I grew up with dogs but haven't owned one as an adult or trained one (i'm 36). I have 2 kids aged 11 and 7 and a full time job. My wife works part time.
We are seriously considering rehoming a rescue dog. However, due to our 7 year old, a lot of rescue centres discount us. Also, I love the idea of rescuing, but as a first family dog, maybe taking on a dog that's not had the best start in life is a risk.
The reason for the post:
Does anyone have any advice regarding my idea? I'm not fussy on the breed (although don't want a micro sized dog). Has anyone been through this process with kids?
I must stress this isn't a whimsical 5 minute wonder and this is not a 'dog for christmas'.
Many thanks.
Hard one to call as dogs are different and 7 year old children can be seen as a threat or as their favourite playmate and very difficult to guess which it will be.
Generally, good natured breeds are ones that aren't bred for working as they are a bit lazier and don't have the herding genetics that sheps have for example. For my money I think pitbulls and staffs are lovely natured family dogs but as a rescue I would not go near one especially if I had children.
Cockapoos, cavapoos, labs, king Charles spaniels are all very good breeds intelligent, cute looking and a sensible size. We've had lots of mutts and mongrels and they were among my favourites. Ex and failed police dogs are great however, like with any dog they need to be stimulated, exercised and not smothered by kids as that's when injuries happen "they let the kids do anything to them" yeah until they are feeling ill and want to be left the fuck alone.
Thank you. Really appreciate the advice. Funnily enough I really like what I read/hear regarding King Charles Spaniels. Agree re Staffies and Pits.
Maybe pop along to a rescue centre, take your family with you. Explain what you'd like to do and discuss with the staff. As for breed, maybe steer away from anything too large, a Lab or Golden Retriever might be an idea. It depends how they all integrate with each other. The vital thing is to not let the children 'overwhelm' the dog, give it space and time. Have some rules and boundaries. It's great you want to rescue, but take your time and do all you can on checking back story. Good luck!
Thanks for the reply Red. I have been along to a couple of open days, had an induction surrounding costs, vets, laws etc. I feel clued up on the process. Appreciate the kids comment, good advice.
As a retired home checker, I'm afraid most 'Good" rescues will knock you back based on your admission "3-4 hours alone" without any other factors. You really have to be careful, there are sadly many unscrupulous "Rescues" interested only in your cash. We rescued Xena in 2011, the last communication I received was "Have you paid the £250" they never once enquired after her. You are welcome to come along with the family and meet our dogs at the school fields at a weekend, as Redmidland say's its important the dog is not overwhelmed, it takes around a year for a dog to settle, around the same time for issues to arise from its previous life and for you to address them. Always remember, good rescues will do their own checks on the dogs, but in order to unload the dog onto the rescue previous owners may lie, ref: aggression, good with children, cats, other dogs and that's before the more difficult issues like separation anxiety etc. As I tell many people if I sound negative that's because I'm trying too, people see my dogs going into schools and care homes and think its that easy. They don't see the training, the grooming, all aspects of feeding and general welfare and its costs that are involved. I'm working with babies from 18months in preschool to 11 in primary and many of those with additional needs, I'm proud to say Ive never had a child step out of line with my dogs, two adults however are no longer welcome in school one of whom from the Dogs Trust tried to get my dog to play while she was working! So don't be fooled by the fancy name above the door, find someone/rescue and meet them several times, also remember no reputable rescue will let you have a dog at this time of the year. I wish you every success in finding your forever dog and giving it a great home, in return you'll be rewarded 10 fold. The offers still open, our dogs welcome everyone.
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Not all the time. Longest alone time would be 3 - 4 hours.
dont get a Cockapoo then, they really suffer from separation anxiety.
So too does one of our Border Terriers. Got him aged seven months but we were his third owners, four if you include the breeder. We hardly ever leave ours more than a couple of hours, three at most, even though my parents now live with us.
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Ours are never left more than two, even then I can see them on camera and obviously they have company.
Yes, it knackers our social life but if we wanted one of them we wouldn’t have dogs.
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Ours are never left more than two, even then I can see them on camera and obviously they have company.
Yes, it knackers our social life but if we wanted one of them we wouldn’t have dogs.
That's the good thing about cats. You can leave them all day and they don't give a fcuk, although they put on an Oscar-winning performance of "I nearly died of starvation" when you get back home.
Thanks all. Really appreciate the advice/own stories. Maybe the timing isn't right as I never work from home and it sounds as if 3-4 hours alone is too much even if its every so often.
Shame, but I would hate to put a dog through undue stress due to leaving it.
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Ours are never left more than two, even then I can see them on camera and obviously they have company.
Yes, it knackers our social life but if we wanted one of them we wouldn’t have dogs.
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Ours are never left more than two, even then I can see them on camera and obviously they have company.
Yes, it knackers our social life but if we wanted one of them we wouldn’t have dogs.
I just vaguely remember holidays.
Ah yes, a four way trip to Northampton £150 in fuel where our dogs were born and 1200 quid plus grub for 14 nights kennel fees for four dogs. Only to spend 7 nights hoping they’ve settled ((despite messages to say they are fine) then the remaining 7 nights looking forward to seeing them 🤷♂️
Yep, only one Greek holiday away together in the 10yrs we’ve been on our goat farm with kennels, cattery & self catering cottage. But we chose this life and it means I get to go away on my own now and then 😜😜🤣🤣
As someone who is new to dogs (only been around them properly the last 10yrs) I wouldn’t leave a new dog (be it a puppy or a rescue) alone for 3-4hrs. There are just too many negatives to it. I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Ours are never left more than two, even then I can see them on camera and obviously they have company.
Yes, it knackers our social life but if we wanted one of them we wouldn’t have dogs.
That's the good thing about cats. You can leave them all day and they don't give a fcuk, although they put on an Oscar-winning performance of "I nearly died of starvation" when you get back home.
Our old cat used to get the right hump when we used to go on holiday. Normally he was all over us, you couldn't sit down without him jumping on your lap, pushing his face into yours and slobbering all over you.
When we used to get back after a holiday, he used to completely ignore us. My wife would pick him up and he used to turn his face away from her and try and get down. After an hour, he'd finally give in and would be all over us again.
We have two Border Terriers. Hate leaving them when we go away but needs must sometimes. We have now found a decent kennels where they seem happy. They couldn't be more different though. One is so laid back she's horizontal. Drop them at the kennels and she doesn't look back and isn't bothered and then when we pick them up it's 'oh, its you two, you been away?' and home we go. The other though keeps turning round, looking back practically imploring you not to go. Then when pick them up he's so excited to see you I think he's going to burst. He's actually getting better and hopefully, finally, realizing we will be back for them.
However, love taking them away with us. Two weeks around the Scottish Highlands last April was a joy with them and they loved the vast empty beaches to run around on. Already looking forward to a week in North Cornwall with them next September.
Recently rescued "Crumble". 2.5 year old miniature dachshund. She's tiny.
bet shes still "feisty" though!, my nephew was walking his Dachshund the other day, when suddenly the lead went tight, and before he realised what was going on, Bono(?!) had caught and killed a rat in about 10 seconds. He must walk the dog in a rough part of town, (mind you, it was in Essex).
They are on the dangerous dogs list, bitey little bastards. Bred to catch things and have a in-built desire to bite people. Very cute animals granted but expect to be bitten in anger.
People always laugh at me when I tell them that as they are oddly seen as ideal pets due to their size but they are really for experienced owners
No they're not, and no they don't.
What they do have, is a stubbornness that you have to out-stubborn from the get go, and an intelligence that they use to their full advantage. They also have big chests relative to body size so they have tonnes of stamina.
Yes, they can be seen to be aggressive, but it's almost entirely borne out of fear, being 6 inches off the ground everything to them is fooking massive, and they therefore resort to barking as loud as they can, mostly to tell people/dogs to back off as they feel threatened. Only when cornered out of desperation they'll feel the need to bite, like most dogs.
On the subject of their work, yes they are badger hunters by right, but that's the full sized dachshund, the more popular minis were bred to hunt smaller warrens and dens, and therefore rabbits, squirrels, rats and other smaller mammals are their targets.
My boy Chip nearly caught a squirrel in Charlton Park the other week, then 10 mins later walked past a dead squirrel (looks like it fell out a tree, was completely intact but stiff and on its back) and all he did was sniff it, wag his tail and carry on, showing it's all about the thrill of the chase with these fuckers.
He's trained to do scent work and is now able to sniff out gun oil in a lineup and in various hidden spots, and is trained to indicate on the smell.
Our other one Pepper is more nervous around other dogs and despises people coming near her territory unannounced, so is the perfect guard dog we never needed, but she's currently one of only a handful of Dachshunds in the UK that partakes in flyball, which greatly helps her confidence around other people and other dogs in noisy, often slightly manic environments.
Anyway here's a picture of them from a dachshund only Christmas party, Chip on the left, Pepper on the right.
They are not on the dangerous dogs list for nothing. 🤨
We have tried Bertie at kennels (didn't eat, didn't exercise or socialise with the other dogs) and staying with a lady who looks after dogs in her home and who had her own Cockerpoo (he spent the whole time pacing up and down, didn't eat and howling) they asked us to come and get him after one night.
Cockapoo separation anxiety means that we have developed Cockapoo Owner Anxiety and any break isn't really worth the stress. I am actually considering buying a boat so we can all have holidays together around the coast. We totalled up how much he's cost us (food/vets/treats/coats/leads/treatments/new car cos the old one was too small/etc) we reckon about £20k and counting.
Thats a point, cats might be a better idea for your domestic situation. The thing i remember as a kid was one of my dickhead cousins going on, and on and on about wanting a dog (cute puppy) my thick as shit aunt and uncle of course got her one and the poor thing spent more time with my nan and grandad than at home as predicted she never walked it, the novelty wore off, the dog was so bored and unstimulated it was hyperactive whenever we looked after it and also had very little social skills. They haven't learned, none of their dogs have ever been walked and are bad dogs and tragically most have died younger than they should as they invariably have been grossly overweight.
One of my mates has re-homed about half a dozen retired greyhounds he has given a good home to for their twilight years and those things were very happy to be left alone to chill for hours and needed dragging out for walks. Lovely dogs too but have an instinct to chase anything and are ruthless when they catch it, be that a smaller dog, a fox, rabbit, cat so can't ever be off the lead and need to be muzzled.
Go for pusscats mate, your house will smell nicer too. I'd have a dog again tomorrow but the cats would hurt a pup and I dont miss the admin that goes with dogs as much as I love them
Bertie likes a bit of groomage, the wife has just walked in with a wet flannel, said "Bertie come here I want to wash your face" he leapt up off the Sofa, and ran over but kept turning his bum towards the flannel not his face, we were both laughing with my wife saying "no Bertie your face" but he kept on turning his back to the flannel.
Cat owners. How on earth do I stop my cats bringing in bloody mice? I've had another 4 this week...
God knows where they keep finding them!
If you have cat flaps that just open then all i can suggest is you get used to these gifts. The way I police this savagery is to manually let the pest control team in and out. There is a definite "yow" noise they make when a mouse or rat is in transit and that noise means "do not let me in". Its a pain in the arse in the summer as I'd rather have the windows and doors open full tilt but I have learned my lesson the hard way. Now we have blinds and air conditioners and closed doors.
Cats are reverred in ports and cities worldwide as they control the rodent population, its what they do and they are very adept at it. Also having lots of mickeys and rats to occupy them will mean they aren't catching birds. Just don't let them kiss or lick you as mice and rats carry toxoplasmosis. And you don't want that, or Weills disease
Now ours is getting older, he hasn't brought anything in for a while. We've had a varied selection over the years though, mice, birds (including a parakeet), frogs. The funniest thing though was brushes. He'd obviously found a shed or garden he could get into and we must have had over 20 various paint and general DIY brushes brought in over the space of a month or so. I always imagined a bloke scratching his head and thinking "where the fuck are all my brushes going".
As Carter said, we could always tell when he brought something in by the distinctive yow he used to make.
Some of our past cats have brought in some unusual items, including live birds, frogs, a dead squirrel and a bag of frozen chicken drumsticks. Best one was when I saw one of them dragging a live seagull up the garden path by its wing. I think the bird was only going along with it from sheer surprise and eventually it flapped its wing, the cat went about 10 feet in the air and then the bird flew off.
A very large bell on a collar will help curtail the killing but it’s difficult to stop them wanting to give you presents to show their love for you. It does decrease with age. Russo’s present giving has shrunk significantly now he’s over 2.
We’ve had our puppy now for six weeks and she’s sixteen weeks old. When we got her she was underweight and was the smallest of a litter of seven. Couldn’t leave her under those circumstances so brought her home. She’s thriving and terrorising both the cat and me. Wife is the favourite. Already part of the family and spoilt rotten. Dogs are lovely animals.
Some of our past cats have brought in some unusual items, including live birds, frogs, a dead squirrel and a bag of frozen chicken drumsticks. Best one was when I saw one of them dragging a live seagull up the garden path by its wing. I think the bird was only going along with it from sheer surprise and eventually it flapped its wing, the cat went about 10 feet in the air and then the bird flew off.
One of ours did exactly that (the dragging of a seagul the size of a Cessna) im sure this seagul must have been hit by traffic first but when it finally got it towards the back doors I noticed it didn't have a beak on! It was in a true state of disrepair and had to be put out of its misery
Bought what was described as a “Extra Large dog bath” and I’ve spotted a problem! 😂 Seriously I didn’t buy it for that purpose but it did make me laugh at how many people bought one without checking the sizes 😂😂 which incidentally are 30” x 18”
Bought what was described as a “Extra Large dog bath” and I’ve spotted a problem! 😂 Seriously I didn’t buy it for that purpose but it did make me laugh at how many people bought one without checking the sizes 😂😂 which incidentally are 30” x 18”
You need to buy a horse trough! Even though we only have a Cockapoo we often find that things are too small, mainly because I still struggle with this foreign metric malarky, whats wrong with using the old familiar cubits, chains and furlongs.
Bought what was described as a “Extra Large dog bath” and I’ve spotted a problem! 😂 Seriously I didn’t buy it for that purpose but it did make me laugh at how many people bought one without checking the sizes 😂😂 which incidentally are 30” x 18”
You need to buy a horse trough! Even though we only have a Cockapoo we often find that things are too small, mainly because I still struggle with this foreign metric malarky, whats wrong with using the old familiar cubits, chains and furlongs.
Bought what was described as a “Extra Large dog bath” and I’ve spotted a problem! 😂 Seriously I didn’t buy it for that purpose but it did make me laugh at how many people bought one without checking the sizes 😂😂 which incidentally are 30” x 18”
You need to buy a horse trough! Even though we only have a Cockapoo we often find that things are too small, mainly because I still struggle with this foreign metric malarky, whats wrong with using the old familiar cubits, chains and furlongs.
Comments
As for breed, maybe steer away from anything too large, a Lab or Golden Retriever might be an idea. It depends how they all integrate with each other.
The vital thing is to not let the children 'overwhelm' the dog, give it space and time. Have some rules and boundaries.
It's great you want to rescue, but take your time and do all you can on checking back story.
Good luck!
You really have to be careful, there are sadly many unscrupulous "Rescues" interested only in your cash.
We rescued Xena in 2011, the last communication I received was "Have you paid the £250" they never once enquired after her.
You are welcome to come along with the family and meet our dogs at the school fields at a weekend, as Redmidland say's its important the dog is not overwhelmed, it takes around a year for a dog to settle, around the same time for issues to arise from its previous life and for you to address them.
Always remember, good rescues will do their own checks on the dogs, but in order to unload the dog onto the rescue previous owners may lie, ref: aggression, good with children, cats, other dogs and that's before the more difficult issues like separation anxiety etc.
As I tell many people if I sound negative that's because I'm trying too, people see my dogs going into schools and care homes and think its that easy.
They don't see the training, the grooming, all aspects of feeding and general welfare and its costs that are involved.
I'm working with babies from 18months in preschool to 11 in primary and many of those with additional needs, I'm proud to say Ive never had a child step out of line with my dogs, two adults however are no longer welcome in school one of whom from the Dogs Trust tried to get my dog to play while she was working!
So don't be fooled by the fancy name above the door, find someone/rescue and meet them several times, also remember no reputable rescue will let you have a dog at this time of the year.
I wish you every success in finding your forever dog and giving it a great home, in return you'll be rewarded 10 fold.
The offers still open, our dogs welcome everyone.
There are just too many negatives to it.
I know many do but I couldn’t live with myself and I’d never tell someone it was ok.
Shame, but I would hate to put a dog through undue stress due to leaving it.
Only to spend 7 nights hoping they’ve settled ((despite messages to say they are fine) then the remaining 7 nights looking forward to seeing them 🤷♂️
But we chose this life and it means I get to go away on my own now and then 😜😜🤣🤣
When we used to get back after a holiday, he used to completely ignore us. My wife would pick him up and he used to turn his face away from her and try and get down. After an hour, he'd finally give in and would be all over us again.
However, love taking them away with us. Two weeks around the Scottish Highlands last April was a joy with them and they loved the vast empty beaches to run around on. Already looking forward to a week in North Cornwall with them next September.
Cockapoo separation anxiety means that we have developed Cockapoo Owner Anxiety and any break isn't really worth the stress. I am actually considering buying a boat so we can all have holidays together around the coast. We totalled up how much he's cost us (food/vets/treats/coats/leads/treatments/new car cos the old one was too small/etc) we reckon about £20k and counting.
One of my mates has re-homed about half a dozen retired greyhounds he has given a good home to for their twilight years and those things were very happy to be left alone to chill for hours and needed dragging out for walks. Lovely dogs too but have an instinct to chase anything and are ruthless when they catch it, be that a smaller dog, a fox, rabbit, cat so can't ever be off the lead and need to be muzzled.
Go for pusscats mate, your house will smell nicer too. I'd have a dog again tomorrow but the cats would hurt a pup and I dont miss the admin that goes with dogs as much as I love them
I've had another 4 this week...
God knows where they keep finding them!
Cats are reverred in ports and cities worldwide as they control the rodent population, its what they do and they are very adept at it. Also having lots of mickeys and rats to occupy them will mean they aren't catching birds. Just don't let them kiss or lick you as mice and rats carry toxoplasmosis. And you don't want that, or Weills disease
As Carter said, we could always tell when he brought something in by the distinctive yow he used to make.
It does decrease with age. Russo’s present giving has shrunk significantly now he’s over 2.
and I’ve spotted a problem! 😂
Seriously I didn’t buy it for that purpose but it did make me laugh at how many people bought one without checking the sizes 😂😂 which incidentally are 30” x 18”