Dogs...

[LilyMac]

For those of you who got a dog after you had LO, how long did you wait, what was it like having a LO and a puppy, how have they gotten along?

Any info and advice would be grand

Really want to get a puppy but not sure if it would be a good idea with Aiden being so young. We had a dog when I was little and I loved it, kind of want Aiden to have that same kind of love from a pet iykwim?

TIA

 

[tinkerbell86]

I had a dog before i had LO and she was my baby i've had her sice she was 6 wks old!! I was really worried about her being jealous but shes been fantastic with H!!! She loves him as much as i do and i think shes now his dog rather than mine!!

Have you considered rehoming a dog thats past the puppy stage? As my dog can be hard work and shes 6 so i can imagine a puppy would be alot harder - but then again my dog has always been good - toilet trained when i got her and never chewed or ripped up stuff (apart from when it's been my fault and left something around!)

Hope that helps?

 

[LilyMac]

Thanks hun
Well my brother got a dog when he had his son and sort of bought them up together so theyve got this really special bond and I'd love that, but my brother is really good at training puppies, thats the only thing that worries me I'd lose the plot having to run around after what is essentially another baby! I've just been looking at rehoming an older dog, they're mostly Staffs I'm seeing though and really dont want a Staff, as gorgeous as they are everyone I know has one!!

 

[Yodabo]

We had ours as a pup when my 2nd boy was 3yrs old. The two of them were fine with each other and have such a special bond, it's so cute!

Puppies are fricken hard work though, ours (a staff lol) was supposed to be paper trained when we had her and was she heck! She shit and pissed EVERYWHERE! She also chewed up everything in sight (my new dining chairs had it!) she used to hang off our shoes, slippers, socks, sleeves etc and there's the nipping.

What I would suggest is getting a crate, nothing too big but it's something I wish I had done. It's handy if she's jumping over the visitors or getting a bit boistrous with Aiden. As long as it's not used as punishment then it will love it! Also I know there cute at that age but if there's something you wouldn't want a dog doing in your home ( like jumping on the sofas) then do it when they're young. Old habits are hard to break!

Good luck with getting a dog, all the hard work will be worth the bond they will have totally!

 

[Yodabo]

That's quite upsetting to see there are mainly staffs that need rehoming...it's quite common that these 'hard looking' dogs with soft as shit personalities arnt hard enough for some people and they end up dumping them. They really are beautiful dogs, I wish I could rehome them all!

 

[tinkerbell86]

crates are good but my dog was not used to one from a pup so she was a nightmare when put in hers. Now shes out of it though shes as good as gold!!!
I've got a jack and shes such a good dog (and apparently one of the cheapest to own!!) and if you dont want a walk she doesnt care (with my dodgy leg is a good thing) and she loves a lay-in!!

 

[Baby Bean]

I have a staff too (kali), we had her since she was a puppy and she is great with ella-rose, very protective. Staffys are actually nicknamed the nanny dog because of how good they are with children. As tinkerbell said, please consider rehoming a dog, staff or otherwise, there are too many who need homes and are needlessly euthanised. I would always rehome now if I could, there are too many back yard breeders out there!

I think getting a dog for aiden to grow up with is a fab idea but honestly it is hard work and if I didn't already have my Kali I'm not convinced I would put myself through it until ella was a bit older! Although, it is a good way to ensure I exercise every day by walking her

 

[ZMD]

We have a Jack russell cross and she is fab with Tegan we got her as a puppy from a rescue she'll be 3 this year, If i was you Hun id probably try and Rehome one past the puppy stage as i think puppy + baby = hardwork lol! Xx

 

[midnight]

id say go with a dog thats not boistrous (sp) i have a springer spaniel and he is nuts id say get a smaller dog too less chance of it knocking lo over when he starts walking

 

[LilyMac]

Thanks girls.
I'm not overly keen on big dogs as they're quite scary lol though I do love mastiffs so when A's a bit older and we have a big enough place I'd love one of those (though I'm not sure how that would work with a dog already!). I'd much rather have a smaller dog obviously for A's safety and because we only live in a maisonette so have got to think of space. I'd love a French bulldog I think they're gorgeous and I've read up on them loads, they're really small and are quite happy living indoors (we don't have a garden) and are very good on a lead so I (hopefully) wouldn't struggle walking him everyday and they are very good with kids.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone with one let alone one in a rehoming centre! I would much rather rehome though. My moms staff was from a rehoming centre, she was only 10 weeks old and the cutest thing I'd ever seen yet shed been found on the side of the road in a box I don't understand how people can do those things

Anyway I'm rambling now, I've lost my train of thought! I will have a chat with Lee in the morning and see what he says about a dog

 

[PinkPunch]

Argh I hate small dogs, they aren't dogs at all in my opinion lol! We have a black lab who is 4 and DD loves him to bits. But we already had him before she was born, he was 2. Having a young puppy and young baby would be extremely hardwork and possibly even a bit of a health hazard cleaning up dog poo for a while

 

[cosmicgirl]

Argh I hate small dogs, they aren't dogs at all in my opinion lol!

Aww but I love you pinkpunch lol

 

[Sparkle24]

That dog is lush

I have 2 dogs, i got them when my little girl was 3 and she doesnt mind them and they dont mind her.
I am not a fan of cats, there are like 20 in my street and they really annoy me.

I really want another dog, but i am going to wait a few years.

 

[PinkPunch]

Argh I hate small dogs, they aren't dogs at all in my opinion lol!

Aww but I love you pinkpunch lol

Lol ok kinda cute.. but closer to a rabbit than a dog lol!

 

[LilyMac]

Lmao pinkpunch!

I like small dogs but not tiny ones, for some reason they really freak me out!!
And I hate cats, my brother had one that I swear must've been satins pet put on earth to scare me, it was horrific but I was the only one that ever saw the nasty side of it, I had a kitten a few years ago and e was so cute but he was evil too and terrified me so I had to give him to my friend lol