New Dog

I already replied to this, but I have to put in my .02 about the shelters....first of all, I have only bought one dog from a breeder and it was a gift for my husband. Every other animal I have gotten has come from a shelter, including the two cats I have now, which are both 18 years old (I adopted them when they were only 1). If you can, I would always recommend to adopt!!! I had another dog that I got from the shelter that lived to be 18 as well. I have never, ever thought the shelters to be in it for the $. From what I understand, they are mostly volunteers and are there because they care about the animals.

As to dogs and babies, I got the puppy when my daughter was 6 months old. And yes, it was like having two kids, but if you are prepared to handle that, there is nothing wrong with it. I wanted them to grow up together and that dog is SO protective of her, it is unreal.

My daughter wants another dog and when we get one, it will be one that is adopted. Here in Italy, there are literaly thousands of dogs that are just 'left on the roadside' in August when everyone takes their vacation. It is really sad that someone would get a dog, keep it for about one year and then just leave it so they can go on vacation rather than having someone take care of it for them. THAT is where the shelters come in.....

Katy-
We decided to go to the shelter and save a dog. Thanks for everyone's advice. I called our local shelter and they vacinate, deworm, spay/neuter and microchip the dog before we get it. Can;t beat that and get to save a life too!

We won't get there until Sat though because they are open when my bf is working.They close by 4 during the week. The guy on phone said we pick the dog up from the vet after they are taken care of. I am very excited about this whole process. I already started cleaning the house and putting chewables away

Congratulations!!!!! How exciting! And I LOVE hearing when someone SAVES a dog / cat / any animal. Make sure you post a photo once you get him. Good luck

I have no idea where I got the notion that you were pregnant, I apologize. I guess I was in the lab a little to long that day. I think it was because I was trying to make the point that an animal, especially a dog, is like a child in it's needs and wants. If you are not ready to take on the responsibility of a child, then you should think twice about a dog. Again, sorry for the confusion. Best of luck

She's adorable!

Awwww!!!!!!!! Beware of the chewing stage!!!!

i bought a 4 and 5 year old pug.. what a relief that they are already trained , house broken, know tricks, l( like lye down and poop and leave hair on the floor.lol)

best investment i ever made. I have no time or patience for a dog that will mess in my house, jump up on people, etc. good luck with whatever decison you make!

i completely agree with the rescue dog vs a breeder. there are so many dogs (and cats) that need a good home. and you can find both puppies and older dogs at rescue organizations. try www.petfinder.com. enter in your area code or the region you are willing to search in and all of the specifications (like breed/age/etc.). they will give you a list of animals that meet your searching ceriteria. and go from there. a rescue group should be able to tell you the disposition of the dog, whether it likes cats, etc. if not, look at a different rescue group. any decent one should know about its animals!

as for dog vs puppy...

ask yourself a few questions

1. do you have time to commit to a puppy? while an older dog will require time and energy as well, a puppy will likely need more to learn basic manners and potty training, not to mention crate training and socialization (dog parks are great for this!)

2. if you get a puppy - how old will the puppy be by the time you have to go back to 8 hour work days? the rule of thumb is a puppy/dog can go 1 hour for every month they are old, plus 1. so a 6 month old dog can go 7 hours. are you able to go home for lunch to let the dog out to potty? can a neighbor or dog walker?

3. will you get pet insurance/ i know it sounds silly, but insurance is best if you get it with a young dog (more is covered because there are not as many "pre-existing" conditions). we have it for our dog and have definitely gotten more money back than we paid for the policy each year!

4. any dog will be a wonderful addition to your family. right now there are alot of dogs that are up for adption because their owners had their house foreclosed, so they had to move where they could not have a pet (personally that is not an option for me, but i guess you gotta do what you gotta do). regardless, those pets needs happy forever homes, just as much as puppies from a breeder.

as for crate training - it is not mean to do to the dog. it is really good, in my opinion. our dog loves her crate. it is "her place" where she can go to feel safe or to be left alone. even now that she has the run of the house when we are gone, she will still go lay in her crate sometimes, or to feel safe with it storms! and it kept her safe when she was a puppy. you never use it to punish them for doing something wrong...it will be a positive space for them. we usually would stick in a indestructible bone and a kong, and she' was a happy camper! in fact, she goes to daycare 2 days a week, and they reinforce crate training, too. plus if we should ever have to put her in a kennel, she is already used to a crate. there really are alot of benefits (for you and your dog) to crate training!!!!

also - definately reccommend watching The Dog Whisper on National Geographic channel! He is amazing - and rarely is the problem with the dog - it's almost always the human!!!!!

Although I breed Miniature Dachshunds (responsibly, I might add), I DO have 5 adopted animals that I adore. We support our local shelter & have a great relationship with the people who work/volunteer there.
I LOVE my doxies, they are precious to me! But, all of my shelter animals are just as important. In fact, I've spent more money & cried more over one of my adopted cats than any of my other animals. LOL
I think if you adopt, that is great, but if you want to buy a purebred, you should purchase one from a responsible breeder...not a "backyard breeder" or a "puppy mill".
But, that's just my 2 cents!

Congrats on the puppy! She's TOO cute!

Well we did it we adopted a 7 week old labeagle from the shelter. The cat does not bother her. I think he is still trying to figure out what she is LOL. She is already 90 % potty trained and responds to come. Her picture is on my avitar.

Congrats!!! She is so adorable! I'm glad you have not had any problems with your cat.....I was thinking more of the dog bothering her though than the other way around At least that is what happened in my house. Again....congrats!