Getting a dog. Pros and cons

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Have you researched different breeds? Dog Breed Selector Quiz Search, Online Test

Have you visited a shelter? Have you considered a rescue organization specializing in a breed you like? Third choice is a very, very ethical breeder.

How long would the dog be left alone during the day? Some dogs will sing the blues while you’re away, and your neighbors may not appreciate the concert!

How is your budget? When raised well, dogs can get expensive! I insist on the best pet food that money can buy and excellent veterinary care.

How big is the dog, and what is the energy level? Some sweet dogs just don’t know their own size and can knock over your daughter when they feel happy and playful. On the other hand, many, many of the really small breeds don’t do well with children unless socialized while still a puppy.

There are a lot of considerations, but those are just off the top of my head. Dogs are the most high-maintenance pet you can own, but they’ll pay you many-fold with their love.
 
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Have you considered a cat? A young child may quickly bond with it even if she was focused on dogs.
 
About 10 years ago we got a puppy Cockapoo. She is one of my best friends 🙂
 
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As long as you feel ready to care for a dog, an apartment isn’t a problem.
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And don’t just get any dog, certain breeds of small dogs do much better in apartments. Get the size and temperament that is good for your family. Mixed breed usually have lower vet bills.

I think family pets can do much to teach empathy and responsibility, plus provide comfort. Whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit, or hamster, I wish all families the experience of having pets.
 
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Pros of a dog:
  • They can be great and fun companions
  • Kids can learn a lot of good lessons from having a pet
Cons of a dog:
  • They require a big time commitment daily, much more than other pets like cats, guinea pigs etc
  • Tricky to have one in an apartment although it can be done with the right dog
  • Tricky to choose the right one for your family/ personality/ living situation
  • Puppy mills are bad, and rescue dogs may be hard to come by or have special needs/ issues, so it can be hard to even get a dog
  • Dog may need a sitter or a day care if you are away at work all day
  • If you travel, even for weekend, you will need to either take the dog, or put it in a boarding kennel, or have a dog sitter caring for it daily. You can’t leave it alone even for a couple days.
  • A puppy will need a lot of training, and even an adult dog may need training
  • Dog vet bills are expensive (more than other pets)
  • Overall, the cost of having a dog is higher than cats or other house pets
I have many friends who love their dogs, but most of those folks have a work-from-home job or are retired, so they can spend lots of time with the dog. Those who don’t either have family members staying home spending time with the dog, or they have a dog day care, or in some cases they have managed to train the dog to be okay while they’re at work (this does not work out for all dogs) but when they get home the rest of the day is spent hanging out with the dog and taking it along everywhere. I also see a good many dog “failures” where the new dog just doesn’t work out and has to be rehomed. This happens even with experienced dog owners who really want to keep the new dog.
 
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umamibella said:
Get a dog to match the age stage of your 6yo so A child friendly smaller dog.
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Small dogs are more likely to bite.

Adopting a grown dog, who is already trained and has a record of being good with children is best for a first time dog owner with small kids. An apartment means you want a low energy dog, and still you will have to commit to exercising the dog outside every day.

Do you travel or take vacations? Affording quality boarding is important, things like annual shots, monthly parasite treatment, annual dental, quality food, are not inexpensive.

I’d advise volunteering with a rescue for awhile.
 
Thank you everybody for the great suggestions and insights.
I convinced my husband to wait few months before getting a dog so that in the meanwhile we can do some research about time commitment, budget, travel issues, types of dogs comfortably living in apartments and good at interaction with children etc.
Hopefully, when the Coronavirus restrictions will be lifted, my daughter will have also a chance to interact more often with the two friendly dogs of our neighbors.
Thank you again!
 
It’s a long term commitment. If you’re willing to train the dog properly, care for it & welcome it into your home for the next 8/10/14/however many years then I’d consider it.

My 6 year old boy spent almost 2 years asking for a dog. We waited until the time was right.

He has to help with feeding her, training her, playing with her & comes on walks with her.

They adore each other. They are the best of friends & happily play together. I was taken aback at how gentle she has always been with him (they are still supervised at all time’s though when they’re together). Growing up with dogs, I expected it to take much longer for the dog to learn how to be gentle but she’s always been very good with my son.

It’s taught him some responsibility that he wouldn’t have learnt otherwise.

He also reads her a bedtime story every night so I have the added bonus that she encourages him to practice his reading.

I’d say its important to find the right breed.
 
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I would highly recommend researching Caesar Milan, aka, The Dog Whisperer.

He has videos on how to look for the right puppy, to training it properly

Many people have no clue and once the dog has bad habits embedded, they’re difficult to remove.
 
I would suggest getting a cat. You would be able to gauge your daughters interest in taking care of and being attentive to a pet. Cats are very great because they are lovable without being as high maintenance as dogs. Your daughter may fall in love with a cat and be satisfied with one as her pet and not desire a dog. Or, she may be like my daughter and one another one after that! 😊 My daughter wanted a cat for two years before we got one. She was 7 and she had that cat for 16 years. It was an indoor cat.
 
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We don’t have children or a dog, but I do remember having dogs and other pets when i was a child. From the little I remember it was my mother who had to do all the walking and cleaning in the end no matter how much me and my siblings promised. So, are you prepared to do all the work, feeding, cleaning and training? Then give your daughter a dog. I kn ow she is only 6 but she will have to learn a little responsibility, say helping feed and walk. That aside, when I was 9 or 10 I loved my dog, she was my best friend and I was heart-broken when she died.
 
aroosi said:
what breed did you get? Thanks
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A Dalmatian.

They aren’t for everyone… but I have a large yard, I run every evening anyway so it’s nice to have the dog for company, my wife walks her most mornings as well.

I work from home & my wife only works a couple of days a week so the dog always has company.
 
Caspian said:
From the little I remember it was my mother who had to do all the walking and cleaning in the end no matter how much me and my siblings promised.
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This is very true. I was the kind of kid who wanted one of every animal, but the care for the animal would almost always fall mostly upon my mom. Kids under teen years usually just aren’t ready to keep up all that responsilibity long-term, even if they love the animal. It’s not that I wanted the animals to be hungry or uncomfortable, it just wasn’t the main thing on my mind that the pet needed to eat too. Even teens get self-centered or distracted and aren’t necessarily focused on the animal needing to eat every day or have its poop scooped. And some things like vet visits or buying animal food at the store are beyond the ability of most kids. There are exceptions to the rule but they are rare.

Decades ago, it was easier for a kid to have their own animal because a lot of people lived in more rural areas and the expected standards for care weren’t so high. Dogs and cats lived mostly outside, they fended for themselves a lot, ate table scraps and maybe hung out in the barn. Also, a lot of families had some farm animals or a “working dog” and kids would be taught to feed and care for animals daily from a very young age as part of their expected responsibility that might even take priority over school work. Things have changed a lot. I would say the first animals I really cared for all on my own were the ones I got when I was living away from home at age 18, because if I didn’t care for them, no one else was going to, as my mom was not there to pick up the slack.
 
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I’d get a good mutt-a grocery store box dog is likely to have fewer health problems than an inbred purebred.
You’ll have to work with the landlord, but there are som big breeds which do very well indoors (mastifs and Danes are gentle giants who can live in apartments.)
You can dog on the cheap if you wish-and there are low cost spay/neuter clinics available in many areas. I worked for a vet back in the day and he told me that any basic purina would do the trick.
If your dog doesn’t hang out with other dogs, then shots become optional unless you need to board for a vacation.
Dry food will cause fewer dental issues.
There are a lot of dogs needing good homes. One thing to think about is potty training. Adult dogs are often already potty trained. Young ones will need lots of practice and now that school is out, it’s a good time with everyone at home.
I wouldn’t count on a 6 year old taking on doggy responsibilities and I wouldn’t allow a 6 year old to walk a dog of any size alone. You need physical control of the dog and the ability to intervene with other dogs who may or may not be under the control of an owner.
It might be best to think of the potential dog as your dog and see how you feel about that.
 
OP, if you are thinking about shih tzus, I have to warm you, they have VERY expensive tastes. They will not touch biscuits or any treat that isn’t real meat. If you try to mix in wet food or meat with the kibble to get them to eat it, they will eat the good stuff and leave the kibble and maybe come back to it as the occasional snack.
 
jeannetherese said:
There are a lot of dogs needing good homes.
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This actually depends on where you are located and what kind of dog you want. I know in certain parts of US, there are gross oversupplies of certain breeds in the shelters, such as pit mixes in urban areas, hounds in the south, and chihuahuas in parts of the southwest. There are far fewer of other mixes and breeds. Dog rescues also often have a lot of restrictions on who can adopt. Many municipalities also have breed bans where you cannot have certain types of dogs, and sometimes the criteria for what is forbidden is not clear or fair.

I am also aware of some locations that currently have few or no adoptable dogs and have to get them imported from another state or even another country.
 
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Those are good points, Tis_Bearself.
I’ve always been found by the right dogs and haven’t had to worry about some of these issues. Thank you for the reminder.
May God bless you and all who visit this thread.
jt
 
I think a 6 yr old is too young for a number of reasons. Wait until the child is older.
 
TheLittleLady said:
Small dogs are more likely to bite.

Adopting a grown dog, who is already trained and has a record of being good with children is best for a first time dog owner with small kids. An apartment means you want a low energy dog, and still you will have to commit to exercising the dog outside every day.

Do you travel or take vacations? Affording quality boarding is important, things like annual shots, monthly parasite treatment, annual dental, quality food, are not inexpensive.

I’d advise volunteering with a rescue for awhile.
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All dogs will bite. It is a matter of teaching the child safe dog practice and choosing a less pray driven breed for a 6yo.
Terriers would be an example of a dog not to get.
Labs are also kind of risky as poor breeding has led to bad character traits.
Herding breeds would be totally unsuitable.
Spaniels and other small breeds would be ok.
Children must learn not to climb over the dog, annoy it at food time, pull its ears etc.
I would strongly advise against adopting a dog from a shelter or as a surrender. There is a reason a lot of dogs are surrendered and this includes aggression and anxiety driven practices. When considering a companion for a child this has a huge risk of going badly. There are too many incidents of this out there to consider it a safe practice. Adults adopting dogs and then subsequently being mauled exemplify this.
Surprisingly dogs like greyhounds and other sight hounds make great companions in apartments as they are such couch potatoes. I do think they would be too big for the child and risk of knocking children over and putting the child off the dog are high.
 
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