Should we get a dog?

tomj1

Hiya,

Me and my girlfriend are thinking to adopt a dog from a shelter, we both like the bigger size dogs, not the little ones. I grew up with dogs and I love them to bits and I ve been wanting one for the last few years. My problem is that we have different opinions of where a dog belongs, for me it's like a family member and needs almost the same attention. My gf doesn't feel exactly that way, she thinks that a dog.. is just a pet, and while we should love them and take care of them, they do have their own place. For example, she doesn't really want the dog to be inside the house and definitely doesn't want the dog to sleep inside. I don't want to present her as insensitive, she wants the dog to have their own house in the backyard with blankets, insulated etc., whatever it needs to be comfortable. In fairness we don't have a big house, but that's something you can work around it.

Now my question is, is it considered cruel to have the dog sleeping outside at nights? I have no second thoughts that she will love the dog and eventually will let him be inside, but I doubt it that she will ever agree (without us fighting) for the dog to sleep in the house. So it all boils down to.. should we really get a dog? I only want us to get a dog if I can be sure the dog is happy from being with us. I know that this sounds more like a personal rather than a pet issue, but that's how things are at the moment and I would like to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading.

cocker5

OP…

Ok so firstly 99.9% of animals shelters wont adopt dogs out to people who will have the dog sleeping outside. They just (most of the time) don’t agree with dogs sleeping alone outside as most dogs have suffered neglect and abuse of some sort and being an outdoor won’t do them any favours etc.

You mentioned your GF doesn’t want to the dog in the house and def. not sleeping in the house…forgive me if I appear harsh…but why would youguys get a dog based on what you already wrote?

Whatever about sleeping in the house to not allow the dog inthe house full stop will mean what for the dog?

A walk once a day? Interaction with you guys when it’s not raining or too cold etc.?


Dog are social creatures they long to belong to a family …not im not saying they have to sleep indoors but not allowing them in the house…what are you guys gonna do, look at the dog through the back window etc.? Im sorry but this is the exact reason shelters wont adopt a dog out to people with your GF’s mentality (im sorry if I sound harsh but it’s true).


What does your GF want a dog for?


I do not and cannot understand why you would even consider getting a dog when your GF doesn’t want them in the house etc.


With regard to sleeping outside It’s all about personal choice really, and down to the breed… IMO I don’t see a point in having a dog unless it’spart of the family, my dog sleeps in my house etc. but I do know other people whose dogs sleep outside but are indoors with the family the rest of the time etc…

Based on what you posted RE: your GF not wanting a dog inside at all…. No you shouldn’t get a dog.

ShaShaBear

Have to agree OP, unless you guys lived in the country and had tonnes of space and were working outside regularly to interact with the dog, it's utterly pointless.

I have no objection to a dog sleeping outside once they prefer it, but not letting the dog into the house at all is sort of like buying a new couch and not letting anyone sit on it. It looks good, but has no purpose and the couch simply goes to waste

t'bear

Sheesh. My wife and I disagreed if my pet was allowed on the rug in the lounge, he had a very comfy bed and a chair to park his furry backside on. when my wife was away he of course used to sneak onto the rug and I didn't move him on. This was a very minor tiff, the op has a major problem, I would not bring a dog into your life

no OP i dont think ye should get a dog.

whats the point? your girlfriend wants a dog that stays outside.
so, do you bring it for a walk? so it enjoys the company, then you come home and leave it outside?
or, she lets it in the house now and again, rubs it and then when it annoys her or she gets sick of it, or its raining so she doesnt want to let a wet dog inside ruining the place, it gets left outside. the dog doesnt understand this.

the dog doesnt know that sometimes your girlfriend lets it in, sometimes it has fun going for a walk, then other times its just left outside on its own.

sorry, but i dont think you should get a dog.
unless ye get a small dog that your girlfriend is happy to live in the house with ye.

tomj1

Thanks, you 've made some good arguments I can bring to her and maybe she will rethink the whole staying out thing. As I said I want the dog to be happy, I 've no reason to deprive an animal of a better home. I think the main problem is that the living room is very small, the kitchen is bigger but she doesn't want any hair in there.

andreac

tomj1 wrote: »

Thanks, you 've made some good arguments I can bring to her and maybe she will rethink the whole staying out thing. As I said I want the dog to be happy, I 've no reason to deprive an animal of a better home. I think the main problem is that the living room is very small, the kitchen is bigger but she doesn't want any hair in there.

Sorry but if she's worried about dog hair anywhere in the house then she shouldn't get a dog, full stop.
Dogs have hair, they shed, they are messy, sometimes dirty, but any of this is a problem then a dog is not for your household.

tomj1

tomj1 wrote: »

Thanks, you 've made some good arguments I can bring to her and maybe she will rethink the whole staying out thing. As I said I want the dog to be happy, I 've no reason to deprive an animal of a better home. I think the main problem is that the living room is very small, the kitchen is bigger but she doesn't want any hair in there.

if she doesnt want hair/dirt in the house, then no way should ye get a dog!!

my lad has hair all over the kitchen, he is not allowed in the sittingroom but obviously i bring his hair in with me. there are days when there is hair ALL over the house! i cant understand it myself half the time!

and see when the weather is bad?? out for a walk, in the rain. bad, but not as bad as the wet dog coming inside shaking everywhere and rubbing his wetself off everything ( sofas, chairs, legs etc!)

you will never have a totally clean house again with a dog!

tomj1

Thanks, some food for thought and an interesting conversation ahead of us. Because I sense some frustration, don't worry, we 're not going to get a dog if it doesn't get the proper attention it deserves.

ferretone

If you really do love dogs, and want some interaction with them, perhaps you live close enough to a decent animal shelter you could volunteer at? If you get involved that way, it's possible she might be attracted by all your nice stories about the dogs, and decide to go along a few times too. If you boil the frog slowly enough, that might be the best way to reconcile her to dog hair in the home eventually

johnsuperf

I got a dog five years ago from a shelter he is half rothweller and half labrador he has the rothwiller body but golden in colour.HE is a house dog and great company.yes hair does be all over the place so sweep the floor each day thats presuming you have wooden floors etc It is cruel to leave a dog in the back garden they love company and do not like to be left alone.If your going to get a dog you will have to make exceptions for a bit of dirt in the house but you said your room is small so their is not that much cleaning and believe me once you get attached to the dog you wont mind too much.you can also get a dog hair brush and use it twice a day to remove the loose hairs it only takes a couple of seconds but even at that you will come accross hair on the floor but hey what do you expect they are a little hairy after all.

cocker5

OP...

Glad to hear your taking all the points on board etc.

I just wanted to make a few more just to give you food for thought..

1. Do you both work? if so what will they dog do all day? most dogs will get destructive when left alone all day. (and cry, bark etc )

2. Do you own your home or rent? alot of people if renting find it difficult to move with a dog and end up having to rehome them.

3. you mentioned your sitting room is small.... if by some miracle your GF does alllow the dog inside, where will the "big" dog you want fit?

4. dog hair - all dogs shed, even though i have my cocker clipped tight he still sheds a little. and even if he's not all over the house... his hair is.

5. If you do proceed and get a dog and leave it outside all day.... it will cry, bark and whinge - as we have already menetioned the are social creatures not fit to live a lonely life - what about your neighbours?

6. Cost of a dog....
€75 Yearly Shots
€255 Pet insuarnce
€15- €20 per day for kennels when you are away
€45 - €65 per 15kg of good dog food (a big dog will require more food)
€60 every 3 months for grooming
€150 for large kennel

not to mention treats, bedding, other medical costs, toys, leads, bowls etc

7. large dogs create more mess and require more exercise... and not just when the weather is ok.... everyday.

8. a dogs life is 10-15 years depending on the age of the dog.. can you commit to this? a dog is for life and all that.

9. Training issues... all dogs require training, this require lots of time, patience and consistency, do you have them time? also what if you require a professional trainer... mine cost me €175 for 3 hours (7.5 Years ago - but she was worth it).

10. your garden how big is it? do you have grass? as this will be all ploughed up with all the rain and a dog.... this means lots of mess etc.

11. you mentioned you grew up with dogs, as did I but in reality your family / parents were the main carer of the dogs not you. yes maybe you walked them and fed them etc but thats not the same as owning your own dog who depends soley on you for everything.

Il'l give you an example do you guys go out alot? on a friday night?
well we used to but now we put the dog first, he will have been at home all day so us going out on a friday night isnt fair on him... and when we do go out on a saturday we make sure he's well walked etc so if he's happy we're happy etc...

OP im not trying to patronising or anything like that but im just pointing out all things dog owner related so you can see the FULL picture before you take the plunge.

Either way getting a dog is exciting... but for how long ...unless you can honestly and whole heartly say you are fully aware of all the points above and are going into pet ownership with your eyes wide open then please dont do it.... there are 1000's of dogs gotten for the very reasons you posted about and many of them end up dumped back in shelters when the novelty has worn off.

if you GF doesnt change her mind and wont let the dog in ... what sort of life is that?

Dogs are amazing creatures and my guy brings lots of joy to my life and i would never part with him for anything... but at a sacrafice.... which i am happy to make but honestly are you??

Best of luck....

ZiabR

cocker5 wrote: »

OP...

Glad to hear your taking all the points on board etc.

I just wanted to make a few more just to give you food for thought..

1. Do you both work? if so what will they dog do all day? most dogs will get destructive when left alone all day. (and cry, bark etc )

2. Do you own your home or rent? alot of people if renting find it difficult to move with a dog and end up having to rehome them.

3. you mentioned your sitting room is small.... if by some miracle your GF does alllow the dog inside, where will the "big" dog you want fit?

4. dog hair - all dogs shed, even though i have my cocker clipped tight he still sheds a little. and even if he's not all over the house... his hair is.

5. If you do proceed and get a dog and leave it outside all day.... it will cry, bark and whinge - as we have already menetioned the are social creatures not fit to live a lonely life - what about your neighbours?

6. Cost of a dog....
€75 Yearly Shots
€255 Pet insuarnce
€15- €20 per day for kennels when you are away
€45 - €65 per 15kg of good dog food (a big dog will require more food)
€60 every 3 months for grooming
€150 for large kennel

not to mention treats, bedding, other medical costs, toys, leads, bowls etc

7. large dogs create more mess and require more exercise... and not just when the weather is ok.... everyday.

8. a dogs life is 10-15 years depending on the age of the dog.. can you commit to this? a dog is for life and all that.

9. Training issues... all dogs require training, this require lots of time, patience and consistency, do you have them time? also what if you require a professional trainer... mine cost me €175 for 3 hours (7.5 Years ago - but she was worth it).

10. your garden how big is it? do you have grass? as this will be all ploughed up with all the rain and a dog.... this means lots of mess etc.

11. you mentioned you grew up with dogs, as did I but in reality your family / parents were the main carer of the dogs not you. yes maybe you walked them and fed them etc but thats not the same as owning your own dog who depends soley on you for everything.

Il'l give you an example do you guys go out alot? on a friday night?
well we used to but now we put the dog first, he will have been at home all day so us going out on a friday night isnt fair on him... and when we do go out on a saturday we make sure he's well walked etc so if he's happy we're happy etc...

OP im not trying to patronising or anything like that but im just pointing out all things dog owner related so you can see the FULL picture before you take the plunge.

Either way getting a dog is exciting... but for how long ...unless you can honestly and whole heartly say you are fully aware of all the points above and are going into pet ownership with your eyes wide open then please dont do it.... there are 1000's of dogs gotten for the very reasons you posted about and many of them end up dumped back in shelters when the novelty has worn off.

if you GF doesnt change her mind and wont let the dog in ... what sort of life is that?

Dogs are amazing creatures and my guy brings lots of joy to my life and i would never part with him for anything... but at a sacrafice.... which i am happy to make but honestly are you??

Best of luck....

OP, you really wont get better advice than this. From the sounds of it, your GF never had pets? or never had dogs before? Sounds like you want the dog and she is just going along with you because you want one so much.

Tranceypoo

andreac wrote: »

Sorry but if she's worried about dog hair anywhere in the house then she shouldn't get a dog, full stop.
Dogs have hair, they shed, they are messy, sometimes dirty, but any of this is a problem then a dog is not for your household.

Don't forget stinky, sometimes they're really stinky too, especially after a roll in some nice fox poop!

meoklmrk91

I personally don't understand why people get outdoor dogs, yes there are some exceptions but most of the time an outdoor dogs only interactions with the owners are being fed and, if they are lucky, a walk. If you don't want a dog indoors the don't get one, they crave human interaction and love their people, they want to be around them all the time. If I'm at home my dog is in, on evenings like this if I have to go away he is in his crate, I wouldn't put him out in the cold and the rain, as long as I have had him he has never spent a night outside and never will.

The vast majority of outdoor dogs a lonesome creatures who are destructive because of boredom and howl and bark annoying their neighbours. Someone I know who has an outdoor dog recently asked me why their dog was barking, I tried to think of a diplomatic answer but there wasn't one, I said, if you were stuck outside in the cold and the rain, starting at the same four walls day in, day out wouldn't you be making noise too.

sillysmiles

cocker5 wrote: »

1. Do you both work? if so what will they dog do all day? most dogs will get destructive when left alone all day. (and cry, bark etc )

Just on this. Does everyone on here who had a dog not work? Or are you suggesting that only stay at home parents should get dogs?

Hooked

sillysmiles wrote: »

Just on this. Does everyone on here who had a dog not work? Or are you suggesting that only stay at home parents should get dogs?

I'm not sure about everyone else 'on here' but we'd never have got a dog if it was going to be left alone for 8.5 plus hours a day... They have to fit your lifestyle and you have to want to put the time in. That show on channel 4 last week was a real eye opener (dogs with separation anxiety) for nearly all owners surveyed. Dogs are social creatures and don't do well when left alone.

We make sure our dog is walked before we leave for work EVERY morning. I'm home EVERY day from the office to feed him and let him indoors with me at dinner hour (1 or 2pm) and then back out back till I'm finished at 5.30. Walk again after work, or bike, or run. Then in for the evening.

To the OP. We own a Siberian Husky. You know, the problematic hole digging, howling, misbehaving, escape artists....

Not Hugo. And here's why...

Like most dogs, he's a pack animal and does best being part of that pack (in with us). He's indoors as much as we are, and we just put up with the twice yearly 'blowing' of his coat. Huskies are by their nature - very clean dogs so there's not much in cleaning up after him. He sleeps indoors (google crate training) and as a result is not distracted by noises or animals outside at night. During the day, he's exercised as any dog should be (dependent on the breed) and never alone for more than 4 hours. He comes camping, on holidays and to town/outdoor events with us.

Don't get me wrong - we're no pushovers. He's not allowed up on furniture/couches, nor does he beg for food from the table. Upstairs is off limits and he's in a strict routine when we are eating or if there's a knock on the door. But we repay that obedience in spades.

If your girlfriend won't entertain a dog indoors, in MY OPINION you're asking for trouble OP. A bored, isolated, stressed, wet, smelly, hole digging, fence eating, wall climbing waste of a pet...

I've NO DOUBT that if (like us) you include a dog as much as is possible - you'll develop a fantastic relationship and the house just won't be the same without them... But you BOTH have to be on the same page.

Now... Tis time for Hugo to 'go pee' and then into his crate (bed) till 7am.

ShaShaBear

sillysmiles wrote: »

Just on this. Does everyone on here who had a dog not work? Or are you suggesting that only stay at home parents should get dogs?

The poster asked what the dog will do all day if OP and girlfriend work, not that he shouldn't have a dog
Simple things like will there be someone to walk the dog in the middle of the day, how long will there be between feeding times, how long he will be left unsupervised in the house (which could lead to chewing or destruction) or how long will he be locked in the garden (which could lead to escape or encourage theft).

cocker5

sillysmiles wrote: »

Just on this. Does everyone on here who had a dog not work? Or are you suggesting that only stay at home parents should get dogs?

I think your missing the whole point of my post - i was trying to show the OP all possible issues / considerations when getting a dog.

no where did i suggest because of the above reason, was a reason for not getting a dog. and i also never suggested that only people who are at home all day should get a dog either!

Lots of people get dogs, dump them in the back garden for 8-10 hours a day, and when they come home the dogs kennel has been chewed... or the garden has been dug up and they wonder why?? or the neighbours are complaining of the nosie from the dog etc.... its not rocket science is it??
a dog a social creature left to its own devices all day ... everyday... will result in destrcutive behaviour, digging the garden, pulling up plants, chewing decking, barking , crying etc.... end result owners cant (wont) deal with the issues "they just cant cope etc" - dog gets put into a shelter etc... this happens ALOT.

That was my point... if the OP and GF are in work all day what will they do with their dog?

I work full time as does my OH BUT when my cocker was a pup we had a dog walker 2/3 days per week... plus my parents in law take him on other days.... etc..

These are all considerations when looking at getting a dog

again i have to point out, 99.999999% of rescues / shelters will NOT adopt out a dog to people who:

1. Will have the dog sleeping outside
2. who both parties work fullt time

and there are very good reasons to support both of the above.

At the end of the day getting a dog should be about the quality of life the dog will have... not whether the owners will be happy etc.

its all about whats best for the dog