new puppy or older dog?
Thanks so much! |
|
|
| I'm all for a new puppy. I like knowing where they came from (background, health, environment). I also like being the one molding, socializing my dog. I got pregnant right when we got our puppy, and our dog was fantastic with my infant ...now toddler. He always YANKS, climbs on our dog, and is super clumsy, but our dog does great!
Rescues can be great too because you can get a dog that is posssibly house-trained and past that puppy/terror/hyper stage. I'm just saying that I couldn't pass up a cute puppy.  |
| I would say it would just depend on the temperment of the dog. If the older dog has been around children before then he/she might be the right choice. On the other had if a dog has never been around children it could be a mistake. A lot I would say depends on how the children are with the dog as well. If you are getting a puppy you then would have 3 children. One being a small puppy that needs lots of attention/care. The best suggestion I could give is just do a lot of research on either old or young. |
| If you get a puppy, you are going to have to be very vigilant with the monitoring and training because sheepie puppies like to chase and to nip. Whille with a puppy, you have the opportunity to do some shaping, I guess I think that is hard to do in a busy household.
With an older dog, you should be able to test the dog out with your kids and see how he/she handles the grabbing, pulling, crying that is inevitable. Also, you should get information about the dog's background and experiences with kids. I guess I think it is easier to see what a dog's personality is when the dog is older. For example, one of my dogs can be a bit snappy with kids because she doesn't like them in her face while my other one is completely unphased by pushing, pulling. jumping. She is boisterous but gentle too. Who is who would be very obvious if you brought your kids to meet my dogs. Of course, with any dog and kids you need to be extremely careful, but you already know that. |
| My youngest was 4 when we got our first OES as a puppy. It worked fine, but there are some things you need to think about before you decide if now is the right time for your family to get a dog.
OES puppies do nip--all puppies teethe and chew on fingers, toes, hair, shoes, socks, barbie dolls, gloves, absolutely everything. Puppy teeth are needle sharp and while they don't break skin, it hurts even big people. No matter how vigilent you are, your kids and their stuff are going to get chewed on. Some people are fine with this; some people would be very upset by this. If you will be upset by your small children getting some nips over a couple of months, you need to wait until they're older and can better manage or go for an older dog. OES puppies grow very fast. Mine are 11 months old, almost. The last time we weighed Sherman, the larger one, he was at 83 lbs. He is a sweet lug, but he's still an oaf. Your children will be knocked down from time to time, no matter how vigilent you are. It isn't a matter of the puppy being rough or agressive, but simply that they are energetic, clumsy and have very little self control for the first couple of years. Yes, years. Smaller people get knocked over sometimes. Some parents would be terribly bothered by this, as would some children. Some are more able to take t his in stride and simply pick themselves up and laugh about it. I don't mean to imply that you shouldn't set limits to your puppy's behavior or shouldn't protect your children. And your children will also have to learn how to treat any dog fairly and nicely and respectfully. I'm just saying that there will be chewing and someone will get knocked down from time to time. If this will be upsetting to you or your kids, either wait for your children to be larger or go for an older dog who is more settled down. Whether you choose a puppy or an older dog, it is important to choose one who has been well socialized with small children. Some dogs who do not have this experience are not relaxed around children and this can lead to trouble. Also, check out grooming and exercise requirements, and decide if it will fit into your family's lifestyle. I am making it sound bad because one of the reasons so many OES end up in rescue is because people seem to be unaware of how fast and how much the puppies grow and how much work it is to raise one. I know you'd feel terrible if you decided 6 months after getting a puppy that it just didn't fit in to your family. |
I forgot about the puppy nipping. No one is lying when they say it is needle sharp! Ouch. That was the toughest part for us (the adults)!! We couldn't wait for those adult teeth to come in because the smallest PLAY moves she would make would cause me to yell OUCCCCCCCCH! 
Also if your kids leave toys on the ground... well, say bye-bye to them! Torn to pieces. Chances for your puppy to swallow them too. |
| Thank you all for the great advice! I'm still not sure which we'll choose. I'm leaning towards an older dog whose use to being around children, but I haven't ruled a puppy out yet. |
| If you do decide to go with an older dog, you will find that a lot of the OES rescues are reluctant to place a dog in a home with smaller children.
The reasons, of course, are mostly what has already been mentioned. The dogs herd the children, are boisterious, knock the children over, nip at them, etc. The number one reason dogs are turned into rescue is because of children. However, I believe that it is largely (not exclusively) training, or lack thereof, that causes these issues. I know we have placed dogs in homes with small children and stay at home Moms, like yourself, who clearly knew what they were doing and were prepared to monitor and train both the children and the dog, and had much success. It really is a case by case basis. Not all dogs are good with children. But, the big advantage to rescue is that the dogs are "kid tested" before being placed, so you have a good head start. Whatever you decide, OES are excellent dogs and I am sure with your research, patience and training, you will find the right fit for your family. Good luck! |
| I can only speak from experience and tell you that I have an OES puppy with a small child. Fred is 8 months old and having a puppy with my daughter who will be two in April was the right move for us. Like Joaheyo, I also like the idea of knowing everything about the dog's history and Beauregard's Mom is right in saying most rescues are going to be reluctant to place a rescue with a family with small children.
If you go the puppy route, you need to set ground rules with the kids about what is acceptable with the puppy. It's hard to break poor behavior patterns once they are set in motion, with the dog. The puppy is going to herd the kids, knock them over, jump on them and nip with the needle teeth. Training is so critical for this reason. In my case the herding is a great thing because my daughter is an extremely high energy child and Fred actually helps me round her up. Lol. My two actually cancel eachother out. Whatever you decide to do, your children are going to be the better for it, having a dog instantly brings additional love into your family. It aids your children in learning to care for another living creature, something more fragile than even them. It's a beautiful thing, in my opinion. Good Luck, I hope you find the best dog for your family. |
| I have two big puppies npw (15 and 17 months) and I can tell you everything about their background and everything there is that is inconsistent about the background, including a female with dog on dog agression issues. I also adopted a three year old male when my youngest was about 8. We visitied with him before we took him home - the kids played with him and we saw him with other people and other dogs. He was the perfect dog for the family. WHen my daughter got older she told me she used to ride him like he was a horse (she was a very slight child) when I wasn't home.
Puppies are a lot of work, housebreaking and training. I's go for the older dog and maybe get a puppy when the kids are older. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|