Advice on whether to get a new puppy..

cold_filter

Ok I have a 5 year old GSD, cracking dog, well behaved big strong teddy bear.

My girlfriend likes him but not in the same cuddle bear way that i do!

No my own dog is left along from 8-5 monday to friday. Dont worry he is well used to it from being a puppy though as i was in college when i was there he did get day time activities. Usually he sleeps during the day or has his kong. Then from 5 onwards he's in the house/out for walks etc.

myself and the OH have a house with a pretty decent sized garden. When i showed my OH pictures of my little monster when he was a puppy she loved his "cuteness". Anyway she's been pestering me to get a puppy for a while. Now I have no doubt that my dog would love the company as he gets on great with all other dogs and obviously the puppy would have company with my GSD. I have told my girlfriend that for want of a better phrase that this would be "her dog" i.e. she would be responsible for caring for it, cleaning up after it etc etc andshe has agreed to all of this.

But I'm not sure I want to put a puppy through the loneliness of an 8-5 shift.
What do you guys think?

Also she wants either a GSD or a golden/ lab/retriever. I'd plump for the GSD but would they got on any better/worse?

~Thalia~

cold_filter wrote: »

Ok I have a 5 year old GSD, cracking dog, well behaved big strong teddy bear.

My girlfriend likes him but not in the same cuddle bear way that i do!

No my own dog is left along from 8-5 monday to friday. Dont worry he is well used to it from being a puppy though as i was in college when i was there he did get day time activities. Usually he sleeps during the day or has his kong. Then from 5 onwards he's in the house/out for walks etc.

myself and the OH have a house with a pretty decent sized garden. When i showed my OH pictures of my little monster when he was a puppy she loved his "cuteness". Anyway she's been pestering me to get a puppy for a while. Now I have no doubt that my dog would love the company as he gets on great with all other dogs and obviously the puppy would have company with my GSD. I have told my girlfriend that for want of a better phrase that this would be "her dog" i.e. she would be responsible for caring for it, cleaning up after it etc etc andshe has agreed to all of this.

But I'm not sure I want to put a puppy through the loneliness of an 8-5 shift.
What do you guys think?

Also she wants either a GSD or a golden/ lab/retriever. I'd plump for the GSD but would they got on any better/worse?

Honestly I would not recommend getting a puppy as a present for your G/F. Also wouldn't recommend leaving a small puppy alone with an adult dog for 9 hours plus a day. Sorry I can't be more positive

cold_filter

No problem, thanks for the advice.
I've never had 2 dogs at the same time so I just wanted some feedback on the idea.

Lauragoesmad

Would you not try getting an older dog from the pound? Maybe a year or two old. It would be excellent company for your fella and you'd be saving a dog too.

~Thalia~

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

Would you not try getting an older dog from the pound? Maybe a year or two old. It would be excellent company for your fella and you'd be saving a dog too.

Good point and there are always GSDs in the pounds now particularly since the ban on 'dangerous' dogs in DCC properties. Have a look on www.dogsindistress.org and as Laura says that way you are giving a dog a lifeline, giving your current doggy some company during the day and also avoiding the TROJAN work a puppy brings!

Might be a good idea to have a look anyway.

Best of luck!

cold_filter

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

Would you not try getting an older dog from the pound? Maybe a year or two old. It would be excellent company for your fella and you'd be saving a dog too.

This is what i suggested but as i have seen you few <1 year old GSDs but she is insistent she wants a brand spanking new puppy

peasant

Getting a brand spankin new puppy when nobody is there to take care of it is not a good idea.

You wouldn't get a brand spanking new baby either and leave it unattended for 8 hours, would you ?

A 8 - 12 week old pup is very similar to a human child of about 1 year as far as the required level of care and supervision goes ...i.e. a full-time job.

mags16

cold_filter wrote: »

My girlfriend likes him but not in the same cuddle bear way that i do!


When i showed my OH pictures of my little monster when he was a puppy she loved his "cuteness". Anyway she's been pestering me to get a puppy for a while.

What happens when the new puppy grows up and isn't so "cute" anymore? Puppies are lovely but as you know yourself, caring for a puppy involves lots of not very cute stuff.

The fact that your OH likes your grown up GSD but isn't crazy about him like you are, rings a few alarm bells for me.

It just occurs to me that maybe your OH doesn't want a puppy. She wants a cute little ....!!!!!!!!!

LuckyStar

OP- As you know yourself, a GSD or any dog stays a "cute little puppy" for a matter of weeks. Physically, anyway. Then they start getting bigger and this is when many owners decide they don't want them anymore. Look at http://petsireland.invisionzone.com/ - I would guess at least a third of the dogs there for rehoming are less than a year old. The novelty wears off. They "get too big".

If your girlfriend isn't keen on your full sized GSD and only likes him as a puppy then that should be setting off SERIOUS alarm bells. I once refused a kitten to someone because their child had NO interest in the kitten's mother, or in my own cat who was about half-grown. She just wanted a kitten. I asked her mother was she aware of how long cats can live (12-18 years) and she had no idea, just "she just wants a kitten". I don't know if she got one but it wasn't from me.