Fridays Are For One Question
Posted by MK | Filed under Fridays Are For One Question
We are thinking about taking the plunge.
Making a significant life decision.
One that will affect our family dynamic and our budget.
One that once you do it, you can’t really go back from it.
One that will change the way we vacation, our daily routine, and our leisure time.
We are thinking about getting a dog.
See, Joshua loves dogs. He’ll kiss a dog on the mouth. Repeatedly.
But we’re not sure yet. Almost there, but not quite yet. So don’t tell Joshua, in case you happened to see him. But today, I’m soliciting some advice on the blog:
“What advice would you give to someone considering buying a pet?”
13 Responses to “Fridays Are For One Question”
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May 11th, 2012 at 6:21 am
The main thing is to remember that you and this potential pet will eventually begin to resemble one another. So choose in such a way that the really old knight from Indiana Jone and the Last Crusade would respond with, “You have chosen…wisely….”
May 11th, 2012 at 6:24 am
DO IT!!! I went 29 years without a dog, and never thought twice about it… we have had a pup for a month now and WE LOVE HIM. You and Jana can borrow him anytime to try it out with the kiddos. The hardest part is picking a name.
May 11th, 2012 at 6:24 am
We recently rescued a dog from the Nashville Humane Society and do not regret the decision at all. She has been a wonderful addition to our family and has been great for both my wife who is a stay-at-home mom and, more importantly, she’s been great for our 7 year old daughter who is an only child. My only piece of advice would be this – do your research on the type of dog that fits your lifestyle and do not waver. A puppy is very cute, but that puppy will grow up and will require a different lifestyle once that happens. Good luck!
May 11th, 2012 at 6:33 am
Make sure you do your due diligence and reaserch what kind of dog you want before you go shoping!!!! Don’t impulse buy! Crate training is te way to go! We just bought our third dog! We had a lab and it was a nightmare, had allergies so ba we had to give it up! (product of over breeding) so do your reaserch. We needed up with a welsh terrier medium size dog doesn’t bark or shed great with boys best dog we’ve ever owned
May 11th, 2012 at 6:42 am
My advice is to have close friends or family members share their dog. Then, when Joshua wants to play with a dog, they can bring it over. It’s kind of like having a friend who owns a boat – you get to enjoy fishing, skiing, etc without the cost and headache of owning a boat.
May 11th, 2012 at 6:47 am
When we got our dog as a puppy, it was like we had adopted a toddler. Our whole lives were turned upside down for a little while. So, without being able to sit down and talk about it with you, here’s what I would recommend:
1) Research the kind of dog you want–shedding, non-shedding, size, temperament, inside, outside, energy, etc., and try to make that decision before seeing them b/c they’re all cute.
2) Consider the cost. Pets aren’t cheap. And they’re food shouldn’t be either.
3) Consider investing in some professional training (not from box pet stores) that helps you learn how to help your dog learn what behavior you expect. They don’t speak English, so it can be difficult sometimes.
4) Make sure you’re committed. They will need time, energy, and money. It really will change your whole life, but they’re great friends and good therapy. It’s worth it when you invest the right time and energy to teach your dog to be a part of your family.
May 11th, 2012 at 6:52 am
Do it. Will dog sit.
May 11th, 2012 at 7:14 am
Our family recently gave our beloved yellow lab to another family. Our insane schedule and her clingy needs didn’t quite match up, so we were fortunate to find a family that loves her and had plenty of time for ear scratches.
That said, I’ll give you three pieces of advice (and corresponding stories):
1. Get your job description in writing. You have to know where your responsibility ends and your kids’ responsibilities begin. Otherwise, you’ll have potty duty every. Single. Time. http://dannyfranks.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/this-post-is-rated-pee-g/
2. Don’t try to identify everything your dog has chewed up. Trust me. You’re better off not knowing. http://dannyfranks.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/this-is-not-a-dog-blog/
3. Make sure your kids know that the dog is now in charge. http://dannyfranks.wordpress.com/2009/07/21/pecking-order/
May 11th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Our first dog was so hyper that our young kids couldn’t/wouldn’t play with her. A male dog marks his territory–a LOT. (In case you’re thinking house dog.) But if you get a female and don’t spay her, you will have puppies, more than likely. (Giving puppies away can be quite traumatic to young children.) Some dogs shed and some have human-like hair (which are more allergenic). Some dogs really slobber. And some smell worse than others. Those are my helpful hints. After our first experience, we had some well-loved dogs. And scooping poop is a GREAT form of discipline! ha!
May 11th, 2012 at 11:28 am
Adopt! There are so many precious pups out there that need good homes. And there are great organizations to work with like Happy Tales in Franklin. I’ve adopted twice and wouldn’t do it any other way. In both cases the dogs were already house broken. There was an adjustment period and some accidents, but it was so much easier than training a pup!
May 11th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
YEAH!!!!!! I will dogsit/housesit whenever y’all want to leave and go on vacation!!
May 12th, 2012 at 11:04 am
Non-shedding. I go small rather than large; consider how big a big dog looks when you’re 3. Even if your kids aren’t scared, friends/cousins might be. Research the temperament of the breed. And neuter. Ours is half Maltese and half Shih Tzu. He’s been great.We got him from a breeder in Nashville. Crate training is good. Ours is also trained to ring a little doorbell when he needs to go out.
May 13th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Get a female Golden Retriever! We might be a little biased, but she’s the best pet we’ve ever had. Loyal, smart, obedient and great when we were little kids. She does shed- but since she lives in our backyard it wasn’t much of an issue.