Josh DESPERATELY wants a puppy for Christmas. He's wanted a puppy since I can remember (probably since he was 3, so 3 years). DH grew up with a dog but my only experience with dogs is we had a full-grown dog that we treated like a dog-- it lived in the garage and played outside most of the time, and it pooped in the empty field next door so I never had to clean up after it.

DH and I have been thinking and thinking about what the right thing to do would be. We aren't opposed to having a puppy, and right now DH leaves for work at 1:30 and I get home around 4:15 so basically it would be crated just for that time (and just until it learned not to destroy the house).

DH called his parents to see if they would swing by and let Josh let it out after school if I had a meeting until 6, and they said they'd love to help so that we could get one. They actually said they would take the dog to their house on nights I had class. (We didn't ask them to do that -- but I found this very touching that they wanted to do whatever for the kids to be able to have a dog).

My big hesitation and dh's too is just being around every few hours to let it outside. We don't live extravagant jet-setting lifestyles where we aren't home for all this time, but I'm also not used to having to be home at a certain time to let the dog out.

So, is the puppy/dog experience worth the hassle?

My dogs are usually outside when we are not home so being home to let them out isn't a problem. If they did have to be inside I'd install a doggy door. In the past we had a neighbor come let them in at night and feed them if we went away on vacation. If we didn't have a trusted neighbor I'd kennel them during vacations.

I know 2 ppl with small dogs who can't be outside alone for long (we have coyotes). They have pads for the dogs to go potty. I think with teeny dogs being popular now its a pretty common thing. I was told they have frames that hold the pads in place so puppies don't tear them up.

Dogs are great but its about the same as another child to take care of, especially with a puppy.

I don't have a dog, because I think they are too high maintenance, but I have many many friends who have gotten puppies. I would highly recommend avoiding the whole puppy deal and adopting an older dog. It wouldn't have to be a much older dog, just one that's at least one to two years old.

The big issue is that puppies are A LOT of work. Think about how hard your newborns were, then how hard they were at age one or two. A one-year-old dog is like a five or six-year-old. They know how to hold their pee or poop, they don't have separation anxiety (if you choose the right breed), and their personalities are already fully formed so you know what you're getting.

I have at least two or three close friends who seriously considered getting rid of their puppies during the rough first month or two. These were people who were highly motivated to get a puppy and were adults who know how to handle responsibility. If you're ambivalent and the motivation comes mostly from Josh, it's going to be even harder, since he can't really bear the responsibility. Plus you'll be giving a good home to a dog that's less "cute" and adoptable.

Just my two cents. Good luck with your decision.

I second Rudi's older dog recommendation. As a family who's always had 2 dogs, we've been burned only once by adopting an older dog.

By older I mean 1-2 years old. They are still young and playful, and can be trained, but have outgrown the tiny bladder, nipping/biting phase. Our dog Zoe we adopted at around 6 months old, and those first 6-12 months were rough. She would cry through the night, peed every ten minutes, had crazy puppy energy, etc...

Now our other dog we adopted when she was 2 and she is and was so well behaved from day one. Training her was a breeze and after she had her "girl surgery" she was even more calm.

A good rescue organization like Human Society or ASPCA will guide you on a really great pup. Another thing is that if you have a specific breed in mind, waiting until a few weeks after Christmas is a good idea. A lot of people either adopt dogs or buy dogs for Christmas and then change their minds and give them up.

Good luck Jeanne! We love our dogs, but they really are a commitment and time consuming. We also don't travel much, but even a long weekend or an overnight and you have to plan for the dog/dogs, and for us that usually means pay for a kennel.

Hope you come to a good decision.

I've always had dogs. I hate our current dog but we still take good care of him. He was given to us by my niece for Brent and I really don't like Jack Russells - way too hyper even if they are smart.
 


Inside dogs are way more maintenance and costly too. Even outside dogs are expensive - vet bills and then if you're out of town boarding costs are very expensive in our area. You can tack on a good $150 or more just to board a dog for a week. We're lucky that our neighbors come to our house , feed the animals and take good care of them when we're away but our dog and cat are outside 99% of the time.

If I ever get another dog it will be a rescue dog. I just really believe it's the right thing to do and they make great pets.

I also have a rule that Santa cannot ever bring things that are alive.
 
I didn't want to get into the whole begging Santa for something that I was not going to allow.