To get a puppy or not get a puppy, that is the question.

[limewave]

DS really wants a puppy. He's only 2 years old, but he has an obvious connection with dogs. I have never seen anything like it before, he is so naturally drawn to them and they to him. He lets dogs 3x his size slobber all over his face, he thinks its the best thing in the world.

We have 3 cats already so we are a little hesitant. We aren't sure what the costs would be on a monthly basis, if it is something we can afford. We do have a fairly large size yard for being in the city, about an acre. And 99% of the time we spend our vacations camping, so we can bring a dog with us.

The breed we are looking at is Weimaraner, so we can take him/her running and biking with us.

Thoughts from dog owners? Monthly expenses? I could use some input. Thanks!

[7rider]

No specific input -other than 2 seems a little young for a dog - particularly a sporting breed like a Weimaraner.

I can't, however, think of that breed without thinking of the movie "Best in Show" - and Beatrice the neurotic Weimaraner.

[Pax]

Can someone come home during the day to let the puppy out? Do you travel a great deal, if so do you have reliable boarding options?

We're in the same boat right now, really wanting to get another Border Collie (our two have been gone for 7 years), but the two questions above stop us in our tracks.

[limewave]

I work from home, so letting the dog out during the day would be a rare concern. In fact, I usually go for a run or walk on my lunch break already . . .

[Trek420]

I read somewhere that it's estimated that a dog will cost $16,000 over his/her lifetime. Everything from the family heirloom Tiffany lamp he knocks over wagging his tail to the spot on the wall I constantly have to clean because with at least 5 comfy beds she always wants to lean on this one spot , medical care, food, treats .... this is over years but would you be buying another car?

Look into fostering a dog or if you could volunteering at a shelter socializing puppies. And please consider adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue group.

Yes you can get a particular breed. http://www.weimrescue.org/

A puppy is a huge investment in time. I missed that, adopted my mutt when she was a year old. For "should we do this" purposes I'd think of it like getting another 2 year old, one who remains 2 for life. Would you have another child right now? If "yes" then this might be a good idea.

[indysteel]

I love Weimaraners, but boy can they dig. I lived next door to one in Indy for a number of years and he dug all along my fence line. What kind of fence do you have? They can easily jump those that aren't high enough. He was also a barker. I don't know if that's a breed trend, but it sure drove me nuts.

I haven't been a dog owner for a long time, but here are some questions that come to my mind. How healthy/aged are your cats? What care do you anticipate for them in the near or long term? Having gone through some geriatric feline issues over the last few years, I can say that cats can get pretty darn expensive as they age. If you got another pet, do you think you'd end up having to make different or compromised decisions for your cats because of financial constraints? How will that make you and your family feel? How much time do you have to devote to training a dog? Weims are like a lot of breeds in that they need consistent and effective training. Especially with a young child (and your child's playmates) to worry about, you'll likely have to devote time to training as a family. Are you willing to do that? Is DH?

[withm]

A friend of mine just had a $2,400 vet bill for an MRI for her dog, that turned up nothing. They think they have figured out what is wrong now from a few hours on the internet. I know I would not be comfortable with a financial hit like that.

[indysteel]

A friend of mine just had a $2,400 vet bill for an MRI for her dog, that turned up nothing. They think they have figured out what is wrong now from a few hours on the internet. I know I would not be comfortable with a financial hit like that.

I shudder to think what I've spent on our cats in recent years. In the year before Sophie died, she had two vets bills each in the $1400 range--one for emergency oral surgery and one for her radioactive iodine treatment. Henry has gone through five rounds of illness since 2009: one bad cold, two rounds of a mystery virus, and two urinary tract issues. That doesn't include regular visits and bloodwork and a $250 teeth cleaning. Add to that the kitten's regular care and the care we gave our stray cats through the summer, and our vet bills have likely come close to or exceeded $5k in the last two years. Thankfully, we go to a vet practice that is very reasonably priced or it could have been even worse.

[Biciclista]

SInce your son is only 2 years old, take him to visit dogs, buy him a toy dog.. Wait until he is old enough to do more than "love dogs" as dogs are a huge responsibility and puppies are worse than 2 year olds. Do you really want two two year olds? Your son might love them, but puppies have so many stages to go through that are not necessarily something you want your 2 year old child to be in the middle of. If you want a dog for YOU, get a dog. But it's a big mistake to get a puppy for a tiny tot. Please wait.

[limewave]

Very good input from everyone . . . thank you so much! Sometimes its hard to think of all the angles on your own. Lots of food for thought. I'll have to talk to DH tonight but I do wonder if waiting a few years is the best thing.

I'm starting to really like the idea of having a dog for myself. I do a lot of trail running and mountain biking alone, I would love to have a "companion." Plus being home alone all day . . . I keep everything bolted and locked, but still . . . wouldn't mind the company.

[indysteel]

I'd also recommend doing some additional research on how Weims behave with cats. If they're hunting dogs, that might be an issue.

[Giulianna23]

If you are at home all the time... and the dog is for you not for the baby....Get one...but If I was you I'd get a short haired Labrador...they are awesome!...I had one when I was in my 20's and I used to do a lot of sports and was very active and had my 2 boys (1-3y/o when I got him)but he was mine not my kids...
He used to go with me everywhere...even to the groceries to get a gallon of milk or some bread and waited for me outside the door...everybody knew and loved him.
I suggest a Lab... they rarely go crazy about small animals or other people. Unless they see or smell danger. They are not to small nor to big so when it comes to protect their owner they have a considerable size.

PS: They eat a lot though'

[Irulan]

My thought, is why a puppy? Why not adopt a grown dog who's been personality checked, housebroken and at least partially trained? If you are particular about a certain breed, most if not all breeds have rescue groups that rehome dogs. Sometimes the reason a dog needs a new home is as simple as they moved overseas and couldn't take it with them. A puppy and a two year old sounds way too much work to me....

[limewave]

My thought, is why a puppy? Why not adopt a grown dog who's been personality checked, housebroken and at least partially trained? If you are particular about a certain breed, most if not all breeds have rescue groups that rehome dogs. Sometimes the reason a dog needs a new home is as simple as they moved overseas and couldn't take it with them. A puppy and a two year old sounds way too much work to me....

True . . . I should probably get one potty trained first. Potty-training a dog and a child at the same time may drive me to insanity.

[zoom-zoom]

Schnoodle

Ooh, a friend of mine has a giant Schnoodle...coolest dog EVER. He runs with her, too. And she's very good with his kids, including a toddler.

As neat as some breeds are, I can't look at Petfinder.org and ever justify purchasing a pure-bred pet (dog or cat). Our next cat will likely come from a no-kill shelter and not be a kitten. Or, likely, we will simply take in a stray. This has been our MO for years (we almost ended up with a new kitty on Halloween, too. A sweet little tortie started ToTing with us. We had a hard time keeping her from coming into our house with us, but our existing 4 cats would NOT approve).

If you have your heart set on a specific breed, I agree with looking at one of the breed-specific rescue organizations.