Advice - I'm thinking of getting a dog

#1

I’ve been thinking of getting a dog for a while now but I have just recently begun looking at local shelters. I found a dog, a 6 year old Chihuahua mix named Milo, at a shelter in Connecticut that I’m in love with. My BF and I are scheduled to go and meet him this weekend.

He won’t be alone much because he’s small enough that I can take him places with me, on the subway, to work, and home when I go to Detroit to visit my parents.

I’ve never had a dog of my very own before. My BF’s parents, and brother both have dogs and my sister has a dog so I’ve dog sat all of them before for a couple of weeks at a time. And by dogsat, I mean live-in dog sitting. I guess I just want to be 100% sure that this is the best thing for me and the dog.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Kristin

#2

Invest in lint rollers!! …kidding, kidding…except, not really :teehee:

As you can tell from my avatar I’m totally a proponent of dog ownership/adoption (I adopted my mutt from a shelter, he came with issues…as many can, but with consistent effort he’s a really wonderful dog). And for first time owners, or people without a ton of time to devote to puppyhood and housetraining, adopting an adult dog can be great. My guy was only a year and a half when I got him, but he was 100% housebroken…which was awesome. A 6 yr old dog will likely have settled a lot of the over-stimulated crazy wild energy and hopefully be reliably housebroken.

Trust your gut. You have experience caring for a dog, you seem to have wanted one for awhile. When you go meet this guy you’ll just know if it clicks…either you’ll say “eh, he’s alright I guess” or you’ll say “MUST HAVE. NOW NOW NOW!”

Goodluck, have fun, and take pictures! The internet has TONS of info and advice on training and dog ownership and I’m sure you can get lots from all the dog owners on KH too! :yay:

#3

Go for it! It does sound like you’ve put a lot of thought into this matter, and it sounds like you are ready. Too often, people make split-second decisions that they regret later. That does not seem to be the case with you.

I am the proud owner of three dogs…adopting all of mine from animal shelters. Yeah, I’m a bit crazy, but let’s just say that there is a lot of love for animals in my home.

Post pictures when you bring the new member home!

Oh, have you thought of names yet? I’m assuming you have.

#4

Make sure that you really can take him to all those places. Some places have a “no non-service animal order” and frown upon “purse dogs.” Having a dog is a big commitment more so than having a cat. What do you do with it if you can’t take it with you? What do you do when you go on vacation? Are you willing to deal with the resultant messes that may happen if you don’t come home on time? Do you have cats and is food stealing going to be an issue.

Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs and visit with many of my friends’ often, but the “maintenance” of dogs is much higher than that of cats. We are definitely not dog-owning people and realized that years ago.

#5

Thanks for the advice!

AuburnChick, he’s already 6 years old so we’ll probably call him Milo still but we may pronounce it “meelo.”

The other good thing about Milo is he was brought in by a family member when his elderly owner died suddenly. When I spoke with the shelter, they said that he came from a good home and was well taken care of.

Thanks so much!

#6

Best advice I can give about dogs is mustard, not ketchup.

#7

:roflhard:

It sounds like he’ll be a great dog, but remember he doesn’t come without baggage. He was raised by someone else for a long time and you don’t know his little ideocyncrasies and behavioural issues so you’ll need to be patient with him. Get him some rawhide bones and a few toys so he’ll have something to play with besides your slippers. :teehee:

#8

Knitncook…I have already checked into carrying dogs with me. Thankfully, in New York, you can take dogs into the subway and many buildings if they fit in a dog carrier. Also, both mine and my BF’s office are dog friendly. And, no, we don’t have any cats. I’m majorly allergic, like break out in hives all over my body allergic, to cats. I have been tested for allergies, however, and I’m not allergice to dogs.

PS. Mason, I agree, ketchup just doesn’t properly compliment the smoky flavor of a good hot dog.

#9

Oh good! You did your homework! :wink: I’ve met so many dog owners who really didn’t know what they were getting into when they got a dog. Florida has very few places where you can take your dog inside if it isn’t a service animal. There seems to be a fad of having little “pocket dogs” which are so vogue right now, but around here I’ve seen so many people thrown out of restaurants, retail businesses and other places because they decided to take their dog with them.

Have fun with your pup and I’m glad you won’t break out in hives from him! (Making a mental note not to send kbagel anything from this cat fur layered house!) :slight_smile:

#10

Thank you for getting a pupper from the shelter and bot buying one…there are so many great animals at the shelter in need of a home : )
My other word of advice is get 2+ dogs - they’re funnier than TV. My youngest (1yr old boxer mix) is current running up and down the hallway with a very loud Air KONG football squeaky toy, oops now we’re burrowing under a floor pillow, back to sqeaky, harassing the old dog for his chew toy, nevermind, just saw the dishtowel hanging over the sink just within reach …

#11

Oh, totally agree! My roommate has 3 dogs, I have 1 and seriously, watching them wrassle, play and try to be clever is better entertainment than any tv around! Plus they keep each other company during the day and tire each other out! An added bonus is Cooper is continually getting socialization lessons I’m pretty sure he missed out on in his previous life.

#12

Ditto that…but let the gal get used to the one first! :teehee:

Our three dogs keep us highly entertained…all the time! Watching them is like watching children play. They fight, they love, they chase…on and on it goes.

We took our oldest dog to the vet for yearly shots. Pele, the middle “child” went bonkers. I called my son after I left, and he said that Pele was running around the house crying and looking for Aubie. When we got home, he checked her out to make sure that she was okay. The same thing happens when we wash the dogs. We always wash Aubie and Pele together because they freak out if they aren’t together. My baby, Molly, doesn’t really care too much, but she adores the older two dogs.

#13

Chihuahua’s :heart: I love them

#14

Chihuahua’s are a wonderful little dog!

If this post is not too late, you might want to ask the shelter how he came to be in the shelter. Abandoned? Lost? Dumped? Kind of unusual to see a chihuahua in a shelter. Poor little guy.

Does he fear bite? Does he have potty issues? Barking/yapping issues?

Any of these issues can usually be ironed out…but it is worth knowing beforehand.

#15

Hi, and congrats on the new ‘baby’!

Advice for caring for small dogs—keep a sharp eye on them while outdoors taking care of ‘business’!!!Too many idiots think it’s OK to let large and aggressive dogs run loose, and too many others just dump an animal with issues to roam til it gets run over. (I have large dogs–who have been taught manners and are kept in a fenced in yard.) A chihuahua just doesn’t stand a chance.

Even if your yard is fenced be vigilant–An internet buddy on another forum lives in the heart of LA and caught a huge raccoon crossing her yard with a kidnapped kitten, badly injured and intended for a meal (The kitten was rescued from the raccoon but passed away of its injuries). Should y’all ever move to a suburban or rural area–or take Milo for visits to such areas or even to a national park–Foxes and coyotes are also serious problems in areas of suburban sprawl, and another internet buddy who lives in the mountains had a bald eagle buzz her house low and slow whine her 2# pup was out in the yard. (I personally have seen Great-horned Owls in town, and peregrine falcons nest in NYC, so keep an eye skyward!)

#16

Thanks for all of the advice everyone! Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the way you look at it, I received a promotion at work on Friday. The thing is, this job means that I’ll be gone at least 1 week a month. It would break my heart to leave an animal for that long all the time so I cancelled my appointment to meet Milo. I know that if I went to meet him I would have fallen in love.

If anyone knows anyone that wants to adopt a chihuahua in Connecticut here’s Milo…http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9622456

#17

Oh he’s adorable!
Probably a good decision with your new promotion (congrats by the way!). I hate having to leave my dogs when I travel!

#18

He’s adorable. He’ll find a good home. In the meantime, you are doing the right thing. You sound like a very kind person. One day, the timing will be better. :hug:

#19

Congratulations on your promotion! You must be a bit disappointed about Milo, but you are doing the right thing. :hug: When the timing is better, you’ll have no problem finding a great pup. I can relate, we want a puppy really bad but it’s not a good time for us right now. One day… one day… :teehee:

#20

Milo…http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9622456[/IMG][/quote]

Aww I want him! Look at that face!

Disadvantage No.612 of living in the UK, I can’t get the nice doggie.