Getting a dog. Pros and cons

  • Thread starter Thread starter aroosi
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

aroosi

Guest
My daughter is now at an age (6) in which she started asking for a dog. I never had a dog but my husband had dogs until he left for college.
If you have dogs and kids what are your suggestions and experiences? Pro and cons, challenges, work load etc.
Thank you for the feedback,
 
Last edited:
The main thing that keeps us from getting a dog is that we aren’t home for a large part of the day and I don’t think that’s fair to the dog. Other issues are, we travel to Wisconsin a great deal to visit family and that is also challenging. My mother has dogs that have aged and they require a lot more care than many people realize when they first get a dog. For example, they can’t hold their urine and feces nearly as long, so they can’t stay at home alone for as long as a younger dog. ONe of them has diabetes and has to eat on a very specific schedule. It’s like having a baby, except a baby that can’t be brought into any store, restaurant, or event. If you get a puppy when your kids are young, they will be doing teenager stuff when your dog gets to that age and it’s more than we can agree to. We love outside animals though.
 
@aroosi, do you live in a house or an apartment? It makes a difference. If the dog is free to run around in the yard whenever it wants to, that’s one thing. If somebody has to take it out for a walk twice a day, that’s something else.
 
Having a dog is like having another child, in my opinion. One that never grows up and cannot be left home by themselves for long amounts of time. So if you want to go on vacation, you have to find someone to watch the dog, put the dog in a kennel, or bring the dog with you. (Please don’t, if you are coming to my house. 😂)

Unless you never go anywhere. ☺️
 
@bartholomewB in an apartment but literally across the street there is a large public park (dogs allowed in the fields and trails if on leash).
 
Last edited:
I would never have a dog while living in an apartment. It’s not fair to the dog and your neighbors as all dogs bark and most breeds shed.

Does your landlord allow dogs and do other tenants have dogs ?

Dogs over 20lbs, should not be left alone in an apartment, as they’ll tear your house apart when they are puppies. Also, DO NOT leave a dog in a crate all day while you’re at work. This is a form of abuse.
 
@JimR-OCDS the apartments rules allow up to two dogs of medium size (there is a max total pounds that I cannot remember right now). Some of my neighbors have dogs and we never had a problem, the dogs also look happy. The only bad experience was when we had a young couple next door for a short period; they had a big dog who would cry all day until the owners were back from work and it was heartbreaking.
 
I agree that a dog in an apartment is not the best idea. I know lots of people will insist that their dog loves being in the apartment and is happy, but dogs are meant to be outside and have time to run. I would not consider getting a dog unless I had a yard, or access to a dog park where I was willing to take them daily. Trapping a dog in an apartment all day is unfair to the dog and inconsiderate to neighbors.
 
Having a dog can be a great thing, but one needs to learn to be a dog owner. If your husband’s dogs were well-trained and he was involved in the training, then he should be in charge of teaching the rest of you to be dog owners, not just caring for the dog’s needs but for training and playing with the dog.

If not, the fact you live near a dog park may help! What you might do is go and hang out in the dog park and talk to the owners. It is usually very easy to strike up a conversation with a dog owner by complimenting their dog 🙂 You can ask them all sorts of questions, from living in that area with a dog, to questions about breeds, to questions about training, to questions about picking out a puppy.
 
Irishmom2 said:
Having a dog is like having another child, in my opinion. One that never grows up and cannot be left home by themselves for long amounts of time. So if you want to go on vacation, you have to find someone to watch the dog, put the dog in a kennel, or bring the dog with you.
Click to expand...
^ this. I love dogs, but this is absolutely true.
 
I grew up with dogs but we had a fenced backyard they could spend all day in, and they also got daily walks. I’d love to have dogs again but currently live in an apartment and wouldn’t consider dog ownership unless I lived in a house with a yard.

I think it’s great for a kid to grow up with dogs (helps them be intuitive with animals later in life, comfortable with approaching animals reasonably and understanding animals’ boundaries), but keeping in mind what’s good for the dog too, I personally wouldn’t do it without a backyard.
 
Last edited:
As long as you feel ready to care for a dog, an apartment isn’t a problem. They need walking at least twice a day as an adult and more frequent walks as puppies…that means 365 days a year…rain, snow, heat. Do let that sink in! 😂

A great dog for families that isn’t too large and aren’t noted for being excessive barkers are Springer Spaniels. Females get to about 30lbs…males put to 55lbs. They are family dogs, meaning they don’t just attach to one member of the family but all of them. They can also handle a bit of rough treatment from kids which little dogs can not. They do have coats that need grooming…another consideration.

Beagles are great dogs too, though they like to sing (howl) more than bark. They have a short coat so just occasional brushing keeps them happy.

If you want to play fetch, middle size dogs will almost all play that game. As you look at various breeds, mention what you are leaning towards and we can share our knowledge of them…I have quite a bit! I think CRV was a vet assistant at one point…she has a wealth of knowledge, too.

Final thought. No matter what you pay initially for a dog, it’s nothing compared to what you’ll spend on food, vet bills, surgery for when they swallow a large marble, etc. Pets come with costs. I even had one that had to have heart surgery! And the marble removal wasn’t cheap, either! 🤣

They are the most loving, forgiving, and best companion anyone could ask for. They have taught me more about kindness and sympathy than most people I know…and my Springers brought in the morning paper!
 
What Irishmom said! I LOVE dogs, particularly big fluffy happy ones like golden retrievers. Problem is, we’re never home. Also we’re allergic to them yet I still had one as a kid. I just got sick a lot.

My happy golden retriever was waiting up for me when I got home from my grammar school graduation; HS; college graduation; and law school -
The same dog. She’s waiting for me in heaven, playing with my folks till I get there - which hopefully won’t be for many years.
 
Last edited:
My 27 lb Cavalier King Charles Spaniel does just fine not tearing the apartment apart. I agree that large dogs aren’t a good idea, but most of the smaller breeds are just fine. About half of the people living here have dogs.

If someone moves into a place that allows dogs, they should accept that they will hear the occasional bark. Naturally, I do my part to train and prevent him from doing so, but still. There’s a plenty big yard here and all I have to do is step right out the door to take him out (door exists directly to the outside).

One thing not mentioned that I think you should do is research the breed. Dog breeds can be night and day in many ways. Do not pick a breed that is notoriously difficult to train or requires a very high activity level (unless you are that active). Different dog breeds do better with kids.

The AKC has information on it’s website, here’s with mine: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Dog Breed Information
 
Pros companionship and learning responsibility.
Cons expenses.

Get a dog to match the age stage of your 6yo so A child friendly smaller dog.
Teach the child good dog practices. That is really important, child proof the dog and dog proof the child.
Take the dog to dog training no matter its breed, and learn to train the dog.

Buy a puppy from a reputable breeder who has a good track record with breeding, so as to avoid health problems a lot of these designer breeds have. The squash nose breeds are best avoided due to breathing issues, and if you go for a King Charles Spaniel, be aware of the health issues they can develop later in life. Beagles are great dogs but have a nose that takes over everything, once on a scent , they won’t recall or listen to anything but the scent. They are not a good dog off lead for that reason.
I would not get a grown rescue dog for a child, there is a lot of unpredictability about behaviour and reasons for surrender.

What breeds are you looking at. How much time do you have to exercise and groom the dog? How long daily will the dog be alone. ?
 
Last edited:
A puppy is like having a new baby for quite a while! I love our dogs (bichons) but it is hard to travel, or even make a long day trip.
Every now and then there can be an expensive vet bill too.
Also, dogs (especially males) are known to have “accidents” inside. We have replaced all of our carpet with hard surface flooring and our boy dog is now trying to ruin that as well! 😝 Not to be too gross but he has been known to mark the corner of a couch, even.
I second the comments about a rescue dog as well. We tried a rescue dog and he bit my 5-year-old (at the time) in the face, very lightly. My pediatrician looked at me like I was a goof and said “that’s why families get puppies, so the dog can grow up with kids”. Good luck getting a shelter dog who is a puppy, though.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to say do not get a puppy under 8 wks old, even better if it is a little older, A puppy needs to learn bite inhibition. It does this with its siblings and mother. That means it learns not to bite too hard in play.

Puppies will play bite, no getting around that, they do outgrow it, but you want a puppy or older dog that has bite inhibition.
 
If you get a puppy, expect to take them out to pee every hour or two during the day because they can’t hold it in for very long.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top