First Dog Advice

[Autopilot]

325Ti said:

it will be by itself in the garden during working hours - so something that can amuse itself and wont bark all day

A lonely dog will amuse itself by:

Barking
Howling
Chewing
Digging
Trying to escape
Generally being destructive etc

[Tedders]

Autopilot said:

A lonely dog will amuse itself by:

Barking
Howling
Chewing
Digging
Trying to escape
Generally being destructive etc

Agreed... my Neighbours left their Collie in the Garden last summer whilst they spent 9 to 10 hours at work, thinking the dog would prefer it. He patrolled the garden and was agitated and anxious, Barking and howling at everything. The owners thought they were doing him a favour - they weren't.

[Doctor Volt]

It would be a wise move to have two puppies, when you are away they will play together and be ok

If you have a decent size garden they will excercise in it and wont need much walking, my partner and I have had and still have lots of dogs and a garden for them to play in, they dont have to be walked often

Dont get adult dogs get puppies, they will become your childrens best friends and die for them if need be

[moorx]

Doctor Volt said:

It would be a wise move to have two puppies, when you are away they will play together and be ok

If you have a decent size garden they will excercise in it and wont need much walking, my partner and I have had and still have lots of dogs and a garden for them to play in, they dont have to be walked often

Dont get adult dogs get puppies, they will become your childrens best friends and die for them if need be

I'm not sure 'wise' would be my choice of words, especially if you're talking about two littermates. We adopted two 8 month old littermates and they were VERY hard work, even with one or both of us at home most of the time. They are great now (at 3 years old) but I would never do it again.

They may well play together; they will also bond with each other more than they bond with their owners, making training much more difficult; they will also find lots of mischief to get into together - double the trouble

I'm sorry, but I don't think that a puppy is suitable for the OP's situation as described. I wouldn't leave an adult dog in the garden/a garage all day, let alone a puppy.

[LordHaveMurci]

moorx said:

Doctor Volt said:

It would be a wise move to have two puppies, when you are away they will play together and be ok

If you have a decent size garden they will excercise in it and wont need much walking, my partner and I have had and still have lots of dogs and a garden for them to play in, they dont have to be walked often

Dont get adult dogs get puppies, they will become your childrens best friends and die for them if need be

I'm not sure 'wise' would be my choice of words, especially if you're talking about two littermates. We adopted two 8 month old littermates and they were VERY hard work, even with one or both of us at home most of the time. They are great now (at 3 years old) but I would never do it again.

They may well play together; they will also bond with each other more than they bond with their owners, making training much more difficult; they will also find lots of mischief to get into together - double the trouble

I'm sorry, but I don't think that a puppy is suitable for the OP's situation as described. I wouldn't leave an adult dog in the garden/a garage all day, let alone a puppy.

My 1st thoughts too.

[Doctor Volt]

moorx said:

I'm not sure 'wise' would be my choice of words, especially if you're talking about two littermates. We adopted two 8 month old littermates and they were VERY hard work, even with one or both of us at home most of the time. They are great now (at 3 years old) but I would never do it again.

They may well play together; they will also bond with each other more than they bond with their owners, making training much more difficult; they will also find lots of mischief to get into together - double the trouble

I'm sorry, but I don't think that a puppy is suitable for the OP's situation as described. I wouldn't leave an adult dog in the garden/a garage all day, let alone a puppy.

I have done it. It cant be done with 8 month old puppies, you need to have them from 2 months old

Edited by Doctor Volt on Wednesday 18th February 14:10

[LordHaveMurci]

Doctor Volt said:

I have done it

We had a springer, about a year old from memory. We were then offered a younger sprocker by some friends, we accepted as we loved the dog.

The two of them were a nightmare! If the springer had been a bit older I think it would have been fine. We currently have two dogs but there is an age gap of 5yrs & it works really well.

[moorx]

Doctor Volt said:

moorx said:

I'm not sure 'wise' would be my choice of words, especially if you're talking about two littermates. We adopted two 8 month old littermates and they were VERY hard work, even with one or both of us at home most of the time. They are great now (at 3 years old) but I would never do it again.

They may well play together; they will also bond with each other more than they bond with their owners, making training much more difficult; they will also find lots of mischief to get into together - double the trouble

I'm sorry, but I don't think that a puppy is suitable for the OP's situation as described. I wouldn't leave an adult dog in the garden/a garage all day, let alone a puppy.

I have done it

Glad it worked out Were your circumstances exactly the same as the OPs? Did you have previous experience owning dogs? It worked out for me too, but my OH works from home, my family have had dogs since I was a kid, and I have owned 11 myself. All I'm saying is that I found it hard work, and I don't even have children, let alone two children under 5!

[moorx]

Doctor Volt said:

I have done it. It cant be done with 8 month old puppies, you need to have them from 2 months old

Edited by Doctor Volt on Wednesday 18th February 14:10

Sorry, what can't be done?

[bakerstreet]

Autopilot said:

A lonely dog will amuse itself by:

Barking
Howling
Chewing
Digging
Trying to escape
Generally being destructive etc

Oh dear.

Oddly enough, my greyhound does none of those things and he was left at home for 9 hours a day whilst we were at work. I know exactly what he does as we put a camera in there once. However, lets not get into working dog owners debate here.

The OP needs to choose a suitable breed. Go onto the internet and do some research. There are several low energy breeds out there that could be suitable. Forget the ones you like. I'm biased, but greyhounds are low energy are generally good with children. I don't think they could manage on one walk a day. We walk ours for 35 minutes in the morning and longer in the evening. Unlike other rescues, ex racers have a known background. British Bulldog is worth a shout, but they have their issues (Like cars), so go away and read up. British Bulldogs are great with kids too There is even a thread on here for them.

Finding the right dog is a lot of work and you spend a lot of weekends visiting numerous centres or breeders. Also some of the people who run rescues aren't always great with humans, they are better with dogs

If you work, I wouldn't go for a puppy. Plain and simple.

[pikeyboy]

Training 2 puppies together is very hard especially if they are house dogs. It will cause you a big headache. I would also avoid a weim. Dogs can live in a run as you suggest and describe my pointers did but it won't win you any friends amongst your neighbours.

[325Ti]

In terms of not leaving a puppy alone - is there an age when it would be more acceptable?

My wife will be off on maternity until the dog is about 6 months so it would get lots of attention

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable. I'm liking the sound of a boxer

[moorx]

325Ti said:

In terms of not leaving a puppy alone - is there an age when it would be more acceptable?

My wife will be off on maternity until the dog is about 6 months so it would get lots of attention

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable. I'm liking the sound of a boxer

A husky? I thought you wanted a medium sized, low moulting dog that needs one walk a day? I think you need to find out a little more about huskies....

[pikeyboy]

6 months doesn't sound out of the way to leave alone.

There is a reason why many people have Labradors.......

[Pickled]

325Ti said:

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable.

No way would a Husky be suitable, they can suffer from separation anxiety, make Houdini look like an amateur when it comes to escaping, high energy, can be very destructive when bored, need lots of exercise and stimulation.

While they can cope with living outdoors fine in the cooler months, they can easily overheat in the warmer months.

And your neighbours won't thank you for leaving a bored/lonely Husky outside - they are very vocal!

Not to mention the twice yearly blowing of their coats, this is what your be looking at for weeks on end

Edited by Pickled on Wednesday 18th February 18:46

[pikeyboy]

Pickled said:

325Ti said:

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable.

No way would a Husky be suitable, they can suffer from separation anxiety, make Houdini look like an amateur when it comes to escaping, high energy, can be very destructive when bored, need lots of exercise and stimulation.

While they can cope with living outdoors fine in the cooler months, they can easily overheat in the warmer months.

And your neighbours won't thank you for leaving a bored/lonely Husky outside - they are very vocal!

Not to mention the twice yearly blowing of their coats, this is what your be looking at for weeks on end

Edited by Pickled on Wednesday 18th February 18:46

Research obviously consisted of looking at Google images after searching cute dog rather than trying to understand the breeds.

[325Ti]

boy said:

Pickled said:

325Ti said:

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable.

No way would a Husky be suitable, they can suffer from separation anxiety, make Houdini look like an amateur when it comes to escaping, high energy, can be very destructive when bored, need lots of exercise and stimulation.

While they can cope with living outdoors fine in the cooler months, they can easily overheat in the warmer months.

And your neighbours won't thank you for leaving a bored/lonely Husky outside - they are very vocal!

Not to mention the twice yearly blowing of their coats, this is what your be looking at for weeks on end

Edited by Pickled on Wednesday 18th February 18:46

Research obviously consisted of looking at Google images after searching cute dog rather than trying to understand the breeds.

Yeah think ill ignore my wifes research and get stuck into some proper in depth research myself

i still like the idea of a dog from a shelter or at least a cross - heard too many horror stories about people paying big money for predigree dogs that are full of health problems

[KFC]

I work in dog rescue. Your requirements and your home situation really don't seem to be in sync here. Its completely unrealistic to say "I want to leave a dog at home for 9 hours a day" and then say you only want a puppy. Also these comments about Husky's are really showing you aren't taking this research seriously

If you're going to leave a dog in the garden all day 5 days a week, to be honest I'd probably suggest not bothering. But if you're going to take a rescue dog then its better in your garden than in a pound so you might as well go ahead and do it. A puppy is a disastrous idea though. You're going to end up with behaviour issues, things destroyed, and neighbours complaining about the noise. The only viable way to do this is with an adult dog. Or two.

Why exactly is the dog staying in the garden all day? It would be better off in the house.

Buy an expensive breed like a Husky and you may come home one day to find it not in your garden any more, as someone stole it. You're still running that risk with a mutt too (people taking them for dog fighting etc).

Personally I think you need to go back to the drawing board here and come up with a better plan. Whether thats a rethink of which type of dog is suitable for you, or the plan to keep it in the garden...

[CAPP0]

325Ti said:

She's done research and thinks a husky would be suitable. I'm liking the sound of a boxer

Really? Seriously? You're not trolling?

A husky needs more exercise than it needs rest. You could probably walk one 20 hours a day and it would still look at you and ask for more.

Boxers are amongst the scattiest, flightiest breeds known to man.

If, if, that post was serious, just where exactly was this research done?

[bakerstreet]

Cross breeds can still generate big bills. You can get pet insurance from £10pm. You should also be aware that dogs can cost more to keep than you think. We estimate £50pm , but other breeds can go through toys like anything and that can cost more. Also, all dogs will cost more when they get elderly.

As you have rightly said, research is key.