| Getting a Dog 10:04 - Jul 15 with 17270 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Ok, lads this is huge. Don't mess this up!
I've always wanted a dog. I mean really wanted a dog. Always had a dog as a kid. Either a Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever. But I could never have one as an adult. i just moved around too much. Wouldn't be fair.
But, with the last few years, and now the last few months, I've been working from home almost full-time. I've also finally got family living nearby to mind my dog if I do have to head away for work or holidays.
I'm single with no kids. I live in a small city but with plenty parks and fields nearby.
If not now, then I'd have to wonder when.
The question is - am I mad? What am I not considering?
Have any of you any advice, please?
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| Getting a Dog on 10:21 - Jul 15 with 6003 views | WokingR |
I'm going to offer my services to you free of charge for a whole week and then we'll see if you are still committed. If you pm me your address I can start on Monday by taking a massive dump in your back garden. Once you have cleaned that up we can mix it up a bit for the rest of the week. I will take at least one dump a day in your front or back garden and sometimes I'll sneak through the gap in the hedge and dump in your neighbours garden too.
If you are still happily cleaning up after me and prepared to pat me on the head at the end of the week I think you're good to go.
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| Getting a Dog on 10:26 - Jul 15 with 5987 views | Hayesender |
I've got a rescue staff. He is the most loyal and best natured little thing you could wish for.
If you're near a dog rescue centre Brian, give serious consideration about rehoming one of those poor little buggers |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 10:30 - Jul 15 with 5965 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Don’t be lured into getting one from those dodgy Puppy farms. If you want a thoroughbred get a Greyhound. I had one growing up and they make great pets.
This is the UK Greyhound trust but I’m sure Ireland has an equivalent:
https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk/ |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 10:31 - Jul 15 with 5963 views | Northernr |
Rescue a greyhound. Good temprement and you're doing a good thing. |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 10:31 - Jul 15 with 5956 views | qprxtc |
I’d get one of those dogs they call a cat.
Much easier to handle and won’t constantly sniff your gonads. |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 10:33 - Jul 15 with 5961 views | hovehoop |
I grew up with a goldfish for company. These days our two cats are pushing 20 and our Labrador is about 9.
Getting the dog was one of the best decisions we made. We picked him as a puppy. He has a lovely temperament so when we go away we have friends or family who are happy to take him in. He's a large dog but not massive and can cope with long walks and loves the water.
There are one or two species that can be nuts or that have massive amounts of energy and you really need to commit to at least moderate walks every day to help them vent. A dog like that would have been pretty tough for my folks to keep up with whereas, they manage our Lab very well.
If you go the way of another Lab, they eat everything and can get fat. So we keep ours on a strict diet and have a stair gate to stop him going up and eating the cat food. Also, when our front door has been open and we've been distracted he's managed to visit most of the neighbours houses and polish off any cat food lying around. Fortunately, the neighbours are fond of him too. |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 10:34 - Jul 15 with 5954 views | BlackCrowe |
Go for it mate. If getting a puppy, general rule is choose biggest paws and head as tends to end up the stronger. Avoid the last one from a litter, almost certainly the runt and more chance of having health issues through out it's life.
Puppy training classes if possible - coming to heel on demand makes life at lot easier. Never use a lead for ours unless on a busy main road.
Not many negatives in my opinion - except costs of course (round our way we have to may c.£35 a day for her to be looked after when we're away on holiday etc - that can add up. And pet health insurance and/or vet fees are grim.
Any cons are outweighed by the pro many fold in my opinion.
Your considering great natured breeds that will fit right in. Labs are notoriously greedy and begging though, so that might p!ss you off. |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 10:37 - Jul 15 with 5940 views | sdm1508 |
| Getting a Dog on 10:26 - Jul 15 by Hayesender |
I've got a rescue staff. He is the most loyal and best natured little thing you could wish for.
If you're near a dog rescue centre Brian, give serious consideration about rehoming one of those poor little buggers |
I have to agree with that. Sadly Staffs get a bad press but they are amazing dogs. Sadly where they are very intelligent and want to please they are easy to train and also train to be anti social. Sadly we lost ours last year and all our friends were devastated too. He was great with everyone and great with kids. Highly recommend | | | |
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| Getting a Dog on 10:38 - Jul 15 with 5921 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
Not going to tell you what dog or from where.
BUT what often gets overlooked is Insurance, it really is not cheap and so many pitfalls, really really look into it deeply. |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 10:46 - Jul 15 with 5902 views | hovehoop |
| Getting a Dog on 10:38 - Jul 15 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
Not going to tell you what dog or from where.
BUT what often gets overlooked is Insurance, it really is not cheap and so many pitfalls, really really look into it deeply. |
That's a realistic point. We insure 3 animals and the cost is a joke - especially as they age!
We also had a rescue experience that went badly wrong but that was to do with the poor animals hopeless start in life. | | | |
| Getting a Dog on 10:56 - Jul 15 with 5860 views | Watford_Ranger |
Think insurance is based on weight (and age of course) so if you’re going down the smaller dog route not such a big deal- personally even with a reasonable amount of space I much prefer small dogs and mine is only 5kg or so.
It’ll potentially affect your social life in the short term but it’s the best money I’ve ever spent and even with prices inflated currently it’s not a ridiculous amount if you aren’t bothered about a ‘fashionable’ breed. [Post edited 15 Jul 2020 10:57]
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| Getting a Dog on 11:07 - Jul 15 with 5818 views | Northernr |
Get a Simmo.
Reasonably clean most of the time, feeds itself, sleeps most of the day, makes witty remarks during QPR games. | | | |
| Getting a Dog on 11:19 - Jul 15 with 5785 views | eghamranger |
I’ve got a Golden Retriever... he is 9 , had him since a pup, saw the parents.
Has slowed a bit now, but still has his moments.
Great breed, very laid back and a great family dog. Only saw him get aggressive when a terrier was in his face for about 10 mins.
Only has dry food but is a devil for scraps and chicken... can sniff left over discarded take away from yards away...
Would highly recommend the breed. Please dm if you need any info |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 11:19 - Jul 15 with 5781 views | Hooparoo |
Best dog I ever owned - a West Highland White. Great dogs, intelligent, easy to train, don’t bark much, aren’t smelly and don’t shed their fur. My Westie is of course called what you would call any Scottish dog - “Jock” 🶠|  |
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| Getting a Dog on 11:25 - Jul 15 with 5764 views | Boston |
Had dog(s) most of my life, I've picked up a few tricks along the way which you may find useful.
https://www.scoe10x.com/ | |
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| Getting a Dog on 11:31 - Jul 15 with 5743 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Great - thanks for the advice everyone.
I've definitely been thinking about a rescue dog because there's a centre near me - and also I'm wondering whether to skip the teething/chewing/sh1tting phase. So, interesting to hear so many of you recommend that.
On the other hand, a Simmo does sound good - though I've heard that that breed drinks your beer?
I'll re-read all that advice again. Thanks again for now. | |
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| Getting a Dog on 11:39 - Jul 15 with 5722 views | bosh67 |
Rescue dogs really need a good home. My mate has a Cockapoo. Not niche porn but a breed of dog. Soppiest funniest daftest character I have met. They are very loving and great companions. |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 11:47 - Jul 15 with 5695 views | paesanu |
Sounds like you already know this, but a dog will be your child. Takes up a lot of your time and devotion, and the rewards are fantastic.
Lots of mates have gotten rescue dogs, and the result is always a brilliant relationship. Enjoy! |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 11:49 - Jul 15 with 5684 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
What ever happened to the Dog Man of España? | | | |
| Getting a Dog on 11:52 - Jul 15 with 5667 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
I have a dreadful feeling that come Xmas/ new year, dog rescues will be overwhelmed, many already are.
It's not for everyone as nothing like having your own pup and some rescues may have issues with health or behavior.
BUT if you can find the right dog for you at a rescue, it's a wonderful and a load cheaper way to give a dog a good life and home.
Don't rush, take your time and you will never regret it. | |
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| Getting a Dog on 12:03 - Jul 15 with 5658 views | rsonist |
| Getting a Dog on 10:56 - Jul 15 by Watford_Ranger |
Think insurance is based on weight (and age of course) so if you’re going down the smaller dog route not such a big deal- personally even with a reasonable amount of space I much prefer small dogs and mine is only 5kg or so.
It’ll potentially affect your social life in the short term but it’s the best money I’ve ever spent and even with prices inflated currently it’s not a ridiculous amount if you aren’t bothered about a ‘fashionable’ breed. [Post edited 15 Jul 2020 10:57]
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If all my mates got dogs instead of kids I'd socialise with them a million times more than I bother doing now... |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 12:11 - Jul 15 with 5640 views | Hastings_Hoops |
Hi Brian
We adopted a Greyhound (ex-racer) in January and he is brilliant. Placid and happy to sleep most of the day with short bursts of affection. Really lovely dog and the kids love him. Only £75 donation (you can donate more if you want).
When you get them, they come with full race history and six generations of ancestry. Apparently our dogs nest race averaged 38mph over about 400m!
Check out national greyhound trust and they will have loads of ‘adoption centres’ and advice.
...we called him Ernie Bright Osayi-Samuel. My enthusiasm to call him Lightning Bright (as suggested by Finney in the podcast in Jan) was stifled by the women in the house. |  | | |
| Getting a Dog on 12:32 - Jul 15 with 5595 views | Gloucs_R |
Please please please consider rescuing a Cypriot rescue dog. The hunters kick them out into the wild if they aren't good enough but they are lovely and sweet natured. |  |
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| Getting a Dog on 12:36 - Jul 15 with 5583 views | cyprusmel |
We have eight dogs now Brian, all rescue from 2 years old up to 13 years.
Sadly we had to have one put to sleep last week an 11 year old called "Lucky" and I can tell you there were plenty of tears, he had been living with us since he was a puppy.
A dog will give you so much but as previous posters have said please look to the rescue centres and not a breeder.
Almost any type/breed of dog will be available in the rescue kennels.
One of my favourites is the Husky, strange as it might seem there are a lot here in Cyprus we have rescued three ourselves and rehomed them. Wrong climate for this type of dog though, 35c here today.
If you choose an older dog you will skip the chewing furniture/rugs stage. | | | |
| Getting a Dog on 12:38 - Jul 15 with 2386 views | switchingcode |
Good luck take in the good advice on here got my first dog 5 years ago one of the best things I’ve ever done.If you go for a puppy be prepared for a crazy few months but you will look back fondly in years to come. | | | |
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