adopting older dog

Okay... this may sound awful but I have always been absolutely terrible at caring for dogs. What can I say, I'm a cat lady! The thing is, I love other peoples' dogs so much that I'm really getting the fever to have one of my own. Also, we need one for protection! We are moving to an apartment in the city.

I have a baby in the house. Would it be dangerous to adopt an older dog? I've heard that it's like playing Russian roulette which is not a chance I want to take with an infant around.

I would feel better adopting a puppy but I honestly just don't know if I'm ready for THAT much responsibility. Diapers and nursing take up A LOT of my time.... But I want a dog!

As long as the dog is "well mannered" then I think it is okay to get an older dog if you really want one. For safety, don't leave your child alone with the dog even if you and the dog get to know each other really well already. A puppy seems safe because they are smaller but puppies are innocent and they need to be taught and trained. They might end up playfully hurting your child too. There are many dogs in shelters and you might find a perfect dog there. Read up on dogs first in order to learn about the personalities of each breed. Choose a breed or a half bred mutt that are great and friendly with children. Also make sure that the shots of the dog are complete. I hope you consider a shelter so you can save a dog's life.

It's going to depend on the personality of the dog, some will bond with kids and become protective of them - as well as put up with the kids pulling on their ears, their face, etc... Others might inadvertently hurt the kid if they get feisty and hyper. Also, you mentioned you will be living in an apartment in the city. You may want to check with the landlord if dogs are even allowed. They will typically want an extra deposit if so. Also, you will need to be considerate of the noise concerns regarding your neighbors. Constant barking or running around the place can disturb those living next to and below you. Also, are there nearby places you can walk the dog on a regular basis?

Glitter, I actually think that adopting an older dog is an excellent choice in your circumstance. Trying to take care of both a puppy and a baby is enough to try the patience of a saint ! At least this way, the dog should already be house trained, and not bouncing all over everything, and doing all the energetic things that a puppy would constantly be up to. Puppy's mean well, but they " just want to have fun" as the song goes, and it would be easy for a puppy to crash in to a toddler and hurt them.
An older dog will be a lot more settled. The main thing is to get one that is sociable with children, and small enough to live in an apartment, as well as large enough to be a good guard dog. Also, a dog with short hair is better than a long haired dog, since you will have a young one grabbing ahold of the dogs hair if it is long. I think you will be happy with your dog once you find the right one, so good luck with this !

Although it can be difficult getting attached to an older dog, and they ultimately pass on in a few short years, depending on your circumstances that might work out better for you. Such as if you need to relocate or move in a few years and aren't allowed to have a dog at the new place. Adopting puppies is a wonderful experience, but a much longer commitment - like 15 years or so.

Older dogs would be very grateful to have a good home finally. They've likely been transferred around from place to place and already had a rough life.

(09-07-2013, 12:03 PM)Happyflowerlady Wrote: Glitter, I actually think that adopting an older dog is an excellent choice in your circumstance. Trying to take care of both a puppy and a baby is enough to try the patience of a saint ! At least this way, the dog should already be house trained, and not bouncing all over everything, and doing all the energetic things that a puppy would constantly be up to. Puppy's mean well, but they " just want to have fun" as the song goes, and it would be easy for a puppy to crash in to a toddler and hurt them.
An older dog will be a lot more settled. The main thing is to get one that is sociable with children, and small enough to live in an apartment, as well as large enough to be a good guard dog. Also, a dog with short hair is better than a long haired dog, since you will have a young one grabbing ahold of the dogs hair if it is long. I think you will be happy with your dog once you find the right one, so good luck with this !

This is an excellent response and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for it! This just makes me want a dog even more now! I feel that puppies are even harder to raise than babies (in my own experience) and I am just not willing to take on the added responsibility of a puppy. I know it sounds irresponsible, but I feel that it would be TRULY irresponsible to actually get a puppy and have to sometimes ignore it in order to care for my baby. I've had a bad experience with a puppy while I was pregnant. We ended up having to re-home her to a very loving couple (I got lucky there).

Good advice on the short hair! I never thought of that. Looks like I have some searching to do for the perfect dog. Thank you so much for all the tips! I'm excited now! Can't wait!

Glitter, that is wonderful ! I am glad that you are looking forward to finding your dog, and I think that realizing that you can't properly take care of both a baby and a puppy all at once, DOES mean that you are very responsible !
You would not believe how many poor puppies end up on Craigslist because someone has a baby, and wants to have a puppy to "grow up with " their child. Then, they realize that they have just undertaken two full time jobs, so the puppy is sold or given away again.
Actually, Craigslist might be a great place to look for your new dog. You can actually talk to the owner, which you cannot usually do when you get a dog from a shelter or dog pound, so you can ask how the dog is with children, and any other questions that you might have.

Hello. I can tell you by my own experience that it depends alot on the dog, the way it was created and educated, just like on how old he is. When I addopted my Yorkshire Terrier, I addopted it from other owners that couldn't keep it anymore due to them changing from a house to a small appartment where the appartment owner stated they couldn't have pets living in there. He was 5 years old(human years) when I took him home and all I can tell you is that he is adorable. He got used to the new owner really quickly and now, months later, it seems like he's grown up with us since he was a baby dog. He's also very good on doing alarm job. Whenever someone passes by the door or even the windows there's no way to stop him from barking and growling. I don't regret having adopted it, but that's only my experience.

I understand your adoption dilema. With a baby in the house, I would advise adopting and older dog. They are much calmer than a puppy so would be a much better choice. A puppy is very active, likes to chew and has not learned any manners yet. I have adopted several older dogs over the years and have been very happy. I had an older dog when my last daughter was born. He would sleep next to her crib whenever she did and was very protective toward her. When you go looking for a dog, take the baby with you. See how the dog reacts around the baby. Find out from the shelter workers or th owner of the dog what kind of a temperament the dog seems to have. And never leave the dog and the baby alone unless the baby is in a playpen or a crib. It will take time for the dog to adjust to the baby but it will be well worth the time.

Having a puppy AND a baby in the apartment could most certainly be a little hectic. I think adopting an older dog would be fabulous! Especially if you are interested in protection, because it would take a few months (or maybe even a year) for a puppy to be ready to protect your home. Older dogs are not necessarily "problem" dogs. If you are going the route of adopting, older dogs can lose their home for a variety of reasons that usually have nothing to do with the behavior. For example: the death of an owner, new home restrictions, allergies, new baby, loss of job, a move, change in work schedule, etc. Many older dogs usually (though there is a chance that it won't be) come trained and may even have mastered basic commands like sit or stay. Not to mention the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is practically false. Digs can be trained at any age and older dogs are just as smart as younger ones. They also have a larger attention span than puppies, which makes them easier to train.

I would love to hear about your experience if you do adopt an older dog! I am currently a junior in college with plans to go to grad school after graduation. I am thinking about rescuing an older dog to have a companion while being in a new town. Dogs really are a (wo)man's best friend, plus they always make me feel safe & protected.