Getting a puppy in your late 50s

[Anonymous]

If you’ve never had a dog and you both work outside the home, just curious as to why you’re choosing now to get a dog, let alone a puppy.

Puppies are a lot of work and require a lot of attention. Are you getting a large or small breed? You’ll need to plan for dog walkers much more frequently during the first several months as they can’t hold their bladder too long at a time. For large breeds, you need to make sure you’re giving them enough exercise and stimulation.

[Anonymous]

Hugh mistake if you are retired and looking to be active.

Even if you can afford huge vet bills and boarding finding reliable help is extremely hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Most of us plan to love beyond 68! Plus many of us have family who love our pets.

I would get a dog at 80, too. I hope to never not have one (or two).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people have pets?

They make people happy. They offer protection. They make people less lonely. They inspire people to exercise. And on and on. Surely you know all these.

[Anonymous]

It’s like having a newborn. Nothing prepared me for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Perhaps you're not aware, but Social Security actuarial tables indicate that, on average, a 55 y.o. woman will live 28 more years. I think she can get a dog.

[Anonymous]

Are you active and mobile? Also depends on the breed you are getting, some breeds are very chill and don’t do much. Puppies are a LOT of work the first 6mths and then a little less 6-12 months. Most stabilize around 12-18 months. Can you be highly present during that time frame? If so, get the puppy. If not, you could be instilling a bad foundation from the start and you could have problems for years to come. Get a dog breed based on your lifestyle, there is one for everyone. DO NOT GO OFF APPEARANCE. Commit to this dog for 12 months and you will have a wonderful family member, if you can’t well that’s not fair to your family or the dog. It’s not a stuffed animal, it’s a breathing life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Perhaps you're not aware, but Social Security actuarial tables indicate that, on average, a 55 y.o. woman will live 28 more years. I think she can get a dog.

80 year olds are not capable of taking care of a dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Most of us plan to love beyond 68! Plus many of us have family who love our pets.

I would get a dog at 80, too. I hope to never not have one (or two).

You are very selfish. My dad also planned to live beyond 68, but unfortunately he got cancer and died at 67. It is not fair to the animal to lose it's home too.

[Anonymous]

Don't do it. Seriously. We adopted our dog in 2018 when I was 50. Our kids were still at home, DH and I both worked flexible jobs (PT for me), so someone was always home outside of school hours to be with the kids and the dog. Fast forward a few years and now DH has passed away, I work FT outside of the house and, while my nest is not yet empty, the kids have random hours.

I wish I didn't have the responsibility for a pet. I can't spontaneously stay in DC after work to catch dinner or a play, or spontaneously take a trip. It's obviously not as all-consuming as having a child, but the responsibility for a pet is real, daily, and never-ending. I love my dog, but I will never have another pet.

Maybe consider fostering, but don't get a puppy.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend getting a dog! They keep you active and provide a great presence in the house. Here is what I recommend for you as a first timer -

Get very good advice on breeds/mixes that will be right for your lifestyle. Don’t just go to the shelter and take the first dog that licks you. It is sooooo important to get a dog that matches your energy levels. We have a small poodle mix and he only needs a couple short walks per day. That is best for us because although we are active, our schedules don’t always permit us to do the long, 1-2 hour walks that some neighbors do religiously.

When you get a puppy, the first one or two years require you to be home more, spend more, and do more. It is worth it to train and bond with your dog.

Plan to spend money for a 1:1 dog trainer plus multiple rounds of puppy and obedience classes. You don’t want to learn the hard way with your first dog. You need to partner with a good trainer to prevent common pitfalls, behavior problems, separation anxiety etc.

Enjoy your new best friend. Dogs are amazing

[Anonymous]

TLDR whole thread but I do dog adoptions for a living. You can't leave a 4 month old puppy home alone all day. That's cruel. Even a dog walker is insufficient for the training and socialization a young puppy needs. Dog daycare would give it socialization but not a lot of one on one training. I'd get an older dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Perhaps you're not aware, but Social Security actuarial tables indicate that, on average, a 55 y.o. woman will live 28 more years. I think she can get a dog.

80 year olds are not capable of taking care of a dog.

Many are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a plan for who will take care of this dog should you get sick and die? Late 50s is too old imo unless you are getting a big dog that won’t live 10 years. If you are getting a small dog who could live 18 years, very selfish.
Puppies are like infants. They need to go outside every hour while being trained, and they don’t sleep through the night.

Perhaps you're not aware, but Social Security actuarial tables indicate that, on average, a 55 y.o. woman will live 28 more years. I think she can get a dog.

80 year olds are not capable of taking care of a dog.

Not true at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR whole thread but I do dog adoptions for a living. You can't leave a 4 month old puppy home alone all day. That's cruel. Even a dog walker is insufficient for the training and socialization a young puppy needs. Dog daycare would give it socialization but not a lot of one on one training. I'd get an older dog.

+1 Congratulations on your new baby. While it will progress more quickly to toddler-hood than a human baby, it will stay a toddler equivalent for a very long time in terms of needs for company. If you’re not going to be home during the day, your dog needs to be at daycare just like a toddler does. I strongly urge you to find a place that does both daycare and boarding so that the dog will be comfortable in a familiar place when you travel. Do not rely on family and friends - they mean well, but they have their own busy lives.

Good luck. You will have to change your life in the ways that you did when you had small children if you do this. The rewards are immense, but the dependence is real.