Dog advice please

[crystal]

The book couldn't be more wrong, they're the laziest dogs I've ever had, sleep 23 hours a day if you let them, got to prize them out of bed with a crowbar.

If you do manage to get them out of bed however and you have somewhere secure they can run they will exercise themselves, no need to walk alongside with a lead, they'll run just for the fun of it while you sit and watch them.

They are also usually very good with children, great sense of humour and there are usually plenty needing homes.

ok im goin to take your word for it

[crystal]

i would recommend a greyhound. My son was 3 and my daughter new born when i got a rescue greyhound. he walked tied to the pram , never pulled, never went to near to the baby, cuddled up to my 3 year old and was a great companion to him. the dog never barked and played with the kids. he was excellent. Labradors are wonderful for children too, but they need more exercise than a greyhound or whippet.plus, greyhounds dont malt, no hairs everywhere!

vey good points.

[Zambo]

Having a new born baby in the house is a huge commitment, and it changes your life so much. It's hard to believe how much planning is involved just to get out of the house with the baby for a while!

I don't think it would be fair on anyone to take a dog as well - not until your baby is a bit older. The house will probably be quite hectic for the first while, until you get organised, and a dog just wouldn't get the attention it needs.

If you can, leave it for a while, and concentrate on your baby - when your baby is older, a dog would probably be a great asset to the family.

[JAWS]

Get a dog and re-home the baby! Dogs don't cost as much and are far easier to train!

Hope all goes well with your baby whatever you decide to do. Good Luck.

[porshiepoo]

Have to say I agree that it may be a good idea to wait until you've settled with your new baby.
You want to be bale to enjoy the baby without any added stress of introducing a new dog to the fold, also you're probably gonna want to do a bit of family visiting and having family visit you. This could cause alot of stress for a new dog which in turn will cause you a great deal of stress too.

Use all the time you have to read up on different breeds and get a good idea of what you want based on your needs, it'll help when you finally go get one.

You said you were thinking of an older dog so does that mean a 'rescue'?
I'd encourage anyone to get a rescue but bear in mind that you cannot be 100% sure of the dogs background in a lot of cases. You may find yourself wary of an older dog - no matter how cute - especially if you don't have a lot of experience with dogs and then that will affect how the dog settles and how you take to him/her.

I too have had a greyhound and yes he was a brilliant dog. He had problems but they weren't anything to do with the nature of the breed and weren't his fault.
Had a bordr collie as a child - be prepared for alot of exercise!
Any breed that is a working breed generally need stimulation. GSD's can be very docile and calm in the right hands but they can also be nutters if their brains aren't worked.
Great danes - probably bigger than what you would anticipate with a youngster. Although they are classed as 'working' they're equally happy to lounge on the sofa all day as they are to go for walks.
Terriers - we've got a yorkie but he doesn't bark or yap as we're told alot of terriers can be known to do. He's a great dog but to be honest they have a nip to them and aren't necessarily the most patient of breeds.
Our daughter once had a Shiba Inu while she was showing it fot the owners - lovely dog. Very pretty breed (look like a bushy fox with curly tail), very very good with people too.
Have to say probably the best dogs I have known have been mongrels. They tend to suffer from less problems than the pure breeds, can have a greater life expectancy and can be great family dogs.


Good luck with your baby and any future dog.

[cuddlepop]

Like everyone has said a new baby and a new dog is alot of work even if its not a puppy.
All my kids grew up with a collie and they treated them like their puppy specially my first dog and child.I could leave my son in the hostel reception with the dog under the counter and him in his play pen No sooner had anyone approached the counter and the dog jumped up on the chair as if to say :yes:
It was so funny i'm sure people came to see the assistant warden
As long as you spend time with your dog they'll probably grew up to be the best of palls.

[pie2000]

I got a german shepard just before i found out i was pregnant.
She could not have been a better dog around the baby as long as she was not ignored which really was pretty hard to do cause of her size. even now she is great and she lies and takes whatever trucks are getting rolled over her back.
It is all in the introduction to the baby . Do not hold back on getting a dog they are such a great companion for you and the baby .
It does not matter about the breed either it is the way you bring them both up together . They are a great friend and protectors too and i would not have it any other way.

[porshiepoo]

I got a german shepard just before i found out i was pregnant.
She could not have been a better dog around the baby as long as she was not ignored which really was pretty hard to do cause of her size. even now she is great and she lies and takes whatever trucks are getting rolled over her back.
It is all in the introduction to the baby . Do not hold back on getting a dog they are such a great companion for you and the baby .
It does not matter about the breed either it is the way you bring them both up together . They are a great friend and protectors too and i would not have it any other way.

Have to say I completely disgree with that statement about the breed not mattering, it really does.
Not only do you have to consider the requirements of each breed with what you're able to give but some breeds need firmer handling than others and can become dangerous in the wrong hands.

I know people with several different breeds in the showing circuit and there are some breeds that need firm, confident handling from the outset.
Rotties are a brilliant breed, loyal, trusting etc etc but will take a mile if given an inch which can result in needless tragedies.

I agree with what you're saying about it being the way they're bought up though, which is the reason why i say you have to know your limits and be honest about your capabilities and experience when choosing a breed.

[pie2000]

I only say it does not matter porshiepoo because sooooooo many people said I should give up my puppy when I discovered i was pregnant Just because of her breed . We never pushed her away from the baby, we let her have her sniff and they were never left alone together. She used to ly beside her on the changing mat and get the same attention with the result now that they are best friends. I would not have it any other way.

[porshiepoo]

I only say it does not matter porshiepoo because sooooooo many people said I should give up my puppy when I discovered i was pregnant Just because of her breed . We never pushed her away from the baby, we let her have her sniff and they were never left alone together. She used to ly beside her on the changing mat and get the same attention with the result now that they are best friends. I would not have it any other way.

Thats a different case entirely I agree.

The orger in this case has the benefit of knowing beforehand that she's actually pregnant and can take time to work out what sort of breed is best for her family.

I'm glad your puppy turned out be a loving, loyal family pet.

You obviously did the right thing for your pup. It's always best for dogs to know from the start what their role in the family is. A dog will always see you the family as an extension of the pack. Most dogs will be happy for the role of pack leader to be handed over to someone else but if those roles aren't made clear from the start then you can end up with a confused animal that does it's best to act out the pack leader role the best way it can - to terrorise.

[pie2000]

Thank you porshiepoo . And maybe if i knew that i was pregnant I would never have got her in the first place. I was just trying to explain that even dogs that you would not put as playmates for kids can and are just as well behaved. I always find it funny when I walk my dog to find it is always the small dogs we meet that bark at her and her look of ' and you are ' makes me laugh.