pros/cons of dog ownership

[jebreject]

We have been debating getting a dog, but are sort of on the fence as to whether it's a good idea or not--the main concerns being the added expensive of dog ownership, whether we have the time for a dog (I'm sure we will make time/figure it out), and whether it's fair to the cat/whether cat dude will get along with dog jawn. So I'm hoping y'all can speak to the joys and the hassle, the unexpected difficulties, the rewarding moments that make it worth it, etc.

[dieblucasdie]

The hassles are real, but ultimately don't amount to much more than a few added household chores, after the initial adjustment period. A couple walks a day (that you can always keep short on days you're feeling lazy), and feeding. What breeds are you considering? Most breeds that are meant primarily for companionship and aren't super-high-energy or meant-for-work are going to do a pretty good job of adapting to your schedule, depending on the age of the dog you get.

The most important things, though are:

1) Adopt from a shelter or a rescue organization
2) Doooon't go "look" at dogs until you're sure you are ready, because you will take one home

[milly balgeary]

Why not just have a kid?

[dieblucasdie]

18 years from now, the dog is dead and the kid is asking for money

[milly balgeary]

A kid can take the dog out though.

[dieblucasdie]

And how many years before the kid can take *you* out?

[milly balgeary]

The kid is officially off the table.

[elpollodiablo]

If you guys travel like at all I would seriously consider just getting another cat. The last couple of years would have been hellish/outright impossible for us with a dog, and would have also been *really* unfair for the dog. For better or worse, you can leave cats alone for a few days with ample food and water. Also they're just better

[elpollodiablo]

That being said, I've really wanted a dog for the last couple of years. Like a little one, maybe a Terrier or a Corgi or something.

[Babar]

Get a purebred Siberian husky pup, preferably with heterochromia. They are beautiful, intelligent and generally without major health defects.

[elpollodiablo]

They are all of those things Babar said but they are also high energy sociopaths.

[Babar]

Haha, that's also true. I know a husky that was so excited to see his owner from a balcony that he jumped 2 stories down to be with him, broke his leg. So sometimes their energy overweights their intelligence.

[Dick]

My wife has a dog, and I hadn't spent any time around dogs since I was a small child.  Don't get me wrong, I like the dog.  But it is rather disturbing living with an animal with such...emotional needs.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

i've lived with what is technically my roommate's dog for about a year now, a papillon/chihuahua mix. most of this first year he was a terrible asshole, but this was probably the adjustment from puppyhood to adulthood. also he was never fixed, which can be a factor in the assholishness.

love him regardless. wish he were not a machine of pee.

[Em]

My dogs have adapted remarkably well to my various living situations, and are generally low-key and low-maintenance (I have a chow-terrier mix and a mystery mix who is definitely part chihuahua and may be part Italian greyhound). I walk them twice a day. They get long luxurious walks because I like to walk, but on days when I just don't have the time, they do fine with a quick trip around the block. They were about one when I got them (from a rescue organization) and they were very easy to housebreak. They virtually never have accidents (only when they're sick, which has only happened once or twice). They have added so much to my life that I wouldn't trade them for the world. Having your dog trot over to you when you whistle for him or put her paw on your arm because she wants to be under the covers with you are just sweet moments that kind of make a person's day.

That being said ... vet bills are expensive, even when the dogs are healthy (although that may be regional--I go to an inexpensive vet for the area and my mother in Kansas says she pays half what I do for an annual exam/vaccinations). Decent food is a little pricey, but not too bad if you can buy in bulk. The big kicker is going out of town. I have a reliable dog walker whom the dogs love. She's a friend of a friend and lives close, plus I have two dogs, so she charges me a bit below the going rate. Still, it's expensive. I don't worry about them getting bored or lonely too much when I'm away, because usually my roommate's here and they adore him, but even when he's not, I'm completely aware that mostly what they do is sleep all day and I'm pretty sure they're content with that situation (since that's what they do when I'm around anyway!). It may be that I have extraordinarily lazy dogs. I don't live in a particularly dog-friendly area and it is a bit of a hassle to walk 35-40 minutes each way to take them to the nearest dog run a couple of times a week, but obviously your experience will differ depending on where you live, if you have a yard where they can run around, etc.

I got my dogs when I was with my ex. It was easier with two people to share the responsibility, but I'm still glad to have them. Honestly, if I were to give any advice, I would echo exactly what blucas said and, if you didn't already have a cat, I would say consider getting two dogs instead of one! But since you have another animal, so long as they get along they can keep each other company and entertain each other when you're gone.

[Bernard]

get pet health insurance, you don't want to have to put down an otherwise salvageable animal strictly because you can't afford the meds/surgery/etc.

also, get an animal you can carry -- caring for my roommate's 90-lb doberman was difficult when he got too old and sick to walk

going to adopt these two rascals as soon as we have a place where they can be comfy without making aaron's sinuses explode:

[cold before sunrise]

[jebreject]

Thanks everyone! We know we definitely want to get a pooch sooner or later, but it's sort of a question of whether this is a good time or not. The reason it's come up now is because M's uncle is fostering a dog that he can no longer take care of, and returning it to the rescue would mean it being put down. M's folks were going to adopt her, but it would mean their house insurance going up because the city they live in has pretty strict regulations about pit bulls. (Oh yeah, that's the other thing--she's a pit/akita mix, two dogs that get a pretty bad rap and tend to be the target of unfair breed laws.)

Milwaukee's restrictions re: pits actually aren't too bad, but we would have a few hoops to jump through. Also akitas tend to be super high energy, so ...

[Bernard]

Is she huge? The akitas I've known have been enormous.

[jebreject]

She's not very big actually. I was surprised.

[Chet]

having a dog around is pretty much the greatest thing ever when you are feeling down.

[The_Tourist]

tonight i was feeling down and sat down next to a dog tied up in front of a restaurant. he was furry and i wanted to be his friend.

then i saw the sign above him that said "do not pet me! i am evil!"

i thought maybe we could hang out and do bong rips and listen to some metal, but figured i was better off leaving him alone.

[dumbfish]

One way that dogs and kids are the same: there's never a perfect time. If you're willing to put the time in, you'll be fine.

Pet insurance is a great suggestion, as it saves you from making a stomach-turning cost-benefit someday.

Have you had a dog before? I agree that pits and akitas get a bad rap, but even their fans would tell you those breeds require a strong, consistent owner. Not likely to be an easy, low-maintenance experience.

[YojimboMonkey]

I loved my Akita. I've also known some very nice pit bulls.

But yeah, you need to have a very firm hand with a dog bred for dominance like these. Gypsy wasn't the best trained dog, I mean she wouldn't heel really and was prone to boisterous displays of affection, but she was amazingly loyal and sweet to my family (and protective of children in general) and liked or tolerated my friends to various extents.

The only incident we ever had with her was when a neighbor girl knocked down one of my boys in the back yard. I heard yelling and went back there and Gypsy had the girl cornered against the fence, never touched her (verified with the girl and with my sons) but got between her and the boys and let her know she shouldn't move; just waited for me to straighten out the situation.

So when I say "not well trained" I mean she wasn't one of those superdog german shepherd types trained to military precision, but she knew exactly what her place was within our family and did a fantastic job. I still think about her all the time.

[JamesSchneider]

I am a friend to dogs, particularly medium to large dogs. This is impractical in a huge city,  but our huskie/ german shepherd mix is just fine in Grand Rapids.

Why I love him:

He's an empathetic sweetheart.
He's a great running partner - when the weather allows we do 5k a day together.
He helps me feel safe in my borderline neighborhood.
He's a huge goddamn sweetheart, I say again.
He tries to play with the cats, even though the cats don't want anything to do with him. He still tries every single day, and several times in a given day. It is so charming and optimistic.

PS shout out to Basset Hounds, the one we had from my late childhood on is now 17 and in phenomenal health out in the mountains of New Mexico.