Getting a dog. Pros and cons

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The idea stems from observing us caring more passionately for animals than humans.
Pet ownership and child adoption are two different experiences. To imply that people who desire to own a pet are somehow dismissing the needs of children is very unjust.
 
A frequent grave mistake in owning a pet is prioritizing the care of homeless animals over the care of homeless children.
To counteract this error, when one is considering getting a pet, one should also apply to adopt a child.
This is illogical. A person wants a pet, so you think they should adopt a human child.

No one is prioritizing a the care of homeless animals over the care of homeless children.
But there is is no “should adopt a child just because you a adopt a pet.” The two are not connected, and incomparable.
 
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Some dogs are very much one person dogs! I have a mini doxie who might as well share my DNA. She is a senior rescue and it took her williwaw to bond.
 
As long as your serious and take care of the pets as required - and its not sitting in the pound 3 months later to be put down because you decided you didn’t want it anymore - its a life long commitment to the Pet if you don’t have it in you don’t do it.
 
I love dogs, I’ve had them since I was a child and well into my adulthood. The best part about having a dog is the companionship. There is nothing like coming home after a horrible day at work or when your personal life is in shambles and the only one there for you is your dog. They truly are “Man’s best friend”. It teaches kids responsibility and how to take care of something other than themselves. The drawbacks? Well, you have to feed them, take them out for potty breaks and be around them. If that’s too much, then don’t get one.
 
I stand by my view, especially for a young child. Get a puppy from a reputable breeder with a good track record and engaged in after sales support and will take the pup back at any stage if required. Children are too valuable to bring in unknown history and unpredictability with dogs. A discussion on rescues, adoptions, shelters, and kill/no kill facilities is beyond the scope of the original question here. Yes there are failures and success stories, but a dog with problems is too much dog for a 6 yo child, whether it be due to nervousness, separation anxiety, shyness, a chewer, barker, biter, food or toy aggressive, resource guarding, neurotic, or traumatised from past unknown events. Unfortunately there are dogs who really should be euthanized, being rehomed, often multiple times, to the detriment of all concerned.
Choose a breed, find a registered known breeder who does all the genetic testing and wait for a pup.

@TheLittleLady I have enough experience to offer a value reply to the original question on a potential pet dog for a 6 yo child living in an apartment.

@JimR-OCDS Concerning Milan, a discussion on his methods is really beyond the scope of the original question asked too. What you see on screen does not match his off screen fails and cruel methods.

@vsedriver Herding breeds unsuitable from 2 points. They really need to work and have a yard.
Welsh corgis are cuties, very active cuties that can become great barkers and actively dig an apartment up. They need a fair amount of exercise and the right type of training. As with all herding breeds they are independent thinkers. You raise a great point regarding dogs who have not been too over bred
 
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They really need to work and have a yard.
Welsh corgis are cuties, very active cuties that can become great barkers and actively dig an apartment up.
I’ve owned 3 corgis. None of them were barkers. Dailey walks works wonders. They are not that high energy. Probably the lowest energy of the herding breeds. Once past 3 they tend to prefer to be couch potatoes.

Any dog confined without exercise will destroy a home. Personally, I think 90% off all dog issues begin with a lack of exercise.
 
Any dog confined without exercise will destroy a home. Personally, I think 90% off all dog issues begin with a lack of exercise.
Yes that and not reading dog signals properly. We create their problems much of the time. Unfortunately they pay for our mistakes.
 
I’ve had herding mixes-one who needed a mission in life, one couch potato, one mellow man, and an incredibly faithful rescue mutt. Dog personalities vary within breeds.
 
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Two main things:

Allow you kids to pick out the dog they want. The animal shelters are full of canines who need loving forever homes, but it’s important your kids and the dog bond PRIOR to adopting the dog. That’s a spontaneous thing. When they encounter the “right” dog, they’ll know it, and probably won’t be interested in looking any further. This is important in ensuring the dog is loved.

Second, try to steer your kids toward a child-friendly breed. We had boxers when we were kids. They’re good around children, and they’re also very protective.

Observe how the dogs respond to the presence of your kids. Are they friendly and eager to be petted? Do they love to lick hands? Or, do they growl and bark menacingly? Are they stand-offish and reluctant to be touched? Kids need dogs that love being touched, because children will touch dogs many times and in many ways.

One other point: Be sure to teach your kids to be kind to animals, and that if they get a dog, they should be responsible for feeding it, keeping fresh water for it, and generally taking good care of it. You, of course, will have to take care of vet bills.

Some breeds of dogs like to dig. Dachunds (also known as Doxies, or wiener dogs) are diggers. So, if you have a garden you want kept intact, a Dachund might not be a good choice.

But again, if your kids bond with one, it may not be possible to pull them away.

The larger breeds need plenty of room to move around. A large yard is preferable, well fenced. Look into your town or county’s leash laws. There may be an ordinance against allowing dogs to run loose in your neighborhood.

Do you have a cat or are you planning to get one? Not all dogs get along well with cats, and not all cats will tolerate having a dog around. That, too, would be a consideration, if it applies here.

Good luck and kudos for wanting to adopt a dog and give it a good home. Please DO have it spayed or neutered.
 
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Reputable animal rescues usually have a process where they would cover all this stuff before allowing the family to have the dog. They also do not generally adopt out animals that aren’t neutered or spayed.
 
Additionally, there are some dogs who do not “show well” in a shelter. Some are introduced to potential adopters by visiting the family who is fostering the dog.

Some dogs just don’t do well in the institutionalized setting of a shelter. But they may be the perfect fit for you.

I will say a prayer to St. Francis for you to meet the perfect companion,
Deacon Christopher
 
Once upon a time, people owned dogs, which ambled about the farmyard, in and out of the barn. That was about it!

Dogs are wonderful, especially for children. My wife and I have always had them…currently a West Highland Terrier and a Scottish Terrier.

BUT…TIMES ARE CHANGING…

Dog ownership is becoming prohibitively expensive…unlike 40 or 50 years ago.

Veterinarian fees are almost outrageous. Lots of visits for required shots, etc.

More intrusive Animal Welfare regulations. Licensing, vaccinations, restrictions on number of pets and how they are sheltered, how much your dog is permitted to bark at what hours etc, etc, etc.

Better have a fenced yard for the dog to prevent runaway or biting issues.

Dietary considerations if the pet has food allergies.

Are family members allergic to dogs?

Some dogs present liability issues, if they bite people…Postal Service, UPS, or neighbor children. It can land you in court, paying for medical bills.

Dog-on-dog fights can result in liability for another dog’s injuries. You can land in court, paying veterinarian fees for the other dog.

Dogs need exercise. Our Scotty MUST have a daily walk.

TRAVEL: Where will your dog go when you are on trips? Boarding costs almost as much as a motel room daily!
“Pet friendly” motels seem to shunt guests with pets to shabbier rooms AND charge unwarranted “pet deposits”, supposedly to cover damage and extra cleaning. In my experience, those rooms don’t seem to get extra cleaning, so the motel is mostly charging an additional “pet tax” for no reason.
Pet sitters may be an option. A kind relative or neighbor might help for free. Usually you have to trust somebody with access to your house and pay them to care for the dog.

Oh yeah…you need to pick up the doggie litter left in your yard, the park, or along neighborhood sidewalks as you go. Some dog owners are horribly inconsiderate toward others in this respect.

EVENTUALLY YOUR BELOVED, FURRY, COMPANION WILL DIE. THIS IS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE.

Still, we prefer to have our dogs.
 
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From what I understand those are difficult dogs to even get. I knew a breeder who had a massive waiting list and they gave priority to any firefighters who wanted them (the breeder was from a first responder family).
 
A Springer Spaniel would be the absolutely worse type of dog to get when living in an apartment, or not having experience with dogs

I trained four of them for pheasant hunting and they need lots of exercise and some can have bad temperaments. Not all bad dogs are the result of bad training.

Not all spaniels are the same and you have to be careful which breed of spaniel you decide on.

Also, most dog breeds shed and it can be a nightmare

Shih Tzu’s like I have now, do not shed and are too friendly with people. I belong to a Shih Tzu group on Face Book and people have posted about having their dog stolen.
 
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