Question(s) for dog owners

MimiMommy

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 6:05 pm

I never thought I'd say this, but I've been thinking more and more about getting a dog. DH absolutely loves dogs (though he's not too sure about getting one), and kids have been asking one. The only problems are --

1. we're not rolling in money. Do dogs require a lot of money? I've never owned a dog so don't know much. How much is food and basic maintenance?

2. We live in a frum area, and our kids attend very frum schools. I feel like a disproportionate amount of frum people are scared of dogs, and if not they just look at dog-owners as being less frum or weird. Has this been an issue for you?

3. Do they really require a lot of extra work? Do the benefits outweigh that?

ValleyMom

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 6:32 pm

When my husband turned 50 his client gifted him a purebred full sized poodle.
I was horrified.
I grew up in a Chassidishe neighborhood in Brooklyn.
We don't 'do' dogs.

After several months of grief including:
chewing up the molding in my brand new kitchen.
Chewing a brand new sandal to smithereens.
Treading inches of mud and much through my kitchen on rainy days.
Discovering pee in strange places.

I now love this dog.
She is a member of our family.
Last summer we took her on our road trip and only stayed in dog friendly places.

When my husband yells KIDDUSH everyone- including the dig comes to the table.

When we wash for Hamotzi she walks with us into the kitchen.

Havdallah she joins us in the kitchen as well.

Initially she ate expensive fancy schmancy dog food but now she eats purina- super cheap.
Pesach we need to buy some wacky dog food with no chamtetz.

This year is the first year we had a hefty vet bill.
She had a growth that needed minor surgery but it wasn't cancerous.

The kids walk her and clean up after her.

Our LARGEST bill is the groomer.
The kids and I go to Fantastic Sam for $21 haircuts but the dog is $105 for a full bath, cut, nails, ears and doggie day care for the day and a hike. Not bad considering how much babysitting is these days and that doesn't include a bath and haircut and blow dry for your child and a hike in a canyon :-)

The only time our dog was an issue was when my father passed and we all went to NYC for the funeral and shiva. I made arrangements for my dear friend to stay with the dog for the week. That would be pricey if I hired a professional dog sitter.

Dolly Welsh

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 7:00 pm

A dog can be a big asset in a life. But it costs like half of a child in both money, time and energy. Big benefit, big cost. That's reasonable.

Some dogs you can wash yourself. But even cheap food in big bags will be a bill, and you are walking him twice a day and cleaning up. There is also medical care. And any dog alive will add something to your housekeeping chores one way or another.

chani8 ↓

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 11:56 pm

Are you sure about a dog, rather than a cat? We have two dogs and six cats.

Our whole family would agree that cats make better pets. The only job is emptying the litter box regularly, and keeping them off the counter. And not being allergic to them.

Dogs have to be taken out, they track stuff in, they get dirty, and they have a whole weird psychology thing going on. I had to watch dog whisperer shows to figure them out. And from experience with the best.dog.ever, I would never trust a dog around guests, especially toddlers.

FranticFrummie ↓

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:26 am

I've owned many breeds of dogs, so all I can say is, it depends.

Active, young, large dogs, all need lots of room and exercise. At a minimum, you need a yard. If not, get ready to do lots of walking, and trips to the doggy park.

Food - again, depends on the size of the dog, and if they have any food allergies. Keep in mind that most dog foods combine meat and milk products, so they are forbidden. You have to learn to read the labels, and check for whey and casein. Pesach is also a big deal. Petco is your friend. If you're in the US, they deliver for free!

CONSIDER RESCUE! An older dog will generally have gotten past all of the crazy chewing and potty problems, and will be happy to snuggle all day long.

I have two elderly chihuahuas that I got from rescue. They are like cats. They live in the apartment, and do their business on "piddle pads". I dump the potty in the toilet, and wash the pads in the machine. (available at Petco, and worth their weight in gold, IMHO.) The dogs never go out for walks, as they are scared of the big outdoors. They sleep 23 hours a day, and generally wake up for food and snuggles.

The dogs were free, but I did have to get them micro chipped, and get their shots up to date. Bringing them on Aliyah is another whole post, and cost me a small fortune, but I would never leave them behind.

As for people being afraid, it's no trouble to keep the dogs in my room when we have company. DD's friends all adore the dogs, because they are gentle, and don't jump up on anyone. Even people who hate dogs, tend to love my dogs!

PM me if you want to talk more dog stuff. I'd be happy to help you come up with a list of pros and cons. Dogs are for life, so you need to choose carefully and realistically.

mommy3b2c

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:50 am

ValleyMom wrote:

This is a cute story and I'm so glad it worked out for you and the dog! But, who the h-ll gives someone a dog for a gift? ( unless they specifically asked for one)

↑ FranticFrummie ↓

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 4:07 am

chani8 wrote:

When the weather is bad, do you think I can use piddle pads for my two dogs, FF? They just do not want to go outside. How long can they hold it?!

You have to train them. If they ever make a mistake in the house, put the scent in the pads. If you see them using the pads, give quick praise and a treat as soon as their done. If you have them trained to go on command "Go potty!", then it's even easier. Dogs love to mark the same spot over and over. Put the pads down next to the door they go out of for walks. They'll figure it out pretty quickly.

I can use the same piddle pad for two days in a row, because my dogs are small. If the pad gets too saturated, they will find somewhere else to go - usually behind DH's chair. embarrassed

I have 4 pads, and I rotate them through the laundry.

Do NOT use the disposable pads. They get very expensive very fast, and you have to change them every time. I could easily go through 5 a day. Disposables are good for travel.

How long can a dog hold it? Depends on the dog, and their health issues. My littlest one can hold it for up to 18 hours, but the bigger one needs more frequent breaks. During the Aliyah flight I used disposable pads, and took turns bringing each dog into the bathroom with me. Bossy used the pad that I put on the bathroom floor, but Chica wouldn't go. She waited until we got to a bathroom at Ben Gurion, and then peed a whole gallon! I had no idea a 6 pound dog could hold so much liquid. shock

↑ FranticFrummie ↓

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 5:25 am

chani8 wrote:

I've never seen the non-disposable kind here.

See if Petco will ship to Israel, or if your local pet shop can order them in for you.

If you want to see if the dogs can be trained to use one before you go through the expense, try using a crib pad that has a plastic backing (the kind that can get thrown in the washing machine.) If you have a big dog, a crib pad might actually be a better choice, as they are larger than piddle pads.

↑ chani8

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 6:07 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

So I just throw the crib pad by the door. Should I put some pee on it or something? How will they know what it's for, other than to chew up and drag around?

Tablepoetry

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 6:38 am

We have a dog. It was my son's idea and he is responsible (he's a teen). He walks him 3 times a day, feeds him, etc.
I prefer dogs to cats because I simply cannot stand when cats climb on counters or tables.

It is a lot of work and most kids aren't up for it. Will you be willing to walk the dog if your kids don't?

One added bonus to dogs, btw, is the security aspect. Our dog barks when anyone approaches.

↑ FranticFrummie ↓

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 7:01 am

chani8 wrote:

So I just throw the crib pad by the door. Should I put some pee on it or something? How will they know what it's for, other than to chew up and drag around?

Yep, it will need some pee scent. Next time you walk your dogs, take the pad with you. When you see them mark an area, rub the pad on it. It doesn't need a lot, remember that a dog's sense of smell is a lot better than yours.

When you're at home, and they start fussing at the door to go out, lead them to the pad and say "Go potty!" If they sniff or pee there, give lots of praise and treats. "Good potty!!!!" I promise you, you'll only have to do this once or twice. Dogs are creatures of habit, just like cats.

granolamom

Wed, Dec 23 2015, 9:00 pm

Dolly Welsh wrote:

nah, it doesnt cost half of a child.

costco food (kirkland) is relatively inexpensive (alot less than what my kids eat!) and highly rated.

poodles cost alot to groom, but many breeds dont require extensive grooming. ours did, but our groomer was alot cheaper than another poster mentioned ($55 for the same services, less the hike) and we only needed that a few times a year.
our local pet shelter offers low cost veterinary care (even if you didnt rescue your pet from them)
I wont argue the increased housekeeping chores though!

↑ FranticFrummie

Mon, Jul 18 2016, 3:24 am

amother wrote:

What happens on Shabbos? Are you allowed to touch the dog? Are others?

You can touch the dog gently, if you are sure that you won't be tearing hair out. Loose hairs that are already detached at the roots are not a problem. You can get around this by brushing the dog well before Shabbos.

You are allowed to pick up the dog if you NEED to, but not just for fun. If the dog jumps in your lap, that's fine. Visitors may not pick up the dog, but if they do, don't embarrass them. Just say something like "Sorry, but Fido doesn't like being picked up."

Leashes are problematic. If you absolutely have to take the dog for a walk (no fenced yard), then hold the leash very loosely, and try to hold it in an unusual way. Don't wrap it around your hand, for example. If your dog truly does not have the sense that G-d gave a hamster, then you may hold the leash in the usual way, to keep it from running into the street and causing an accident. (I had a dog like that, and that is the psak I got, when the eruv went down.)

All pets must have fresh food and water first thing in the morning, before we take care of our own needs, and before we daven. Animals are dependent on us, and the Torah says that they must be fed before we are.