Family Friendly Puppy?

Question

I have 5 yr old twin Boys and they want a puppy so bad. My husband and I decided that we are going to get them one for Christmas..
I have NO CLUE about puppies.
I really don't like a messy dog... I know that a lot these days a shed free (or mostly)
Also, what kinds of things do I need to train a puppy, a crate? any good books on it?

I also have a cat who is about 10 or so. How should I expect him to react?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Your cat will probably hate the pup, especially at first. Who knows about later. The cat is middle aged (house cats with good care can live into their 20's) The pup will be rowdy and playful. Your home has been your cats domain for 10 years and now there will be an intruder. The pup will have to be taught from the beginning that the cat has a higher social rank. A couple of ways to do that is always when entering a room where the animals are greet the cat first. Also, feed the cat first. This tells the pup the cats rank higher and the pup will not think of the cat as a squeek toy. Since this is your first pup get the book,"puppies for dummies" Also learn what all that stuff in pet food is and what it does to your pets. I will include my pet food 101. Yes, crate training is good. You will need to get collar, leash, a 25 or 30 foot lead for safe play and exercise. obedience classes are great. they teach you hpw to train your dog. stainless steel bowls are best, easy to clean and do not "leech" into food and water. a few toys, don't overwhelm the pup and have him thinking everything on the floor is fair game. teach him from the beginning what is his/hers. When the pup picks up it's own toy, praise it, tell the pup how ood, how smart it is. when the pup picks up the kids toys or your shoes tell the pup "no" and give it it's own toy. pups teeth just like kids. It will want to chew everything. A treat filled kong is great, so is a clean wet cloth twisted and frozen. make sure it is something you will never want again.
Our pets need quality pet food. Read the ingredients list and learn what the stuff on there is and what it does (or does not do) to/for our pets. A quick pet food 101. If the pet food contains corn/corn products or by products it is a poor quality food. Do not pay attention to advertising, they all say there food is great. Corn is a filler that can trigger skin problems. (allergies, skin problems, itching and excessive shedding) By products is anything from an animal not fit for human consumption, including cancerous tissue. Quality foods have meat as the first ingredient. California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova and Merrick are a few of the best brands available. If you want to learn more check out: http://www.sagekeep.com/petfood.htm www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1 http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf/$$PetFoodsByRating?OpenF

The first thing to remember about house training a puppy is there ability to hold themselves is limited. a rule of thumb is they can hold "it" usually 1 hour for each month of age. 2 months old = 2 hours, 3 months old = 3 hours, etc. when your puppy wakes up (morning, nap, whatever) the pup has to go, right then! take the pup out. when the pup eats or drinks, it has to go, take the pup out. after exercise (play), take the pup out. when the pup does it's thing outside praise it. a lot. tell the pup how good, how smart it is. you have to pay attention to the pups "looking for it's spot" behavior. when you see that behavior indoors, whisk the pup out. if you catch the pup in the act, simply tell it "NO!" and whisk it outside. if you find a puddle or pile after the fact, clean it up with an enzyme cleaner (pet food store) get a newspaper and hit.... yourself in the head and say "i should have been paying more attention" daytime training they get pretty fast. night time training is easier if you crate train the pup. also remember the one hour/one month rule. you will have to get up through the night to take the pup out. good luck.
three websites on how to crate train a puppy

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~rc207100/info-pub.htm

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

http://www.planeturine.com/pettips/dsp_crateTrainPuppy.cfm

I am thinking you already have a vet since you have a cat so you should be good there.


Also remember, spay/neuter is good on so many levels. research the health benefits and gross pet overpopulation. Good luck.

Answer 2

A dog is a very personal choice - what's the perfect dog for one person, the next one has had a bad experience with. By far the best thing you can do for your family is either go to a dog show and see all the breeds, then talk to owners of the ones you like. They can tell you good and bad, health problems, etc. about each breed and you can actually see them and interact a little.

Or you can do your research through an all-breed book. When you find a dog you like the looks of, then you research that breed as to potential health problems, what their typical temperaments are, etc.


When you've selected a breed, the most important thing is to NEVER buy from a pet shop. Find a breeder, talk to them, see their dogs and how they're looked after, check the parents' temperaments - that'll tell you a lot about how their puppies will be.

With young kids, very small dogs are generally not recommended because kids often make them nervous. As far as what you need to train a puppy, you can get a good book from the library, buy one, or a breeder is invaluable as far as info about your new puppy. Good luck finding the right dog for you!

Answer 3

This is a long one... :)

I do not personally have kids, but one thing I know for sure is that if you're going to get a dog with your children, you should try to push more towards a female dog. While female dogs do have a protective streak in them, they are more patient with children as they do the child-bearing and what not.

My parents have a pure-bred Bichon Frise (it's on the list on the website listed below!). They have hair instead of fur, so they do not shed, and they are mild tempered. Males are o.k. in this breed, but as I said, try for a female.

We have had Milo for about 7 years (my younger sister was 12 and rambunctious when we got him!) and we have never had any problems at all with him! He's always been well-tempered and patient. Also, they only grow about knee high, so they are relatively small.

We trained him by putting a hip-high board over the kitchen entrance, so that way, if he did have an accident, it wasn't on the carpet. We gave him some time out in the carpeted areas but mostly just played with him in the kitchen. Also, we tried our best to get him outside every half hour, increasing this time week to week until he was able to go a few hours in between eliminations. We did at least one long walk a day, if not more and when we couldn't walk him during the frequent times we just let him go out in the backyard and gave him a treat if he went to the washroom out there. If not, we still gave him praise, but no treat. Also, get a leash to walk him around with in the backyard to get him/her used to the feeling of being on a lead. While small dogs do not have size, they sure have endurance and once they get going you better hold on!! :)

You definately need a crate for the first year or so for when you go out or up to bed. The crate needs to be large enough for them to be able to turn around comfortably in, and he/she should have food and water. Line the bottom of the crate with a comforting blanket and some newspaper and expect to come home to an accident for a while. If there is no accident, give a treat. We bought a large metal one, and even now it's big enough for us to put him in if we need to (though it's rare now!).

As for your cat.. He may react a little strangely because he is used to being the only animal in the house. He's going to be upset and probably won't want anything to do with you for a while. But maybe not. Anyway, as for introducing the two animals, do it slowly. 5 minutes at a time a few times a day is probably best to start and then each day, add another few minutes on. Hold the cat in your arms and go down to the puppies level, but do not let the puppy jump up on the cat because he will not be too pleased! Perhaps put some dog treats around the house and a toy here and there just to get the cat used to the smell of the dog. There are no guarantees for a happy uniting, but there's a chance.

There are some great websites listed below that I found for you and if you have any other questions, let me know! :-D

Good luck!!

Answer 4

I think a Labrador Retriever is the best choice. You have 3 colors to choose from, Black, Yellow, and my favorite...Chocolate. These dogs are incredible obediant and have a reputation as a very mellow breed and an excellent family dog (including a good reputation with children of all ages) I guess the downside is that Labs are experts at manipulating soft-hearted humans into giving them treats/extra food/table scraps/etc, but that can be good if you really like spoiling your dog! They are the cutest puppies in the world. A lab should have no problem with your cat...but your cat might have a problem with a new dog. They don't shed as much as other dogs and are very easily trained. If you need extra help go to akc.org and there is training info and even a page at the top that is for "Future dog owners".

Answer 5

The best breed is Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie). Aka a miniture Lassie!
These dogs are amazing with kids! Kids can yank on them, dress them up, jump on them, drag them everywhere and these dogs will take it. They are sweet and loving no matter what!

All my Shelties have taken 2 weeks to potty train. It took me about 3 weeks to teach, sit, stay, lay down, & paw.

Of course with any puppy they like to chew. Get many chewys and a crate to keep it in when you are not home.

I also have three cats and of course at first they hissed and try to hit the puppy but after a while they slowly just left each other alone and went on with their normal life.

The only down fall is the hair to a sheltie. They do shed a little but they are truly a loving sweet family dog!

Answer 6

Hmm. I'd suggest a poodle or some sort of terrier (Terriers can be feisty, though, and in general poodles are more laid back.) Poodles don't have to be in show cut, so don't let that steer you away from the breed.

You'll want a crate, and of course there's all the other paraphernalia. Be prepared to spend several hundred dollars on your first dog shopping trip - the costs should even out after that.

As for the cat.. I'd recommend putting up baby gates and supervising their interactions with each other. They can learn to get along, although it really depends on the cat because most puppies, regardless of breed, can get along with smaller animals if raised with them.

Answer 7

smaller dogs tend to be more hyper than medium size or larger dogs. You can ask nearby vet or shelter which breads are mostly shed free (though there are not many) and training books for every breed can be found at the local library. Cages are a personal preferance. Many people swear by them, but i have had dogs all my life and have never found a need for them.

Answer 8

ok firstly NEVER NEVER get a pet for Christmas - every expert will tell you that this is WRONG!!!
NEVER get a pet for a kid.. ALL pets need to be family pets and since you and dad are going to be the ones looking after the pet and making the lifetime commitment to the pet it needs to be YOUR pet.. there are sooooo many problems with "giveing" a pet to a child, I cant even begin to tell you - but the point is if you get a pet - get it for the family (and NOT at Christmas)

Puppies are NEVER a good idea when you have young kids and especially bad if you are new to dogs... Puppies TEETHE, and explore their world with their mouth.
Puppies have no manners and jump on people possibly knocking them down or scaring them
Puppies need house training - this means you have to crate it at night and watch it CONSTANTLY in the day.. physically going out with it MANY times durring the day.. when you have 2 young kids this is very DEMADING and you will cheat and the dog wont train properly....
Puppies chew things... they will destroy ALOT of your kids toys....

get an ADULT dog - or at least an older (6 months at least) pup, but really an adult dog would be the best - get one who has been around kids, and cats

go to your local SPCA or humane society (without the kids first) and look at what they have - talk to the staff about your needs
DO NOT get an intelligent breed like Border Collie - because they will destroy your house unless you keep them busy constantly..

Ideally a "soft mouthed" breed like golden retreiver
if you want non-shedding breeds you can get those too.. BUT remember they require frequent (every 8 weeks) trips to the groomer AND daily brushing so their hair (which is continually growing like people hair does) doesnt form painful mats.

so again your SPCA is the best place to look - dont just take the first one you see.. visit many times - leave your name on a waiting list... look in the newspaper too

NEVER NEVER NEVER buy from a pet store - they charge too much for low quality pups and will tell you ANYTHING to get a sale

the poor cat - it depends on how the cat reacts to the dog - if it ignores the dog it will be fine, if it runs or hisses it will get chased because it is making itself into a target.. I would make certain I select a dog who is good with cats


main points - NOT FOR THE KIDS, NOT FOR CHRISTMAS
ADULT DOG PREFERED (make sure you spay or neuter to reduce aggressive tendancies)
FROM THE SPCA or HUMANE SOCIETY
**Do YOU want a dog??? because if the answer is no it is unfair to bring the dog into your home - YOU and your hubby will be responsible for this dog for its life.. DONT get one just because the kids want one - this is teaching the kids to beg.... if you get a dog it is for YOU - NOT FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!

oh and what ever dog you get WILL need Obedicence lessons for socialization

Answer 9

Labs are great dogs although they are big. If you want a small housedog that doesn't shed and is great with kids - get a schnoodle - my dad has one and she is great except for the fact that she barks too much. I breed/raise Cocker Spaniels - while they are great dogs - they do shed. To respond to something that someone else said - I don't charge $1000 for my puppies! Good Luck

Answer 10

yes the cat will react and might even start spraying. if you want your puppy house broken and stuff i would go to like a spca and get one. they are only aroung 100.00 there verses the 1,000 you would be paying a breeder. and at times you can get full bred dog/puppys there. yes i would get a crate for when you are not home. and if you don't have a big yard i would get a chain or something to keep him or her on. good luck.

if you want books you can look on google for them.