My nine year old son, older brother to ggb 5 year olds wants a dog for Christmas.

I cannot make my mind up on whether I can handle a dog or not.

Please shed some light if you have some. I teach school. So, I leave at 7 and get home around 330 everyday. We are home most weekends of the year.

I feel that if I do not give him a dog, I have taken away a feeling that other kids receive easily. It's almost like I feel for him because he is the older child and he has already sacrificed for the triplets as it stands now.

I realize that I will be the one who takes care of the dog most of the time.

Thoughts??

We had a dog when the girls were born, we had to put her to sleep last September, and this August we got a new dog.

You realize that you'll be taking care of it most of the time, so that's a problem solved right there. My dad still goes on about how he got me a dog when I was 9 and I said I'd pick up the poop and take care of it and I didn't. I was 9, of course I was going to promise anything for a dog.

If you get the right dog, the fact that you're gone a large portion of the day shouldn't necessarily be a problem. You want to make sure that you get a dog that is truly compatible with the amount of time you'll be able to exercise. Some dogs require tons of exercise, and running in the back yard just doesn't cut it, so you can't think, "I'll let it run around outside while we're gone and all is well." No. The dog will be nuts, and that's when they get destructive, when they have pent up energy. So definitely do your research on what breeds best suit your lifestyle, and it won't necessarily be a small dog.

After you decide on a breed I'd look in to a rescue. We got our current dog on Craigslist, and as my husband likes to say, her owner misrepresented her. Which isn't to say she's not a good dog - our top priority was that she be great with kids, and she is very good with the girls and puts up with a lot of crap before she will issue a warning growl. But he did make her sound more laid back than she is, probably because he wanted to get rid of her. An animal rescue place will be honest about the dogs' behavior because they want to make sure to match it. They also do a lot of training with the dogs, so that helps.

Good luck.
Amy

Julia, ^Caitlin^ & Gabrielle



Visit us at http://onealaskanmom.wordpress.com

Our girls are almost 2, and we have had our two dogs since before they were born - a Greyhound and a mixed breed (both rescues). I love the way the girls LOVE their doggies (they said "dog" and "good girl" before they would say "mama") but sometimes it does just feel like one more thing I have to take care of.

I would encourage you to look into getting a little bit older dog. I'm sure your son would still be happy if it wasn't a puppy, and SO MUCH less work. Having adopted our Greyhound when she was 3, and our mixed as a puppy, I can tell you there is a HUGE difference in the amount of work it takes for training, etc, not to mention destructive behavior. And as PP mentioned, I would definitely get it from a rescue group or breeder that will be up front with how the dog will act with kids.

Lara
Mom to GGG born 12/25/09 at 25+4

I am not nor have I ever been a 'dog person.' That said, I finally caved into years of pressure last year and we got a white lab puppy from a reputable breeder out of our state. I don't know if it's a factor of his high end breeding or good luck, but he is the most amazing, laid back dog with our little and big ones and more than lives up to his breed's reputation as the perfect family dog. The task of his care has fallen largely to me and I have learned to 'like' him, but I have to say that the kids don't do as they promised in taking him for walks etc. Fortunately I'm a runner and he is actually great to run with so he does get some exercise!!

I would be careful about rescue dogs, only because we were advised that would not be advisable in our situation. Too many kids and not being sure of the history of the dog....we just felt that was a risk we were uncomfortable with.

Everyone always told us not to do the puppy for Christmas thing...but I don't see where that's much different than any other time of the year. We did get ours in the summer but only because that's how it all worked out with the breeder.

Good luck to you. Our triplets are 9, and they love our dog.

Ellyn and the lucky 13!





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thanks ladies. If you are reading this, please post if you have something to add to it all! I'm still reading and thinking!

Born@32weeks
Ella 4lb 3oz
Paul 3lb 14oz
Lauren 3lb 15oz

I say go for it! Since you are a teacher you will be off for the holiday break I presume? Perfect for training. Be sure you crate train. Since you will be gone most of the day this will be very helpful.

We got our beloved dog Daisy when my kids were almost 5. There isn't a day that goes by that the kids are not loving on her. She has been a great addition to our family and loved by all.

Good luck & let us know what you decide!

Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

Dogs are great--if you're not sure you can handle a puppy try the shelter. Call the shelter and visit before you bring your kids in on it, because once they're in on it you're done and a you will get the first dog they see.

I had my last dog for 15 1/2 yrs. She was my first baby.

I love puppies but knew I couldn't handle one on top of my 7 yr old triplets and 18 mo old daughter. We went to the shelter and got a 5 yr old bull mastiff. This dog is so laid back it's like having another piece of furniture.

Just make sure that you don't expect that you won't have to do anything to take care of this dog. You will either have to take care of the dog yourself or spend everyday reminding your son to do it. But the payoff is great, I think your son would love it and as long as you aren't a person that dislikes dogs you will too.

I ditto what pp say about getting a slightly older dog. Puppies are a lot of work although I know the whole cute puppy thing is that ultimate package. Try to find a cute older dog that has been house trained. You can find great dogs at the rescues.

Meri

GBG born 9/23/09

I am not a dog person, but we tried the dog thing a few years ago. It ended horribly. I hate to be a Negative Nelly, but I figured you wanted all opinions!

We got Bailey, a German shepherd, white lab mix and very bouncey trouncey thing! Mid-to-large size.

We were told the dog was lazy (he was a shelter *rescue* dog) and very well-behaved. The first moment we got him home, it was hell. He would go outside and pee on the lawn, and as soon as he came in, he'd pee on the livingroom floor. Sometimes a few times each day, and not just a little spot. We ended up having to buy a carpet cleaner and our wood floors are ruined and scratched.

He couldn't be left alone for more than an hour, so we ended up trudging everywhere with him and weren't able to go anywhere spontaneously. He was only happy in his kennel, which was weird until I realized that the rescue shelter had him in a kennel almost all day unless a volunteer had come by to walk him... so basically he was overstimulated and overwhelmed to be out.

He started mouthing the girls and trying to be dominant, even with training help from my friends who have trained several dogs, including rescue dogs. Kristin was so scared to walk down the hallway. Finally, he bit Alison's face while "playing" and gave her a scar across her nose. Not aggressively, but that was the last straw. We took him back to the shelter.

The POSITIVES to getting Bailey had been that - once the kids were in bed - he was very lovey and would lay on the couch with me while I studied. I liked the security having a dog gave me when I was home alone... Mike works 1/3 of all nights.

It was such a bad experience that I vowed never to get another pet.

And then a stinkin' fluffball of a kitten got stuck in our garage a couple years ago on a couple nights of below freezing temps. Let me tell you... SO nice to be able to dump some food in her dish and leave for the weekend! LOL

No matter what you decide, every dog is different, and if I ever had to do it again, I would go for a smaller dog and would've waited until the girls were a lot older to move into dog territory. I'd gotten a pup when I was 15 and was able to sit up with the dog and let her out at nights. I was MUCH more responsible and my parents could depend on me to handle the chores.

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com