So the dog I was referring to in <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/blog/2008/11/09/i-need-some-advice/">this poll </a>is one of <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/blog/2008/10/21/we-just-might-have-to-get-her-a-puppy/">these puppies</a>. The grandmother is back in town and she brought with her two of the little male puppies so the family could choose one of them to keep. She offered us the other one and we're still thinking about whether or not we should actually take this huge step in responsibility.
It is a true <a href="http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4DKUS_en__223US225&q=boykin+spaniel&um=1&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title">Boykin </a><a href="http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/boykinspaniel.htm">Spaniel</a> and it is precious. There are two colors: chocolate brown and rich liver. They are currently about eight weeks old and can be taken away from the mother now. They've had all of their shots.
Boykin Spaniels are good hunting dogs since they are retreivers. The are medium sized dogs and look like a larger cocker spaniel. They are energetic and have to be walked. They can be trained pretty easily. Julianna has already played with these puppies several times.
ANYWAY, thank you all for the comments on the last post and your votes in the poll. Most of the things you mentioned, we have already been considering, but I wanted to let you know what we've been talking about.
<ul>
<li>One of our dilemmas is obviously the amount of money involved in getting a dog. We don't have tons of money to be throwing around right now. Our neighborhood regulations don't really allow us to have any kind of fence except an invisible one because our house is on the corner and our backyard is very visible from the road so in addition to food, vet bills, shelter, accessories, etc we also have to purchase an invisible fence.</li>
<li>Another "discussion" we keep having is about keeping it outdoors only. Jonathan doesn't want the mess in the house or to have to get up and let it out at night. While it is a puppy he says it could stay in the garage at night. I don't see the point in having a dog if it is going to be outdoor only. </li>
<li>Also, we go to the beach a lot and I don't want to have to deal with making arrangements for a dog every time we go somewhere. Jonathan assures me that would be easy because several of our immediate neighbors are dog lovers and if it were outdoor only it would be easy for them to take care of him while we're gone. </li>
<li>Finally, as silly as it is, we totally cannot agree on a name. I'm voting for <a href="http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilightseries.html">Cullen </a>and hubby thinks that's just plain dumb.</li>
</ul>
<strong>Bottom line:</strong> we're still really just thinking about it although hubby is leaning towards getting it. It would be nice for Julianna to learn about caring for a pet and it would be fun for her to have a puppy to love on and play with, but that doesn't mean we have to do this NOW. We have to decide by Friday b/c that's when the puppy goes back to Alabama if it doesn't come here.
So anyone have any other advice/experience they want to share? Can anyone think of a good dog nickname for Cullen?
5 comments:
Come on people, let's get some support for having a dog. We already have a cat that needs to be cared for when we leave, what's another animal. Plus, who's going to keep me company when the girls leave for a month at the beach while I have to stay behind. Awwwww. I need your support!
I'll support you-somewhat. I think you should get the dog and let him be indoor and outdoor. I do not like the name Cullen, but I have not yet thought of a suggestion for a name.
Dogs have better bladders than you may think. Very rarely did I ever have to get up during the middle of the night to take him out. I would take him out one last time before I went to bed and then when I got up in the morning. When we had our 3/4 inch ice storm that kept me on the road for five hours, my dog had been in his kennel for 15 straight hours (I felt HORRIBLE) and didn't use the bathroom in there once.
If you kennel train an inside dog, they're pretty good about not using the bathroom in what becomes "their space"
I know I've posted once, well twice on the subject and I could probably just log into my email and send this to you that way, but I'm lazy.
I did want to make another remark, however, regarding the issue of money. I caution you to really investigate the breed you're looking at and the cost of not only routinely maintaining said dog, but also look at health issues common with that breed. Trust me on this one.
When I adopted my dog, I had no idea what I was in store for. About five months after adopting him, he started to lose the ability to walk. It turned out to be a birth defect, but ended up costing me almost $8,000. At first I couldn't afford (and only God provided me with the money to pay for things...over a 2 year period), but after he saved my life when someone tried to break into my house during the middle of the night, and when he woke me up when he woke me up when my neighbors house was on fire, I knew I couldn't put him down. My vet made some phone calls, and praise the Lord, a surgeon from the vet school offered to do the surgery in my vets office, at cost. They also arranged rehab. It took three sets of surgery and rehabs to give him the ability to walk again. If I had it to do over, I would do it again. My dog has meant the world to me. And if my husband wasn't severely allergic to him, I would take him back from my sister in a heartbeat.
I'm just telling you this, not to freak you out and make you hesitant to adopt a dog. I'm telling you so you'll be forewarned of the unexpected costs. I adopted my dog b/c I fell in love with his eyes (one blue, one brown). I had no idea of anything of his breed. Heck, I'd never even heard of his breed- Australian Cattle Dog.
Just some friendly advice, make sure you research your breed of choice first. See what kind of environments they thrive better in (some indoor, some out), what kind of costs to maintain, see if they're prone to certain infections, diseases, eating disorders, etc. See it as adopting a child, because ultimately dogs do become a very cherished member of the family.
Looks like I'm a little late to the discussion but YES get a dog! We love our little rat terriers (Missy is about 10lbs. and Jake is about 18lbs.). I think they are a great size to have in the house - except they're crazy and run around everywhere. But, they love Claire and I'm sure that they will love playing together when she's older. Dogs can be a lot of trouble and expense but if you're an animal lover, then they're a great addition to your family. Here are some pros and cons from my experience with two indoor rat terrors, oops I mean rat terriers...
PRO - endless source of entertainment and laughter b/c like I said, they're just crazy, love to play - especially tug of war and fetch, love to snuggle and perfect size for your lap, always happy to see me and put smile on my face even after the worst of days. They also help clean the kitchen floor when I'm cooking b/c I have a tendency to drop things. LOL Great watchdogs - no one is going to get close to my house without them knowing about it first.
CONS - yes expense is one but if you sign up for the pet insurance at your local Banfield vet (inside of PetSmarts) - it's really not bad and saves you from the insane sticker shock at a stand alone vet clinic. Having dogs in the house who aren't housetrained is NOT fun - especially if you're a clean fanatic. My dogs are 8 and 7 years old and it hasn't been a problem for a LONG time but if we ever get another puppy this would be a serious consideration. Try asking around/research b/c I really believe that some breeds are just meant to be outside b/c they don't housebreak very easily others get it very quickly. Yap, Yap, Yap. A lot of small dogs are yappy and you have to have the patience to work on this behavior before it gets out of control. My final con is that if you have very hyperactive dogs like me, you need to make sure you have the time to allow them proper play time and exercise or you might end up with the molding around your bathroom floor and laundry room chewed up in several places and then have to replace it. Just saying...
Post a Comment