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My wife and kids have been begging me for a puppy and I keep saying no, should I give in?
- Thread starter AppleBlade
- Start date
I say no op.
Not until the kids are old enough to take care of it. And at that age, they aren't. They won't go outside to walk it. You will.
Dog poops in your living room? You're cleaning it. Want to go out? You have to think about what to do with the dog.
Just think ahead op. Don't relent so easily. Getting a dog is not a joke. It comes with a lot of responsibility. If I was you, I'd wait till the kids hit 13 or 14.
But that's me.
Not until the kids are old enough to take care of it. And at that age, they aren't. They won't go outside to walk it. You will.
Dog poops in your living room? You're cleaning it. Want to go out? You have to think about what to do with the dog.
Just think ahead op. Don't relent so easily. Getting a dog is not a joke. It comes with a lot of responsibility. If I was you, I'd wait till the kids hit 13 or 14.
But that's me.
Most shelters will let you foster a dog for zero commitment and give you all the supplies to take care of them, especially during christmas when they probably want to clear out a shelter so no one has to go in. It could be a great test to see if your family is compatible with having a dog.
Don't get a puppy though, your family seems busy and puppies need a LOT of attention and looking after. A mellow adult dog would be trained and much less stress
Don't get a puppy though, your family seems busy and puppies need a LOT of attention and looking after. A mellow adult dog would be trained and much less stress
Puppies are great but a ton of work for the first year at least. You're liable to fuck it up and let a lot of bad habits and behaviors set in. It's a baby and requires a lot of attention, care and training. It's worth it, but if you're not able to fully commit to it you should look to rescue an adult dog that's largely been trained and socialized.
This varies. Cats can get bad behaviors and it's difficult to train it out of them, like ruining your furniture, being mischievous and curious to the point of breaking things, and climbing things they shouldn't. My cat requires way more attention than my dog and the litter box is a way more disgusting thing to clean than taking a dog out to crap.
Even though I'm a dog lover, that's a very dangerous sentiment to propagate. What if he hates all of the responsibility? What if he doesn't like the dog? Dogs aren't toys. They are beings with personalities. Like kids. And just like some kids can be really hard to deal with, some dogs can be like that too. There's potty training, health management (with regular visits to the vet), walks and so on. And you need to burn their energy daily if you don't want them chewing through your furniture. Oh, and some dogs shed a lot, so that's another thing to deal with.
If you're going on a holiday, you'll need to find a dog sitter. Also, dogs feel very strong separation anxiety, so it's unwise to leave your dog alone for long hours.
With what OP has mentioned about the family's busy lifestyle, how do you think he'll manage a dog?
I wouldn't mind doing all of the above even with a busy lifestyle, because I LOVE dogs, but to assume the OP will feel the same way isn't good advice.
Honestly travel is one of the biggest problems with having a dog, I would tell your wife that you'd be open to the idea but only if you could both brainstorm how you would navigate particular issues like that.
Otherwise you'll probably end up loving it and even though there can be annoying routines with taking it for walks and such, that can end up being somewhat nice if you normally have a crazy busy day that feels like it just goes from one thing to the next. It's almost like a mandatory break.
It's a tough situation though, there is a lot of responsibility involved and I think there needs to be an honest discussion as to whether or not that's a big enough problem to prevent you from getting one.
Otherwise you'll probably end up loving it and even though there can be annoying routines with taking it for walks and such, that can end up being somewhat nice if you normally have a crazy busy day that feels like it just goes from one thing to the next. It's almost like a mandatory break.
It's a tough situation though, there is a lot of responsibility involved and I think there needs to be an honest discussion as to whether or not that's a big enough problem to prevent you from getting one.
This OP. You won't ever think about that again. You will manage. :)
My GF and I got an 8 week puppy back in Feb (first pet for both of us). Taking care of a puppy is a TON of work. They need to be exercised and played with often for mental stimulation, trained, and socialized with dogs / humans. That doesn't even really get into the cost of raising one. Vaccines, training classes, and emergency vet visits are expensive!
I will say though that I wouldn't trade our dog for the world. She means everything to us. Sounds like it would be hard with your schedule unless one of you is WFH everyday though
I will say though that I wouldn't trade our dog for the world. She means everything to us. Sounds like it would be hard with your schedule unless one of you is WFH everyday though
I had this same battle and lost. My kids were around the same age when we got the dog, too. Unlike most people, I fucking loathe dogs. And just as I predicted, our dog gets no attention. Nobody picks up it's shit until I step in it cutting the grass, nobody takes it for walks, nobody properly trained it. Call me a horrible person, but we're actually getting rid of it because nobody gives a shit about it. I'd be okay with it if my wife and kids actually cared for it but they don't. It was a flavor of the week that wore off a long time ago. I actually feel bad for the damn thing even though I cant stand it.
Get the pupper, but spend more than a week shopping for reputable breeders, please. They can wait till after xmas.
I wouldn't give in personally. Your family does seem really busy and having a pet on top of that sounds like a nightmare. It's great that you have your kids enrolled in so many activities and I personally would continue to focus on that instead! I feel pets need a lot of attention and care regardless. I don't see why cats are always the suggestion if you don't have a lot of time.. they still benefit from a lot of attention, love and care even though they're generally more independent.
You don't have time for a dog with your schedule. Your kids will promise to walk it etc, but you will end up doing all of it. Get a Fish.
Really it is unfair for the dog if it ends up being crated up all day and getting the occasional walk or two.
yes, it's inevitable.
But yeah, wait for the summer, it'll be easier to train with your free time in the summer
Some people think that if they have a big fenced yard, that the dog will just run and get exercise by himself.
99% of the time the dog will just lay down and nap.
The only way a family as busy as yours makes sense for a dog, is if he gets a friend. Boredom will become an issue
99% of the time the dog will just lay down and nap.
The only way a family as busy as yours makes sense for a dog, is if he gets a friend. Boredom will become an issue
Hard to tell honestly because of the many people in the thread having the same sentiment of "get the dog, you'll end up loving it the most." No one knows that OP will love the dog or even if he does if he still can take care of it properly with his and his families busy schedules.
Don't adopt animals if you aren't committed to taking care of them. There are too many abandoned and mistreated animals out there already.
Ah, you both work full time. Do not do this.
The amount of maintenance dogs require is high to begin with and a puppy is an exponentially higher level. Without one of the parents at home there's no one with it during the day 5 days a week when it needs to be walked.
Compromise with a pair of kittens.
The amount of maintenance dogs require is high to begin with and a puppy is an exponentially higher level. Without one of the parents at home there's no one with it during the day 5 days a week when it needs to be walked.
Compromise with a pair of kittens.
I predict OP is going to follow up in 6 months that he made a mistake, and is now looking into rehoming the dog because no one has time for it.
Well, my wife and I aren't dog people but we gave in and got a dog for our daughter when she was 8. The dog lived 15 years and she went off to college at 18, so we had the dog for 5 years without the person we bought it for living in the house. Not to mention, she did lose interest in it once she turned 13/became a teen. You may love and become attached to it and I have numerous friends that are crazy for their dogs, but we aren't in that club.
Having a dog is a lot of work and requires a lot of attention and training. It's one thing to want one, it's another to properly take care of one. If you don't think you and your wife will have the time to properly dedicate to the dog, don't do it.
edit: I am a dog owner, so I know the amount of time and effort it has taken to get my dog to be well trained and to give them the best life possible.
edit: I am a dog owner, so I know the amount of time and effort it has taken to get my dog to be well trained and to give them the best life possible.
I wouldn't do it. Dogs require a shit-ton of attention and maintenance--and it sounds like you can't deliver at this time. Plus it's traumatizing for an animal, once it's adapted, to get sent right back to the shelter.
Ignore everyone suggesting cats. I've come to love the little bastards, but you won't get the same satisfaction as you would with a dog.
You monster.
Ignore everyone suggesting cats. I've come to love the little bastards, but you won't get the same satisfaction as you would with a dog.
You monster.