Should I get a dog?
- Thread starter Roger Wilco
- Start date
Interesting timing of the topic, as I just bought a dog this afternoon. I had dogs my whole life both growing up and as an adult until earlier this year, when I had a couple of near death health scares, followed by a battle with the bottle, and was forced to give up my dog for her own good. I just didn't have the physical ability or responsibility to take care of her.
Fast forward several months. Healed up and got my head on straight and got that itch for a dog again. Happened to see an ad for AKC Labs, the American/field style I prefer, ready to go home at the end of October. I called to make an appointment, visited the dogs today, interviewed the breeder and really checked out the kennel to make sure everything was on the up and up, and put down a deposit on the little guy that picked me out. I pick him up at the end of the week once I get some supplies and dog proof the house. The dad is huge so I'm expecting this guy will be a big one.
My thoughts to the OP - You are making a commitment for the next 12-15 years, be sure it's really what you want. (I knew it was for me so this was a non issue.) It is effort at first, but fun and rewarding to watch your bond with the dog progress. It doesn't feel like work. Once you get through the first several months and get the potty training and basic obedience down, it's minimal work.
Walks and training time and play time are not as all consuming as some are suggesting. In fact it's better to spend a few minutes at a time at it before you totally lose the dog.
I'd suggest reading up on the breed before getting the dog, and signing up for a puppy kindergarten class once you get him. You will learn about the breed and basic training techniques. I did this with my Labs and now feel confident handling this one.
I don't buy the having a dog closes doors for you. Sure, there are places you can't take him, but there are a lot of fun things you can do with a dog you wouldn't do otherwise. Ever play fetch with a buddy?
As for picking out a dog, observe the breeder and facilities carefully. You don't want a puppy mill or a clueless backyard breeder. The kennel should be clean, the pups should look well cared for, and the mom should be around. My best piece of advice is to let the dog pick you out. One of them will gravitate toward you more than the others. That's your pup.
Good luck and post lots of pics. If the Valhund is anything like my mother's Corgi, you are in for a handful. He's fun, pretty well behaved, just bonkers.
Fast forward several months. Healed up and got my head on straight and got that itch for a dog again. Happened to see an ad for AKC Labs, the American/field style I prefer, ready to go home at the end of October. I called to make an appointment, visited the dogs today, interviewed the breeder and really checked out the kennel to make sure everything was on the up and up, and put down a deposit on the little guy that picked me out. I pick him up at the end of the week once I get some supplies and dog proof the house. The dad is huge so I'm expecting this guy will be a big one.
My thoughts to the OP - You are making a commitment for the next 12-15 years, be sure it's really what you want. (I knew it was for me so this was a non issue.) It is effort at first, but fun and rewarding to watch your bond with the dog progress. It doesn't feel like work. Once you get through the first several months and get the potty training and basic obedience down, it's minimal work.
Walks and training time and play time are not as all consuming as some are suggesting. In fact it's better to spend a few minutes at a time at it before you totally lose the dog.
I'd suggest reading up on the breed before getting the dog, and signing up for a puppy kindergarten class once you get him. You will learn about the breed and basic training techniques. I did this with my Labs and now feel confident handling this one.
I don't buy the having a dog closes doors for you. Sure, there are places you can't take him, but there are a lot of fun things you can do with a dog you wouldn't do otherwise. Ever play fetch with a buddy?
As for picking out a dog, observe the breeder and facilities carefully. You don't want a puppy mill or a clueless backyard breeder. The kennel should be clean, the pups should look well cared for, and the mom should be around. My best piece of advice is to let the dog pick you out. One of them will gravitate toward you more than the others. That's your pup.
Good luck and post lots of pics. If the Valhund is anything like my mother's Corgi, you are in for a handful. He's fun, pretty well behaved, just bonkers.
Should I get a dog?
Well, if you have to ask, the answer is no. Like the other questions: should I get a child, should I get married, should I get a girlfriend, etc... If you have to ask “should I“ regarding anything related to taking over responsibility for someone or something, you are not ready for it.
Well, if you have to ask, the answer is no. Like the other questions: should I get a child, should I get married, should I get a girlfriend, etc... If you have to ask “should I“ regarding anything related to taking over responsibility for someone or something, you are not ready for it.
Good call, Jarod.
Marriages, parenthood, pet ownership, dating, work, etc. should solely be the realm of the arrogant, delusional, willfully ignorant, and overconfident. If you ever have any completely reasonable and understandable doubt or questions about anything you haven't done before you are completely unqualified to handle it and should just give up.
You're little psychological and sociological pearls of wisdom in this and past threads really are the gift that keeps on giving.
Are you trying to pick a fight or what? Your personal qualm with me is getting laughable. Disagree with my opinion, fine. But I've seen too many people starting like that (in all areas you just listed) and then ditching it as soon as it got annoying. If you are not sure, it's not the right time.
If it's “I want a pet (as in I want/I have the desire to take responsibility for an animal) Which is the right one for me?“ then it would be a different case because it shows a different intention.
If it's “I want a pet (as in I want/I have the desire to take responsibility for an animal) Which is the right one for me?“ then it would be a different case because it shows a different intention.
Pick a fight? No. Annoyed by your completely unhelpful, dismissive, negative, and needlessly provocative attitude in countless threads (most of which I don't comment on)? Yes. And I think I was disagreeing with your opinion just fine. Why do you think you should be given a free pass to be rude and condescending everywhere without receiving any criticism for that attitude or opinion in return?
I grew up with cats and have had a few as an adult. In my late 30's, I adopted a German Shepherd Dog after his owner (a friend) died. And I've had another GSD since then.
I would recommend that, for your first dog you adopt an adult, not a puppy.
Also think about whether the dog will be alone too much. Most dogs are quite sociable; they're pack animals. My first dog was kind of a loner and content to be alone all day. Not having much experience with dogs, I didn't realize how atypical he was. If I had, I probably wouldn't have gotten another dog when he died, because the second one ended up being quite lonely.
I've gone back to cats since then. I have two, so they keep each other company when I'm not around.
The thing with dogs is they require a lot of time - affection, exercise, feeding, washing, worming/treating, and so on. You have to be aware that time has to be set aside. And as for going away, well, that's extra planning (who to get or where to put it). Oh, and dog shit everywhere, insode or out.
What you get back is loyalty and unreserved love. As a postery thing I saw recently said, they are a part of your life, but you are their everything. Be aware of that.
After our current dog passes, which won't be for a while, I don't want anymore. It hurts too much when they die, and we've been through that several times.
So take all that on board. Good luck.
What you get back is loyalty and unreserved love. As a postery thing I saw recently said, they are a part of your life, but you are their everything. Be aware of that.
After our current dog passes, which won't be for a while, I don't want anymore. It hurts too much when they die, and we've been through that several times.
So take all that on board. Good luck.
Guinea pigs are also a good option. I recommend getting at least two, but you have to make sure the cage is big enough.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/
http://www.guineapigcages.com/
I play fetch with my guinea pig everyday. There are few things that say unconditional love like when my guinea pig comes running down the stairs when I get home from work and jumps up and slobbers all over me...
I spent the evening shopping for puppy supplies and food. I gave a lot of my old dog's stuff away to the local humane society, plus it was stuff for an adult dog anyway. It was getting hard to contain my excitement. But I'm meeting with the breeder to pick him up and get all his paperwork tomorrow, so he'll be here soon enough. Time to enjoy one last decent night of sleep for the next couple months. Those 2 AM potty breaks as the calendar approaches winter in the Upper Midwest are gonna be a hoot.
I spent the evening shopping for puppy supplies and food. I gave a lot of my old dog's stuff away to the local humane society, plus it was stuff for an adult dog anyway. It was getting hard to contain my excitement. But I'm meeting with the breeder to pick him up and get all his paperwork tomorrow, so he'll be here soon enough. Time to enjoy one last decent night of sleep for the next couple months. Those 2 AM potty breaks as the calendar approaches winter in the Upper Midwest are gonna be a hoot.
You like big butts and you cannot lie?
I don't see how it was provocative. Replies in this thread are also along the lines of "better get a cat/goldfish/guinea pig", "don't run before you can walk", "it's a huge responsibility, think about that". My post is perfectly in line with that, because I see that the motivation seems to be to get a pet just for the sake of having a pet, and that is in my opinion the wrong motivation. But if I am right with that observation is eventually Roger Wilco's call.
I'm picking up my puppy in 3-4 hours. The get a pet squirrel/rock/amoeba a dog is so much work comments make me chuckle. I'm 33 and this will be the 7th one I've directly owned or cared for as part of the family. You put in the time when the dog is a pup, and it's almost no effort after that until the dog is a senior. You just reap the benefits and enjoy it. And pick up poop.
I'm excited, I've never had a dog somewhere with as much open space as here.
I'm excited, I've never had a dog somewhere with as much open space as here.
^ Have fun! 
In college, me and my roommate each had a guinea pig (well, I got to keep both afterward when she moved). They were cute and cuddly, but not as much fun as dogs. I have 2 dogs now.
This. But some people might not have adequate time to spend when they get one, or might not be willing to put in the work, so it's a valid point. I know people like that, they get a puppy, decide it's too much work, get rid of it, get a new one, repeat ad nauseam. And that saddens me. Energy level matters, too. The dogs I have now were crazy as puppies before they were trained, I have no idea how I had enough energy to cope with two of them at once.
Two of my cats are basically comatose 22 hours out of the day. This suits me.
