Anonymous wrote:We are getting a 4-month old puppy later this month and we are in our late 50s. What are we getting ourselves into? We never had a pet before.

We are both working onsite, and kids are out of house, how much will this impact our lifestyle? We plan to travel at least two or three times a year internationally. We have friends who said they can help, but with a puppy it’s a lot of work.

You do not work from home. Friends? Depends on the dog and if not a great dog that will dry up fast. It's not like you're in your 20's or 30's guilting your parents to help. Most puppies from breeders go home shortly after 8 weeks. weeks 9-10 have taking out every 2-3 hours for pee and poop. By 4 months you get sleep through the night meaning usually 11:30-5 am ish.

People with puppies/dogs have relied on local relatives or dog walkers or doggie daycare when they are working onsite. Some dogs are a burden to all but the "furbaby" owner- relatives get stuck but friends, daily dog walker or doggy daycare bail.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

People like you are the reason people Shop instead of adopt.

Is ideal? No but it’s doable and dogs are just fine. You don’t need doggy daycare. A dog walker is fine.

People like YOU are the reason why so many dogs misbehave and get tuned into shelters because of the practically guaranteed issues that leaving a 4 month old baby alone all day. WTF Of you can’t actually take care of a living animal then I guess you shouldn’t get one.