Do you regret your lockdown puppy? Post Reply

[paws]

We are constantly on the edge of getting a dog, a hangover from lockdown when we were all at home. We didn't quite commit then and now it is three v one, I am the one   My husband and I both work full time although we also mix this with home and office, our children are 6 and 8.

I just don't feel that we will be able to make it work and it will be me that ends up sorting everything and it will be a pain rather than a joy.

Would love to hear from anyone who has bought a dog recently or bought one in lockdown and how they are finding it? Does it just all fall into place or do you really wish that you hadn't? 

[CraftandArt]

I don’t have a puppy, but I have three children similar ages to yours so I am having similar thoughts, and I had a puppy when I was younger and we lived in the countryside.

Based on that experience 25 years ago, when it came down to it: my mum was the one who looked after the puppy, as she was a stay at home mum, and my dad commuted to London every day.

Mum organised puppy training classes, bought his food, found him a place to stay while we were away, cleaned up accidents with chemicals, made sure we walked him daily (because we were in the countryside, we - aged 12,10 and 6 - took turns walking him alone!), booked vet trips and administered his tablets, took him to the groomers etc.

She said it was like having an extra child, but the only reason she agreed to get a puppy was because we said we would look after him and we had recently moved to the countryside. We played with the puppy and walked him, but that’s all really. She did everything else.

It was an absolute JOY for us, he was heaven, and we were so lucky our mother was prepared to look after him. If your husband agreed to commit to the puppy in this way, so you could take a step back, perhaps it would work for your family! I’m not sure how it would work if you both have full-time jobs though…

Good luck! x

[Petpain]

Hi there

My mother and her friend both got dogs in lockdown and have found the commitment quite challenging, despite both being retired. Think some of the difficulty is that there dogs didn’t go to a daycare and very much struggle with attachment issues as a result now that lockdowns are over.

Other people (both men and women) I have spoken to have said that they adore their lockdown dogs and love getting out for walks with them. Those people tended to have teenage children and enjoyed the companionship as their kids got more challenging and independent.

While not dog owners, we got convinced by our young kids to get Guinea pigs at the tail end of lockdown. They begged us for a year before we gave in on the assumption that they’re fairly easy pets. Our kids are now 6 and 7 and the care of these animals has sat squarely on my shoulders. My husband and I both work full time and caring for them is another responsibility on fairly overloaded shoulders. Our kids are now also asking for a puppy…. I think your decision should be based on whether you feel you have capacity to take this on, and your availability. If your kids are in after school club every day while you’re out at work and you have very busy weekends, chances are that your poor puppy would spend most of its time home without you. Which may not be the fairest thing for the animal. If you do have time and space available for a puppy, it will no doubt bring you all a tremendous amount of joy.

The pet care will inevitably fall on the shoulders of the adults and I would ensure that whoever is keen on getting them (I.e. your husband) is fully prepared to take on the care of the pet.

Good luck! ☺️

[MagnoliaMum]

I am afraid I think your instincts are absolutely right and that you should not give in here. I really don't think having a puppy is compatible with a full-time job, even if it is partly from home. Consider whether you/your husband would be capable of supervising a toddler at the same time as doing your jobs? A puppy is like a toddler in needing constant supervision, stimulation, training, toilet-training, exercise etc. It is really important to have time to focus on these basics so that the puppy grows up into an obedient dog who is a pleasure to have around (it takes at least 2 years for them to be fully grown and calm down a bit). Dogs are needy; they want interaction with people and problems will arise if they don't get enough attention. The responsibility will fall on the adults and you seem to be already wondering how much your husband will help.

We got a puppy long before lockdown, when my kids were teenagers. I wasn't working and I still found it a huge shock and had to completely change my life around the puppy. Broken nights, damaged furniture, diarrhoea and vomit, restrictions on when I could go out every day and for how long - it was very stressful. It became a real joy too for all of us as the dog has grown up and I don't have any regrets as we get so much back - but I had to adapt my life the most and haven't gone back to full-time work as a result. It is like having another member of the family with very specific needs that always have to be considered and planned around - every day, during the weekends, for holidays, for the 10-15 years lifespan of your pet.

I think the idea of a guinea pig or even a cat might be a better fit for your family? Hamsters are good too, very easy to care for.

[glasshalffull]

We got a puppy during lockdown and adore her, both my husband and I having grown up with dogs. It is very different having a dog in the city to the country though, and as experienced as we were, it has still been a shock and something to get used to. The two walks a day, respective of weather, not being able to leave them for hours, flexibility around holidays or going to non dog friendly places or other commitments can be a drag, although also mean you have to get out of the house so is good in other ways as well. Key is finding a good doggy daycare and boarding facilities for when you need them. I like to think of it as having added a demanding toddler that never grows up - if you wish to add one to your family, consider if you need that in your life!
 

[Teadrinker247]

We got our first dog way before kids or lockdown. The puppy and adolescence stage (up to 3 years) is challenging and this is the most amount of work. Teaching good habits, puppy classes, socialisation. You have to put the work in for this time to be rewarded.

All this whilst working, dragging the kids out in the morning before school and afterwards (including their activities) in the rain if the other parent is away or late with work. All for the child to have a couple of hours in the evening or weekend.

Now we have an elderly dog with children aged 8 and 6. I’d never get another dog whilst there this age. It’s so restricting. They want to go to a theme park for the day - try finding a Saturday sitter (gold dust). Want to go away for a weekend. Great. Few companies return on Sundays so pay extra for a Monday return. Need to go to the vet. Try getting a decent time slot now everyone has dogs.

You must want to get one desperately and like kids you won’t regret it but may dream of what your life would be like if they just weren’t around… 😆