Getting A Dog?

[sweetcorn1]

Hi Guys,

My husband and I are thinking about getting a dog later in the year. (Can't afford it yet as we want a BRITISH BULLDOG and they are very expensive!!!)

Hubby has recently joined the police and I don't like the thought of being on my own when he is on nights etc. We have a cat but she doesn't spend a lot of time here as she has several other "homes" so isn't much company.

The thing is we don't know much about dogs and apart from reading books I was wondering if you geeks have any bits of advise about

• puppies,
• what to look for in a breeder,
• what to do when you first bring a puppy home,
• leaving a dog alone for few hours/at night

ANY advise really would be helpful as there is only so much you can learn from reading books and looking on the net. Real life advise is always better.

Cheers dudes XxX

 

[ValencianNails]

Search Champdogs for the Top UK and European Dog Breeders... that's a good site for help and info.
hth's

 

[lotus blossom]

have you thought about a rescue dog???

there are loads of homeless dogs that just need a loving home,
just a thought x

 

[aunaturale]

potty training can be a full time job until the dog learns where to go. If you get a male and do not intend to breed him,get him fixed at around 6 months,otherwise you can have a lot of unwanted behavior.I know this from experience.My dog has been VERY socialized around alot of people but once he hit puberty his whole attitude changed (for the worse) around people.I wanted a cute lap dog but have gotten a demon spawn! Too much SPOILING and not getting him fixed in time to beat the bad behavior.We are in a dog training class now to try and turn both of our behaviors around.Don't really know if it's helping much,to be honest.He has already established himself as BOSS and I am having a hard time getting him to see that he IS NOT THE BOSS around here.I love my dog but hate the fact that he is very protective and snippy.It is sad when a 13 pound dog rules the roost!

 

[Buggy]

have you thought about the "fur" problem. be wary of smooth short haired dogs, like any breed of bulldog, because they shed hair like you wouldn't believe. my sister has the most dopey gorgeous bull mastiff but the hair is like a magnet to anything but the dog. no amount of grooming, vacuuming (the dog that is!) and brushing gets rid of it and it malts all year round. you only have to walk within 10 inches of the dog and it's hair is all over you. she only allows it in the kitchen and yard because of the fur, it just gets everywhere. i can't go round her house in good clothes unless she puts the dog in the garden first. and my sister is really clean and yet if you wipe any surface in the house you can pick up the hair. it drives her mad. (it's true the dog is huge but i know that the little 'uns can be just as bad in a scaled down version kind of way)

by contrast i have a cross bearded collie (long hair). she can sit on my lap and when she gets off i might find one hair if i'm lucky. occasionally she rolls round the floor and when she gets up there's a fur ball there, which i just pick up and put in the bin. i never notice it.

it's not that my dog malts less, it's just because her hair is rougher and longer so tend's to stick together, whereas my sister's dog hair is short and smooth so it doesn't "stick together" and comes out all over the place. it's something to consider if buying a smooth short haired dog because it can drive some people mad. i consider myself to be an animal lover but i just couldn't cope with my sister's dog and as much as she loves her my sister said she's a nightmare on the fur front.

my sister has a westie and he has a right vicious streak if that's what you want. true he has short hair, but it's rougher so it doesn't shed, but if you're heart is set then so be it, but at least you're forewarned. o yea, british bulldogs... they slobber too

 

[sweetcorn1]

Cheers some great advise.

I didn't know that about short haired dogs malting all over the place. That will be a question to ask and look around the house when we go to meet a breeder.

We have thought about a rescue dog as our cat was from a rescue but whenever we go they only seem to have huge dogs like alsations or whippets/greyhounds which wouldn't be suitable for our life.

We have registered a year ago for the bulldog rescue but they are not a breed that come up for rehoming very often (which I guess is a good thing) so no hope with that.

We have always wanted a british bulldog they are a passion of both ours. I don't think I could get a different breed because we have wanted a bulldog for ever and I wouldn't be happy with another breed.

I think we want a dog rather than a bitch and we won't be breeding so I will deffinately get him snipped!!

Thanks guys x

 

[Buggy]

don't rule out huge dogs just because of size. greyhounds for instance are great family pets and only need 2 x 20 min walks per day. they are actually quite lazy, but again they are of a smooth short haired variety!

wear a pair of black trousers when you go to the breeder and give "mum" lots of fuss. this will give you a clue to how much hair she sheds and how slobbery she is. then if you feel you can cope that's cool, but if you get outside and look at yourself all hairy and think you wouldn't like that 24/7 then at least you know before you buy!


ps. i said black because i'm presuming mum is tan and white? wear a contrasting colour to the dog.

 

[sweetcorn1]

Ta Buggy what a good idea.

I'd NEVER have thought of that!!! So obvious.

Are you a doggy geek?!!! LOL

 

[loubylou]

When you do get a dog make sure you get pet insurance, the heavier the dog the more expensive the vet bills are,
as an example i took my dog to the vets a couple of week ago who weighs 36 kilos, she had 2 injections, 1 course of tablets and a bottle of shampoo and i got 45 pence change out of £100

 

[sweetcorn1]

Ouch!!!

Yeah wouldn'd dream of not having it but I have heard that the insurance companies can be sneaky and each time you claim the next year you apply they minus off the illness/problem you claimed for.

i.e if your dog has eye trouble they minus eyes off the nevt years policy.

Is this true?

 

[Cathie!]

If you get a puppy, get a cage and train it to sleep in there, it won't do the toilet in there as it will see it as it's owm space... its bedroom.

My Irish Terrier slept in a cage from day 1 when we got her (8 weeks old)....never had any sleeping problems....she's 2 now and we obviously have a bigger cage.......but when I say 'bed time' off she goes into her cage.....cage is probably the wrong word as it sounds harsh....kennel would be a better word.....but it works!

 

[ValencianNails]

Ouch!!!

Yeah wouldn'd dream of not having it but I have heard that the insurance companies can be sneaky and each time you claim the next year you apply they minus off the illness/problem you claimed for.

i.e if your dog has eye trouble they minus eyes off the nevt years policy.

Is this true?

They shouldn't do... not if pet health insurance is similar to human health insurance.
When you insure the dog initially, they should ask you about pre-existing medical conditions, if there aren't any then the dog should remain covered by insurance for its lifetime.
With human insurance it works the same way (I used to work in the health insurance industry), what you don't EVER want is a policy that's moratorium, that means you're covered for anything until you claim, then they look into previous health problems and you will more than likely find you won't be covered for the current problem.

I don't have my dogs insured as the vet care is mega cheap in Spain compared to the UK.

hth's a bit

 

[sweetcorn1]

I'm so glad I started this thread!

I had thought about a cage Cathie as the thought of having to share my bed with a husband, cat and a fully grown bulldog didn't really appeal to me!!!

Excellent advise about the insurance too Sandi. Cheers. It pays to know people!!!

Anyone got any advise about leaving dogs while out at work?

I presume not everyone is at home all the time and has to leave dogs for a few hours. How do you do that without them barking/missing you the minute you leave the house?

We are not sure of hubby's shifts yet so won't even consider getting the puppy untill we get into a good routine of shifts so we know the shortest/longest time between my work and his shifts that the dog will be left. Just scared as we live in a terraced row and don't want the dog to bark all day.

Also when you bring a puppy home how long will I need off work to settle it in before it can be left for a length of time?

This is one thing thats bothering me.

 

[carlabarbie]

Also when you bring a puppy home how long will I need off work to settle it in before it can be left for a length of time?

This is one thing thats bothering me.

Lots of FAB advice as always.

Now, I'm not a dog owner yet, but my friend has 2 dogs, and has worked for Pedigree for years, and gives me loads of animal advice.

I am thinking of getting a dog, and asked the same question. She said its best to start as you mean to go on, maybe just a couple of days with the pup then just go to work as usual, otherwise it might be dependant on you.

She has a dog flap and secured garden, so luckily for her she doesnt need to worry about toilet etc as she is out for at least 9 hours 5 days per week.

I am hopefully getting a very small dog soon (chihuahua size), but I only work part time and my Dad is going to have it the 3 days I do work, so that will make things a bit easier.

But, if I was having a bigger dog and working more, I would deffo recommend cage training, another friend got a border terrier at New Year and within 3 days it knew the cage was its home!(as Cathie!said) She also used puppy pads to begin with, like a giant flat nappy, the pup then works out only to wee on this.

If you are worried about hair shedding and decide not to get a British Bulldog for that reason, Lakelands, Airedales, Schnauzers, Labradoodles, Poodles etc dont shed as much hair as they are wiry/curly/coarse haired. I know a family who all have asthma and eczema but got an Airedale and have not suffered with their allergies because the hair doesnt shed very much at all, reducing the dander which is the cause of allergies.

Also the info that aunatarel said about having him "done" early is something I have heard time and time again. It does cost slightly less to have a male done than a female too, well it does in my area!

Hope this helps a bit, make sure you post lots of pics when you get him!

 

[Buggy]

here's the deal with the pet insurance.

there are plenty of cheap ones, say £8 per month with not much excess but be aware of these. they are fine as long as your dog doesn't acquire a life long illness such as diabetes.

on your insurance it will tell you that you are insured for £Xs per year and each year that gets renewed. this is the same with all insurances.

however, with the cheaper ones, they don't renew the amount if your dog has a life long illness. so for instance, your insurance covers you for £5000 and this gets renewed yearly.

So, your dog breaks a leg when he's one yr old, they pay out £4000 for an emergency op. that's cool, coz next year they top up your account. the next year, your dog breaks another leg, purely by coincidence, has nothing to do with previous break etc, and they pay out again. cool you think. again, they top up account for next year.

but then when your dog's 3, he develops diabetes. cost per year for treatment is £4,500 say. insurance pays. but diabetes is a continuing life long illness, so the next year they don't pay because the problem is the same as before and your dog is not covered for "life".

so be careful if you take out a cheaper insurance for this reason. check your terms and conditions. chances are this won't happen but it happened to a mate of mine who's dog has an eye condition. tiny tube of cream costs £35 and he gets through 2 a month. eye condition is for life, and they will only pay for the first year for this particular problem.

the more expensive ones, like pet protect and petplan do the "life" insurance but they do cost more per year and you do pay more excess, so you have to weigh up the pro's and con's and decide for yourself whether you're prepared to risk it.

my take on it is this. if you get a pedigree, get "life" insurance, as pedigrees are in-bred and suffer more life long problems (i.e. great danes suffer from bad necks, alsations suffer from clicky hips, those wrinkle dog thingies suffer from skin condition etc, dogs with bulgy eyes suffer from, well, bulgy eyes!) whereas mongrels or cross breeds do not suffer as their genes are further apart so if i had a cross breed or mongrel i'd probably go with the cheap insurance

 

[aunaturale]

There are several breeds here that are touted as non-shedding or hypo allergenic.
Shih-tzu (thats what I have and he doesn't shed),maltese,bischon frise and lhasa apso.
I'm sure their are more but that's just the ones that come to mind. As far as big dog's I had a great dane and she was just a sweet little 150 pound baby.Don't spend a whole lot of time, in the beginning ,with the dog.Leave it alone some or it will become a basket case when you DO leave it.I have learned this one the hard way!Now when i leave or while i'm getting ready to leave mine follows me every step and sits at the door when I leave (this is very sad).It would probably help for you to get a few books about dogs and especially early obedience training.The best way to raise a healthy and well behaved dog is to make sure that you work with him as a puppy and NEVER let those bad habits form.Or else you will end up like me.Signing up for ever obedience class you can find Good Luck and let us know what u decide

 

[minky]

My Son and his flatmates had the most friendliest most placid house trained intelligent dog who never ever barked and always stayed at your side, he has been trained to sit give you a paw and is very obedient.
he was and is such a beautiful calm temperament (he was a rescue dog)
He is 8 months old with the most gorgeous sad puppy dog eyes.
he places his paw on the door if he wants to go to the toilet.
he is black with white socks and a white tail tip and he looked a bit like a lab .
My Son had to change house and his new landlord wont let him have his dog and he is heartbroken , he asked me and his Dad to have him ,but we are getting on a bit with arthritis ect and he is a younger dog who needs regular walks we just couldn't commit. but would have loved to. So today we reluctantly took him back to the rescue home in wales and he was welcomed back and loved with open arms.
I hope someone out there wants a lovable ever so friendly loyal calm house trained dog who just wants kindness and love in return , feeling pretty sad about it all :cry:
Just thought I'd talk about it thanks for listening guys:hug: x

 

[aunaturale]

That is so sad!:cry: I had to look around for a while to find an apartment before I could find one that would let me have my dog.One place actually wanted a $500 non-refundable pet deposit Needless to say I kept looking and I found one,I only have to pay an additional $25 a month on rent.
Too bad you didn't have a friend or family member that could have taken the dog.I feel really bad for your son,I would be so lost without my dog,he is my baby,even if he is snippy and unruly:lol:

 

[minky]

That is so sad!:cry: I had to look around for a while to find an apartment before I could find one that would let me have my dog.One place actually wanted a $500 non-refundable pet deposit Needless to say I kept looking and I found one,I only have to pay an additional $25 a month on rent.
Too bad you didn't have a friend or family member that could have taken the dog.I feel really bad for your son,I would be so lost without my dog,he is my baby,even if he is snippy and unruly:lol:

Thats a good idea,
I shall tell my Son about paying a little extra rent ,maybe it might change the landlords mind? Its worth a try.
The good thing is that he's such a lovely dog I don't think he will be in the home for too long ,
also with him already being a rescue dog he seems to settle in anywhere very easily.
Its just that my Son and all his friends miss him like crazy
we would like to have taken the dog ourselves, we did try having him over and
he needed more exercise than we oldies could give him
we are hoping my sons friends parents may have him as they have just lost their dog
They are thinking about it
Who ever gets this dog will be very pleased with it as it is so well trained .
:hug: x

 

[sweetcorn1]

Thanks Antonia thats fab information. Like I said I'm clueless at the mo!!

Also thanks Carlabarbie for the news on the staying at home. That has made me so happy because I was imagining I would have to use up all of my holidays in one go to stay at home with the pup.

It does make sense to start as you mean to go on and leave it from the very beginning but I wasn't sure and didn't wanna mess the dog up for life by doing it wrong!!!

I think i'll go to puppy training aswell to make sure I do that correctly too because I don't want it to get the wrong idea who's boss.

I hope Bulldogs don't shed excessively. I wouldn't not get one just because of this but it would be better if I wasn't gonna be a human hair ball all the time.

Although it would stop my father in law coming round as he is allergic and doesn't come much cos of the cat anyway so definately wouldn't with a shedding dog too! HA HA HA!!!