Dog for Two Teens

You daughters are 14 and 17, so if it is a joint dog what happens when the 17 year old gets her own place in a couple of years? Does she get the dog, or does sister get to keep it? Or are you okay keeping it for the 10+ years it lives after both daughters move out? Just some things to think about.

Puppies shouldn't be birthday presents.
Especially since you have no idea of what you want, where to get it and are looking for general tips.
Research heavily and visit some shelters, etc.

If your daughters want a dog that badly, you might look into fostering a rescue pet (lots of resources online - just look up fostering a dog). Or you might talk to them about volunteering at a shelter before agreeing to welcome a dog into your home.

I agree with the others - your teens will likely be dating, going off to college, taking on more school challenges and activities, and you'll be stuck with the dog (unless, of course, your girls are home-schooled, or there's some other reason why they will be available for extended periods of time to care for the dog). A puppy requires a tremendous amount of consistent training and care. There are vet bills (even for a healthy puppy, there are immunizations, and eventually spaying or neutering). You might ask a local vet what a typical puppy costs.

You could also visit a shelter together and ask about what is expected when getting a new pet.

If your girls love pets, and since they're teens, they should take the initiative themselves. Let them find out the costs associated with a new puppy, raise the money, start working at a dog rescue or doggy day care, and start researching dog breeds. A lot depends on your situation: do you live in a small apartment or large house? does your home have lots of stairs? does your home have a fenced in yard or do you live in a city condo? does your neighborhood or city or homeowners association or landlord prohibit certain breeds (you'd be surprised what dogs are being added to the growing list of restricted breeds)? Let your girls look into that. For example, if someone lives in a second floor apartment with no elevator, it would be challenging to get a little dachshund. That dog may have difficulties with stairs and you're going to need to carry it up and down every time it needs to go out. Or if you have a fairly small home, you don't want to get a dog that's going to be huge and needs space to run. If your older girl already knows or hopes that she will be going to a college in another state, or a couple hours away from home, or a plane flight away, then there's a short time before college trips will be happening. And traveling with a dog can be challenging. There are hotel fees and boarding fees to consider. If you go to a ski cabin or a beach house or grandma's apartment every year, will you want to take the dog, or even be able to take the dog (look at breed restrictions or pet restrictions if you travel frequently to one location), or are you willing and able to hire a pet sitter or board the dog?

So, I think you could present them with a list of questions, including their future plans, and costs, and breed restrictions, and travel plans, and puppy training requirements, and when they've thoroughly researched everything, make a decision together.

Get them a different birthday present unless you have decided you want a puppy for yourself, and then call it theirs but be prepared to have all the dog responsibilities on your own for a long time to come.

Puppies and dogs should never be gifts. They become a part of the family so everyone should be involved in choosing it. They are also a long term commitment and should not be looked at like something I can just give away or get rid of.

I would suggest that your children spend some time with dogs/puppies to see if this is really something they want. I am sure all of you could stop at a local shelter and go from there.

I was disgusted by yesterday's puppy post and just today read an article (with a video) about a family that dropped their 15 year old dog at the shelter and left with a younger black lab, the older dog cried and cried as she watched her family abandon her. They may not talk and think the same as humans, but they do have the same emotions (love, fear, sadness, etc.).

http://www.examiner.com/article/15-year-old-dog-cries-as-...

I wanted to add that my SD (doesn't live with us full time) has always asked us to get a dog. Now that we have one she complains about her when ever she is visiting us. She wont play with our dog, take her out, etc. and says she smells. My SD has never been cruel to our dog or anyone else's, but she found out she really isn't cut out to have a pet (she is 17 now). Our dog is a part of our family and we all take care of her including my daughter who is 9, I cant imagine our lives without her in it.

It is a huge commitment and responsibility to bring a pet into the home. You must be ready to have that pet and care for that pet during his/her life span which sometimes can be 15+ years.

It's like bringing another child into your family and requires a lot of care, love, $$, and more.

It is not a flippant decision... you don't just decide you don't want it anymore and take it back. The people who do that are cruel and not ready for children or pets.

So if YOU are ready for this responsibility, I'd go to a shelter and talk to them about different breeds, how much exercise they require, potential health issues, and more. Some breeds are prone to expensive vet care with hip problems, etc which can run into the thousands of dollars.

Your children are 14 and 17 and will be out of your house and in college within a few short years so if you get a dog, you need to be ready to step up and take care if it for the 10+ years after your children move out.

I vote no as a birthday gift because if you approach but that way, your girls are not put in the position of choosing to make the commitment. They'll love the dog and you'll be the one responsible for all the non fun parts of pet ownership.

Think twice before you do this and be fair to the pets.

You realize this dog will live 12 to 15 years - and your kids will be off to college in a few years.
So in reality - this is going to be YOUR dog/responsibility - and the dog better be a good match for YOU.
Get something that will be ok for you to handle and maintain - (I know people love them but a Great Dane would be out of the question for me - they look like small horses and eat a LOT).

Never get a dog for a child, especially a teenager! They will get bored with it within weeks, AND they will be out of the house in just a few years. A dog can live to be 12 to 15, this will be YOUR dog, so only get it if YOU want it.
As far as breeds go that depends on so many things, how big your yard is, how much exercise you are willing to give, how much grooming you're willing to do, etc.
Also I would never get a puppy but that's just me. They require as much care as a newborn baby,training is HARD WORK and they can't be left alone for several weeks.
Why don't you foster a dog to start and see how that goes?

Buy a dog that YOU want.
Because YOU will be in charge of the dog. Not the two girls who think a puppy is the greatest thing EVER.....until they have to walk the dog, pick up the poop, get them to the vet, potty train, pick up vomit, and just generally take care of the dog.....and then they don't really have the time.
And since you are a responsible parent that means that YOU will be in charge of the dog when your daughters drop the ball.
So, my recommendation? Get what you want.

I would go to a shelter/rescue. They know their dogs and the personalities. I would suggest an older dog as well because in 4 short years, both your girls will be out of the house. These rescues also give you time alone with the dogs outside to better see their true personality. In my experience, mutts have better health and temperament overall. FYI-great rescue site is petfinder.org It's got a great search engine so you can search by breed, age, area and it even includes a bio on each dog.

Dogs are not gifts for kids. They ALL beg for dogs, and they give up and lose interest in a month or so. They ALL promise to walk it, feed it, clean up after it, and they do not.

A dog is a family member for 12-15 years. Understand that. They bond with the family, and they should never be given up because someone underestimated how much work they are. That is traumatizing for the animal. Shelters are full of dogs who were bought as gifts for kids who lost interest and adults who had no clue.

Your 17 year old has 1 more year at home, probably - so who gets the dog? Your 14 year old will be grown and gone in a few years as well. So you must absolutely and 100% accept that this is YOUR dog and will remain so. YOU will go out in the snow and rain to walk it, you will have all the expense (do you have any idea what a dog costs for food, supplies, licensing, spaying/neutering, vaccines and veterinary care even if healthy most of the time?), YOU will vacuum up dog hair and clean pee/poop/vomit. YOU will have to train it - which takes time and commitment. YOU will have to find and pay for boarding and vacation care if you ever go away, even overnight or for a long day. What's your plan for that?

Your children should volunteer at a local animal shelter that desperately needs help to walk dogs, brush them, clean up their poop and wash out their cages. They should do this for 3 months minimum to make sure they have the commitment to an animal. If they cannot devote 2-4 hours a week to animals, they cannot have a dog 24/7. If they DO follow through and love it, then they will be able to choose a dog from that shelter that has the right personality for them and for you. The shelter staff will help you do this. Given that you do not even know where to get a dog, I suggest you tag along with them and get yourself some education as well.

No child should get ANY animal that requires any care - not for Christmas or for a birthday. There are tens of thousands of abandoned and traumatized cats & dogs, plus abandoned rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs, chickens/ducks (especially after Easter), and assorted other mammals and reptiles. My husband and I rescued a dog that had been given up by TWO families who were clueless and devoid of the energy and attention needed to raise an animal. I can't tell you how long it took us to rehab this dog - and she still has separation anxiety and some PTSD.

Just because a kid begs doesn't mean that she gets what she wants. They are plenty old enough to put in the work and earn the privilege, with a full understanding of what's required. If you don't insist on this, you will very likely be guilty of cruelty to the animal. A shelter will convince you of the work required and measure your commitment. If you aren't into raising and loving this dog for 15 years, don't do it.

My dog is 14 and is in great health! She could live quite a while longer...you never know. So, the big question is...do YOU want a dog for yourself? Because after about 4 years your girls will be off to college/life and the dog will be yours. :) One option is go to the animal shelter and meet with several adult dogs. Shelters will have a room you can take them into and you can take the dog on a walk. Go meet with multiple dogs and try to get to know their personalities. Look for a dog that is not nervous, not shy, not aggressive, and not overly hyper. Look for a dog that seems calm, happy, and sweet. Ask the shelter people about aggression if someone takes away a toy/bone/food bowl. Ask the dog's history. Some dogs get dumped because they never were house trained and tend to pee in the house. Some dogs get dumped due to excessive digging or barking or biting. Some dogs are chewers and destroy things due to boredom or anxiety. So weed out dogs with problems. Plenty of dogs are perfectly wonderful and you have to narrow it down. Once you adopt a dog sign your girls up for multiple dog obedience classes with the dog. This will help train your girls! ;) Make sure they take the dog on a walk every single day...I dislike it when people get a dog but then do not have time to give it exercise daily.

If YOU really want a dog because it is a 10 to 15 year commitment. Those girls will be long gone off to college and life.

Do not get a puppy! Please take word from my experience of house training...you really don't want a puppy.

Go to a good local shelter and find a dog that is about 2 years old give or take...already house broken and maybe if it is a really good shelter like our humane society they have been giving the dog obedience training.

A "mutt" that kinda looks like the breed you want or even a dog you don't now you want until you get there will make you a much better pet than a puppy mill puppy any day of the week.

Our "mutt" that we adopted after she was abandoned at the local mall and sent to the shelter...showed up every pure breed in agility training in every competition that was open to all breeds we ever took her too. She was so smart and such a good dog.

Speaking of training....plan on taking your new dog to training classes for the first six months or so...they meet once or twice a week. train the dog to walk on a leash, sit and stay, not bark, not jump, etc etc. Because nothing is as bad as going to someones house and being around an untrained dog that jumps on you after barking its head off at the door....while the owner tells it commands it obviously doesn't know like, Fifi, get down....Fifi stop jumping, etc etc. Just train Fifi.

Then enjoy your new family member for many many years to come. Good luck!!

Go to a shelter and rescue a poor dog. Make sure you talk to the workers about personality etc. usually a dog will pick you out. Good luck.

So many thing for you to think about. Here are just a few of them...
1) Do you want a puppy or a dog? Are you home during the day to train a puppy? Are you committed to cleaning up after and training a puppy? Getting up in the middle of the night to take care of a puppy? This is a question for you, not them, because they aren't the ones who will be cleaning up all the pee puddles during the school day and getting up in the night. Personally, I'd go with an older dog.
2) How much fur can you live with? Some dogs shed like crazy, some not so much. Your kids are not going to be the ones vacuuming every day, so this is a question for you, not them.
3) How active are you and your kids? Are you committed to multiple long walks every day? Or do you want a less active dog? If your kids do a lot of activities, you are going to have to take a lot of this responsibility for this, so how active are you?
4) Even an adult dog is going to be yours for upwards of 10 years. Your kids will be out of the house in 4 years. Do you want a dog? Because this is going to be your dog, not theirs.

As for where to get your dog, I highly recommend your local shelter. You and your daughters can get a feel for the dogs by volunteering as a dog walker. Go every day for a few weeks. It will get you used to the responsibility of walking a dog every day, and once you get used to seeing the different types of dogs and their personalities, you'll have a better idea of what kind of dog you want.

In addition to agreeing with every other commenter (I just echo their sentiments that this will be YOUR dog and this could/should be the case for a very long time--possibly into the 12-15 year range), I didn't see anyone mention traveling. Yes, they mentioned vet bills and spay/neutering, and food. But nobody mentioned boarding/pet sitting bills. If you go away from home for any overnight whatsoever, you will need to take your dog with you (not all hotels accept pets, and some have weight/breed restrictions if they do, and almost all include an additional fee) OR you will need to provide a sitter or boarding for your dog. This can get expensive over time, and also can be a bit of a hassle at times. Kennels often have business hours for drop-off and pick up times. So if you plan to depart early in the morning, you may have to leave your pet the day before you actually leave. And if you return after business hours, will have to wait until the next day to pick up your pet. This, of course, may often result in addition days of boarding fees. If you travel often, this can add up in nuisance and cost.
(Not saying it isn't worth it, just be aware of what you are signing up for.)

Also, if you have a dog that becomes very attached to you, as a pack animal will do, particularly if it is the only pet... they can have anxiety or depression issues if you leave them for multiple days for travel.

So, when you are considering your plan going forward, keep these things in mind. A smaller dog would be easier to travel with, most likely, and cost less for boarding mostly likely as well. A pet sitter (someone coming to your home) would be the same no matter the size, I'd imagine. But you still have to find someone trustworthy to come into your home or stay at your home, if you go that route.

Just another aspect to consider. Your eldest may have college visits on the horizon.... who's going to care for the dog while you do travel for that? Now consider travel you might be doing over the next dozen years, when your daughters might be married and moved across country with a spouse... Are you going to ship the dog on the plane to visit? Board? Pet sitter in your home? Not go? What? Very real things to consider how you will handle.

We've done boarding (ok when she was young, but as she's aged she gets more depressed), we've taken her with us (didn't go well... very intrusive for the trip we took), and we've done in home pet sitting. By far, pet sitting works the best for us. But, it took a while to find people we trusted, b/c sometimes availability is an issue even when you find someone.

Good luck with your decision.

Welcome to mamapedia!!

Um. NO. Puppies/animals are NOT gifts. They are living creatures that will need a LOT of care and attention and training.

Who will care for the dogs while they are in school?
Who will train the dogs while they are in school??
DO you know how much puppy food costs??
Shots? And general puppy vet bills???

Give them a doll - tell them to feed it, care for it, and love it like it was a dog. See how fast their attention wanes...."Mom-we're going to the mall - can you take us?" - sure - who's going to walk the dogs??

They will have to get up earlier to take them out in the morning.
They will have to take them out before they go to bed.
You know all those commercials around Easter about not getting bunnies as an Easter gift? Yeah...apply that here. DO NOT GET THEM PUPPIES or dogs. PERIOD.

Hi S.,
Since you are new here and I can't tell much about you, I'm going to make some assumptions that may or may not be accurate. I assume that you understand the expense, time, and energy that a dog requires. I assume that you can do math and you understand that this will truly be your dog, not your daughters'. So with those assumptions, I would suggest getting your girls a gift certificate to your local shelter and another one to Petsmart or a local animal supply store. From there, I think it would be a great idea to have them volunteer at the shelter and choose their own dog. You really do tend to have a connection, or not, with individual dogs just like people. Be sure to check with your home owner's insurance, HOA, and/or landlord to see if you have any breed restrictions. Other than that, keep an open mind on breeds and look for a great fit personality-wise. Do you jog daily or go on long walks every day? Do you love to hike, camp, or do other outdoor sports? Or do you want a dog that will cuddle on the couch and watch TV? You can get dogs of every breed that will fit in any of those. Don't rule out a larger dog right off the bat just because you don't have acres of land, for example. An adult mastiff, St. Bernard, or Great Dane may be perfectly happy with a short walk while a small terrier might require hours of activity per day. Depends on the individual dog.

If you are going to get them a dog for sure and are going to give them the actual dog as a gift no matter what...I recommend looking online at several rescues and reading the dog descriptions. That will give you an idea of the factors you should consider. Dog-friendly, kid-friendly, people-friendly with strangers? Is cat-friendly important, like do you have neighborhood cats that might wander into your yard that you would rather not see disemboweled (this happens frequently with rescued racing Greyhounds, who are trained to chase small furry things!)? Coat type is important- are you willing to take a bichon- mix to the groomers every 6 weeks, brush a Golden Retriever every few days, or would you do better with a low-maintenance smooth coat like a Boxer? Then go to the shelter, tell them the criteria you are looking for, and meet several different dogs. If possible, go to a few different shelters to meet a wide range. There are literally millions of dogs out there who need loving homes. If you are willing and able to provide one, please do so!!