Thinking of getting a dog, what did you consider before getting one?

[llwhiteoutll]

I've always wanted a dog and I think I'm at the point where my work is stable enough that I can seriously look at getting one.

I've considered where I live and it seems ok. I have a detached house (smaller backyard) and am close to a large off leash area and plenty of walking trails. No neighbor concerns with getting one either.

Costs don't seem to be a major concern, I'm assuming that the cost of care for a medium sized dog is around $300ish a month? Food, health insurance, regular checkups at the vet, toys.

My main issue is work. I'm out of the house from about 630AM to 500PM. I'm concerned that 11 hours is a long time to leave a social animal by itself, especially during the day. Is 4-5 hours of waking interaction every day, plus weekends enough and/or fair to a dog?

I was thinking about adopting from the SPCA, with preference to Goldens, Labs or a similar sized dog

Are there any things that you'd recommend thinking about before going further?

[OMG!WTF!]

You can find breeds that are much better at being home alone. Do not get a Golden. You couldn't get a worse breed for leaving alone all the time. And any dog will need at least one walk during the 11 hour day. You can't leave any dog alone that long on a regular basis. Your budget per month is great but it would be used up entirely with a dog walker. Kudos on thinking this through.

[DuffMan]

Consider what you will do when you take holidays.

[Fuzz]

10.5 hours alone? Get a cat.

[stang]

Cats suck

[wretched34]

If you're concerned about the 11 hours a day where the dog will be left alone, take a look into Doggy Daycare, or a dog walker.
In many cases, dogs with a lot of energy, that are left to their own for long periods develop separation anxiety, also bare in mind separation anxiety is more prevalent in rescue dogs, as there is past trauma.

[KelVarnsen]

Paging Sliver

[Otto-matic]

1) Do I have enough time to invest into my dog.
2) Am I committed enough to own a dog and all the expenses that may come with owning one.
3) Am I willing to stick with it through thick and thin, people who adopt and then decide its not worth their time drives me up the wall.

[Jason14h]

I have a Lab. Now that's hes older he has no issue being home alone 10 hours! As long as he gets his after work walk.


If you are gone that long, getting a dog past the terrible 2's would be a good idea. A 3 year old lab should be fairly good to be at home during that time.

[aaronck]

Get a dog that fits your lifestyle, high energy dogs require a lot of exercise or they will channel their energy into other things like destroying things- If you are gone for the day kennel training is probably a great idea that saves a lot of mess and destruction. All of my pups have enjoyed sleeping in their kennels at night and during the day (giving them a treat to go in helps) I also think your estimate for monthly cost is quite high- Although if you are willing to spend a bit sign up for classes when you first get a dog and it will help you both know what is expected from the other. A well trained dog takes a bit of work but will be a great companion for life! Monthly costs for a healthy dog is good food, treats, a grooming every once and a while and a Vet visit once or twice a year.
My dog probably costs me less that $100 per month over a year.

Pet insurance is an option, but is expensive and like insurers in the US seem to try to get out of paying for major expenses by calling most things pre-existing conditions.

[Red Slinger]

First of all, make sure you get the right dog. That means a number of things, such as:

Energy- The dog should match your energy. If you are very active don't get a couch potato and vice versa.

Intelligence- If the dog is going to be left alone for long periods, which it sounds like, don't get a dog that needs a lot of stimulation like a Border Collie. You'd be better off getting a 'dumber' dog.

Space- Generally speaking if you don't have a big yard don't get a big dog.

Character- Are you going to be the alpha? Is the dog going to be spoiled rotten? You should be the alpha with any dogs because if they take charge it can lead to things like excessive barking and even biting. You may be able to get away with it with a small dog but certainly not a big breed. This is particularly true if you have kids.

Care- Do you have time to brush a dog daily? If not, consider a short hair breed. Also, some dogs have special dietary requirements that may be more expensive. Any allergies? There are some dogs that are better in that regard.


I would highly recommend going to the SPCA, dog pound and other adoptions. In general, mutts tend to have fewer health issues. Some vets like pure breads because they know what to expect for potential health issues. Don't rush into getting a dog. Make sure you find a dog that checks all of your boxes, or at least the most important boxes.

About a year ago I got a dog from the pound and she is the best dog I've ever had.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

1) Do I have enough time to invest into my dog.
2) Am I committed enough to own a dog and all the expenses that may come with owning one.
3) Am I willing to stick with it through thick and thin, people who adopt and then decide its not worth their time drives me up the wall.

I don't understand this attitude. Obviously it's better if you can integrate the animal into your life and care for it until it dies, but aren't there way more dogs than people who want them? I thought they put unwanted dogs down all the time. Isn't it better that some people at least give it a shot? Also, life circumstances can change. If you've never been through a prolonged overwhelmingly stressful period in your life it can be hard to understand, but there are instances where caring for an animal can just be too much.

I think you may be assuming people decide "it's not worth their time" when in fact the reasons are more complicated and may even be circumstances you could empathize with.

Every few years we get a cat to give it a go, but we haven't found our forever cat yet.

[dubc80]

Have you considered a guardian/foster program? Most breeders have one.

You'd be getting an intact dog and you have to bring it back to the breeder when they want to use them to mate. In exchange, I got free boarding (saved me a ton of money), annual vaccinations, and a pick of a dog from a future litter which I sold back to them.

Once the contract is done you can spay/neuter and the dog is retired.

It was perfect for me since I was single and lived alone at the time. I was able to get the breed I wanted (lab) which was out of the puppy stage, already house trained, vaccinated, etc. The breeder provided a ton of advice/support and there was also a good return policy so if things didn't work out I could return the dog.

That was 7 years ago.

The poor guy now needs to battle for attention between the wife and my 4 and 2 year olds. Geez, time flies.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I don't understand this attitude. Obviously it's better if you can integrate the animal into your life and care for it until it dies, but aren't there way more dogs than people who want them? I thought they put unwanted dogs down all the time. Isn't it better that some people at least give it a shot? Also, life circumstances can change. If you've never been through a prolonged overwhelmingly stressful period in your life it can be hard to understand, but there are instances where caring for an animal can just be too much.

I think you may be assuming people decide "it's not worth their time" when in fact the reasons are more complicated and may even be circumstances you could empathize with.

Every few years we get a cat to give it a go, but we haven't found our forever cat yet.

Sure if its a legit circumstance that you can't take care of the pet longer then its fine.

Its the owners who just decided they don't want the pet anymore because its too much work and let it go.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by dubc80

Have you considered a guardian/foster program? Most breeders have one.

You'd be getting an intact dog and you have to bring it back to the breeder when they want to use them to mate. In exchange, I got free boarding (saved me a ton of money), annual vaccinations, and a pick of a dog from a future litter which I sold back to them.

Once the contract is done you can spay/neuter and the dog is retired.

It was perfect for me since I was single and lived alone at the time. I was able to get the breed I wanted (lab) which was out of the puppy stage, already house trained, vaccinated, etc. There was also a good return policy so if things didn't work out I could return the dog.

That was 7 years ago.

The poor guy now needs to battle for attention between the wife and my 4 and 2 year olds. Geez, time flies.

This was going to be my point. What's your family situation? Will there be kids in your near future? We were fine to get a reasonably high-energy dog before we had kids. Once the family grew it was quite a bit harder to go for a long walk.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Every few years we get a cat to give it a go, but we haven't found our forever cat yet.

I think that's because (if I recall right) you just didn't have the time to give it the attention it needs.

Next time maybe you should try two cats. They can be company for each other. Maybe even three?

[undercoverbrother]

Like a garage dog?

[Bagor]

To the OP.

If you get one from a shelter ask to be allowed to take it to the nearest fenced in dog park. You really want a sense of how your dog is around other dogs before committing to it.

[John Doe]

Owning a dog is similar to having a child. You have to consider them whenever you go anywhere.

If you do decide to get a dog, consider getting two. They are less likely to get lonely if you are gone for longer periods of time. They also get rid of a lot of pent up energy through play. Two dogs are not really any harder to deal with than one.

[dubc80]

Now to address your post. Things to think about.

Time away: We leave our dog over 10 hrs a day now free-roaming in our house no problem but it took a while to get there. I remember going home at lunch to let him out, and also being scared to go home and open the door to see what I'd find wrecked or if there was a mess on the floor. Don't miss those times.

Kennels: are expensive. Most are $30-$40 a night. Adds up fast!

Your backyard: Grass in summer will probably get wrecked from pee. The winter melt will expose poo landmines for you to clean up.

Your stuff/house/habits: Things will inevitably get wrecked. Put your shoes away, close the pantry door, put your remotes up high, and don't leave frozen ground beef within striking distance. You'll learn soon enough.

Hair/cleanliness: Be prepared to clean a lot more, or lower your standards. Dog hair will be everywhere and some dogs are messy drinkers. I vacuum parts of our house every other day.

Pet insurance: Too expensive. I prefer to just save money on the side.

The best thing I ever did was train my dog to stay on the main level of my house and not go upstairs or downstairs and to also stay off furniture. I think dogs in beds or on couches is gross.

Anyways, good to hear you're putting thought into it. Many people are oblivious to the work it takes and just get a dog cause it's cute.