Public Forum Proceed to Auspet's New Discussion Forum | Pet Directory | Classifieds | Home | LinkXchange


Click here to make Auspet.com your default home page

  Auspet - Message Boards
  Dogs - all types
  Getting a puppy concerns - need advice

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Getting a puppy concerns - need advice
lucidity03
Member

Posts: 201
From:Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-19-2004 07:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucidity03     Edit/Delete Message
I'm going to try and not be too long with this, but I truly need some opinions on this.

Several months ago my husband and I got a 10 month old German Shepard, Pit Bull mix. (I posted about him once or twice). At about a year old, the dog 'snapped on'... he got VERY aggressive and possisive. He was blood thirsty for the cats. Our cats ended up under the bed for 23 hours a day. (And the cats had the entire upper floor).

We hired a behaviorist for the dog and worked on him for months. He also went through obedience training. He ended up being uncontrollable in public (would want to bite at other dogs and people. He looked like one of those guard dogs who wanted to rip someone's head off.) Long story short, we had to give him up. The behaviorist actually supported our decision. We now think the dog came from a fighting line and had things happen to him before we brought him home.

I couldn't let our cats live in fear even when the dog was crated. I couldn't live in fear. We had a lot happen with this dog, but I'll spare more details.

Giving up the dog was the worst day of our lives. We were heartbroken. My husband misses his dog dearly. He wants to get a puppy.

Here's the problem. I'm scared to death to get a puppy. (I've never had a dog in my life - aside from the one mentioned). I'm scared for the cats. I don't know if they could ever cope with a dog. (Or was it because the last dog was so aggressive?)

I know my husband wants a puppy so badly. I don't know if doing research on dog breeds and getting an 8 week old pup would work for us and the cats. (The last dog came into the house at 50 pounds and snarling at the cats).

I also didn't know if we found a puppy in a shelter if we could bring him home as a foster. So, if things don't work, we won't have to "give up" another dog. Somehow I doubt they'd let that happen with a very adoptable puppy.

Should we go for a puppy? Or, should we remain a cat household? I'm so distraught. Any advice is welcome.

IP: Logged

elizavixen
Member

Posts: 160
From:Columbia, SC, USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-19-2004 07:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for elizavixen     Edit/Delete Message
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with your first puppy. First thing I can say is that the majority of dogs are not like this.

I don't see any reason you could not get another dog. Rather than get a puppy, you may want to ask the shelters about an older dog who is more laid back. I only make this recommendation because puppy's are a lot of work and they are rambunctious and like to bite things. And puppies will probably bother the cats. An older dog will be interested in them, but not as much as a puppy.

I think that if you get a good natured dog, the cats will eventually get used to him, or at least learn to avoid him.

Also, I think the fostering is a good idea. Most shelters where I live would be more than happy for you to foster any pet.

IP: Logged

lucidity03
Member

Posts: 201
From:Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-19-2004 07:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucidity03     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks. I guess we were thinking a puppy (as young as possible) so the pup is smaller than the cats and can be raised with the cats (let them be part of the pack.)

But, you have good points about adult dogs. I'll have to think about it.

IP: Logged

Karriesue
Member

Posts: 277
From:Nellis AFB, Nevada
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 01-19-2004 09:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Karriesue     Edit/Delete Message
Yeah, you have to remember that 99% of the dogs are not like your first dog. You just got bad luck. Get a dog breed book at the library, go online to the AKC site, etc and go through to pick what breeds you are interested in. Then find a reputable breeder to contact near you (I think the AKC has a list to start). I know you are a little shaky about rescues and shelter dogs but there are so many sweet dogs out there(young puppies and older dogs) that it might be worth checking out. Chances are excellent that your next puppy is going to tbe the sweetest dog ever. Please don't let that one experience get you down. I really don't think you have anything to worry about!

IP: Logged

honeybear
Member

Posts: 926
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 01-19-2004 09:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for honeybear     Edit/Delete Message
Lucidity, sorry to hear abuot you dog, you did try aeverything.
I had a 12 year old cat and got a 10 week old pup (yellow lab) who never showed interest in the cat. After he passed away, I got another cat from a rescue place where the cat had been for a few months and had been around other dogs, I went this route becauseI wanted a cat that was acclimated to dogs and used to being around them. Then Wylie our other dog who was a stray about a year and a half old came to us and she also showed no interest in the cat.

I think you should go to a rescue org, where the dog has been in a foster home for awhile, that has been around cats, many foster homes have both dogs and cats. That way if you decide to get a puppy or an adult you know they have been around cats and get along with them
good luck
honeybear

IP: Logged

lucidity03
Member

Posts: 201
From:Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-19-2004 10:14 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucidity03     Edit/Delete Message
The other thing I'm worried about is that my husband and I both work full time. I was thinking of keeping a new pup confined to one room. We can't get home for lunch on the weekdays so I wouldn't want to crate the pup. I don't know if paper training a dog can work this way.

I'm concerned that we won't have enough time for a puppy or even an adult dog.

What do other people do? I'm sure I'm not the only one who works full time!

(with the last dog we were able to make it home for lunch. But, circumstances have changed. We had to crate the last dog a lot. I will never do that again.)

IP: Logged

honeybear
Member

Posts: 926
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 01-19-2004 10:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for honeybear     Edit/Delete Message
I would get dog that has been housebroken, and out of the chewing stage, that way it could be left in the house with no problems and not bother your cats. My husband and I both work. We do have a dog door, but we also have one dog that spends his entire time in the house (this is what he likes) while we are gone and other wants to be outside the whole time. My dogs arent lonely at all,(except for Wylie who wants a 24/7 person to throw her frisbee!) when we get home we spend quality time with them, and going for walks if possible.

If you cant come home at lunch, I woul hire a dog walker or someone to come let the dog out at lunch and maybe gor for a walk
Honeybear

IP: Logged

Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-19-2004 10:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
I think a puppy would be terribly hard with your work schedules. We opted to get an older puppy - we thought she was four months old but the vet said he thought she was more like 3 months, which is younger than we intended. It worked out, though, because she just happened to be able to "hold it" for long enough in her crate.

My husband works full time and I work from 8-3. He goes home over lunch to let her out of her crate. I get home by 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon. Eventually she will not need to be crated during the day, but she is 8 months old now and not reliable yet. She chews EVERYTHING (this is getting better, though) and I'm not sure if she would still pee on the carpet if it was convenient and there was no one to let her out.

She also still chases my cats, so I would not want her unattended for long. She is not aggressive toward them, but she could hurt them unintentionally.

The shelters around here will "cat test" their dogs before you adopt them. This means they put them with a cat and see what the dog does. Of course, this is done carefully so that neither animal is endangered. We did not cat test our puppy, which was a mistake.

There ARE dogs which will ignore cats. It's more difficult if the cats are not "dog-wise". A dog-wise cat will not run. They stand their ground and swat at the dog to put it in its place.

A puppy MIGHT be better with a cat, but it might not. Definitely do not go with a terrier breed, a hound would probably be bad, too, and a herding dog (I speak from experience here) will take a LOT of training to get it to stop chasing.

My sister's Golden Retriever used to chase her cats until she got a new kitten. The dog and the kitten hit it off and now they are inseparable, and the dog no longer chases the other cats - she just ignores them.

Also, the idea of going through a foster program would be good. They can help you find a dog that ignores cats, and they will work with you to get the dog adjusted in your home. You can also give the dog back to the foster if it really doesn't work out, but they do try to avoid having this happen by making a good match in the first place. A lot of them are very good at knowing whether a dog has a good chance of working in a particular home.

Good luck to you. It might be challenging since the cats had such a bad experience last time, but it can work out. Read a lot, research a lot, and take your time finding the "right" dog. Then it takes patience and perseverance to adjust your lives to the new dog.


Jamiya

IP: Logged

loonyluna
Member

Posts: 30
From:
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-19-2004 03:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for loonyluna     Edit/Delete Message
Some friends of mine who got a puppy have work schedules that required they were away from the house for more than 4 hours (the max. time you should leave a puppy in a crate) so they confined him to their large kitchen. They put the crate in there plus some other blankets and lots of toys. He couldn't hold it for the whole time they were gone so he just peed on the lino in the kitchen. They said it didn't take long before he could hold it until one of them came home and I don't think it took them extra long to housetrain or anything.
I crate my puppy while I'm at work but I can go home at lunch and my kitchen isn't nearly as big as theirs anyway. I don't know which puppy would be happier, the one who has more freedom to move around or the one who gets to see their owner at lunch.

IP: Logged

lucidity03
Member

Posts: 201
From:Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-20-2004 05:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucidity03     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks for all the advice, everyone. You all make good points.

loonyluna,

thanks for sharing that. That was one of my concerns (not making it home during the work day). We have a few large spaces we could keep a pup. I wasn't sure if that would hamper the dog learning to hold it.

[This message has been edited by lucidity03 (edited 01-20-2004).]

IP: Logged

Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-20-2004 06:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
I think it depends on the dog. Some of them get used to going potty on a certain surface and then it is harder to break them of the habit. I don't have any personal experience with that, however, so perhaps there are others that can speak of their experience with it.


Jamiya

IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Auspet.com


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.45c
















© 1999-2017 AusPet.com