to train it out of the behaviour.

Obviously, for safetly's sake, you can also never leave any dog or pup (no matter how placid) alone with small children, which can be a challenge, especially with four - if you have to go and tend to one who is in one room, perhaps having woken from a nap, or needing help in the bathroom, whilst the others are playing in another room, or watching TV, what do you do with the dog? Can you reliably pop the dog in another room to the kids every time? what about when one needs you in an emergency - having taken a tumble? It is also hard, because despite your best organisation, small kids will open doors when you are not looking, want to play with the dog etc...

Also, bear in mind that any new dog is likely to need some toilet training when you get it, but a pup will definitely wee and poop on the floor, and may do this for weeks - this is hard enough if you only have yourself to worry about, but when the pup does it on the floor just as you are feeding the kids, or messes all over where the baby plays, it can add a lot of pressure, as clearly parents become worried about the hygeine implications.

foreign_correspondent

kjmtidea wrote: »

I am always up for a challenge and would probably enjoy training it, even if it doesn't go to plan!

Whilst I appreciate your sentiment here, you have to remember that is 'not going to plan' can be really difficult - if you do not do a good jo of training, some of the many problems that result can include the dog ending up nervous, aggressive to other dogs, barking and howling when left, being destructive, messing in the house, or nipping/biting/aggression...

Often these problems can become so hard to manage that the dog ends up in rescue, (loads of 6-12 month old pups in rescue, who have outgrown the cute and cuddly phase, but are very boisterous and hard work) - people often fall for pups because they are so adorable (and they are, I agree) but pups are cute and adorable for a matter of weeks, they are soon gangly adolescents, pushing the boundaries, and this seems to last far, far, longer!

So, whilst I do not want to put you off, it is best that you are aware of the realities of dog ownership, which can be a real challenge at times.

Also, when people fail to train well, it is almost always the dog that suffers, as people often (and understandably) decide to get rid of a dog when it becomes too much to cope with.

Kimberley

Also a lot of pups are sold on free ads by owners who bought the pup on impulse making out that they are "getting rid" because they either have kids who are allergic to it or the older dog doesn't get on with it. Excuses excuses excuses and if only these people had done their homework first and thought about how hard work they are instead of buying because it looks cute and many people sadly "get rid" once they are not cute puppies anymore. I'm not suggesting your one of them but please do think about this and if you do go ahead then goodluck and post plenty of photos.

janninew

endure wrote: »

If you want a family dog this is the answer:

What a gorgeous Boxer! I have 2 boxer boys and there are the best, they love kids and love being part of a family! Might be a little big for some people's taste though and a little daft!!

weeblondscotty

kjmtidea wrote: »

We are considering getting a puppy sometime in the future. I have been reading, reading and reading even more trying to learn as much as possible because I have never had a dog before. As soon as I think I have got my head round something, I read something else that completely contradicts what I have previously read!

I have read a lot about house breaking on here which was very helpful. So taking the puppy out every 30 minutes at first, loads of praise, treats etc but is that used with crate training as well? I like the idea of having a safe place for the puppy at night and whilst we are out.

My partner works but I don't, we do have 4 children though so I want to make sure that we are prepared and know what we are doing. The last thing that I want is an out of control puppy on my hands. I have been reading about westies, cavalier king charles spaniel, minature schnauzer, cairn terrier & jack russel cross. Some websites say they are good family dogs, good with kids etc, other websites say the opposite.

So any advice at all about any of this would be brilliant thanks!

Hi,

We grew up with Cavaliers and they are the perfect family pet-so good with children, loving and affectionate and your situation (being at home through the day) would suit a sociable wee dog like that great! They are quite laid back, so 4 kids wouldn't phase them either!

They can be expensive in later life though, pedigrees tend towards heart problems which can be medicated, but of course at a cost. (around £20-£30 a month for hear tablets) Also, there has been controversy about tehm being too closely bred and having genetic disorders where their heads are too small for their brains. This causes them to walk squint and can leave them in considerable pain, so be careful of teh health of the pup when you go to see them.

Hope that helps!! I am desperate for one but as a I work away a lot and full time, will have to wait till my circumstances are more stable, v jealous!

WolfSong2000

If you're looking at getting your first dog, choosing the right breed is really, really important as some breeds are a lot easier to deal with than others. Boxers are lovely dogs, but can be very boisterous, and I'm not sure if they'd be suitable for a household with very small kids? Terrier wise, stay away from Westies and jack Russell's...the former is not always that great with kids, and the latter is a fab breed, but they usually need someone with some experience as they can be energetic and stubborn .

Border terriers would be a god choice if you're looking for a small dog, but if you're after a true "family" dog, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Golden Retriever. These dogs (if trained properly, obviously) make absolutely wonderful family dogs. The only problem you have to watch out for, is because of their popularity, they've been bred somewhat unscrupulously and if this is the case they can have behavioral issues...this is not "typical" for the breed, but I've seen it happen. Best way to avoid this is to go for the darker coloured pups (I know I'm generalizing here) and check the pedigree...avoid any pups with the sire Favias Tarquin too close to their immediate relatives. He was a popular sire, and so turns up in a lot of pedigrees, but had nasty personality traits which can sometimes be passed on to his progency.

kjmtidea

We have been reading about border terriers today and are definitely looking at a slightly older dog rather than a puppy now.

Thank you everyone for all the info.

lowis

weeblondscotty wrote: »

Hi,

We grew up with Cavaliers and they are the perfect family pet-so good with children, loving and affectionate and your situation (being at home through the day) would suit a sociable wee dog like that great! They are quite laid back, so 4 kids wouldn't phase them either!

They can be expensive in later life though, pedigrees tend towards heart problems which can be medicated, but of course at a cost. (around £20-£30 a month for hear tablets) Also, there has been controversy about tehm being too closely bred and having genetic disorders where their heads are too small for their brains. This causes them to walk squint and can leave them in considerable pain, so be careful of teh health of the pup when you go to see them.

Hope that helps!! I am desperate for one but as a I work away a lot and full time, will have to wait till my circumstances are more stable, v jealous!

don't forget about pet insurance! the post above is just one example of why you may need it (unless of course you are wealthy can can lay your hands on a few grand at any given time) x

UKTigerlily

Friend has a Border Terrier aged 6 that she took in when her Sis-in-Law moved to Australia & didn't want to or couldn't take him too. He's really good with her three kids (17/12/10) & she also has her Nephew (15 months) daily in the week. He gets on well with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel aged 3 also! Fab little Dog although they do need stripping which a Groomer would do (Unless you know how!)