Thinking about adopting a shelter dog

[SMC]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about adopting a dog. One of our friends fostered a pregnant shelter dog who gave birth to 8 puppies. All the puppies are ridiculously cute and I really want one. I grew up with dogs, but I've never had a puppy as my sole responsibility before (bf is ok if we get the dog as long as I do all the work). My job takes me away from home for about 8 hours a day. Is it unreasonable to get a 2 month old puppy? There's only 2 of us at home. I would take the dog to doggy daycare but I think they have to have all their shots before daycare will allow them.

Here's a pic of the puppies sleeping. We visited them last weekend and I've already fallen in love with the golden one, who the foster parents named Curry because she's spicy!


The alternative is to adopt the puppy mom instead of the puppy. She's about 1 or 2 years old and she's also super sweet. She's already house trained, crate trained, and seems pretty obedient for a stray. She was found wandering the streets of Yakima, and they transferred her over to the Seattle Humane Society. My friend fostered her for 24 hours before she gave birth.

Here's Kylie, the mom (she looks small in the pictures but she's about 30-40 lbs):


It seems like there are a lot of dog lovers and experienced dog owners here. My heart wants the puppy, but I can logically see that it would be easier to get the adult dog who I know I will love as well. What do you think? Adult or puppy or neither? Anyone with experience adopting from shelters?

Thanks!

Edit: the dog in my avatar is my brother's 9 year old cockapoo, who I don't live with

 

[Kelinas]

I vote mama dog since older / non puppies have a harder time getting adopted.
Dh& I found our Korean Jindo/husky mix on the side of a flight line, she was about 7 weeks old. It was a pain to housebreak her when both of us worked, but repetition works!
If you choose the puppy, remember that it takes time, dedication and tons of praise and treats. And the end result is worth it

Edited to include:
How cute is the Momma! Lookie her eyes!
Puppies are always cute (unless its a afghan/boxer mix ) but I hope that you can see the pro's of the mama.

 

[SMC]

I vote mama dog since older / non puppies have a harder time getting adopted.
Dh& I found our Korean Jindo/husky mix on the side of a flight line, she was about 7 weeks old. It was a pain to housebreak her when both of us worked, but repetition works!
If you choose the puppy, remember that it takes time, dedication and tons of praise and treats. And the end result is worth it

Thanks! I'll be adopting about the same time as you, at 8 weeks. Can you share how you house trained your puppy while both of you worked? Did you go home during lunch to let her out?

 

[iLander]

How to Pick a Puppy

You don't want a puppy that comes right at you, the stranger. Or one makes direct eye contact. They tend to be pushy, dominant dogs. You don't want the puppy that seems scared and cowers in the corner, either. They can have fear issues that may make them biters later on. You want the one that sees you, hangs back a little, then comes over after a few minutes. They tend to have a decent temperment.

You may want to research how to pick a puppy. Looks alone is the worst possible way to do it.

FWIW: A puppy can "hold it" for one hour for each month of it's life. So, a two month old puppy can hold it for 2 hours. That's it. Anything else is beyond their capability.

Remember, there are some cat breeds with very outgoing, cuddly personalities. They'll run to the door when you come home, sit with you and even do tricks. Mine will sit, stand and come when I call. If you're not ready (8 hours working is a lot for a puppy) for a dog, consider some breed research on cats, you'll be surprised.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I applaud you for considering a shelter dog! And I think adopting the momma dog is a good idea... with some caveats:

No one knows the history of this dog. Please BE CAREFUL with her in different situations until you really really know her and understand her tolerances and how she reacts, especially in situations with chidren (most important), strangers in general, and other dogs.

This is the voice of experience -- we don't call my eldest furry son The Demon Dog for no reason, even though he was the absolute sweetest and meekest thing on four legs you ever met in the beginning. My other furry son is Afraid Of Everything. To this day, five or six years after his adoption, he is terrified of damn near anything new. He's never reacted bady (his more severe reaction is to just p!ss all over the floor when truly stressed), with one exception, and he was truly provoked in that instance. All animals have their own personalityt and it will take a little time and different situations for that to come out.

I definitely do not want to discourage you from doing this wonderful wonderful thing, I just caution you to be careful in new situations.

Good for you, and happy new dog!!!

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

Ahhhh!!! Puppies! I'm not help at all cuz I would say adopt the mommy and get the golden puppy!!!! I have no power when it comes to doggies!

But this is such an exciting time for you!!! I'm so looking forward to what you decide!

 

[justginger]

As a foster carer, my first reaction is that no puppy should be leaving its mother at 8 weeks old! That is TOO young. Puppies get great immunity and learn valuables lessons from their mothers and really should be with them til 10-12 weeks. You'll end up with a calmer, more confident, less nippy puppy if you allow them the necessary time with their mom.

It's not impossible to care for and train a puppy with two fulltime workers in the house - you just have to be prepared for a mess waiting in your house every day and spend a lot of your home time with the little one. Interactive toys, stuffed animals, and a radio/tv will help when you're not there.

That being said, puppies are always so much easier to find homes for - if you know the mother is sweet and well-trained, why NOT adopt her? Puppies grow up quickly - you'll only get a few months of fluff and milk breath before they look like her (only you might end up with a naturally obstinate one with a less pleasant disposition).

I'm so glad you're thinking of caring for a shelter animal - and really thinking things through!

 

[SMC]

How to Pick a Puppy

You don't want a puppy that comes right at you, the stranger. Or one makes direct eye contact. They tend to be pushy, dominant dogs. You don't want the puppy that seems scared and cowers in the corner, either. They can have fear issues that may make them biters later on. You want the one that sees you, hangs back a little, then comes over after a few minutes. They tend to have a decent temperment.

You may want to research how to pick a puppy. Looks alone is the worst possible way to do it.

FWIW: A puppy can "hold it" for one hour for each month of it's life. So, a two month old puppy can hold it for 2 hours. That's it. Anything else is beyond their capability.

Remember, there are some cat breeds with very outgoing, cuddly personalities. They'll run to the door when you come home, sit with you and even do tricks. Mine will sit, stand and come when I call. If you're not ready (8 hours working is a lot for a puppy) for a dog, consider some breed research on cats, you'll be surprised.

Thanks for the advice! I've played with 6 of the 8 puppies before and none of them came directly to me and I don't remember one making direct contact. I'm going back again this weekend to see. To be honest, I'd probably be happy with any of the puppies but Curry, the blonde one, was the one that fell asleep and started snoring in my lap.

I've read about the "one hour for each month of life" too so I won't fault her for making mistakes. I'm just worried that leaving a young dog alone for that long might be stressful for her. I don't want her to grow up into a non-friendly dog. Do you think nights and weekends (the daycare when she's ready) is enough to properly socialize her?

I'm not really a cat person. I've had a cat before who was pretty sweet, but then my parents got a dog after the cat died, and it was like, quoting Tennyson, "as moonlight unto sunlight, and as water unto wine" (for all of us). Also, my bf is allergic to cats.

 

[SMC]

As a foster carer, my first reaction is that no puppy should be leaving its mother at 8 weeks old! That is TOO young. Puppies get great immunity and learn valuables lessons from their mothers and really should be with them til 10-12 weeks. You'll end up with a calmer, more confident, less nippy puppy if you allow them the necessary time with their mom.

It's not impossible to care for and train a puppy with two fulltime workers in the house - you just have to be prepared for a mess waiting in your house every day and spend a lot of your home time with the little one. Interactive toys, stuffed animals, and a radio/tv will help when you're not there.

That being said, puppies are always so much easier to find homes for - if you know the mother is sweet and well-trained, why NOT adopt her? Puppies grow up quickly - you'll only get a few months of fluff and milk breath before they look like her (only you might end up with a naturally obstinate one with a less pleasant disposition).

I'm so glad you're thinking of caring for a shelter animal - and really thinking things through!

Oh, interesting about the 10-12 weeks thing. The Seattle Humane Society seems to always adopt dogs out once they reach 8 weeks. Puppies usually get adopted within 24 hours after they get put up for adoption here (some people line up hours before the shelter opens when they know there are puppies available that day). I wonder if I can ask them if she can stay with her mom for longer (IF I end up with the puppy).

 

[pandabee]

omgggg I want to do this so bad, so I will be following this thread for advice. The golden and the mom are both so cute so I can't offer advice on that, but I would love a little puppy!!! Please keep us posted!!

 

[SMC]

I applaud you for considering a shelter dog! And I think adopting the momma dog is a good idea... with some caveats:

No one knows the history of this dog. Please BE CAREFUL with her in different situations until you really really know her and understand her tolerances and how she reacts, especially in situations with chidren (most important), strangers in general, and other dogs.

This is the voice of experience -- we don't call my eldest furry son The Demon Dog for no reason, even though he was the absolute sweetest and meekest thing on four legs you ever met in the beginning. My other furry son is Afraid Of Everything. To this day, five or six years after his adoption, he is terrified of damn near anything new. He's never reacted bady (his more severe reaction is to just p!ss all over the floor when truly stressed), with one exception, and he was truly provoked in that instance. All animals have their own personalityt and it will take a little time and different situations for that to come out.

I definitely do not want to discourage you from doing this wonderful wonderful thing, I just caution you to be careful in new situations.

Good for you, and happy new dog!!!

Also good advice! My friends have had Kylie for about 8 weeks now and they've never had a problem with her. She had an accident at home once but it was because they left her at home too long. She chewed the door frame and knocked up the window shades because she was trying to get out. She comes when called and knows how to sit. I am afraid of how she will react to small children (some of our friends have them), but she seems to be a very sweet dog who walks well on a leash.

 

[Loves Vintage]

I vote Momma and one puppy if possible!! That Momma dog is sooooooooooo cute! She looks like such a sweetie. I love her paws too, one black and one white. Swoooooooooooooooon!! Seriously, I think it would be too sweet to keep one puppy with his momma and have them grow together.

And, YAY for adopting!!!

 

[SMC]

YT and pandabee, don't get your hopes up! BF is not completely on board yet. I feel like half the time he is playing with me when he says "Ok, let's get a dog...maybe...just kidding." It's not very funny.

 

[SMC]

I vote Momma and one puppy if possible!! That Momma dog is sooooooooooo cute! She looks like such a sweetie. I love her paws too, one black and one white. Swoooooooooooooooon!! Seriously, I think it would be too sweet to keep one puppy with his momma and have them grow together.

And, YAY for adopting!!!

I know, I would do this too but I don't think that it will go over well with the bf. You're right though, Kylie is very sweet and I know (ok, I think) that she'll be a good dog and running companion (she can already do 3 miles).

 

[Kelinas]

I vote mama dog since older / non puppies have a harder time getting adopted.
Dh& I found our Korean Jindo/husky mix on the side of a flight line, she was about 7 weeks old. It was a pain to housebreak her when both of us worked, but repetition works!
If you choose the puppy, remember that it takes time, dedication and tons of praise and treats. And the end result is worth it

Thanks! I'll be adopting about the same time as you, at 8 weeks. Can you share how you house trained your puppy while both of you worked? Did you go home during lunch to let her out?

Us finding Dooly (aka fuff-fluff or feroshush) at 7 weeks was a good/bad thing. If you can help it, I'd agree with another poster and try not to adopt until Curry is at least 12 weeks. That one month really makes a Difference.

I was lucky and got 3 weeks of vacation about 3 weeks after we found Dooly. Before that, Dh would take her out at 5am as he left for pt, I'd take her out at 7, then 830 as I left for work. Then at 11, he gets home and takes her out, I come home at 1pm . Then she'd be alone until 5 when dh got home. There will be accidents- as long as you remember that it's not the puppies fault and take a deep breath, you'll be fine.
Oh and we took her into the grass, and she wasn't allowed to go back in until she went potty.

Now she's a 50lb "beast" or so she thinks
I'm still all for adopting mama but ive fostered "hard" cases and I believe that given the chance, all dogs will repay you with love snd gratitude for their entire life. If you go that route, remember to take things slow. Like someone else said- you don't really know the true temperament. My dog looks sweet, and loves people, but has a prey drive so we can't go to dog parks or own any other pet (but that is a trait of the Jindo breed)
Regardless of which one you adopt, please understand that they take a lot of love , time and dedication. And exercise. Mine runs about 11 miles a day 5 with me in the am, 6 at night with Dh. (Not saying that you need that much! Just pointing out that majority of breeds love to run and play

 

[kgizo]

I have fostered dogs and adopted from rescue and I recommend you adopt the mother for the following reasons:
BF is OK if you do all the work. If he isn't in love with the idea like you are he may give you an ultimatum after the puppy chews his fav shoes or pees on his fav sweatshirt. I saw a lot of dogs come back to the shelter bc the partner couldn't take it anymore. This is hard on the couple and the dog.
8 hours is way too long for a puppy. Personally I think it is too long for an adult dog, too. Could you hold it 8 hrs every day? If you train a puppy on pads in the house you will have a harder time getting them to go outside later. Is a dog walker or dog door an option? What happens if an 8 hr day turns into a 10 hr day?
Puppies are much more work. You have to train to greet strangers, behave around other dogs, walk on a lead, not chase squirrels, etc. Since it is all on you do you have an additional 3 hrs a week for the first 6 mo to dedicate to this? Will BF get jealous?
Lastly, I have found that adult dogs truly know they have been rescued. They are so grateful and seem to work harder at following directions bc they are so thankful you saved them. Momma looks like she could be a loyal and loving companion.
I'm really glad you are considering a rescue pet and don't want this post to discourage you. I just want you to have all the info so you can make the very best decision for you, BF and the dog. Good luck with your decision.

 

[SMC]

I have fostered dogs and adopted from rescue and I recommend you adopt the mother for the following reasons:
BF is OK if you do all the work. If he isn't in love with the idea like you are he may give you an ultimatum after the puppy chews his fav shoes or pees on his fav sweatshirt. I saw a lot of dogs come back to the shelter bc the partner couldn't take it anymore. This is hard on the couple and the dog.
8 hours is way too long for a puppy. Personally I think it is too long for an adult dog, too. Could you hold it 8 hrs every day? If you train a puppy on pads in the house you will have a harder time getting them to go outside later. Is a dog walker or dog door an option? What happens if an 8 hr day turns into a 10 hr day?
Puppies are much more work. You have to train to greet strangers, behave around other dogs, walk on a lead, not chase squirrels, etc. Since it is all on you do you have an additional 3 hrs a week for the first 6 mo to dedicate to this? Will BF get jealous?
Lastly, I have found that adult dogs truly know they have been rescued. They are so grateful and seem to work harder at following directions bc they are so thankful you saved them. Momma looks like she could be a loyal and loving companion.
I'm really glad you are considering a rescue pet and don't want this post to discourage you. I just want you to have all the info so you can make the very best decision for you, BF and the dog. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks! I do want to get the bf on board before we adopt. We'll think about it more this weekend. A dog walker is an option too!

 

[SMC]

Us finding Dooly (aka fuff-fluff or feroshush) at 7 weeks was a good/bad thing. If you can help it, I'd agree with another poster and try not to adopt until Curry is at least 12 weeks. That one month really makes a Difference.

I was lucky and got 3 weeks of vacation about 3 weeks after we found Dooly. Before that, Dh would take her out at 5am as he left for pt, I'd take her out at 7, then 830 as I left for work. Then at 11, he gets home and takes her out, I come home at 1pm . Then she'd be alone until 5 when dh got home. There will be accidents- as long as you remember that it's not the puppies fault and take a deep breath, you'll be fine.
Oh and we took her into the grass, and she wasn't allowed to go back in until she went potty.

Now she's a 50lb "beast" or so she thinks
I'm still all for adopting mama but ive fostered "hard" cases and I believe that given the chance, all dogs will repay you with love snd gratitude for their entire life. If you go that route, remember to take things slow. Like someone else said- you don't really know the true temperament. My dog looks sweet, and loves people, but has a prey drive so we can't go to dog parks or own any other pet (but that is a trait of the Jindo breed)
Regardless of which one you adopt, please understand that they take a lot of love , time and dedication. And exercise. Mine runs about 11 miles a day 5 with me in the am, 6 at night with Dh. (Not saying that you need that much! Just pointing out that majority of breeds love to run and play

Good advice, thank you! Maybe we're not at the right stage in life for us to get a puppy. Is it possible to have 2 full-time workers to have a puppy?

 

[Kelinas]

Good advice, thank you! Maybe we're not at the right stage in life for us to get a puppy. Is it possible to have 2 full-time workers to have a puppy?

Possible? Yes
Immensely frustrating at times? Of course.
Justginger said it- it isn't impossible; it's difficult

 

[partgypsy]

An 8 week puppy is so young! And to have it be alone for 8 hours at a time during the work week, is just asking for trouble. What are you going to do? If you leave it out of the crate it may chew or destroy or even choke on something and no one will be around. If you leave it in a crate it will end up going in there, which is very stressful for the animal.

I would only get a puppy if you had someone to come in during the middle of the day to play with dog and let it out, or arranged your work schedule so you can do that, until 9 months of age or so. If you are unable to do that I would pass on the puppy.

The pic of the sleeping puppies are so cute!!! I can see why you want to adopt them.

 

[JewelFreak]

Puppies are a lot of work. They are destructive, especially when left alone & bored. They need exercise, socialization (with adults, children and other dogs), obedience training, housebreaking. Until they're fully housetrained, you'll be cleaning up accidents. For all of that, consistancy is absolutely essential. Can you do all that while working full-time? Are you able to concentrate on the pup on weekends for at least several months? Can you make it to training classes on evenings or weekends? Think honestly about these things, and then decide.

Remember, they're cute little pudge-balls until they turn into d.o.g.s. So many people take home adorable babies, then "don't have time for them," & when they're grown & don't behave well, "We just can't handle him!" (as if it's the dog's fault) & off the dog goes. NOT you specifically -- but I did years & years of rescue & this was the most common scenario. I wish those folks had simply thought carefully & realized it was not the right time in their lives -- because nobody asks the dog if it wants to live their kind of life.

Sortmom, looking at that mother dog's eyes, I would not be able to say no to her! She's PERFECT! Sweet, submissive, very eager to please. You may have some shyness issues -- looks like she expects to be mistreated. With some good trainer-advice, you can get her over that & give her the great gifts of self-confidence, love, & security for life. As I said, the puppies are irresistable but will grow to dogs before you know it -- and they'll have no trouble finding a home. That mama girl goes straight to anybody's heart that isn't hard!!

--- Laurie

 

[SMC]

An 8 week puppy is so young! And to have it be alone for 8 hours at a time during the work week, is just asking for trouble. What are you going to do? If you leave it out of the crate it may chew or destroy or even choke on something and no one will be around. If you leave it in a crate it will end up going in there, which is very stressful for the animal.

I would only get a puppy if you had someone to come in during the middle of the day to play with dog and let it out, or arranged your work schedule so you can do that, until 9 months of age or so. If you are unable to do that I would pass on the puppy.

The pic of the sleeping puppies are so cute!!! I can see why you want to adopt them.

Those are all good points about the puppy. We did discuss it and decided we could leave her in the master bathroom during the day. It's quite large and has floors that are easy to clean. There's no way that I would leave her a in crate for that long - I've read that all dogs aren't supposed to be in a crate for more than a few hours at a time? I am worried that she won't socialize well if she's left alone during the day so a dog sitter is an option - as is doggy daycare when she gets all her vaccinations.

 

[SMC]

Puppies are a lot of work. They are destructive, especially when left alone & bored. They need exercise, socialization (with adults, children and other dogs), obedience training, housebreaking. Until they're fully housetrained, you'll be cleaning up accidents. For all of that, consistancy is absolutely essential. Can you do all that while working full-time? Are you able to concentrate on the pup on weekends for at least several months? Can you make it to training classes on evenings or weekends? Think honestly about these things, and then decide.

Remember, they're cute little pudge-balls until they turn into d.o.g.s. So many people take home adorable babies, then "don't have time for them," & when they're grown & don't behave well, "We just can't handle him!" (as if it's the dog's fault) & off the dog goes. NOT you specifically -- but I did years & years of rescue & this was the most common scenario. I wish those folks had simply thought carefully & realized it was not the right time in their lives -- because nobody asks the dog if it wants to live their kind of life.

Sortmom, looking at that mother dog's eyes, I would not be able to say no to her! She's PERFECT! Sweet, submissive, very eager to please. You may have some shyness issues -- looks like she expects to be mistreated. With some good trainer-advice, you can get her over that & give her the great gifts of self-confidence, love, & security for life. As I said, the puppies are irresistable but will grow to dogs before you know it -- and they'll have no trouble finding a home. That mama girl goes straight to anybody's heart that isn't hard!!

--- Laurie

Yeah, I think that the evenings and weekends thing are totally doable for us since we're homebodies. Like I said, it's really just the work week that would bother me. I do agree with you, logically, that it makes more sense to adopt the mom and I'm strongly considering it (hence the dilemma in the first post). Just to be clear, dogs like Kylie also get adopted really easily at the Seattle Humane Society, so I'm not worried that she'll find a good home either. She's still young. It's the senior dogs that have the most trouble there.

Don't worry, I'm not going to make any rash decisions before thinking it through first. I understand a pet is for life!

 

[yssie]

First puppies are hard on couples even when BOTH partners want the dog!

They're SO much work, and the first one is SO expensive!
Fence the yard so she can go outside when we're not home, install doggy doors so she can go outside when we're not home, buy gates to separate puppy and cats, buy bigger and stronger (read: more expensive) gates when she learns to jump over or just barrel into the first set. No food but the best and OMG she's growing like a weed!! Toys. Treats - bully sticks because they're one of the few that are actually good for her. Shots. Flea treatments. Vet checkups. More shots. Trainer. Teething... OMFG I AM NOT A FN CHEWTOY!!!!!!!!!!

Playtime. Feeding time. Sleeping time. On schedule. Every day. Every single day. No sleeping in on Sunday - gotta keep puppy on schedule. No working late - gotta keep puppy on schedule. No unplanned daytrips anymore - forget unplanned weekend getaways unless they involve dog parks! The lifestyle changes have been incredibly difficult for me - I've found it really hard to adjust to something else dictating my schedule. I couldn't begin to imagine doing it without DH as a partner and I have to be honest, I really, really don't think it's a good idea unless he's on board and willing to share the work. Because it's SO MUCH work. I worry that you'll become resentful of how much work you're going have to do by yourself, he'll become resentful of how much time, effort, and money you're putting into the puppy, and you'll both resent not being able to just take a few hours off duty without planning ahead with the dogsitter...

 

[rainwood]

I agree with those who said that neither a puppy nor an adult dog should be left alone all day. It's not fair to the dog who is a social animal, and you are likely to have a bored, destructive pet to deal with. If you leave a puppy alone in a master bedroom for 8 hours plus (add commute time, and getting ready for work, meals etc.) could mean that you come home to a chewed up bed, bed coverings, and every shoe and piece of clothing within range. And that won't be the dog's fault. It will be yours.

I wanted a dog for many years, but waited until our lifestyle was better suited to it. I'm glad we did. We have a wonderful dog and she's a great part of our lives, but we now work from home most days and I take her to the office if my husband is out of town.

A dog walker means that your dog will be alone for 7 or 7 1/2 hours a day. Still not ideal. Doggie day care isn't usually a good fit for a very young dog. We're in Seattle too and we didn't have our pup go to doggie day care until 6 months of age, and that was for only one day a week. And definitely don't take a young dog to one of those huge ones with 100 dogs or more. It's too chaotic and a young dog can have some unfortunate run-ins or get intimidated by other dogs.

Puppies are cute, puppies are fun, but puppies and dogs require a lot of time. My guess is that you're in the wrong phase of your life to be bringing a dog into it of any age. And definitely not a puppy. And if your BF isn't 100% on board, you should definitely pass. Probably not what you want to hear, but still important to say.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

Sortmon is smart. She'll make an educated decision. And I'm sure that if she decides to get the puppy or the dog, she'll do everything in her power to raise a happy, healthy dog.

People are starting to sound a bit lecturey... She's not going to make a rash decision.

 

[SMC]

Sortmon is smart. She'll make an educated decision. And I'm sure that if she decides to get the puppy or the dog, she'll do everything in her power to raise a happy, healthy dog.

People are starting to sound a bit lecturey... She's not going to make a rash decision.

Thanks, YT! Yes, I definitely know the situation that I am in the best.

Thanks yssie and rainwood for your advice. I wasn't planning on adopting until my bf was ok with it - he was against it in the beginning but he saw Kylie and the pups and now he says he can see himself with a dog. I think he is wary of the work but he's not an unfeeling, insensitive person and I think that he will be a good helper even if I'm the primary caregiver.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Sortmon is smart. She'll make an educated decision. And I'm sure that if she decides to get the puppy or the dog, she'll do everything in her power to raise a happy, healthy dog.

People are starting to sound a bit lecturey... She's not going to make a rash decision.

You're righty YT -- I'm sorry Sortmon if my post was lecturey! I really do think you're doing a wonderful thing, no matter which one you bring into your family (or, if you ultimately decide this isn't the right time, whichever one are lucky enough to join your family in the future)!

 

[shimmer]

I have a 5 month old puppy that I've had since 9 weeks, DH was not on board so she is MY puppy (it's a joke between us because now he loves her lol).

I was lucky enough to take two weeks off work when I first got her, she is pad trained because we both work FT. I have an awesome play pen that she stays in all day. It fits her crate, food & pad. I'd feel bad not leaving a pad, she rarely uses it though.

I do come home at lunch every day to give her a 1/2hr out, but really she sleeps all. day. long. So I don't feel like she has had a lower quality of life at all with both of us working full time!

 

[yssie]

Sortmon is smart. She'll make an educated decision. And I'm sure that if she decides to get the puppy or the dog, she'll do everything in her power to raise a happy, healthy dog.

People are starting to sound a bit lecturey... She's not going to make a rash decision.

Yup, true that - sorry to add to the hubbub Sortmon! If you adopt I'm confident you'll figure it out - pretty good bet that people who care enough to wonder if it's a good idea are going to make good pet parents if they decide to take the plunge