Help me make my mind up

SW81

My parents' jack russell has two pups looking for a home. There were 6 in the litter, 4 thankfully found great homes with family and friends. There's two boys left and my parents are going to advertise them in the paper as they already have 3 dogs. She's going to be neutered before this happens again. My problem is I have grown very attached to the two pups. They're 9 weeks old so they're ready to go now...so it's now or never.

My story. We've always had dogs. I've lived away from home for 5 years now and I've terribly missed having a dog. Up until now I've been house sharing with people so couldn't get one. Now I've moved in with my boyfriend so the option is there. He loves dogs but is 50/50 and doesn't think it's fair as we live in an apartment. We don't have a garden but if we did take them the pups would have full reign of the apartment, every room (once the madness of chewing everything and toilet training dies down hopefully that wouldn't be a problem)

I know it will be hard work. But like I said I've had dogs all my life. I've toiled trained a few. They would be at home all day on their own but at least they'd be company for eachother and I'd make sure I had the place well stocked up on food, toys and play things for them.

My dilemma is what is the right thing to do? I know pups grow up and it's not the novelty of a puppy, I just love dogs in general. Is it unfair to have two jack russells in an apartment? They'd obviously get walks every day but has anyone else been in a similar situation to this? We've talked about in the case of us ever splitting up that they would go with me. Hopefully that won't be an issue but you never know do you. They've absolutely melted my heart and the thought of them going to someone who didn't treat them right would kill me.

Any thoughts? One second I'm definitely taking them and the next I think about all the cons and just don't know what to do

redvictoria

Don't do it, you would be cruel to your boyfriend, thr dogs and yourself.

SW81

redvictoria wrote: »

Don't do it, you would be cruel to your boyfriend, thr dogs and yourself.

You mean to have them in an apartment?

I have friends who have dogs in apartments and they're happy out.

Maybe my heart is ruling my head

Call me Socket

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having dogs in an apartment! It's not 7 Great Danes you're taking on! JRTs are small, an apartment is big enough for them to fit in (and most dogs sleep while owners are out) They won't be alone as they'll have each other for company, and as long as they're walked in the morning before you go out, and get plenty of quality time and exercise and another walk after you're home, then what's the problem?
People work for a living, it's a fact of life, there are many pampered and very happy pooches home while the owners work or go to college.

@ Redvictoria - Cruel? C'mon....cruel is hacking off a Greyhounds ears and then dumping it on the side of the road.

SW81, sounds to me like you have your head screwed on right. You love dogs, you know how to care for them, you're worried enough about their future to post your concerns here... You'll be a great dog owner and I think the dogs will want for nothing.
But only you can answer your question...it's your life, your responsibility, your decision.

SW81

Thank you for your lovely reply Call me Socket. I know I'm the only person that can make my mind up at the end of the day. I think because I'm so 50/50 about it and want best for the dogs that I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice. If I could find a great home/homes for them I'd be okay to let them go (as attached as I am) but I'm going back to Dublin on Tuesday so I'm worried that they won't. My parents love their dogs but I think at this stage they just want them to go and I don't think they'd be as fussy as me when it comes to whoever takes them.

iseethelight

The only real problems:
Are you definitely allowed dogs in the apartment (many don't allow them-like mine:().
Excessive barking might annoy neighbours but that shouldn't be an issue if their well trained. Just remember what you call excessive and someone who's never owned a dog does may well be 2 different things:).

Whispered

I think an apartment is fine for 2 small dogs. Dogs get their exercise from being walked anyway, so better 2 dogs in an apartment getting walked twice a day, than 2 dogs in a big garden hardly ever walked IMO.

Just keep in mind that a pup wont be able to hold going to the toilet while you are in work until they are a few months old. It does get tiresome having to come in and clean their mess off your floor every single evening after work. But then the first day you come home and there's no mess, it's great!

SW81

helena.ryan wrote: »

I think an apartment is fine for 2 small dogs. Dogs get their exercise from being walked anyway, so better 2 dogs in an apartment getting walked twice a day, than 2 dogs in a big garden hardly ever walked IMO.

Just keep in mind that a pup wont be able to hold going to the toilet while you are in work until they are a few months old. It does get tiresome having to come in and clean their mess off your floor every single evening after work. But then the first day you come home and there's no mess, it's great!

Thanks Helena. I'm going to try to toilet train them to go on a doggy tray - like a kitty litter type of thing. How easy that will be is another question. I have a week off so hopefully I can get them used to it by the time I go back to work.

Still so unsure about it. I just want what's best for the dogs. I don't plan on leaving the country or anything, I'm pretty settled here but I know these boys could be with me for 15+ years if I'm lucky so that's a big factor too. Some serious thinking to be done today....just wanted to make sure first that having them in an apartment would be okay. So used to having our dogs at home out on the farm with loads of space. They'll be taken care of very well and walked twice a day. I do worry about the barking but hopefully that's another thing I can train, it will be all new to me though so I'll have to research how to do it. If anyone has any tips on how to make sure they don't bark too much when I'm out I'd be very grateful...if this is even possible.

ISDW

The main concern that I would have would be that they are litter mates. If they are left on their own a lot while you're out at work (and I'm not condemning that, we all have to earn a living) then they will probably come to depend on each other more than they should. More so than if you got two dogs from different litters. There is a thing called Litter Mate Syndrome, if you google it, there is loads of info out there about. If you do get them, make sure that you train them seperately, and walk them seperately sometimes as well.

anniehoo

I think you sound like you would be a fairly responsible dog owner and i agree, a small dog in an apartment is fine as long as they are adequately exercised. Ive seen houses smaller than some apartments. Its a huge committment but you already know that. Just remember things like holidays, nights out or weekends away. They'll require kennelling/petsitting which is timely to organise and expensive along with all of the other expenses (feed,vaccinations and other medical expenses).

Also, although many apartment blocks are lenient enough with keeping animals on the premises, if they turn out to be barkers you will have more angry neighbours than say if you lived in a house.

It sounds like your pros and cons list may be pretty much 50:50 is it at the moment?

SW81

Well I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face. We're not taking the pups. My boyfriend really doesn't want to. He's mad about them too and even has names for them but he just doesn't think it's fair to have them in an apartment and said we have to think about the future. We don't know if we'll last forever or if we'll want to go travelling at some stage. Right now I don't plan to as I've travelled a bit and feel like I've seen what I wanted to see and want to settle down here but I know he's right, we have to think about the future and not just right now.

As much as I love them and will be absolutely gutted I think we're doing the right thing. I just pray to God that they find good homes. My parents are putting an advert in the paper tomorrow. They've put them on as for sale as they think if a dog is given away free anyone could take them for whatever reason but if someone wants to pay for a dog they'll treat them well....that's their logic anyway. Not sure if I agree but I hope they're right.

I'm so upset, I got so attached to them. And them to me. I really hope it's for the best. Sorry for being such a drama queen, I just want what's best for them but will miss them. I'm praying they get great homes.

Call me Socket

Sorry you're upset.....
Owning a dog can be challenging enough, but it's twice as much work if one of the couple isn't 100% committed, and it can cause resentment to fester if that person compromises just to give the other one what they want.
Timing isn't right for ye at the present I guess.

I'm sure you didn't find your love for animals in a lucky bag- if your parents are anything like you then the pups will go to a good home.

Hope you feel better soon:)

spiderdog

i really think you made the right choice...and it was a hard one to make!!

redvictoria

Call me Socket wrote: »

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having dogs in an apartment! It's not 7 Great Danes you're taking on! JRTs are small, an apartment is big enough for them to fit in (and most dogs sleep while owners are out) They won't be alone as they'll have each other for company, and as long as they're walked in the morning before you go out, and get plenty of quality time and exercise and another walk after you're home, then what's the problem?
People work for a living, it's a fact of life, there are many pampered and very happy pooches home while the owners work or go to college.

@ Redvictoria - Cruel? C'mon....cruel is hacking off a Greyhounds ears and then dumping it on the side of the road.

SW81, sounds to me like you have your head screwed on right. You love dogs, you know how to care for them, you're worried enough about their future to post your concerns here... You'll be a great dog owner and I think the dogs will want for nothing.
But only you can answer your question...it's your life, your responsibility, your decision.

I did say cruel to her boyfriend not the dogs. Take it from someone who's been there, he's 50/50 - he dosent want them, but dosen't want to say so. Right decision made for all.

Call me Socket

I agree, the right decision was made for all, seeing as the boyfriend wasn't fully committed. But you did say it would be cruel to all of them, not just the boyfriend....

redvictoria wrote: »

Don't do it, you would be cruel to your boyfriend, thr dogs and yourself.

redvictoria

Call me Socket wrote: »

I agree, the right decision was made for all, seeing as the boyfriend wasn't fully committed. But you did say it would be cruel to all of them, not just the boyfriend....

Correct thats what I did say. Who wants dogs with someone not fully committed to them. Cruel was probably to strong I agree.

nearly

I just read that keeping littermates isn't the best thing with puppies. I picked this up in a few places. I was reading around because I'm getting littermate kittens. Apparently that is OK, but with dogs less-so.

Here's a good article about it, but I did come across this point in several places:
http://www.petlvr.com/blog/2009/04/should-you-raise-littermates-together/

Also note, holding your piss and poo for a full day is really hard, same goes for dogs. If you need to live in the city & apartment, try to find some way you can get home in the afternoon or get a dog walker to let them out in the middle of the day. Imagine holding your pee for 9 hours, damned hard!