Advice for Getting a Dog?

[Sarah]

Hi. My family (me, DH, and two kids) are thinking of getting a dog in the coming months. I grew up with dogs, but I haven't had one in a long time, and I don't remember a ton about them. I wanted to do some research about dog care and training before we do get one. So I have a couple of questions:

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?

Thank you for the help. I want to go into this with my eyes open.

[fuzzy]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.

No puppy. Seriously. A nice 3 year old would be a lovely addition to your family.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?

Most older dogs will be house broken. If not, use a crate (dogs won't urinate/defecate in their "den" and quickly learn that outside is best).

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?

Yes. Yes. Yes, and yes.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?

Yes, it depends. But consider one walk a day a must, for any breed. We have 3 1/2 acres invisibly "fenced in" for my dog. She's very high energy (a mutt) and requires a good three hours of running a day to make her tolerable to live with. If we didn't have that much space for her to run, I'd have to take her for three to four walks a day. Seriously.

I couldn't recommend a breed without knowing a bit aboutyour lifetstyle. How big/small is your home? Will you have a yard and it so, how big/small? What sort of energy level are you looking for in a dog? Do you want one that sheds minimally, or does it not matter? Will someone be home with the dog during the day or not?

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?

Also depends on the dog. My annual exam bill is ~$200. But she also got bitten by a muskrat and ended up in the pet hospital with a bill of ~$480. Some dogs have allergies, some have special medical conditions -- it all depends. Food depends on how high quality of food you get him or her and how much she eats. I think we spend about $80 on food/month. I easily spend $100 a month on toys, as, again, she's very hyper and needs stuff to occupy her. Crates can get pricey, but I got my second hand.

***EVERY*** new dog owner should take their dog to obedience school, if you ask me. Our classes cost $60, but there are many that go longer/run higher than that, again, depending on what issues you need to address.
6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?

Again, depends on the type of dog you want...

[villanelle75]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.

Personally, I would never buy a puppy for many reasons. They are completely untrained so you will have to complete socialize them and teach them everything. I'd much rather have a dog that is at least somewhat housebroken so that I just have to teach him how the rules apply in our home. Also, older dogs are easier to teach and train, just like it is easier to teach an adult human than a baby. Older dogs will be out of most of their chewing phases (though depending on the breed, some dogs will be inclined to chew their entire lives). Also, puppies are easier to find homes for so adopting and adult dog, or even a "teenager" means giving a home to a dog that might not otherwise make it. And yes, older god will be slightly less high energy, though this depends a great deal on the age and breed. I'd definitely go with a younger adult dog.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?

It depends a bit on if you are crate training or not, but I'll leave that out for now. Basically, you take it outside very very often and when it does it's business, you give lots of praise. And you watch it like a hawk inside so at the first sign of squatting or any other tell-tale about-to-pee sign, you quickly take it outside. In a nutshell, that's it. It will take time, especially with a pup.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?

You'll get varying opinions on this. If you get an adult dog and it has been crate trained in the past, then you should at the very least start out with a crate since he's used to it and it will make him feel secure in his new home, much like a security blanket for a kid. Beyond that, my personal opinion is that it depends on the dog. My parents' latest dog had been crated in his prior home (he was a show dog/stud). They started out with crating him each night but after about a week, my mom said he seemed to really not want to go in the cage, though he still obeyed when ordered. She decided to try out letting him sleep in the bedroom with them, outside his cage, and he was fine. He's completely "weaned" from his cage now and having zero problems with behavior, even when home alone. But many many dogs simply can't be uncrated and unsupervised and need to be caged. And it isn't mean. A cage isnt' like a prison cell to them, it is like a warm, safe den. One thing to be aware of if you crate is that it should never be used as a place for time out punishments. It should be a happy place for him and you do not want to associate the crate in any way with negative things.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?

Do you WOH? If he is going to alone much of the day, I would walk him at least twice, once in the morning (possibly a shorter 10-15 minute walk) and then a long walk at night. When we get our guy next month, he'll actually be inside all day, if it works out that he can hold it that long. (If not, on days when DH's schedule and mine mean he'd be inside to long, I will be able to go home at lunch and let him out). We plan on a a short morning walk, a short walk when the first person gets home from work, and a "real walk" int eh evenings of about 45 minutes.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc? This depend son size and breed. Some breeds are more prone to expensive problems and the difference in food costs from a small to large dog is substantial. I read somewhere that ballpark figure you should plan on is about $1000/yr. That seems slightly high to me off the top of my head, but you have registration, food, routine vet bills, treats and toys, and any extra medical costs.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?

Thank you for the help. I want to go into this with my eyes open.



As for breeds, what size do you want? There are many quizzes out there to guide you to dogs with the temperament and qualities you are looking for, but if you give as a ballpark size, you'll probably get some good suggestions.

[Chimichanga]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.
We bought a puppy, but it was just DH and I. While I love my dog, he is a HANDFUL! It was seriously like having a newborn (which we now have). I wanted an older shelter dog and would still like to get one. Ultimately a puppy will generally find a home. Older shelter dogs need a home and will love the family who provides him one.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?
Assuming the older dog isn't trained (or you get a puppy), take the dog out on a regular schedule. Every 30-60 minutes for a puppy. A puppy can "hold it" 1 hour for every month old they are.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?
Yes! It will also help your dog feel secure in his "den"

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?
If you get a puppy, check out the breed information. Because a puppy's bones are still forming, I have heard you should NOT take them on very long walks. Still walk/exercise them but not for too long.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?
This depends on the type of dog you get. We have a lab and we'll spend about $40 on food every 2-3 months (dry only). Toys/treats run us about $10 month. Medical care; now that he's an "adult" we take him to the vet once a year and any time he's not feeling well. I believe on an average year we'll spend $200 on shots and medicine (heart worm, etc)

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?
Lots of pet stores have training books for both mutts and specific breeds.

[TazLuv]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.
I can't comment on the child aspect because we don't have any but a shelter dog can be just as crazy and excited as a puppy depending on how it was raised. With that said, there are a lot of loveable shelter dogs out there that need homes. We bought our dog as a puppy but that was because we wanted a certain breed and couldn't find one in a shelter, for our next dog when we have kids who will be older we'll so a shelter dog.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken? There are so many ways you can answer this question. Using a crate, having a word for the action, and taking the dog out on a regular basis are the key components IMO. Ours is potty - when Molly was a puppy we'd take her out on a regular basis to a certain area of the yard and say "go potty" if necessary we'd say it several times until she went and then would act like crazy happy people when she did. She was fully housetrained by about six months but still had very random accidents until she was about 1 year.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not? Again, this is a personal preference. My DH and I both work so our Molly is crate trained. She is now sleeping out of her crate at night and we thought about transitioning her out of it during the day but she loves it. If she can tell we're getting ready to leave she goes in on her own and waits for you to shut the gate. Some dogs are just more comfortable in their crate. If you're going to do it though, start from day one. Otherwise they'll never learn from it.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no? We walk Molly once/day about 2 miles. I know some people do more - it truly depends on the dog. Molly is a beagle and a small beagle at that so she doesn't need more walking. What breed is the million dollar question. I don't think anyone can answer that for you, you just need to think about what is important to you. Some things to consider are adult size, shedding, and energy level.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc? In the first year they can cost a lot based on vet needs, shots, etc. I would say we probably spent $750-$1,000 in Molly's first year but since then we spend $200/year on regular vet check-ups and $50 every two-three months on dog food. Toys are an extra but we probably spend $30/month on toys/treats.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog? I don't have any recommendations on this one because we bought breed specific books but read a couple of different schools of thought and decide what is goign to work best for you. There is no perfect way to raise a dog, each dog and each family is different.

Good luck - I commend you getting educated before you buy! :)

[pocket]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.

Your instincts are right on here. Puppies are very very cute and it’s a gift to be able to be with your dog from the time they are teensy. But they do not grow up to be the nice stable well-behaved dog that will be a real friend and companion for several years. You have to teach them everything from scratch. They don’t know anything at all about how to act, what to do, what’s right and what’s wrong. And with two small children at home training will suffer. I would go with a young dog – 2-4 yrs old – who has experience with small children already.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?

It’s not hard, but it takes consistency and repetition. Hopefully your adult dog will already have this under control and will only need to be informed that this is the inside of the house and that is the outside of the house. A puppy needs you to anticipate his toilet schedule and get him out to the potty BEFORE he needs to go. Then you praise him for going outside – go nuts with the praise. Indoor accidents get disapproval and scolding and very good cleaning.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?

Crate training is a great idea for a puppy. Although, we actually only crated at night and kept Ari in a playpen for the day. An adult dog might not get as much out of it, but it depends on the dog. If he’s been used to having a crate he may find it soothing to have a place where he can retreat.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?
It depends on the breed. Ari is a Rhodesian Ridgeback crossed with Yellow Lab and probably some Shepherd. He’s about 60 lbs and isn’t high energy at all. He can go several days in a row without much exercise but gets naughty after more than 3 days. Our last dog, Pua, was a Great Dane/Pit mix and had a low energy level too. So there’s walking for exercise and walking for toilet. Different. We don’t walk for toilet as he just let’s himself out through the doggie door and goes in the yard. He does go running with one of us for exercise 5-6 times a week.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?

I think a dog costs about $1200/yr over their life with more on the front end and the back end. But Pua had a serious medical condition and cost so much more than that I have never even added it up. Certainly closer to $5000/yr.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?

The Dog Whisperer is very popular right now. I would get some books about adult shelter dogs specifically.

[ManteoChik]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.
I think it all depends on personal preference. We got a puppy, and LOVED every second of having a puppy. But then again, it was just the two of us with no children. Also, we did not go with a shelter dog....we searched for about three months to find a breeder we were happy with.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?
Again, its all personal preference...everyone does it different. For us, we had it VERY easy. We got our dog at 7 weeks straight from the breeder and she was housebroken within a week. The first night we had her she was going to the door. We only had a couple of accidents in the house. We made sure to take her out often, and always after every meal and when she had water to drink.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?
Again, personal preference...everyone has their own opinion. We did not crate train as it was just not for us but others will say its the way to go. If you are interested in hearing why we decided not to crate train feel free to PM me. This can be a pretty touchy subject, and I totally respect everyone's decision but I'd hate to start a debate.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?
A dog should be walked often, even if they are just short walks at first to get them outside. Then again, it depends on the breed that you get. We are a Lab family and they are wonderful family dogs. We have no children yet, but our lab LOVES them...she can't get enough of our neighbor kids and family friends. She is sooo gental with babies, almost like she knows they are fragile. Usually you can somewhat predict the temprement of a dog by their breed and parents - which isn't the case when adopting a shelter dog. Like I said before, we were VERY lucky and found an amazing breeder. I think you also need to decide what size dog is right for your household.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?
Dogs are like kids, they do come with a financial commitment. We probably spend about $40/month on food. As for toys, I've never really thought about it. Our dog is really spoiled and gets quite a few treats and toys.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?
We really didn't use any book so I'm not sure about that.

[QueenofCA]

1. Puppy or not? I thought it might be good to adopt a shelter dog, somewhat older than a puppy, so it would be less crazy and excited, and maybe be a little trained. I have two children (4 and 1), if that matters.

We got our Italian Greyhound at 7 weeks. He's turning 1 year old next month. This past year has been absolutely nuts--we truly felt as though we have a newborn human baby in the house. Very stressful, not a lot of sleep for the first couple of months. We love him to pieces, and it is wonderful to see him grow and learn, but I will never do the puppy thing again.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken?

A lot of this depends on the breed. Italian Greyhounds are very difficult to housetrain...just a trait that is specific to that breed. Our dog still has an occasional accident.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not?

I think it is a great idea. Our dog loves his crate and will sleep there very comfortably when we are not home. Also, you can be sure that your dog is safe if s/he is crated.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?

I'm not sure about this, since we don't walk our dog every day. He gets lots of other exercise, though. Both DH and I work from home so Ziggy always has someone to play with.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc?

This is a huge consideration. We spend about $15 a month on food (Ziggy is only 10 lbs), but then he's a very strong chewer so we spend about $50 per month on bones, toys, etc. We have to either clip his nails ourselves or have them done at the groomer's for a fee. Same with teeth cleaning. Then there's shots, routine care, neutering.

The major expense was when Ziggy broke his leg in July and that cost us $3,500 because he had to have emergency surgery to place a metal plate and pins in his leg. The whole incident cost over $4,000 because we also had to pay for follow-up x-rays, medication, etc. Ziggy is my first dog so I never knew how expensive they can be. Like I said before, we love him so much and can't imagine our lives without him, but our wallets *hurt* this year because of all the bills that came along with owning him.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog?

I got one called "Great Dogs, Good Owners" or something like that. It was very informative and I learned a lot from it.

[littlejules]

1. Puppy or not? It's really up to you - a personal thing. A lot of people would say to not get a puppy with such a young child in the house, but it depends on how you think your 1 yr old will react to a living, breathing, helpless thing in its presence. Personally, I've run into a lot of breeders who won't sell puppies to families w/ young children. Of course, I advocate adopting a shelter dog. There are many dogs out there who need a forever home. If you get an older dog (which you most likely will if it's in a shelter), it's very likely to be fully potty trained.
2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken? Most people use the crate training method - it seems to work well. Every dog is different as to how well they do w/ potty training. I know some dogs who were potty trained w/in weeks and could be left in the house virtually all day and others that are still peeing inside after a year or more.
3. Is crate training a good idea, or not? Yes, at first I thought it looked horrible. But it really is the best way to train pups and they will come to see their crate as the little "home."

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no? I would say a dog needs to be walked every single day. Some very active dogs - even several times a day. Other more sedentary breeds don't need that much exercise. It all depends on the breed. I can't suggest a breed to you since everyone has different opinions... what is cute and desirable to one person is completely the wrong choice for someone else.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc? Hmm...that's hard to answer, I'll have to get back to you!


6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog? Right now, the only books I have are specific for my breed, sorry!
__________________

[wendalah]

1. Puppy or not? I have two dogs--one we got as a puppy, one as a young adult from a shelter. Puppies are a TON of work, and I would not recommend a small puppy in a house with a toddler. My shelter adoption is great with kids and already knows the ropes. There was a slight adjustment period with a few accidents in the house until he got used to the lay of the land, but that was all.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken? If you adopt a shelter dog, the foster family usually works to housetrain him before you adopt him, if he isn't already housetrained.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not? My dogs are not crate-trained so I can't speak to this.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no?

We have miniature poodles (avg. 20 pounds) and I can't say enough good things about the breed. They are compact enough for any size home, but not fragile. They love children. They are extremely smart and learn quickly. And they do not shed. Our dogs get a walk daily and if they don't get a walk (which happens if we are totally burnt out from work) we play fetch with them in the living room until they are worn out.

5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc? Our two dogs cost about $70 a month to feed. Our one poodle has skin problems and allergies, so he can run a few hundred dollars a year. Grooming costs $35 a dog and we generally do that every 4-6 weeks. (Essential for curly-coated dogs.) Toys and chewies, etc. aren't really that expensive. We bought a set of toys to begin with, and rotate them so the dogs think they are getting new ones. Dingo bones for chewing cost about $4-5 for a pack of 7.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog? Can't recommend any specifically. Sorry!

[Kanga]

1. Puppy or not? If it were me, I wouldn't get a puppy. They're a lot more work and a lot more energy. Obviously you know your kids better, but I wouldn't ever get a puppy with my 1 year old. When they puppy is really little you'll have to watch over your 1 yr old constantly to prevent hair/whisker/tail pulling. As much as I try to teach dd with our cats to be gentle, the proper way to pet, not to poke eyes, etc, she either just doesn't get it or gets so darn excited she doesn't care. If you end up with a larger breed dog, it won't take long for it to overpower your 1 year old, and with that much energy, the dog is likely to knock her over or play to rough accidentally so again, you'll constantly have to keep your eye on them.

2. How does one train a dog to be housebroken? Take it outside all the time, we did at least every hour, and watch for cues that he needs to go out (squatting, waiting by the door, etc). You can also hook a bell to the door and teach him to ring it when he needs to go out.

3. Is crate training a good idea, or not? Yes. Wild dogs have dens, so that is what the crate will become to your dog, and nobody wants to sleep where they pee.

4. How often is a dog supposed to be walked? That probably depends on size/breed, right? Can you suggest a good breed? I bet we'll end up with a mutt (which is fine by me) but any pointers on breeds to avoid, or no? Can't really recommend a breed until I know more about what you're looking for in a dog. Smaller dogs generally have less energy, but they're also harder to housebreak. You don't necessarily have to walk the dog everyday (although some breeds will require it), just make sure it gets plenty of exercise (throwing a ball for it to fetch, playing frisbee, etc) I'd say at least a half hour a day of outside exercise, although when it gets bitter cold, I know we slacked off on the outside part)


5. What type of financial commitment is a dog? How much does it usually cost, on average, for medical care, food, toys, etc? It really depends on the breed and the dog you'll have and the area you live in. I'd call around and ask for the prices of annual exams (including shots). Toys will most likely last a while (unless you have a destructive dog), hmm probably about a year or so before they get too ragged and gross. Although that's usually when our dogs deem them as favorites:rolleyes: A healthy dog will just be the cost of the annual appointment and food, but always allow for an urgent/emergency appt. You really can't walk into the vet w/out at least spending a couple hundred dollars for meds, bloodwork, lab tests, etc and of course surgery gets quite complicated. And I DEFINITELY recommend obedience training for a first time owner (even with an already obdedience trained dog). They not only teach you how to train your dog, but how to read their body language as well.

6. What books (if any) can you recommend about getting a dog? I know there are dummy books out for certain breeds ("Pugs for dummies", etc) and I would assume there are more generic ones for any dog out there as well.

[petdoc08]

I know the vet I worked for in undergrad did pre-pet consultations to help you decide what kind/breed of pet would work best for your family. Maybe call around to see if any docs in your area offer this service. It should be a free service, as they use it to gain clients.

ETA: They liked to have the entire family present so they can see your dynamic before recommending a pet.