*UPDATE (Post 20): Should we adopt this dog? What would I be getting myself in for?

[jent]

Last weekend this friendly dog just appeared at our doorstep. Well, on my back deck-- I went out there to hang laundry during DD's nap and there was this little white dog looking up at me. He proceeded to just hang around our house-- he even followed DH back and forth on the lawn while he was mowing! Eventually I called Animal Control-- I was thinking this must be someone's dog (even though no tags) and they were looking for him. That night DH and I talked about it and we had both come to the same conclusion-- that if no one really wanted this dog, we'd take him.

So I called animal control today and he still hasn't been claimed. They're trying to adopt him out. I talked to DH tonight and he's a little less enthusiastic. We've both never owned dogs (I've had cats). I have no idea how to get started with owning a dog--I know I'll need to take him to a vet, maybe shots, grooming... but then animal training? crate training? I don't know anything about that stuff.

So, I know there a lot of dog owners on this board. What do I need to know before we jump into this?

[brittone2]

If you go with training, not all trainers are created equal.

I personally like Karen Pryor's work on clicker training (Don't Shoot the Dog and some of her other books are good). If you can find a professional that uses that approach, I personally am a fan (I have a high needs, high anxiety, Prozac taking pooch Fwiw, and regular "obedience" classes just weren't as great for him as clicker training with a wonderful trainer experienced w/ special needs dogs ;) )

eta: can you tell much about temperament? do you feel like you are rushing into this?

Dog ownership is definitely expensive, and even healthy dogs often require expensive flea/tick meds and vet visits, kwim? Any idea of the dog's age? past the chewing stage? Housetrained? Because if you are dealing w/ having to housetrain, deal w/ chewing, etc. just be prepared in advance that IMO it makes it extra challenging.

[cvanbrunt]

I love my dogs but they are a lot of work. A lot. Let me say that again. They are a lot of work. Think additional toddler. They have to be let outside to go potty, you have to clean up after them, they need to be walked, they demand attention. The routine stuff takes time. Never mind any health concerns that might come up. One of my dogs needed emergency abdominal surgery two weeks after we got her from the rescue group. Nine hundred bucks. The other dog either had a stroke or a really bad ear infection (we'll never know for sure because the eight hundred dollar CT scan seems excessive) last month and now he is deaf and is balance is shot. He has to be carried up and down the stairs. Did I mention my dogs are boxers and weigh around 70 and 80 pounds? This is the same dog with hypothyroid and has to be medicated 2x a day. If you have never had a dog, I would read a couple of books before jumping in. I really love my beasts but you really want to be sure.....

That's the horror story part. The fantastic part is that my dogs love me unconditionally. And they are fabulous watch dogs and would lay down their life for me or the girls. Our lives would be a little less wonderful without them.

[brittone2]

Also depending on how you vacation, dogs can be expensive to board (or have pet sitters come and stay). Because of our dog's anxiety issues, we were advised to not board him (he was boarded once years ago when we also had another dog...she gave him some extra stability). So we have to plan vacations, etc where we can take him along, or on occasion we have my parents sit for him, which is a PITB for them I'm sure, but they are nice and do it for us.

The dog we owned at the same time as our current dog initially died at age 3 of kidney issues. She was super smart, and super destructive ;) She got into anything and everything...makeup, lipstick out of my purse, liquid ibuprofen off of the changing table, she took food off of countertops, etc. etc. She was so sneaky ;) She ended up having kidney issues that no one could identify (even before the ibuprofen incident), and eventually died a sudden death after many numerous vet appts. Even though she was young and healthy, we still dealt w/ very expensive vet visits, etc.

Our other dog was expensive in that his issues required treatment at a major university veterinary school behavior clinic, work with a very good trainer (45 minute drive each direction, which we could never do now with kids), etc. etc.

[jent]

eta: can you tell much about temperament? do you feel like you are rushing into this?
...
Any idea of the dog's age? past the chewing stage? Housetrained? Because if you are dealing w/ having to housetrain, deal w/ chewing, etc. just be prepared in advance that IMO it makes it extra challenging.

Sorry, I forgot to include these details. The dog was clearly not a puppy. Well past the chewing stage. He didn't try to jump up on anybody, he just wanted to be near us and follow us around. DH said he wouldn't even chase a stick-- I don't know if that meant he was older, or just uninterested. DD was around him for a little bit and while I didn't let them really get close to each other, he at least didn't really try to jump on her or act nervous or aggressive around her.

I have no idea about how trained or housetrained.

Can you train dogs if they're past the puppy stage? Or are there certain things that if they didn't learn by adulthood, then just forget it?

If we decide to even look further, I suppose I should call animal control and ask to spend some time with him to get a better idea of his temperament. I don't know what more to look for though. I'll see if my library has any books that might help.

And yes, we would definitely be rushing. DH and I have talked about getting a pet when DD was a little older, if she still loves animals as much as she does now. Not that I have any fantasies about who will *really* take care of a dog but I thought if we waited until school age it could be a learning experience about responsibility. But then this dog just sort of appeared and seemed to adopt us-- stayed on our deck, then by DH's side until the dog guy came.


I love my dogs but they are a lot of work. A lot. Let me say that again. They are a lot of work.

Yeah, see that's what DH is afraid of. DH especially-- he grew up in a household where they didn't really like pets and his mom is fairly afraid of dogs. But he likes animals and is pretty good with them. He even dog-sat (well, fed and walked the dogs) for friends of mine while they were away. I think we may have one base covered-- I think my mom might be able to dog sit if we go away, since she's taken care of my aunt's dog and a friend's dog.

ETA: I forgot to add that as a resource, I also have several co-workers who are avid dog-lovers. In fact my boss just got a puppy last week and she is crate-training it & she comes to the office with her. Of course when I told them the story at lunchtime they all told me to go for it!

[wellyes]

Sounds meant to be to me.

[TwinFoxes]

Honestly, I really don't think you'll regret it. Yeah, dogs take work, but so do a lot of things. You'll get so much back in return. He's a small dog? That makes it even easier.

A couple of years ago, before the twins, we already had our first baby (our Boxer!) One day, my husband calls me frantically while walking our boxer and he could barely talk. A little cocker spaniel mix was following him home. This dog was a mess. The hair on his ears was long and matted like dreadlocks, so long he stepped on them when he walked. He was missing fur, he coughed, he was wet. It was pathetic. My DH looked at me like a six year old and asked if we could keep him. I thought he was insane. But he turned out to be a great dog! Our boxer LOVED him. We really saved that dog from an awful life on the streets of LA. We bought him toys, he didn't even know how to play! It was obvious that he was not a runaway, but a throwaway. Sadly he was only with us a year, and I tear up just thinking about him. He was THAT good! Loving, affectionate, and just adorable. After he passed, we missed him so much we got another little guy!

Clearly, I'm a dog person. But even if you're not dog people, I think your life will be enriched by this little guy that you saved!! I'm sure you'll find room in your heart for him! :thumbsup:

ETA: We have two dogs and infant twins now. I don't consider the dogs a lot of work. They take some time, but not a tremendous amount. Boarding can be a problem, but a lot of people are willing to dog sit. And I love having my dogs around when the girls are asleep and I think I hear a creepy sound! They'll bark if it's anything to be worried about.

[stella]

I think you should spring him from the pound and bring him home.
What does he look like? Adult dogs aren't NEARLY as much trouble as puppies.
It's likely all he wants is a clean, dry place to stay; to be fed once or twice a day; and a family to love and play with. I hope this works out, although I am admittedly a dog lover (collector? I have 5) and biased.

[TwinFoxes]

I love my dogs but they are a lot of work. A lot. Let me say that again. They are a lot of work. Think additional toddler. They have to be let outside to go potty, you have to clean up after them, they need to be walked, they demand attention. The routine stuff takes time. Never mind any health concerns that might come up. One of my dogs needed emergency abdominal surgery two weeks after we got her from the rescue group. Nine hundred bucks. The other dog either had a stroke or a really bad ear infection (we'll never know for sure because the eight hundred dollar CT scan seems excessive) last month and now he is deaf and is balance is shot. He has to be carried up and down the stairs. Did I mention my dogs are boxers and weigh around 70 and 80 pounds? This is the same dog with hypothyroid and has to be medicated 2x a day. If you have never had a dog, I would read a couple of books before jumping in. I really love my beasts but you really want to be sure.....

That's the horror story part. The fantastic part is that my dogs love me unconditionally. And they are fabulous watch dogs and would lay down their life for me or the girls. Our lives would be a little less wonderful without them.

Your last line says it all! I'm like you, I'd easily be willing to carry my dogs up and down stairs for all the joy they give me. (And aren't boxers the greatest??? They can be tough if they need to, but are total goofy sweethearts.)

[jent]

What does he look like?

I just surfed some web photos and he looks kind of like a Westie, but not perfectly, so probably a mix if that. And I could be way off base, as stated, I don't know dogs.

I did read the Westie profile and it sounds ok, except that they're not so tolerant of small kids. Also it said they tend to take off chasing animals, so perhaps that's how he got lost in the 1st place.

I think a trip to the library tomorrow is definitely in order to check out some dog books. Any recommendations? They didn't have the clicker training books but they have Dog Training for Dummies.

[brittone2]

When we first started clicker training, we had to order the clicker, etc. online. A while back I noticed Petsmart was carrying them in store...I'm guessing they might have the karen Pryor books as well now? Just tossing that out there.

[bubbaray]

Get the dog. It was meant to be.

Post photos! :)

[brittone2]

I hope this works out well for you!

I didn't mean to be discouraging...just tossing out things to think of in terms of cost...financially and in terms of time/training.

My dogs have always brought a lot of joy into our lives, even w/ the challenges.

My shep/husky mix (the unruly, super smart, got into everything doggie that passed away early) was a once in a lifetime dog, kwim? She was a PITB, but an amazing PITB at that :) She brought us so much laughter and was just an amazing girl. I still miss her.

[mariza]

Has the pound checked him for a microchip to be sure he doesn't belong to someone?

[momtojack]

I love my dogs but they are a lot of work. A lot. Let me say that again. They are a lot of work.

Our lives would be a little less wonderful without them.

I think this says it perfectly. Our first baby (a pound puppy that we adopted in '99) passed away a year and a half ago. We are waiting til DD gets a little older (she just turned 1) to get another dog, but if one showed up on our doorstep tomorrow and we couldn't find the owner, I have no doubt that we would keep it.

As far as books, I second what Brittone2 said about positive reinforcement training - it worked much better for our girl than traditional obedience classes. We used Karen Pryor's books and also really liked Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash. Good luck!

[doberbrat]

Dogs ARE a lot of work. They have to be fed, walked, let out, cleaned up after, brushed, nails & teeth done, paid attention to and let out regularily.

They ARE expensive. Need reg vet care – at least $150 a year oftentimes much much more. Professional grooming, food, collars, toys, leashes, beds, crates

But in return, you get a soul who will love you unconditionally, a potential playmate for the kids, a walking buddy, and someone to snuggle up to on cold winter nights.

Sounds like this was Divine intervention. Spend a bit of time with him at the shelter and see what he’s liked. Figure out if he will fit into the family. Make sure he’s been scanned for a microchip b/c sounds like he was someone’s companion not a general stray.

to answer your questions, yes dogs can be trained at any age. as a first time dog owner make sure he's not excessively shy, nor overly rambunctious. feed him a cookie - see whether he rips it out of your hands and nips in the process or somewhat gently takes it from you - picture him doing that to your child(ren) and think about whether its ok. See how he interacts with your child(ren) - scared, exuberant or indifferent. ask the shelter workers if he's a barker, or if he seems to have any negative behaviors - remember that a behavior thats a problem to me may or may not be to you so think about it.

then decide.

[Drag0nflygirl]

I'm soooooo not a dog person - but I love my mom's Westie. "Mikey" seems to see DD as my "pup" and won't go near her or play with her even if we encourage him. This is a dog who would happily fetch all day long, but he knows what he should and shouldn't do. If he really does look like a Westie mix I'll be really surprised if the shelter has him for long.

[Carrots]

JenT, I am just wondering what you decided to do about the dog?

I have 2 reading recommendations for you. The first is "Saved!" http://www.amazon.com/Saved-Guide-Success-Your-Shelter/dp/0764100629/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249006940&sr=8-1

I loved this book and still refer to it from time to time. Unfortunately, I think it is out of print, but it has such good info in it that it is worth getting a used copy.

The second is "Second Hand Dog" http://www.amazon.com/Second-Hand-Dog-First-Rate-Howell-reference/dp/0876057350/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249007034&sr=8-1

Even if you don't go with the little guy you found, these would be good reading as you consider adding a furry friend to your family.

Best of luck!

[elephantmeg]

DH's parents had a dog that adopted them and he was the BEST DOG EVER.

Pros for dogs:
floor clean up during cooking and feeding small children
unconditional love
reason to get outside-although we have a chain on our porch and put the dog on it when she needs to go out which is a common thing to do in the country around here
she adores the kids and vice versa-a good way to train kids to be good to animals and how to interact (we have basic ground rules: leave the dog alone while she is eating and don't ride the dog/pull the dog's tail)

we have a shelter dog that had some anxiety issues but is doing well. We factor in kennel costs when considering in vacations (DH's parents will watch her some but sometimes they are along too or are busy)

Cons:
expence-shots, vet appts, dental surgery for cleaning/removing teeth
boarding
pee on the floor

I would do it in a heartbeat

[jent]

So, an update:

DH and I had a long discussion, and decided to at least go see him at the shelter. I did get a bunch of books from the library-- the most helpful was "Adopt the Perfect Dog: A practical guide to choosing and training an adult dog". Had some excellent pointers of how to get a feel for a dog's temperament, and what specifically to look for when meeting a dog. I also called the Animal Control guy back, played phone tag for a few days, and heard today that the dog had been adopted. So, no dog for us, but I'm glad the little guy got a home.

And, DH and I talked some more & we both felt that in another few years, we would very likely adopt a dog (as long as DD still likes them and wants to be a part of taking care of a dog). So, someone else saved this dog for us, but in the future we will be saving another dog that needs a home. Something like that.

I'm having mixed feelings right now-- both sad and relieved, a little, that we aren't taking on this huge responsibility today. (It's weird timing, I've been thinking about changing jobs or going for more training, so a strange time to add to our household.) And I at least feel victorious for converting DH to an animal person, since his parents are decidedly not. Mostly, as I'm typing this, I'm feeling sad, though. I wish I was posting a cute dog picture for you all to see.

Thanks for all your advice, though. I'm making a note of those other books for the future.