Considerations for a new dog....

comewatmay

Hi folks,

31 year old male living in a house with small garden and large green park area out the back.

I know all the positive sof owning a dog are obvious.

I have a question for all the dog owners out there....

What considerations do I need to take into account before getting a dog?

Id like to compile a list to see if im suitable to minding a dog. thanks

hardCopy

Like you say, there are plenty of positives, but...

Do you have the patience of a saint and a taste for wind and rain?

Will you have to reimburse a landlord for damage to floors and lawns?

Can you afford the vet and food bills?

VonVix

Brilliant question, one that not enough people ask. Let me think...!

1. If you are going on holiday where you cannot take your dog with you, who will mind your dog?
2. What's your daily routine for a dog?
3. When you are looking at a dog, be aware of what the dog was bred to do, dogs have their strengths and weaknesses. For example my three dogs are of the herding variety, they like to chase moving things given the opportunity.
4. Pet insurance is worth considering, especially if you get a breed prone to health issues, bulldogs and pugs would be examples.
5. How long would the dog be alone for during the average day?
6. Can you afford it? Vaccinations, neutering, food (avoiding cheapy stuff in supermarkets!), worming, a dog bed, a replacement dog bed for the one he destroyed, dog toys, whoops my dog fell and broke his leg?
7. Do you have patience if you're getting a puppy? Do you have the time to housetrain and socialise your puppy? Do you have the patience to deal with eaten shoes that you should have put away, torn carpet that got pulled up when you turned your back?

Choc Chip

I'd factored in exercising, training, vets bils, etc etc. so the sheer volume of additional cleaning was the biggest surprise for me.

I know that sounds flippant and I wouldn't change it for the world, but I was woefully underprepared for how much hair a shedding dog can produce (and my house will never again be as clean as pre-dog).

sillysmiles

Do you have someone you can call on to let the dog out, take it for a walk etc if you are going on a random night out or have something going on straight after work.

Dubl07

Do you have a house alarm that the dog will persistently set off from the pitch of its barking?

awanderer

Do you rent or own your house? If you rent and live near a city, are you sure you would be able to find another house that would accept dogs? At the moment, with the housing crisis, in Galway for example, the rescues receive dogs that had been living with the same family for sometimes up to 6 or 8 years but have to be let go otherwise all the family would be without home. It is incredibly sad. I am myself renter and even if I would be able to move almost anywhere in Ireland if needed, and wouldn't mind living in remote areas it is a constant worry.

Otherwise, I agree with the sheding part. I thought I was prepared but we have a master shedder of a labrador and despite sweeping and hoovering at least 4 times a day, and brushing the dog after each walks (ie as often), the house,even the first floor where he never goes, is covered in hair.

awanderer

Forgot to say that often rescues are desesperatly looking for fosterers for their dogs for christmas as it seems pounds close for the christmas period and they have to rehome or put down every dog before they close. Fostering is a great way of testing your dog minding strong and weak points and also of having a better idea of what kind of dog would be most suitable for you

Latatian

Can you cope with going out every day, for an hour, in the worst of weather, and then picking up sh1t in the middle of the storm and the rain? And carrying it because the bins are full? Not every dog will need it, some dogs refuse to go out in the bad weather, but even some of the smallest dogs need a good fair walk every single day to stay happy.

Or when the dog gets diarrhoea, gets upset about it, and ends up somehow smearing it up the walls to head height? Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but those are the two mental images I'd have before considering another dog. And yes, that did really happen. And I did have to clean all of it, and the dog, up by myself.

I'd have a bit of money saved up before you get the dog for the vet, they manage to get sick at the worst of times.

Fostering is an excellent idea to see what considerations you need.

Also, what will happen if it turns out not to be the dog you'd hoped for? If it has fear issues, say, will you be able to work through them? If it's never a social butterfly and stays a one-person dog, or if it turns out to be an escape artist or not trustworthy to leave out in the house? Or what if it becomes incontinent as it gets older? I'd think through a few scenarios and work through what your responses, preparations etc. will be. Some of this stuff will be more avoidable if you get a rescue dog who's been in a foster home for a fair while, so you're getting more of a known quantity than a puppy, or than an adult dog without a history.

Fair play to you for asking the question. I hope I haven't put you off too much. And you've got some really good advice from the posts above.

hardCopy

Latatian wrote: »

Can you cope with going out every day, for an hour, in the worst of weather, and then picking up sh1t in the middle of the storm and the rain? And carrying it because the bins are full? Not every dog will need it, some dogs refuse to go out in the bad weather, but even some of the smallest dogs need a good fair walk every single day to stay happy.

Or when the dog gets diarrhoea, gets upset about it, and ends up somehow smearing it up the walls to head height? Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but those are the two mental images I'd have before considering another dog. And yes, that did really happen. And I did have to clean all of it, and the dog, up by myself.

I'd have a bit of money saved up before you get the dog for the vet, they manage to get sick at the worst of times.

Fostering is an excellent idea to see what considerations you need.

Also, what will happen if it turns out not to be the dog you'd hoped for? If it has fear issues, say, will you be able to work through them? If it's never a social butterfly and stays a one-person dog, or if it turns out to be an escape artist or not trustworthy to leave out in the house? Or what if it becomes incontinent as it gets older? I'd think through a few scenarios and work through what your responses, preparations etc. will be. Some of this stuff will be more avoidable if you get a rescue dog who's been in a foster home for a fair while, so you're getting more of a known quantity than a puppy, or than an adult dog without a history.

Fair play to you for asking the question. I hope I haven't put you off too much. And you've got some really good advice from the posts above.

Smearing? Our guy sprays it directly onto the wall. Words can't describe the smell.

irishlady29

If your garden is small, consider all the poop that needs to be picked up, you'd be surprised how much they can deposit and a fairly strong gut is required when picking it up!
A great idea would be to foster a dog from your local animal shelter. That way, it will give you an idea of what s involved and if you find its more work/hassle than you thought you can return the dog or hang onto it until a home is found. Win win situation for you!
One thing I will say, owning, caring and loving a dog is very rewarding. I would be lost without my 2, they have gotten me through some of the worst times of my life.
It's great that you are being very responsible with doing your research before you make the commitment. Wish there was more out there like you

Cherry Blossom

irishlady29 wrote: »

If your garden is small, consider all the poop that needs to be picked up, you'd be surprised how much they can deposit and a fairly strong gut is required when picking it up!

Before I got Poppy we always had farm dogs that chose their own spot, usually on a bit of waste ground left over where a shed was built and there was no cleaning up. When Poppy came along all of a sudden it was in the garden and I had to pick it up off the road out walking. For the first month I was retching and gagging every time I had to do it lol. It took a good while to get used to it.

jennyjoy

I think all of the questions that people have mentioned are perfect considerations to keep in mind before getting a dog. The absolute most important one though is will you be home enough to train, play, and keep your dog company? Also make sure you do research on the breeds to know their temperament. For example, labs are hyper the first couple of years and need lots of exercise and playtime. Or there's smaller breeds that don't have as much energy and don't require as much play.

oppenheimer1

comewatmay wrote: »

Hi folks,

31 year old male living in a house with small garden and large green park area out the back.

I know all the positive sof owning a dog are obvious.

I have a question for all the dog owners out there....

What considerations do I need to take into account before getting a dog?

Id like to compile a list to see if im suitable to minding a dog. thanks

If you rent, you can pretty much rule out getting a dog (in Dublin at least). Extremely few landlords are willing to put up with the risk of the damage they can cause.

Other key consideration is do you have the time every day to look after it.

hardCopy

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

If you rent, you can pretty much rule out getting a dog (in Dublin at least). Extremely few landlords are willing to put up with the risk of the damage they can cause.

Other key consideration is do you have the time every day to look after it.

It's not impossible by any means. We found two landlords in the same neighbourhood willing to let to us with a view to getting a dog.

Having said that, I'm dreading moving out, our back garden is in bits.