My OWN dog.

[Criosphynx]

And thats something I guess you could say "genetic?"
Have you considered accidents? Like my Zelda and I just went through. She ate plastic. Needed a surgery that cost 1300$ to save her life.

Reading though all this material I really do think you should forget about a 6th dog and why not just baby one of the ones you already have?

they aren't toys you know...

I have no doubt theres a genetic component , and im sure a badly bred doxie would have mouth issues too.. all i could think of this whole thread is god how bads that dogs mouth going to be..

Critters mouth has had a massive overhaul like that before and needs it again already and its been less than a year.

I know it sounds bad but im not putting myself through this "bad teeth" bussiness again with a senior dog. If the problem develops fine i'll deal with it, but i'm not knowingly doing it again from the get go. And its not even the money factor! Everytime they knock my dog out I think shes not going to wake up, the BYB senior dogs are just a mess.


and Yes, i don't think anyone is trying to be mean, we are all just very concerned. I have 5 dogs and its a MASSIVE comitment, i eat, think, breath, sleep these dogs and my bank account shows it.

 

[BerryBye]

Hi,
I just wanted to say that when I was younger I sounded a lot like you – I was totally dog crazy and I couldn’t wait to get my OWN dog. Although I had to make the decision to wait because there was no way my parents would let me have one until I lived on my own.
So during the following years I researched and read books and learnt about breeds and training and feeding alternatives – all while saving my money. Then this year I finally moved out into my own place and I bought my OWN dog and I was able to afford all of the best toys/treats/bed/training class etc that he needs. I bought him from a breeder who has been in the business for over 50 years, his parents are champions and he is just gorgeous! I am so proud of myself for waiting because over those tortuous years I saw many dogs online, at breeders or in shelters and though "omg that dog is perfect for me” but I had to wait and trust me it’s worth it, he is the animal love of my life!!! (Not saying it has to be purebred, that was just my personal choice)
Then given all my preparing he still got sick, an upper respiratory infection in the first month of owning him which cost me $500 and tons of trips to the vet (do you have your licence for example?). That was in the same month I paid for him, got his shots, flea/heartworm and bought all of that stuff - so it was a good thing I had money put away.
There are so many things that can go wrong with these little guys and if you’re not ready it can totally devastate you. Why don’t you "adopt" one of your moms dogs as a fun project? You can pamper them and practice your training methods. That way when it’s your time to buy, you will be 110% ready!
Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[skittledoo]

I'm going to second what Berrybye just said because I too was like that when I was younger. I had a dog... but my parent's paid for most of her food/vet etc expenses so she wasn't just MY dog. I wanted a dog completely on my own that I paid for and trained on my own. My parents kept saying no and it would upset me. Now that I'm older I fully understand their reasons for not allowing me to have my own dog. It's a LOT of responsibility and a lot financially. I moved out at 18... I still really wanted a dog of my own... I ended up waiting until I was 21 years old before I was finally ready to have a dog of my own. Was it hard? yes! I'm a HUGE dog lover and living a few years without a dog was by no means easy... but because I waited I found Bamm and was able to provide him with a happier life than I could have a few years ago.

Really think this through. And please focus on the other dogs needs first before you jump the gun and bring home another dog.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I begged for a dog from like 8 years old onward. Kept beign told no it would become my mom's responsibility and she didn't want that. I kept saying no it wouldn't. I never won.

Cider was bought by my roomie with little thought.. Had her xmas of my 4th year of uni till we graduated in april. Decided she didn't need or want a dog and could put her in the local pound. I took her, my father was upset, my mom just wanted me home for a while.. Dog or not.

Brought her home and hell ensued.. I was 21-22 but I wasn't ready for a dog after all. Cider was potty box trained so had to be house trained all over.. Turned out I had a dog poop aversion and was lazy post university and didn't really want to walk her. All me issues, but not issues I ever foresaw. Turns out I still wasn't really ready to have a dog afterall.

And on top of it here I was trying to care for a dog with no cash inflow. My parents were kind enough to pick up her food bills and vet bills for the first 6 months. Only after that when I got on my feet, got a job did things finally come together.

Now I have 2. I'd like a 3rd, but I am not stable enough to get another for now. I can and do pay for food, all vet care, weekly classes and trials plus whatever fun stuff I decide they and I have to have. Things felt rocky when I couldn't afford what they needed the basics let alone whatever else I wanted.

I'd get a job and then get a pet. It's far less fun to always be worried about where the money for things is going to come from.

 

[smkie]

WHat i have been trying very hard to convince Hyia of is that the dogs belong to the family not just one person. Yes they follow me but that is also because i am the one that trains them, that bathes them, that walks them, that sees to their pains. IF she wishes the dogs to spend more time with her she needs to step up. SHe could do some t-touch, i have shown her how. SHe could brush them, or even work them on their routines. SHE could take over one of the feeding times. Do something besides just sit on the sofa with them. THen they would respect her a lot more and see her less as just another pup and more like a leader.

 

[bubbatd]

I can understand both sides of the story . I'd love another dog too , but it's not in the cards . I want the best for Ollie .

 

[Kayla]

Whatever you decide to do it is ultimately your decision however I would ask you to also consider the possible disposition you may be getting from a BYB dog.

When I was 17 I too couldn't wait for my first dog. I had been working part time for two years at that point and had just over $1500 saved when I impulsively purchased Duke. Of that $1500, the first $500 went towards his cost, food, toys, crate, training books and leash/accesories. Over the next year total between his puppy booster shoots and his neuter I spent about $700.

Then to my surprise my perfect little puppy, the one I couldn't wait to bring home began showing reactivity towards strangers and other dogs at just 4 months old. I had done a lot of socialization but it hadn't been enough to offset his skittish temperment, his poor genetics and the fact that he had come into the pet store where I worked at just five weeks old, where at the time employees used to throw shoes at his litter's kennel because they barked so much.

So since then I've spent close to $1000 just on training classes and a behaviouralist and two and a half years working very hard with him to overcome his reactivity. Today he is fine in 99% of situations but the point being I wasn't really thinking of the big picture when I purchased him- I just did it.

Like many others have mentioned there will always be other dogs for you, and in the meantime your other buddies would probably benefit from your devotion and training.

Kayla

 

[smkie]

I keep waiting for Kayota to come back to this thread. I know every word that everyone has written is true but it probably feels like tidal wave. IF you have brought the dog home please let us be there for you to help in anyway we can.

 

[Kayota]

I'm just going to bump this up (reading all the things you guys have said) and say that Mollie is still living happily with my mom and her other Dachshund whereas Roxie (obviously) ended up being my dog and things are working out great. I live on my own now and work part time at Wal*Mart and also attend college part time. I have a second dog now, a Husky mix named Faxon. They get good food and all required vet care I never replied because as the above person said, it did feel like a tidal wave. I was young at the time (16) and it's always been really upsetting to me to have people jump all over me the way they have time and time again here at Chazhound. I'm 20 now and living the life with my dogs. Baby (my mom's Shar Pei mix) passed away after being attacked by a raccoon and the other big dog at the time was rehomed as our situation wasn't such that either of us could care for him at that time, but I've vowed to never rehome a dog again. I feel guilty about all the things that happened with my mom's dogs but ultimately those things were out of my control.