What’s it really like having kids and a dog?

[Anonymous]

Dogs love unconditionally. For me, that makes it all worth it. But they are like perma-toddlers in many way. They will never feed themselves or go to the bathroom independently. They can stay home alone for a few hours but not for extended periods of time. They require exercise and mental stimulation and vet visits and for some grooming. They are expensive and burdensome and they can be gross and stinky and annoying and if they have to vomit, they don’t even try to make it to the bathroom. But they will love you with ever fiber of their being. Truly.

[Anonymous]

I'm the DH with a career and 2 kids and DW has a career and wanted a dog, and I already did 95% of the household everything (cook, clean, provision, manage, schedule) and now I do 95% of the dog care too. Resist, unless you are prepared to assume the work.

[Anonymous]

Dogs are for stinky people

[Anonymous]

If you get one, get a small lap dog.

I have a Labrador and man, it is SO MUCH work…and the constant cleaning of mud and vacuuming fur…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the DH with a career and 2 kids and DW has a career and wanted a dog, and I already did 95% of the household everything (cook, clean, provision, manage, schedule) and now I do 95% of the dog care too. Resist, unless you are prepared to assume the work.

Lol. Would love to hear your wife's side of this story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the DH with a career and 2 kids and DW has a career and wanted a dog, and I already did 95% of the household everything (cook, clean, provision, manage, schedule) and now I do 95% of the dog care too. Resist, unless you are prepared to assume the work.

Lol. Would love to hear your wife's side of this story.

Of course you would. Because this poster is a man. Were he a woman, you’d be +1000ing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the DH with a career and 2 kids and DW has a career and wanted a dog, and I already did 95% of the household everything (cook, clean, provision, manage, schedule) and now I do 95% of the dog care too. Resist, unless you are prepared to assume the work.

Lol. Would love to hear your wife's side of this story.

Of course you would. Because this poster is a man. Were he a woman, you’d be +1000ing

Yep and I'd be right.

[Anonymous]

We had a fenced in yard and a dog door. And a couple of responsible dog sitters.

It was great.

[Anonymous]

The key is having enough money to pay for a dog walker and to send the puppy to all day doggy daycare for the first 6 months to socialize and train. We have a toddler and a dog and our dog is honestly perfectly behaved and no trouble. She never ever barks, bites, poops inside, or chews on anything whatsoever.

BUT. She also goes on 1-2 hour long off leash pack walks with our dog walker daily. That’s the key. She also attended doggy daycare for 8 hours a day while we worked until 6 months when she could start pack walks and stay home alone.

Your dog will not be content playing in the backyard. Your dog will not be content with 1-2 boring, on-leash neighborhood walks. Those are the recipe for understimulation and bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advice is to dog sit a friend or family member’s dog while they are away for a week or 2. It’s the best way to see if you and your kids are up for the task.

I was also going to post this. If the kids become disinterested after an hour or whatever, and no one wants to do the 3rd walk of the day, you know it's not going to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dogs love unconditionally. For me, that makes it all worth it. But they are like perma-toddlers in many way. They will never feed themselves or go to the bathroom independently. They can stay home alone for a few hours but not for extended periods of time. They require exercise and mental stimulation and vet visits and for some grooming. They are expensive and burdensome and they can be gross and stinky and annoying and if they have to vomit, they don’t even try to make it to the bathroom. But they will love you with ever fiber of their being. Truly.

This is the best explanation of owning a dog that I have ever read. I would only add one thing and that is that the read your emotions. When we had a family death both dogs instinctively knew and comforted all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dogs are for stinky people

Or people who want to be stinky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the DH with a career and 2 kids and DW has a career and wanted a dog, and I already did 95% of the household everything (cook, clean, provision, manage, schedule) and now I do 95% of the dog care too. Resist, unless you are prepared to assume the work.

Lol. Would love to hear your wife's side of this story.

Of course you would. Because this poster is a man. Were he a woman, you’d be +1000ing

Yep and I'd be right.

Stay in your lane, kids.

This thread is for hating on dogs, not hating on men/women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The key is having enough money to pay for a dog walker and to send the puppy to all day doggy daycare for the first 6 months to socialize and train. We have a toddler and a dog and our dog is honestly perfectly behaved and no trouble. She never ever barks, bites, poops inside, or chews on anything whatsoever.

BUT. She also goes on 1-2 hour long off leash pack walks with our dog walker daily. That’s the key. She also attended doggy daycare for 8 hours a day while we worked until 6 months when she could start pack walks and stay home alone.

Your dog will not be content playing in the backyard. Your dog will not be content with 1-2 boring, on-leash neighborhood walks. Those are the recipe for understimulation and bad behavior.

This is very dog dependent. My dog gets 1-2 “boring” neighborhood walks and he doesn’t have any behavioral issues. Very easy going! So I would. It say OP’s potential dog would need off leash “pack walks”

It’s all choosing a breed that fits your lifestyle. I wanted an easy loving family dog so have an English lab. On the downside: lots of fur and general mess.

[Anonymous]

I have three kids (4, 2, infant) and two rescue dogs, both with chronic but manageable conditions (special food for one, daily medication and monthly shot for the other). My husband and I also work full time. We have pet insurance (nationwide) for both dogs, which covers both wellness and illness care. I would very much recommend. Our dogs are very manageable for us. I am a dog person and love dogs. My kids are not super into our dogs, but they are good with them - and our dogs are good with our kids.

We have a fenced in yard and I walk our dogs for 30-45 minutes a day (they are both 20 pounds and not super high energy). If you get a dog definitely expect to do the bulk of the work, look into fencing your yard and pet insurance, and get a dog that works well for your lifestyle (I would not get a border collie or vizsla unless I could commit time to exercising the dog properly).