Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:03 pm Post subject: Hello from Newbie and advice sought, please...
My family and I are hoping to pick up our first puppy tomorrow. She'll be my first ever dog (though my husband always had them when he was growing up). Our lifestyle is suitable for a dog. We're outdoorsy types and I'm home during the day. Our children are 9, 21 months and 5 months. Both sets of our parents have told us it's a terrible idea and that we have enough on our plate at the moment with two small children and that we should wait until our five month old is walking. They've also said dogs are unhygenic especially for a baby.
What do you all think, please?
We've been to meet out potential new puppy and I love her already. She'd had her first vaccination is hip and eye scored and the mother was nice. She's 12 weeks old.
My brother also pointed out a 5 month old was recently killed by a dog. Do you think there is a risk involved? Please excuse my silly questions but as I've said, I've no experience with dogs.
Firstly, I think the stories of babies getting killed by dogs are a completely different issue altogether and the dogs involved are usually not labradors.
However, on a practical level, I can kind of see where your parents are coming from BUT only you and your husband know if you can cope with a puppy! Yes puppies are hard work, they can cause you as many sleepless nights as the children and they need a lot of training in the early months. Not to mention the pup will need to be excercised etc etc, and I could imagine it wouldn't be easy walking dog and children together but there of course ways around that.
As long as you know what is involved and you are ready for the hard work and are going into this with your eyes wide open, then the decision is yours really.
Can I ask why you have decided now is the right time for you to have a pup?
I do think you'll be busy with young children and a new puppy, BUT, that having been said, if you get yourself organised and are aware of the had work involved, there is no reason you can't go ahead, and lots of reasons why you should.
Yes there is always bad press about dogs and children, but again, it's how you bring them up (both the dogs and the kids) If you teach your children to love and respect the puppy and make sure the puppy is secure in it's own place in the family, you shouldn't have any problems.
I would suggest you make sure you have a crate for the pup, to give the pup somewhere safe away from the children when they all need time out.
If your OH grew up with dogs his parents should be a little more supportive or are they saying they were terrible parents when he was a boy
Good point, they are being rather hypocritical His mum thought it's a good idea. Mine agree that one would fit nicely within our family, she's purely thinking from the 5 month old's point of view.
We decided a couple of weeks ago we'd like one since everytime we go out we always end up playing with someone's dog and our 21 month old loves dogs.
I've been doing allot of research about them. When we went to see the puppy, they brought her in from the kennel. They do dog training and all sorts there. Should she have been in the kennel? Might she have spent allot of time alone and not be very well socialised? They said she's good to go as they have 5 children with a youngest of 2.
Being dog owners yourselves, what is involved?
She's get plenty of walks, we walk to school twice a day and often like to go for random walks as it is
Maybe it would be worth your while having a good read through some of the threads on here in the Puppy Stuff section, to maybe give you an idea of some of the potential problems/issues you will come up against!
Maybe it would be worth your while having a good read through some of the threads on here in the Puppy Stuff section, to maybe give you an idea of some of the potential problems/issues you will come up against!
Yes, you're absolutely right Have just spent most of my evening reading on here. Lots to take it. I still want her. She'll be so much worth the work. I think she'd love it here and would add so much to our family and that she'd fit in so well.
A couple of things you really should know about lab puppies. They have razor sharp teeth and will very likely see your two youngest as playmates - normal puppy play can be very boisterous and mouthy. This perfectly normal puppy behaviour, but new owners often have images of the cute andrex puppy and think the have an aggressive puppy when their child ends up being unintentionally bitten.
They and the puppy will need very careful management at all times, but especially until the puppy learns bite inhibition. And it will be some time before you puppy grows into the kind of dog that your 21 month old loves.
Labs are enthusiastic dogs and will think nothing of sending your tots flying either in play or if they have seen someone drop a crumb at the other end of the room.
I don't want to put you off, many do manage with young children and puppies, but I worry many aren't prepared for how much work a young puppy is, how much attention and training she will need if she is to grow into a loving family member.
edited to add:
Puppies tend to have lots of energy but it cannot be walked off. It will be many months before your puppy will be able to go on long walks. Their young bones are soft so exercise needs restricting. So lots of 'mental' exercise (ie training) will be required.
As far as the puppy being kennelled goes, then I don't see that is a problem as long as it has been properly socialised and not simply left in the kennel. The most of the vital time for socialising her has passed, but as long as the breeders have done this, then I don't see a problem. Has she been allowed to spend time in the house to get used to people, children, hoover, tv, dishwasher etc. Has she been introduced to traffic, car rides etc. I would also want to know why she was still with the breeder at 12 weeks. It may be fine, she may just be the last on left, but if there are a number of that age left, I would start to worry. Also, I assume you have checked the parents had all the relevant health tests.
Please don't underestimate the ammount of work involved in bringing up any pup to be a well socialised dog. It IS hard work, and I agree with Skatty that I wouldn't have been able to give a pup the time and attnetion it needed with 3 very young children.
At some point or other, the pup WILL accidentally hurt your children- not nastily, but through puppy-nipping, knocking them over, scratching...it WILL happen, purely because the pup IS a pup. How will you feel when that happens? (I don't mean to scare-monger, but if you can read many posts on here from families with young children who are upset because the pup has been rough at some point or another and they start worrying that the pup is vicious) How will you feel if/when your children start being frightened of the pup (it happens)?
Also, it would be extremely hard to teach a pup to walk to heel whilst pushing a double buggy - they need to learn through constant practice and one to one time and attention...and it can take months.
I am just very concerned that you wont be able to enjoy the pup, because of the other stresses and pressure that having a young family bring.
Maybe I'm just a worry wort, but I would urge you to think more about it.
Also, I would be very warey of any breeder who was willing to let a pup go to a home with such young children in it.
I personally wouldnt have been able to give a pup the attention with children that age. I had labs before my children so they were older by the time the kiddies came along. Now mine are older 16,15.13 and 11 and with a pup they help out at times but when Mocha went through her 'nippy' stage she still hurt my 11 year old which made him cry once. How will you feel about that with little children like yours.
Not trying to put you off - just pointing out the pitfalls and so many labs get rehomed because people were unaware and unprepared.
Also a lot of little children are scared of bouncy puppies and labs grow quickly. If you put yourself at a young child/babies height a lab can be daunting.
My neighbours little boy is 7 and scared of their pup because she is so lively.
The other thing is toilet training - bound to have loads of accidents from the pup. There are obviously hygiene issues.
Also if your pup and baby are demanding immediate attention it will be very difficult for you to cope with.
Also you cant tell if the pup is going to be laid back or lively. There are plenty that are very lively. All pups have mad half hours too - running around, bum tucking. She may knock your little ones off their feet.
Hope I havent sounded too harsh but want you to make your decision with all the knowledge necessary.
Good luck whatever you decide and if you do get the pup, please join up so that you have our support and advice.
Last edited by claireliz on Mon Nov 12, 2007 7:05 am; edited 2 times in total
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His mum thought it's a good idea. Mine agree that one would fit nicely within our family, she's purely thinking from the 5 month old's point of view.
