TheAutumnOak Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I have never had a dog before and never lived with one...I have always been kind of afraid of dogs :glare:... We are thinking of getting a small dog within the next six months, and I wonder what I should know before I make the plunge...Any advice on behavior?...Hidden costs?...Whatever ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kiddies Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 That they smell weird :glare::001_smile: And they lose a ton of hair :glare::001_smile: and they will make your kids happy :001_smile: and they love you unconditionally :001_smile: and don't forget they smell :glare::001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita in NC Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Dogs are like kids: They always wake you up when you want to sleep in. They always get sick after hours. :glare: They don't have good hygiene and kind of smell. :001_smile: They whine at you when they are hungry. They make a huge mess when taking a bath. They never cooperate when you are running late. They always cost more money than you think they will. They are good at looking cute so you'll give them a cookie. If they can get dirty they will, muddy puddles are fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmac Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 when you go on vacation you will have to board them or have someone take care of them. Does your city have animal registration laws? I have had dogs chew baseboards and door frames. My friend has a dog that has warped her base boards urinating on them. Look into the breed you want and check for genetic problems. Some dogs are known for hip problems and I know there was something about those dogs with the smushed faces. I know that when we were picking a dog I wanted something small enough to be a cute little lap dog but big enough to stand my kids "love" My husband wouldn't let me get a chihuahua because he didn't want a little yapper under his feet getting stepped on all the time. We went with a schnauzer and he is the greatest dog ever. My girls are still holding out for a chihuahua one day though. Oh and I would highly recommend you invest in a good carpet steam cleaner. It has been the best investment ever for accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmac Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Oh also we crate trained this dog. He sleeps in a crate in our room at night which I love. It keeps the messes to a minimum but crates are expensive. And I wholeheartedly agree with the previous poster as an owner of a dog, two cats, a conure and lots of beautiful fish that all ALL all animals are much more expensive than you think they will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Oh and I would highly recommend you invest in a good carpet steam cleaner. It has been the best investment ever for accidents. :iagree: We bought the Spot Bot and it's been invaluable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 You will need to pay for preventative medication for heart worms. You'll probably want something for fleas and ticks as well. Depending on where you live that could be year round. Where I live I have to keep my dog on monthly treatments for heart worm, fleas, and ticks all year. Dogs do get sick and have accidents; the vet bills can be staggering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 You need to know that cats are easier! LOL. We enjoy our dog, but when it comes to living life (and especially going away for any length of time), the cat is tons easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Vet bills are WAY more than you think they will be! Just your regular annual check-up with shots, tick & flea prentative meds, heartworm pills and stuff is a LOT. Then if the dog is sick at all...hundreds of dollars. And I mean pretty minor sick-type. If the dog is sick and they need to run a few tests and then give you the meds - ain't cheap. So just be prepared for that ahead of time. But of course dogs are so awesome! Oh...and HAIRBALLS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Know that you should find a good dog trainer, first. The trainer trains you... and teaches you to train your dog. You should plan to tomato stake your dog for a few weeks... to maybe months... so it can't get into "bad habits". Remember that humane society dogs are ones you adopt, but make sure that works for your family. For my next dog, I want one that doesn't shed. I have one picked out (the breed) I'm purchasing it from someone who shows dogs and has a litter... and has them tested. I don't want to be sweeping hair up at 60; they still throw up some food, spit up some water, and need to be taken out when it's raining. My dog does love me, is loyal, and when he gets out... he runs to the front step to be let inside. BUT, none of that is promised.... it's just his personality. I did spend some decent time training him, when we first got him :) Good Luck!! (PS, the smaller, the more careful you have to be... with kids... I suggest at least "almost" a medium sized dog.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartosunshine Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Dogs are like kids: They always wake you up when you want to sleep in. They always get sick after hours. :glare: They don't have good hygiene and kind of smell. :001_smile: They whine at you when they are hungry. They make a huge mess when taking a bath. They never cooperate when you are running late. They always cost more money than you think they will. They are good at looking cute so you'll give them a cookie. If they can get dirty they will, muddy puddles are fun. :lol: So true! We can't even say the word "cookie" anymore! Also, They pass gas often & usually it doesn't smell like flowers. They lick themselves *there* often. They always want to go for a walk. The first 2 can be quite embarrasing if you're having company but the unconditional love and their "Live in the moment" life philosophy make them wonderful additions to the family. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 A dog, any dog, is a bigger commitment than you can anticipate in every way. They cost more than you think (can you say ten bucks a week on dog treats?), they need more attention than you think, they need more outside time, they will be smellier and shed more. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 (edited) I think it is important that the dog breed you choose fits your family, as they are, not as you wish them to be. Some online quizzes that may help you determine this are here: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm I would read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Getting-Your-Puppy/dp/1577314557/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312833938&sr=1-1 and this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007D9VLE If you are getting a purebred dog, check out the health problems of the breed, and how to select a very good breeder. Besides getting a dog from a breeder, you can go to animal shelters or breed rescue groups. Just please, please, don't buy a dog from a pet store. One big decision is whether you want a puppy or an adult dog. I have a puppy, and this is the last one. My next dog will be 1-2 years old. You can also go here and read the stickies in their various forums, and/or join and ask questions: http://www.dogforums.com/ It is a good idea to educate yourself thoroughly before you get a dog. That way you won't fall into the trap of believing what you are told by various breeders and other organizations. You could have knocked me over with a feather when a very reputable breeder tried to sell me a bill of goods on a puppy, and tried to overcharge me for it. What she did not know was the extent of my knowledge of that breed. I didn't tell her because I was checking her veracity. She failed the test, so we did not buy a puppy from her. I think she was dishonest simply because she really wanted to sell her puppies (which did not conform to breed standard), at a higher than reasonable price (that of a potential show dog), to a dummy. My experience at an animal shelter was that they were pretty desperate to get the dogs adopted (understandably), and that many of the dogs were not the breeds or breed mixes they were purported to be. The breed (or mix) of a dog is important to me because dogs inherit their characteristics (terriers are far different than herding dogs, for instance), basic temperaments, and potential health problems. If you want to talk yourself out of this, ask me about life with Aidan! :-) Mind you, I am totally nuts about this dog. That reminds me ... we are going to a baseball game next week and I have to find a sitter for him. I am not kidding. I don't want him to get lonely and we will be gone for 6 hours (2 hrs travel time). PS I have had a wire-haired fox terrier, a beagle, a black and white small mutt, a collie, and a SCWT - and only the beagle had a distinctive doggie odor. The rest of them smelled great. Edited August 8, 2011 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Ok, at the risk of getting the boos and hisses, I"ll be the wet blanket and say that in my opinion and experience as a trainer, perhaps a dog is not the best pet for someone who has no dog experience and is, in fact, afraid of dogs. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 (edited) terriers dig and chase things. I lost a Fox Terrier to a fight with a truck's wheels. Labs can be jumpy, and there's a difference between American Labs, and English ones. If I were to get a smaller dog with a houseful of kids, I would get a Corgi, or a Lancashier Heeler. I've had the L Heeler before and it was by FAR one of the best dogs I've ever owned, next to my pitbull (for which I will not mention the excellence of for fear of the insane vitriol expressed toward them). I have a Doberman now, and he's a lot of dog, but is my third favorite family dog, second favorite on the size scale. The next dogs we want to own are an Old English Bulldogge (NOT an Old English Bulldog) and an Airedale. Read up on how to train dogs, watch The Dog Whisperer, and I would crate train it if I were you. Edited August 8, 2011 by justamouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamajo Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I never grew up with a Dog and my husband grew up briefly with an outside dog that wasn't taken care of the way we take care of our dogs these days. We've had our Yorkshire Terrier since around Mother's Day. He was 2 mo. old when we got him. We are crate training him and have kept him on a pretty tight schedule so he can anticipate going outside to do his business. Having him is truly like having another child. My kids did a lot of research before we got him b/c they really wanted a dog. We all watched Dog Whisperer for months. They are suppose to be primarily responsible for his care but you know how that goes. They bathe up every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. We don't like dog smells. Vet bills have totalled $400 thus far for shots, was sick last week so he got an IV for his diarrhea (sp?), etc. These bills haven't included heart worm pills (1x a month) and flea tick medicine (1x month). Food isn't terribly expensive. I've been up 2-3 times this week in the middle of the night because of his sickness cleaning out the poop and pee in his crate and just comforting him. Ughh.... But we all are attached to him and even though I've been tired and inconvenienced by his sickness, you wouldn't be mad at you kid if you were up with him/her all night. It's the same thing. I worried about him when we were on vacation but left him in the care of competent friends. I was told small dogs usually get terrified in kennels b/c of all the noise and commotion of all the other dogs. We had to pay the friends for pet sitting. Good thing we have hard wood floors and ceramic tile where our dog stays. His accidents have been pretty easy to clean up. See pics of him on my blog. In the pics he is about 3 pds. He is now 7 pounds. So cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagsWife Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 That it is extremely difficult to train a dog when you are chasing little kids around. In fact, nearly impossible if you don't know what you doing! Not enough people take that seriously! I know of three different families who have had to get rid of dogs recently. All three families had young families, got puppies, and did not have the time to train the animal. All three families also had large breed dogs. Now there are three huge dogs, who are not trained, trying to find homes...or most likely have been put down, and it was no fault of their own. I am not an animal rights activist by any means, but it drives me crazy to see these young families get animals when I know what the probable outcome is going to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 (edited) Dogs are like kids: They always wake you up when you want to sleep in. They always get sick after hours. :glare: They don't have good hygiene and kind of smell. :001_smile: They whine at you when they are hungry. They make a huge mess when taking a bath. They never cooperate when you are running late. They always cost more money than you think they will. They are good at looking cute so you'll give them a cookie. If they can get dirty they will, muddy puddles are fun. All of the above, and the money thing in particular. They are expensive! Flea and heart worm treatments, unplanned vet visits, causing the cat stress so he pees blood etc. Lots of moolah. And after the vet visits for kennel cough (even though she is vaccinated) I'm definitely getting pet insurance because even something like kennel cough (dog version of cold or flu) costs a fortune to treat. :lol: So true! We can't even say the word "cookie" anymore! Also, They pass gas often & usually it doesn't smell like flowers. They lick themselves *there* often. They always want to go for a walk. Yeah, all that too. Ok, at the risk of getting the boos and hisses, I"ll be the wet blanket and say that in my opinion and experience as a trainer, perhaps a dog is not the best pet for someone who has no dog experience and is, in fact, afraid of dogs. astrid Well, I won't boo and hiss but I have to say that we have a 20 week old boxer puppy. We have never had a dog before and I've been a little afraid of dogs after a few bad experiences. We love her to bits, she has enriched the household. I'm working hard on training her and, while things aren't perfect (she HATES her crate :( ) training wise, she is coming along well. I purposely chose a dog that needed a lot of exercise to get my slothful butt off the couch and it's worked. If she isn't walked she is really naughty so it's a big incentive to get out and walk her, in fact I'm about to leave for a walk now. Oh, and boxers don't shed much :D Edited August 8, 2011 by keptwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I keep reading about how much money dogs cost, and I have to say there must be different approaches. Our dog is not expensive in the least. Dog food. That's what we spend on her. She's healthy, happy and a great pet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Trying not to repeat . . . A smaller dog will not be less of an intrusion on your life. Sometimes the opposite is true. It's like children. You can't know until it's too late. However, you may try borrowing a dog. See if any friends will lend theirs or need a pet sitter during vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I keep reading about how much money dogs cost, and I have to say there must be different approaches. Our dog is not expensive in the least. Dog food. That's what we spend on her. She's healthy, happy and a great pet! So far we have: Food, which is kinda obvious, but I refuse to feed her crappy food and the good stuff ain't cheap. Monthly flea and heart worm treatments which are costing more than I expected. She caused the cat so much stress that he started peeing blood. That was a $350 learning experience to keep the cat and dog seperate more. She has had kennel cough twice!! and being new dog owners (a bit like a first baby LOL) we took her to the vet. Two visits, one of which was after hours and that's another $260. After the above experience, we will be getting pet insurance, which we had kind of budgeted for, but hadn't done enough research on the policy we actually need which is more than I budgeted. Visits for vaccinations and she's about to get de-sexed (we knew these costs) Harnesses, bedding, toys, crates, collars, leads. They all add up to over $300 so far. Puppy School $150 and she needs more training, so either more puppy school or an obedience club. And of course, kennelling, which is not cheap but we did know about. Plus, we bought a dog from a breeder and I spent a lot of time finding an ethical one, the crapo breeders are cheaper. I'm not complaining about any of this, because it's part of dog ownership and we wouldn't dream of not looking after her properly, but the total cost so far has definitely been more than expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenpeterson5 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Dogs can get expensive with food, vet bills, and boarding. But, they become part of your family. You love them and why wouldn't you take the time to groom them and care for them. They are a nice companion to have and a great way to learn responsibility for the kids. You'd spend the money on your kids right! So why not a little on a dog! I have to admit though after our dog passed (very sad :001_huh:) it was nice not to have to vacuum the furniture all of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I keep reading about how much money dogs cost, and I have to say there must be different approaches. Our dog is not expensive in the least. Dog food. That's what we spend on her. She's healthy, happy and a great pet! If I didn't buy heart worm meds, my dog would have heart worm in no time. Our dog also has GI problems and needs to eat special food or gets sick. So his food costs more. I never anticipated that. I agree with pp that a good dog trainer is a must. An absolute must. I've had dogs all my life, and I still needed the help of a dog trainer. I took a great course with my then puppy, and he's a well trained dog. Three years ago I decided to get a second dog. The dog was about 3 yrs old but had zero training. He came from a rescue. Even with my knowledge of dog training (I'm not claiming to be an expert at all) I still had to call a dog trainer to come to my home to help me. A few months later and he was pretty well behaved. Sadly, we only had him for a year and he escaped from my back yard when the exterminator didn't close my gate properly. He was run over, spent three horrible weeks in the animal hospital, and then we finally put him down. It broke our hearts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 (edited) Few thoughts... There are many monetary expenses, but I think the time investment is greater. I would recommend getting dog in warmer weather. It's much easier to house break in the summer than the winter.;) Puppies are just like babies. Since you have a 4yo, a 'teen' dog would be much easier on you. Like a pp said, with a puppy you'll be up at night taking the him outside. Contact a local rescue group when you decide on a breed. They often have dogs in foster care, and the foster family can give you a great idea of the dog's personality. You can usually bring the dog home for a weekend and get to know him. Do you have a fenced yard? Many breeders and most rescue groups will insist on one. Sometimes people adopt from a shelter with good intentions. Then they don't always spend the time to make the dog a part of the family. When the dog acts up because of the new owner's negligence, the dog ends up back in the shelter. Then, when the shelter needs more room, the owner surrendered dogs are the first ones to be killed. :( We have 2 rescue dogs and they are the best dogs ever. We are also fostering 3 dogs right now. They are good dogs and we are spending a ton of time working with them so they'll be adoptable. One has a horrible time with the crate, but we're slowly working through that. I can imagine sweeping the floors only once a day, but we love our dogs! Edited August 9, 2011 by Aggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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