Am I fit for owning a dog?

ORIGINAL: IronHell

Also, in this case, why do you think the volunteers at the place recommends that if I were to take Surprise that I should take another doxie in?

 
I cannot stress enough why this is just not a good idea but it seems as if you are adament about what you want anyhow. I could personally never take in a dog with the knowledge that it would sit in the house alone virtually all day. Aside from your own selfish feelings what is your gut telling you? If you heard Gertrude the lil ole lady across the street leaves her dog alone all day what assumptions would you make about her? How are you going to ensure this new dog isnt going to bark the whole time, rips your house to shreds because they are in a new environment, or have massive seperation anxitey. It never fails to amaze me how people can justify soemthing to fit their needs.....and I'm soory if that statement is rude but you came asking for opinions and thats all I can offer......you walk away with what you will.......thats what your gonna do anyways BUT I just dont understand why you dont get a cat

Sheprano, I apologize if I came across as "adament about what want", that was not my intentions.  Nor am I trying to "justify soemthing to fit [my] needs". 

Perhaps I didn't word it correctly, I am still trying to understand the whole concept of getting more than one dog to keep each other company; I am not sure how you can construe that as a "selfish" act - to get two dogs is twice the work...  I ask because if and when I do get a dog I want to be sure I increase the odds of it being happy as much as I can, even if it's at a cost of added work for me.  This requires my getting better understanding on how dogs behave when paired etc.  I'm still curious to know, from someone knowledgeable about dogs and perhaps doxies specifically, why the volunteer would say to adopt both.

As for my being adamant, I am hardly adamant about getting a dog (or two).  If I were adamant I wouldn't have come onto this board seeking opinions and experiences from others such as yourself. 

And you are asbolutely right, I DON'T know if the dog will "bark the whole time, rips [my] house to shreds because [he/she is] in a new environment, or have massive seperation anxitey" much like how you DON'T know if the dog YOU have will bite and kill a innocent child tomorrow when you take him/her out for a walk.  All we can hope for is that we take all the precautions we can to minimize those risks (which is also why I am asking questions...)

As for the lady that leaves the dog alone all day.  I hope you've been reading my posts and realize that's not my intention.  Yes, I'll be gone on average 10.5 hours during the weekday but that's hardly alone "all day" every day.  I think that's oversimplifying the issue at hand and also one of the reasons why I am asking questions...

Please don't try and cast me as a selfish bastard who's out to get a dog for my pure amusement and joy with absolute no regard for the animal.  I can find MUCH cheaper and better way of doing that than getting a dog.

As for getting a cat, you don't understand why I am not getting a cat because you didn't ask.  My girlfriend is allergic to cats and quite frankly, I'd rather have my girlfriend than a cat even though I love cats too.  )

ORIGINAL: IronHell







And you are asbolutely right, I DON'T know if the dog will "bark the whole time, rips [my] house to shreds because [he/she is] in a new environment, or have massive seperation anxitey" much like how you DON'T know if the dog YOU have will bite and kill a innocent child tomorrow when you take him/her out for a walk.  All we can hope for is that we take all the precautions we can to minimize those risks (which is also why I am asking questions...)

As for getting a cat, you don't understand why I am not getting a cat because you didn't ask.  My girlfriend is allergic to cats and quite frankly, I'd rather have my girlfriend than a cat even though I love cats too.  )

 
And I apologize for making it seem like I was judging you....I am the last person to judge anyone, everyone on this board knows that. I personally could never imagine leaving my girl alone that long....obviously some people can and do thats fine and I do agree it depends on the dog.
AND I sure hope your lashing out and going WAY overboard about MY dog killing a innocent child was in response to the personal attack you felt I gave you....which I hope is cleared up with my sincerest of apologies. Because that is completely irrational and irrelevant when we are talking about a dog that has been raised by me as a puppy versus a older dog whom you know little to none of their history. It has no relevance at all.
Anyhoo......I think this is the first time you mentioned having a GF, that puts a HUGELY differnt perspective on things because that means more time spent with a human. I'm sorry if you had posted that before and I missed it. Bottom line, when you ask for opinions of otehrs that is what you'll get. I really did my best to not attack you personally and give my outright opinion

I know this is a dog forum, but if I can stick my head in--may I suggest an alternate pet?

What your situation screams, to me, is "ferrets." They're cage animals that use litter pans*, so they can be left at home without accident worries or extra setup. They sleep upwards of 20 hours a day. You can walk them on a leash like a dog but you can also walk around with one (or two!) on your shoulder. They're trainable (OK, OK, what isn't?). They're friendly. They're fantastic lap animals when they're tired, and incredibly entertaining (and quiet) playmates when they're excited.

With a couple or a few ferrets (rescued adults, I'd suggest) you could be gone all day without worrying, come home and play with them, take them out and show them off on weekends or at your liesure, spoil them with applesauce and raisins, learn what the "war dance" is and about the way kids' eyes light up when you (safely) bend your pet in half, three different directions!

They're great animals, there are plenty of them in rescue, and I think that not only are they a great fit for your lifestyle (though they certainly are that), they're also a great pet, full stop. Dogs are great, unmatched even. But plenty of people don't have time for one in the foreseeable future, and I count myself in that category. I miss my last one, and I look forward to the next, but in the meantime, you can still have something fuzzy and lovable in your life.


*well, are supposed to, anyway

ORIGINAL: LittleMousling

I know this is a dog forum, but if I can stick my head in--may I suggest an alternate pet?

What your situation screams, to me, is "ferrets." They're cage animals that use litter pans*, so they can be left at home without accident worries or extra setup. They sleep upwards of 20 hours a day. You can walk them on a leash like a dog but you can also walk around with one (or two!) on your shoulder. They're trainable (OK, OK, what isn't?). They're friendly. They're fantastic lap animals when they're tired, and incredibly entertaining (and quiet) playmates when they're excited.

With a couple or a few ferrets (rescued adults, I'd suggest) you could be gone all day without worrying, come home and play with them, take them out and show them off on weekends or at your liesure, spoil them with applesauce and raisins, learn what the "war dance" is and about the way kids' eyes light up when you (safely) bend your pet in half, three different directions!

They're great animals, there are plenty of them in rescue, and I think that not only are they a great fit for your lifestyle (though they certainly are that), they're also a great pet, full stop. Dogs are great, unmatched even. But plenty of people don't have time for one in the foreseeable future, and I count myself in that category. I miss my last one, and I look forward to the next, but in the meantime, you can still have something fuzzy and lovable in your life.


*well, are supposed to, anyway

 
they are also illegal in a lot of the US and pose the same allergy problems as cats

Oops. OP's in CA, it seems. Not that it's difficult to smuggle 'em in, but I wouldn't recommend it, because that makes it difficult to get vet care, especially in an emergency.

Rats, perhaps? They're wonderful.

All you've got to do is hire somebody to walk your dog at noon... find somebody who's retired,  likes dogs, and needs the income. Make sure your dog likes them, and you're set.

I'm jumping in a little late, but better late than never.  I have 2 dachshund pups (6 & 4 months) and I must say that 2 new dogs, let alone puppies, are very stressful.  I got the first pup about 3 months before the second and I ran crazy for about 2 months before I somewhat figured out how to manage both pups at the same time.  Now, I have taken in a dobie pup & a gsd pup, who has issues, and again I am paying for it dearly.  I would not recomend 2 new dogs at once to anyone who wants to keep their sanity.

it's not a good idea to acquire two dogs at once. Sometimes it works out; but when it doesn't, you can end up with a really horrific situation. When you get a new dog, adult or puppy, you NEED to spend at least six months, you and the dog spending a lot of time alone together, cementing your bond with each other. Once you've bonded well with the dog, then you can consider adding a second dog. I think dogs that live in two-dog households are much happier than single dogs, but it's best to get them one at a time.
 

Well, I think I finally caved in last night and bought two pit bull puppies at a run down pet store.

 
No, just kidding )

Seriously though, after much deliberation, going over what you all have said, and talking with my girlfriend, I have concluded to hold off on getting a dog for now.  (Yeah I know, pooie.)   In the hopes that this post will be read by others who are or will be in a similar position I would like to share my thought process that finally helped me to make up my mind.

Most of the influential things have already been said on this board as to why I should not get a dog (and certainly not two at the same time) and also reasons why it may have been okay.  I think it's great that some of you made good points that a lot of owners work full time and that as long as the time you DO spend with the dog is quality time.  Some also reminded me that I want to be sure it develops into a relationship (owner and pet) instead of just a chore which would bold poorly for both myself and the dog, and perhaps our relationship. 

I am absolutely confident that between my girlfriend and myself, we would make great dog owners; we would make the sacrifices necessary to ensure the happiness of the dog which would be under our responsibilities (we don't take our responsibilities/commitments lightly).  The issue that finally convinced me to hold off on owning a dog for now is one issue that's been well... under the radar.

Thus far we've been mostly discussing the relationship between the dog and myself.  We talked about making sure the dog is happy and is not to be neglected.  The thing that we/I sidestepped is my... for lack of a better term, commitments to the other *stuff* on my plate (business, martial art training, lifting, etc.) which is also important.

If I were to get a dog, I'd surely would have to make compromises in regards to the other *stuff*.  I thought of them also as a living entity for a minute (yeah I know... weird huh) and thought about how they'd react.  How would compromises made affect the *stuff* on my plate and my relationship with them?    Not good.  Even as it is now, I am basically non-stop between work and my *stuff*. 

Would I make time for a dog?  Yes, certainly.  Would that detrimentally affect my *stuff*?  Unfortunately, yes.

This is what finally tipped the scale.  As much as I want a dog NOW, I want to get out of the rat race even more hence working on my projects.  Heh, when I do well and don't have to have a 9-5, I can commit much more time/energy to my dog(s).

In the meantime, I will look into the suggestions of volunteering at the shelter and/or dog walking.  Good times.

Thanks again all for your inputs (now I have to look into rats which I did earlier... but man, my girlfriend can't dig them even though she loves our dwarf hamsters... guess it's the tail eh?)

By the way sheprano, no worries )  I think you are just very very passionate about dogs and was voicing their concerns for them.  The world needs more people such as yourself, I think empathy with animals is a lost art for a lot of people.   My point about your dog is merely that we as humans can't be certain of ANYTHING and that just about anything we do has certain level of risks.  We still make decisions in spite of those risks.    Again, you've been quite helpful with your comments (and I watched your pit bull videos... yeah, sometimes humanity disappoints me, and by sometimes I mean just about everyday I am on the bloody LA freeway.)

Thank you all again.  I hope to be back with some news of a dog (of course, and of course lots more questions)!

That is kind of the thing, Raymond, about having a demanding full time job and dogs. The dogs have to become your hobby. If you want a new hobby, that can be a great thing, but if you're really committed to your other hobbies, adding a new one is probably not such a great idea. I'm glad that you thought so deeply about it--most people don't.

I'd really recommend getting in touch with your local animal shelter or rescue and seeing if they need volunteers a couple times a month to walk and care for the dogs. It is such a great way to learn about dogs, and to learn about responsible dog ownership (because you see so many examples of what constitutes irresponsible ownership), so when the time comes that things have settled down a bit for your and you begin thinking about getting a dog again, you'll really have a very clear idea of what you want and need in a dog. And chances are you'll have connections with a group who would be very happy to let such a fine, upstanding volunteer adopt one of their dogs. When you're at an animal shelter a couple times a month, you have a leg up on finding the perfect dog for you over the general public.

I still think one dog adopted is lucky and not in a shelter. I would not get two at once though. You are giving it all good thought and when you think it is a good time, I bet everything will work out for you, your girlfriend and the doggie!

ORIGINAL: IronHell

Well, I think I finally caved in last night and bought two pit bull puppies at a run down pet store.

 
No, just kidding )

I guess I missed the humor in that one [:'(]

This is what finally tipped the scale. As much as I want a dog NOW, I want to get out of the rat race even more hence working on my projects. Heh, when I do well and don't have to have a 9-5, I can commit much more time/energy to my dog(s).

Wow. Thank you. THANK you for being in-tune enough with yourself to recognize that. Many people don't ever figure out how to get where you are. Good for you!

I haven't had time to jump in here until now, but I just wanted to let you know I think you're on the right track. Good luck! Don't be a stranger here.

ORIGINAL: sheprano

ORIGINAL: IronHell

Well, I think I finally caved in last night and bought two pit bull puppies at a run down pet store.


No, just kidding )

I guess I missed the humor in that one [:'(]

You're not alone...I was reading through the thread and hit that make and said "oh no" out loud...
 
Good to see you have thought this through