Ember Halo
my husband wants a new puppy--supposedly it comes with it's puppy shots, that's about it.
we live in the city.
what will we need to get for the puppy?
does it need licensed, more shots?
special food?
how much do these things cost???
will it try to hurt my cats?
can it be left outside or do we have to have it in our tiny little house with my 3 grown cats & newborn baby??
believe me, i don't WANT to get a dog!!
but my husband already has dibs on one that's not even born yet...
i sorta want to get an idea of how much it will cost so i can show him our budget & ask how we're supposed to afford a dog when we don't even have room in the budget for disposable diapers.
okay, so i've got NO answers that i have found useful-- i need to know what else is required, so i can tell my husband...
Answer
I spend about 500 a year on my dog. This includes all shots, heartworm tests amd meds, and Frontline (for fleas and ticks). Spaying/ neutering costs anywhere from 100 to 300. Check with your city about dog permits, some require them some don't (some will NOT allow you to have a pitt or pitt mix, and with reason). You will need a crate, a must have, those are about 60-150, a pad for the crate, and food and water bowls. Look at spending around $200 on 'stuff' aside from the cost of the dog. Don't forget lots and lots of chew toys, and ask the breeder if they can put a towel or something in the whelping box for a few days before you bring the puppy home. The scent of his mom and litter mates will be very comforting to him. Be preapred to lose a lot of sleep as puppies will cry the first few nights, plus you will have to start potty training right away and this requires yo to get up several times in the middle of the night. I have always bought Puppy Chow brand dog food. Vets will try to get you to spend mucho denero on expensive brands, don't buy into the hype!
Now that that's out of the way, I have to ask, why in the world would he want a pit bull mix around a BABY?? I have a lab and a pom, great dogs, but still watch them around my 3 y.o. I used to be a vetrinary technician and I can tell you from experience, that these dogs can have the best owner in the world and will still turn on them. All the vets I've worked with agree that this a breed that should be eradicated because they have undergone excessive uncontrolled breeding, thus the bad attributes are exaggerated in their temperament. I'm a huuuuge dog person, but can't stand this untrustworthy breed. I knew a guy who loved his dog, treated him better than most humans, and had to shoot his own dog because he wouldn't let him in his own house. A pitt of course. Dog was fine, never bit or acted agressive towards anyone, he just flipped. Pitts and Rotts have a hereditary health condition that should make you pause as pregnant woman. Their brains often outgrow the size of their skull creating pressure.The pressure causes the dog to act very, VERY agressive without notice. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if your dog has this condition until they've mauled someone. For an adult to assume responsibility is one thing, but I just don't believe in taking chances like that with kids. If I was you I would put my foot down and tell him absofuckinglutely NOT. I would leave my dh if he came home with a pitt! Seriously! Like, who do you love? Your kid or this dog? Know what I mean? Especially when you consider there are breeds that have excellent temperaments to have a round children, but will still act as guardian when needed.
If you have a small home I suggest getting a smaller dog, especially considering it will still be a lumbering puppy with no sense of size or proportion (stepping all over the baby, egaads)! I love the little Norwich Terriers, adorable, smart, guardian. Keep in mind how much you are willing to walk him and if you have a fenced yard or not. If you don't have a yard, walking is required and if you're lazy like me and you get an 'active' breed, well then my dear, that is a recipe for disaster!
I would suggest going to the pound, but I don't reccommend that for people with small children as the dog will have a 'history' and that's scary when with kids.
Good luck, hope this helps!
I spend about 500 a year on my dog. This includes all shots, heartworm tests amd meds, and Frontline (for fleas and ticks). Spaying/ neutering costs anywhere from 100 to 300. Check with your city about dog permits, some require them some don't (some will NOT allow you to have a pitt or pitt mix, and with reason). You will need a crate, a must have, those are about 60-150, a pad for the crate, and food and water bowls. Look at spending around $200 on 'stuff' aside from the cost of the dog. Don't forget lots and lots of chew toys, and ask the breeder if they can put a towel or something in the whelping box for a few days before you bring the puppy home. The scent of his mom and litter mates will be very comforting to him. Be preapred to lose a lot of sleep as puppies will cry the first few nights, plus you will have to start potty training right away and this requires yo to get up several times in the middle of the night. I have always bought Puppy Chow brand dog food. Vets will try to get you to spend mucho denero on expensive brands, don't buy into the hype!
Now that that's out of the way, I have to ask, why in the world would he want a pit bull mix around a BABY?? I have a lab and a pom, great dogs, but still watch them around my 3 y.o. I used to be a vetrinary technician and I can tell you from experience, that these dogs can have the best owner in the world and will still turn on them. All the vets I've worked with agree that this a breed that should be eradicated because they have undergone excessive uncontrolled breeding, thus the bad attributes are exaggerated in their temperament. I'm a huuuuge dog person, but can't stand this untrustworthy breed. I knew a guy who loved his dog, treated him better than most humans, and had to shoot his own dog because he wouldn't let him in his own house. A pitt of course. Dog was fine, never bit or acted agressive towards anyone, he just flipped. Pitts and Rotts have a hereditary health condition that should make you pause as pregnant woman. Their brains often outgrow the size of their skull creating pressure.The pressure causes the dog to act very, VERY agressive without notice. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if your dog has this condition until they've mauled someone. For an adult to assume responsibility is one thing, but I just don't believe in taking chances like that with kids. If I was you I would put my foot down and tell him absofuckinglutely NOT. I would leave my dh if he came home with a pitt! Seriously! Like, who do you love? Your kid or this dog? Know what I mean? Especially when you consider there are breeds that have excellent temperaments to have a round children, but will still act as guardian when needed.
If you have a small home I suggest getting a smaller dog, especially considering it will still be a lumbering puppy with no sense of size or proportion (stepping all over the baby, egaads)! I love the little Norwich Terriers, adorable, smart, guardian. Keep in mind how much you are willing to walk him and if you have a fenced yard or not. If you don't have a yard, walking is required and if you're lazy like me and you get an 'active' breed, well then my dear, that is a recipe for disaster!
I would suggest going to the pound, but I don't reccommend that for people with small children as the dog will have a 'history' and that's scary when with kids.
Good luck, hope this helps!
Out of Control Dogs!?
L
So i have a five year old Lab and a three year old Puggle (pug and beagle.) These dogs are the most spoiled things i have ever seen. My mom treats them better than me and and brother sometimes. But this along with he never training them has led to them having run of the house. The puggle poops EVERYWHERE and they are constantly getting out of the fence. In fact today i spent over two hours looking for them. We've tried electric fences and everything, but my mom thinks it's to inhumane. I told her what's inhumane is letting them get run over by a truck, since the highway is near our house. So we've had to spend 3k on a new fence, which didn't work, and about 500 on a bottom barrier, which they usually go around or find a new spot. It's fifteen dollars for a one foot piece, and we have a big yard, and we haven't even done half of it yet.
Ten minutes ago i left my dinner to go wash my hands and came back to my lab eating the salad and the puggle chewing on the steak bone. This isn't the first time, either. They've eaten everything from three dozen school bake sale cupcakes to two trash bags full of Halloween candy. They're favorite is bread, which is why I hardly ever get sandwiches.
I'm so sick of these dogs. Yes I love them, but i can't stand this anymore. No one wants to do anything about it, but I'm SO done.
Can you help us? Is there any advice you can give about to keep dogs inside the fence and from jumping up on the counters and eating everything in sight? Thanks!
Answer
Don't let the dogs outside unsupervised-crate them or put them in a separate room and make it so they are not allowed in the room when there is food and not until the food is put away/cleaned up.
Your family either needs to enroll in obedience class with the dogs(the whole family needs to go and be on the same page) or your family needs to find a private trainer to come to your house and assess the dogs/household and have them teach your family how to correct the dogs/train them/etc.
Also make sure your dogs are getting daily walks/runs/jogs. Make sure they are getting exercise and mental stimulation daily.
Don't let the dogs outside unsupervised-crate them or put them in a separate room and make it so they are not allowed in the room when there is food and not until the food is put away/cleaned up.
Your family either needs to enroll in obedience class with the dogs(the whole family needs to go and be on the same page) or your family needs to find a private trainer to come to your house and assess the dogs/household and have them teach your family how to correct the dogs/train them/etc.
Also make sure your dogs are getting daily walks/runs/jogs. Make sure they are getting exercise and mental stimulation daily.
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