Should i get a puppy

[adedwards68]

Just wanted thoughts from you about if I should get a puppy
I'd probably keep it separated from kids but would you take your dog out for its walk each with mindees in tow or should this be done outside of working hours
Any other advice would be great

[Roseolivia]

We're hoping to get one soon as our dog died a few months ago and miss having a dog around the house. I never separated our dog apart from mealtimes, she was part of our family. I always think if you separate dogs how are children meant to get used to them and learn how to treat them. I don't see a problem taking the dog for walks with the kids, it's all a learning experience.

[doris127]

When our dog was a pup he was kept in a pen in the living room and all the children were involved in his training. Now he's 4 - I don't shut him away as such when all the wee ones have arrived in the morning we take him out for his walk - all the parents are happy about it - they see it as a positive experience as the children learn not to be scared and how to treat other dogs we meet. Can be a bit embarrassing sometimes when they talk very loudly about people who don't clean up after their dog! In the house he takes himself upstairs or to his bed behind the sofa and the children are taught to leave him alone there. When they're eating he has a bed in the corner and if he dares stick a paw out of it he gets spotted very quickly.

[primula]

Yes do!!! I have a dog and when he was a puppy I kept him in the kitchen while training.. I do keep him apart from the minded children for most of the time, I find that suits me because I don't have to worry about kids worrying him! I walk him first thing in the morning before the kids arrive and after they have left, I have a front garden that I let him out in during the day for a quick wee! but it is surprising how much he likes to sleep! I also take him out with the mindees to the park etc!
I would also do your research and get a dog that fits in with your lifestyle and family! size, grooming, (a big one for me needs a lot!) Lots of parents are fine about dogs in the setting, I have had a few that I wasn't their thing but then we have always had a few animals about the place! let us know what you decide!

[hectors house]

My dogs stay in kitchen behind a stair gate that separates it from dining room - we can see the dogs, dogs can see us so not like they are shut in complete isolation for the day. The mindees do sometimes take the dogs out with me for walks - it depends which mindees I have as our quick walk to nearby fields isn't accessible for buggies, so then we have to take dogs to nearby cycle path which means loading everyone up in the car.

My dogs are always walked before mindees arrive and have learnt to wait until just gone 5 for last mindee to leave for another proper walk - sometimes we do go out to nearby woods and lake during the day - but that is a trip out for the kids, the dogs just come if I feel like it. Dogs are then popped down road for a wee after they have their supper at 10 pm and can then wait until the morning. I am very strict about not using the garden as a dog toilet - this only happens in an emergency if one of the dogs gets me up in the night and I told my Ofsted inspector this - they wanted me to fence a separate section of the garden for the dogs, which I am not prepared to do.

I always gets rescue dogs and have been lucky enough to get 6 month old puppies the last 2 times we have been. One is nearly 11 now and the other one is 4 - so we didn't have to do too much house training and they had nearly out grown the chewing stage - although the younger one is still a bit prone to finding a toy animal that gets missed being tidied up and likes to chew the legs off - we have several cows and sheep that like to lie down now!

Good luck choosing a puppy - what breed do you think you will get?