Puppy for a 1st Birthday Present?? [Archive] - Bub Hub Pregnancy & Parenting Forum

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MissMetal

13-10-2009, 10:07

I really want to get DS pup at some stage & was thinking maybe it would be a great/special present to get for his 1st birthday (still 4 months away lol!)
not sure if he is too young then, or if i should wait till he is a little older :confused:
Im such a dog person & have always had dogs apart from now & i miss having one...
would you get your little one a pup for their 1st birthday??

maplewattle

13-10-2009, 10:11

I'd probably wait til he's a bit older and can appreciate and interact with the dog. You can also teach him then about caring for him, feeding etc. Otherwise you'll have a baby and a puppy to take care of at once! (maybe I'm just lazy!)

Chickadee

13-10-2009, 11:45

No, I wouldn't. When he's closer to 4 or 5 perhaps. I don't think that a baby and a hyper demanding, potentially nipping, puppy are a good mix. I also think that many people would struggle to give the pup the necessary training time and attention that they need, when also juggling a baby/toddler. But that's your call to make.

Mrs Molly Coddle

13-10-2009, 12:28

I'll share my experience.
We got a puppy just before our DS turned one. It was fine for a few days, but the novelty wore off pretty quickly. DS was constantly tipping over her water bowl or her food bowl, so we could only feed her and give her water when DS was asleep or in his high chair. I was terrified she was going die of dehydration! Then DS started to hit her, pull her hair, throw things at her and paid NO attention when we tried to discipline him. It was awful. :( There was poo and wee everywhere as I had no time to toilet train her properly. Fortunately, my Mum adores her and she has taken her for us. We only had her for about 2 weeks and I was so scared for her that we just couldn't keep her. She's a whole other dog now with Mum and Mum's dogs! It's so lovely to see. We visit her often and DS is better with her now but mainly because he's old enough to understand "No!" He still tries to pick her up by her hair when our backs are turned though.
She was a nervous wreck the whole time she was with us. It was terrible :(
I'm sorry that my story is so negative. There may be others with more positive experiences and ultimately it is your decision, but yes.. that was our experience.

HeidiLee

13-10-2009, 12:37

I would say no. Puppies are HARD work. A puppy and a one year old = nightmare. Definately wait till your child is old enough to appreciate the dog.

CookiesRYum

13-10-2009, 12:40

I would wait until he is older. Maybe you could get him some other sort of pet that is really low maintenance in the interim???

We got my nephew a fish when he was 2 but he doesn't understand the difference between the fish in the bowl and the fish on his plate and is always saying to mum that he wants to eat it for dinner.

KatiesMum

13-10-2009, 12:50

I guess a lot depends on how difficult your bubs is, and how YOU are.

If bubs is an easy bubs, and you are dealing fine with the usual day to day issues of being a single mum .... and you really want a puppy for you as well as him, and you have an appropriate place to live in which allows dogs, then I would think about it. Choose dog breed carefully, and do lots of puppy training .... :D

Remember that puppies are hard work - but they are really rewarding too.

My dog was 3 when DD was born ..... and she absolutely ADORES him.

NonnyMouse

13-10-2009, 13:06

LilMissnBoo

13-10-2009, 14:05

Maybe look at getting an older dog (from RSPCA etc)

We got a dog thru Boxer Rescue, he was 5 when we got him and DD1 was born 6 weeks later.

They get along so well, DD adores him and Mac acts like a mother around DD2. It is beautiful to watch.

An older dog isn't as much work as a puppy and if you do go thru the RSPCA all dogs are de-sexed, vacc and the staff make sure that the dog is suitable to be adopted out.

HTH

London

13-10-2009, 14:07

maliwoo

13-10-2009, 14:38

i have 2 dogs and a toddler. We got the second dog when my DD was a little over 1. It was hard to toilet train the pup AND take care of the baby as well.
Don't get me wrong, I love both our dogs, but it is hard to give them the attention they deserve when you also have a demanding toddler.
A new puppy needs a LOT of attention and proper training, and it is just difficult to do when there is a toddler. You really have to make time for it. Also dogs need wwalking - and doing theat effectively when you have a toddler is almost impossible on your own.
Our dogs love our little one, and they get on really well, but it would have been SO much easier if we had waited.
So unless you have the time for proper training and attention, then I would wait.

HollyHotLips

13-10-2009, 19:10

IMO pets should not be "presents".

It sounds more like YOU want a puppy, in which case you should get one for yourself, or as a "family" pet. Your LO will grow with it, but until he's actually old enough to care for an animal it's not going to be "his" anyway.

:iagree:

I would also be wary of getting a dog from a rescue place as you dont always know the history of the dog.

Personally we got a greyhound when DD was one, because *I* wanted one. I did a lot of research (greyhounds are the most placid, easygoing dog you can get) and we got ours from Greyhounds as Pets WA who put all the dogs through different foster homes to see how they react in different situations - other dogs, cats and children etc. Molly was the third one we were down for as the other two weren't suitable and it has worked out really well, she is two now so young for a retired greyhound.

BabelFish

13-10-2009, 19:15

I think puppies and children are a wonderful mix.

But with some VERY definite caveats. Puppies are HARD work. They take a LOT of patience, a LOT of training, and a LOT of time and attention (if you intend to raise them properly).

They can be a wonderful addition to any family and there are reams and reams of studies showing how growing up with a pet is highly, highly beneficial. But you have to be prepared to put in the time and effort that it takes to raise a well-adjusted, well-exercised, and most importantly well-trained and socialised dog, that is a very definite, integrated part of your family and not just stuck out the back 23 hours a day and brought out when it's time to play or eat.

We have two dogs that we have had for four years now, who were well-trained and adult before we had our children. They are inside a lot, they interact with her a lot, and they are all a joy to have together.

However, had we had them as puppies along with our small child it would have been much, much harder, and something eventually has to give, unless you have the world's most well-behaved puppy and the world's easiest child.

I have strong feelings about this subject, however, if you are prepared to put in the time and effort and do it right, I think it's a wonderful idea.

MummaBear03

13-10-2009, 19:32

I'm another one who would never give an animal as a present, nor would I get one *for* a child. If you want a family dog, now is probably a good time to get one, but I think it's important to get a baby gate or similar that the puppy can get through but the baby can't, so the puppy can get somewhere away from the baby if needed, and can be fed in that area to avoid having dishes knocked over. You'll probably have to "puppy proof" some areas of the house, because even if the house is toddler-proofed, puppies can get places babies can't! I found that out with mine after he chewed some electrical cords that I thought were out of reach. Luckily I'm pedantic about switching things off at the wall when not in use, so nothing was actually connected. It was such a small space I did not think for a moment he'd be able to get to it!

In short, if you a family puppy then get one, but not for a child and not for a present, that's the way I see it.

singlemumma82

13-10-2009, 19:37

I'm going to go against every one here and say go for it :yes: I got my dog when DD was 2 1/2, so still very much a toddler getting in to everything.

i brought a small dog and he is now the baby of the family.

like you, I was a single mum and a major animal lover, it was only circumstances that made me have to wait that long.

So again, go for it, it was hard work having a toddler and a pup but I wouldn't change it for the world, I'm never bored now I have my boy as well.

aliasmel

13-10-2009, 22:55

go for it... my son is 2 month old and already has two ponys and a puppy... ontop of the dog cat and horse I had before having him.

I see no problem :)

~Temet Nosce~

14-10-2009, 08:29

I would wait until he is old enough to understand the responsibility of having a pet. Get a puppy if you want, but don't make it his birthday present, get something that is more for him and more age appropriate. The puppy can just be an added addition to the family (though I wouldn't want a puppy and a 1 yr old tbh lol.. especially when the pup hits 1 yr right around the time terrible 2's start... :dizzy: )