Puppy or no puppy ?

mander8282

So my husband and I have an adult female Tortie kitty. She is our baby. We have no kids. She is spoiled rotten. I wanted to get a dog. Hubby says he does not want a dog. They chew stuff, pee and poop where they shouldn't and they are annoying when they bark. We both work full time, so the dog would have to be crated during the day. I wanted to get a Shiba Inu dog. They don't get very big. We don't have a large yard, so doggie turds would need to be picked up quite often. Hubby says no. He says he does not want a dog. Eventually he says that if i want to get any love out of him towards a dog, I have to get a Rottweiler. He had one in the past that he really liked. If i got a dog, they would accompany me on my walks/runs. He thinks a big mean looking rottie would help protect me when i am out and about. I don't feel that i need protection.....but w/e. My thing is that i don't know if I really want a dog THAT bad.....I also feel that if I am the one that wants the dog and will be taking care of the dog.....why wouldn't I get the dog that I want ?? Rotties usually go for around $1000 where i live......but there are adorable little puppies for sale for $350 right now.......Do I really want to pick up giant Rottweiler turds out of my yard ???
lol.....


Edit....additonal info....thank you all for your thoughts. I think I have to agree with you all that say not to get one.....as much as I think I want one.....I know that he doesn't really want a dog, and I don't really want a LARGE dog....lol. I grew up on a huge dairy farm, so I am not really worried about the work involved. I understand that part all too well. I don't think it would be right to bring an animal into our situation though. Hubby would have to be 100 % on board, and I know he isn't. I have looked many times at all the shelter dogs. An adult dog thats already trained would be best for our situation, but all the adult rotties i have seen all say "not good with cats".....lol, thats why i was leaning toward the puppy.

Thank you all so much for your input though, sometimes my one track mind needs brought back to reality

Hellbent_Heidi

If you aren't 100% (or even 90%) sure you want one that bad...don't do it!

atb0821

If you're not sure you both really want one or have the time for one right now, I wouldn't do it. My husband and I have a 5 month old puppy now and I love her to death and I love dogs but she is a giant pain in the tush. Just this morning I cleaned up dog diarrhea all over my kitchen before I left for work. This was after her waking us at 2:00 am this morning whining and barking at the neighbors. But I'm borderline obsessed with dogs and love her little fuzzy butt and it makes it worth it.

As far as a Rottweiler, I've raised two and they are amazing dogs. They only look big and mean but they're truly sweet and goofy babies.

If you decide to get a puppy though, why not save the expensive breeder fee and adopt one from the shelter? Mixed breeds have great personalities and less health problems than pure-breeds.

Jersey_Devil

1st doesnt sounds like you have the time to deal with another dog and you two need to be on the same page, which you arent.
I have a Shiba Inu and they are stubborn dogs. very tough to train.
When you get a dog, you want to make sure you get the right breed for your lifestyle. If you choose the wrong breed, youll either end up miserable or surrending the dog.
Also, consider adoption over buying. So many dogs need to be adopted.

JenAndSome

It doesn't sound like either of you are really committed to having a dog, the work that goes into it so I would say no.

LuckyLeprechaun

My thing is that i don't know if I really want a dog THAT bad.....

You know you're talking about taking responsibility for a living creature for like twenty years, right?



I vote no dog.

Go shopping, you need a new accessory, not a dog.

skullshank

tl:dr

however, i think you'd get more protein from chicken, and it's much cheaper.

gzus7freek

OMG...No Puppy!
They need lots of time and attention.
They pee, poop, puke, chew, destroy, and mess up everything until they are trained.
They get you up at all hours of the night to go out.

Adopt a grown shelter dog. They are great!!

I have 3 dogs and wouldn't trade them for the world!!

Dogs shouldn't be crated all day, they need ppl interaction!
Dogs that are crated can tend to get anxiety issues.
They should also never be in a kennel or on a chain!!

ItsCasey

Don't get a dog. Just don't. You don't want one, your husband doesn't want one. Just don't. They are not toys. You think your cat is like a child? You have no idea.

For the record, I love dogs more than I love most people, and I do not have one because I don't think dogs are meant to be at home by themselves all day, with no human or animal interaction, and I'm not big on raising dogs in apartments either. But people who clearly don't even WANT a dog should definitely not have one.

smudgekat

:happy: Would the cat be ok? If your not too sure think of your little fur baby you allready have...

acpeters07

I agree with most of the other posts here... If you're not completely ready to take responsibility for a living creature, to give it the love and attention it needs, then don't do it.


However... If you do decide to get a dog I would recommend adopting an older dog. I got a puppy while my husband and I were both working full time, and it's (obviously) A LOT of work. We only adopt older dogs now, and it's awesome. Give them a second chance at a loving home, and usually they're potty trained and maybe obedience trained too. PLEASE be sure to research though, and find a breed that will fit your lifestyle. It's unfortunate for the dog when people get them and don't realize they bark or need lots of exercise or might chew things. Know what you're getting into so you can be fully prepared to care for the dog for the rest of it's life.

UsedToBeHusky

It doesn't sound like to me like you and your husband are really in a place where you can take on the responsibility. Maybe work on getting a bigger place before considering getting a puppy. You would also need to have time to train, and I think crating during the day is so cruel, but that's my opinion.

Just think about it though. All day long stuck in a tiny box, then master comes home, maybe play for a bit, eat dinner, then bedtime. Your dog will have all of 3 to 4 hours of mental stimulation all day. That's just no bueno!

PikaKnight

Don't get a dog. Just don't. You don't want one, your husband doesn't want one. Just don't. They are not toys. You think your cat is like a child? You have no idea.

For the record, I love dogs more than I love most people, and I do not have one because I don't think dogs are meant to be at home by themselves all day, with no human or animal interaction, and I'm not big on raising dogs in apartments either. But people who clearly don't even WANT a dog should definitely not have one.

^This. Shiba Inu? They are usually high energy dogs that need exercise and activities.

In general, are you able to commit to 2-3 walks (15-60min each) a day? Are you willing to do the research necessary and training that your dog needs? Willing to get them socialized, tend to their vet needs, etc?

You can't just throw them in the yard and expect them to exercise themselves or be "good" just because you say so. A dog is a serious commitment.

Also, why aren't you looking at shelters? If you do go through breeders, are you really researching the conditions of the dogs? If going through a pet store, are you sure you aren't supporting crappy back yard breeders that keep their dogs in horrible caged living conditions 24/7 from birth to death?

ETA: And irresponsible breeders will say things like, "Oh, my dog "just" had puppies we are trying to get rid of." without admitting to being breeders. If they weren't..why charge $100+ for a puppy? If anyone decides to get a dog PLEAAASSEEE adopt!!!

GTAFrank

OMG...No Puppy!
They need lots of time and attention.
They pee, poop, puke, chew, destroy, and mess up everything until they are trained.
They get you up at all hours of the night to go out.

Adopt a grown shelter dog. They are great!!

I have 3 dogs and wouldn't trade them for the world!!

Dogs shouldn't be crated all day, they need ppl interaction!
Dogs that are crated can tend to get anxiety issues.
They should also never be in a kennel or on a chain!!

Ummm... no. If your dog gets anxiety being crated you are doing something very wrong. I have raised and trained 3 German shepherds to be amazing family pets and we crate trained all of them. Might want to brush up on some training materials.

LauraMacNCheese

You are clearly "meh" about getting a dog. If that's the case, then I have to agree with everyone else...don't get one.

I would absolutely LOVE to have a dog...my kids would be over the moon, too. We would shower our fur baby with love all the time. But, we live in an apartment...it would be cooped up there for at least 11 hours a day by itself. Granted, I know many crate-trained dogs view their kennels as their fortresses of solitude & don't mind being in there. But I just can't bring myself to do it. Plus, I'd want a larger dog and an apartment is just not conducive to that. So, we remain pupster-less.

In your case, I would go that route...maybe later on down the road, your feelings will be stronger; but for now, love on your kitty & forgo the puppy :flowerforyou:

PikaKnight

OMG...No Puppy!
They need lots of time and attention.
They pee, poop, puke, chew, destroy, and mess up everything until they are trained.
They get you up at all hours of the night to go out.

Adopt a grown shelter dog. They are great!!

I have 3 dogs and wouldn't trade them for the world!!

Dogs shouldn't be crated all day, they need ppl interaction!
Dogs that are crated can tend to get anxiety issues.
They should also never be in a kennel or on a chain!!

Ummm... no. If your dog gets anxiety being crated you are doing something very wrong. I have raised and trained 3 German shepherds to be amazing family pets and we crate trained all of them. Might want to brush up on some training materials.

^This. If your dog is having anxiety issues, you didn't crate train them correctly and are probably not giving them enough time to calm before shutting the door.

Jersey_Devil

another idea is to find a new husband that wants a dog. That way you are on the same page as your spouse and you live happily ever after.

MacInCali

You want a puppy and yet you're already planning to crate it for 8-10 hours a day ... is this because you're afraid it will eat your cat? The breed that you want is high energy and the breed your husband wants needs room to roam ... both inside and out ... but you're not really sure you want a big dog because the poop would be too big?

I vote no. On so many levels.

If you feel you need more companionship, get your kitty another kitty to play with. Cats don't mind being cooped up in a house all day without human interaction and their poop is small. :flowerforyou:

EvanKeel

If you were certain about getting a dog, I'd suggest going to a shelter and looking for a good fit there. I never support breeders. But it doesn't sound like you want a dog that much.

I have to admit I find the attitude interesting. You say your cat is like your child. Regardless of how people feel about pets being "like children," if someone was having the same issues in deciding on a whether or not to have a kid, I'd tell them not to have the kid.

If you're dead set on breed, and can't bring yourself to help a shelter dog, then rotties can make great companions.

littlelaura

If you want a puppy go to Petco the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) offers adoption clinics there on Saturdays with puppies for $300 with all initial shots and fixed, they also have kittens to adopt for less.

bdeezy3396

It would be very hard to train a puppy being gone all day with both of you working. Even though you have it in a crate a puppy can't hold it that long so you would be constantly cleaning up messes. Even if you got a dog that was already housebroken it wouldn't be very fair keeping the dog locked up in a crate for that long of a time. Also if you then decided to give it free range of your home then you would want to make sure you didn't get a very social dog so a Rottweiler may be a better choice. Either way since your ok with not getting a dog my thought is to hold off until your both 100% on board.