I have two children; a 5 year old girl and a 6 month old boy. My daughter has been begging for a dog lately but I'd rather wait until my son is at least 3 or so (old enough to understand somewhat). I worry if we get a puppy now, my son could get aggressive with it when he becomes a toddler since he'll have no understanding on the puppy having feelings, etc. Also dogs take a lot of work to train and I have my hands full with both kids even as SAHM. My husband is telling me that we could adopt a full grown already trained dog at the shelter now and it would be easier for my son to adapt as an infant than as a 1 year old. We would need a family friendly dog that doesn't have an ounce of aggression (I'm thinking a lab or a retriever). Any dog loving families out there with babies/toddlers? How did you manage? I've never owned a dog before but I do like them. I have no doubt that my 5 year old can be gentle with a puppy and help me to care of it but I'm worried about my son as he becomes more active as he becomes a toddler.
Labs and retreivers are very energetic dogs and need lots of exercise to be at their best-behaved. They can run for miles everyday. Active dogs that are not fully exercised can get into mischief out of boredom. I would determine how much time you can devote everyday to taking care of the dog: walking, brushing, etc and then look for a breed accordingly. Also if your lifestyle is active or more sedentary so you can take the dog along. Dogs can also get expensive. Routine vet care and medications can be quite costly depending on the area you live in, and any illnesses or emergencies can send bills soaring. If you are all going for vacation and cannot take the dog or have it stay with friends you will have to budget for boarding or a pet sitter. This costs about $30-$60 per day in our area, again will depend where you live.Even during the day if you are going to be away for many hours at a stretch someone will have to let the dog out. Shelter dogs are often anxious and many come from less than ideal living situations so you may have to put in effort into training and socializing the dog. I would not count on getting a perfectly trained dog right off the bat from a shelter. A breed-specific rescue can be a better option but many will not adopt to families with young children. You will have to supervise your kids closely at all times with a dog. They should be taught not to bother the dog, and at the same time the dog should also be taught his position in the pack. Even the mildest dog can snap if it feels threatened or if it gets teased, so the kids should never be left alone with the dog. You can visit some of your local shelters and see what will be best suited for your family.
Thanks for the advice but my husband and I talked it over and considering that my son will start crawling this summer and probably get very active, it will be difficult to manage both of them plus considering that an active toddler can unintentionally hurt a dog and cause it to snap. We've decided to postpone getting a dog until he's at least 3 and able understand that the dog has feelings. My daughter can get her fill of playing with dogs at our friend's house (they're kids are 5 and 8 and they waited until last year to get their Golden Retriever).
Hi SilvernGold, Congrats on taking the right decision.Your daughter is at the right age for getting a pup / dog as a pet .Your little baby boy needs more time.The crawling stage is very difficult to manage as it is .With a dog or pup around matters of hygiene will cause problems .All dogs shed some hair however short coats they have .Allergies will start for kids.You can take both your kids to your friends place where there are dogs .Watch and see how your little one reacts ...it will be a good introduction to dogs for him .Then as he grows you can get the pup 0f your choice.Three will be a good age to start.
