Good Time or Terrible Time to Get a Puppy?

AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 16:56

Hi guys,

I've been wanting to get a dog for quite some time but was never able to as we've always been living in a rented place.

Now that we're finally moving into our own place, we can get a puppy/dog of our own.

Ideally would like to get a puppy (8 weeks old minimum). Have not made any deposits or the sort at this stage.

Both of us have never owned a dog, but have been doing a lot of research on the most suitable breed that will fit our pre-virus lifestyle as well as caring and training dogs.

However just wanting to know people's opinion on the timing, considering the whole virus situation.

Pros
- Able to dedicate more time with them while they are still young (and more easily trainable) as both my partner and I are WFH (aware that we will still need to go to puppy school)

Cons
- Unable to bring puppy to "socialise" with other dogs and humans at dog parks etc during the crucial development age due to social distancing rules
- Puppy might get too used to us being around all day everyday and might suffer from separation anxiety when we eventually ease back into regular life

I may have missed out on other important factors to consider so feel free to share!

TIA

Poll Options

  • 63
    Get a puppy now while we are WFH
  • 16
    Wait until virus situation blows over
Pets

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2020 - 17:07
    +7

    I've been wanting to get a dog for quite some time

    Go for it.

    As long as you're not being triggered by COVID-19 boredom, that's about as legitimate a reason for a pet animal as it gets.

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 17:28
      +1

      Definitely not due to boredom, just the timing is (un)fortunate(?) that we are only settling into our new place when this virus is going bonkers :(

      • jdt1986 on 15/04/2020 - 17:33
        +1

        If you've genuinely wanted one for a while, and are committed to keeping and loving the dog regardless of what happens post-COVID19, then go for it!

    • jdt1986 on 15/04/2020 - 17:31
      +4

      I'm seeing on Social Media that way too many people (who have NEVER expressed a desire to get one before) are getting dogs all of a sudden. It really does reek of "I'm now stuck at home all day due to this virus, I'm bored… I know, I'll get a dog, it'll give me something to focus on and they'll entertain me!".

      I really do hope that there isn't a flood of dogs abandoned when all this virus stuff is over, everyone goes back to work, and realizes they can't keep the dog sufficiently occupied to stop them being unhappy, chewing furniture or barking…

      • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2020 - 17:43

        If the reason is transient, then it is bad reason to get something practically permanent.

  • thatonethere on 15/04/2020 - 17:10
    +1

    If you have stable jobs sure not a bad idea.

    One bad thing is it might get used to you being home all the time, not used to other people or dogs.

    So in balance I would say no

  • nikoris on 15/04/2020 - 17:14
    -8

    "Hey honey, lets make a thread online so strangers can tell me if i should buy a puppy or not"

    You want a puppy, GO GET ONE, geez people stop overthinking things.

    • timthetoolman on 15/04/2020 - 17:22
      +5

      Not but one month ago you made a post asking strangers what car you should get. How is that any different?

      • nikoris on 15/04/2020 - 17:40
        -6

        Comparing cars with puppies. lol.

        • wombatzzz on 16/04/2020 - 08:50

          Yep, a car is a simpler decision with far less responsibility

      • Gerry H on 25/04/2020 - 15:27
        +1

        LOL!!!!!!

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 17:25
      +5

      We don't want to be irresponsible people who gets one without considering the dogs needs. As mentioned in my OP, I am worried that if I get a puppy now it will not have the opportunity to socialize with other dogs/people during the very crucial development phase. I have not have a dog before and I would like to hear from people who have brought up a puppy before to share their experience. If you have nothing to contribute but hate, please move along.

      • saintpotter on 15/04/2020 - 18:05

        Well said mate.

      • kusama on 15/04/2020 - 20:52

        It's a good point. Pre-corona I was looking for another dog to add to my pack. Visited a 6 month old with my dogs.. It was so scared of them as it had never been socialized however this dog was not trained at all. This wont happen with all dogs, and there may be training around this. I say get one (maybe two) as it is a chance to bond and train.

        Edit: The training for my dogs is getting them excited in situations they aren't used to.

  • Drakesy on 15/04/2020 - 17:16
    +1

    IMHO the more time you can put in in training and socialising with the dog in the early years the better. Go for it.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/04/2020 - 17:28

      And you can't really do that now.

  • MS Paint on 15/04/2020 - 17:20
    +4

    Puppy might get too used to us being around all day everyday and might suffer from separation anxiety when we eventually ease back into regular life

    This ++++

  • aspirepranesh on 15/04/2020 - 17:30
    +4

    I was working from home 3 days a week before the Covid19 restrictions and got the puppy 3 years ago mainly because I had the time at home. Here are my thoughts:

    • If you are getting an 8 week old puppy, you would need to keep him indoors for atleast 3-4 weeks before you have all the vaccinations done. You would not want to let other dogs play with him on walks.
    • You are better off training a puppy after 12-16 weeks as that is when their attention span starts to grow. This is my personal experience.
    • You can start the potty training when you get him, but still be aware of accidents and wfh helps keep an eye on him
    • You can still take him on walks after he had his vaccinations and socialize with other dogs and kids in the neighbourhood (this is an other 4-6 weeks after you get the puppy, I am hoping they would relax some of the rules by then)

    As for the separation anxiety, it may depend on the breed and how much you keep the dog active. Ours gets 2 walks a day (no excuses) and a good deal of play and enough toys to keep him busy during the day. I generally tend to get him tired in the mornings if I have to go out to see my clients.

    Even if you start searching for a puppy, you may have to wait for a few weeks before you maybe able to bring one home (depending on the breed, breeder and when the litter is due, unless you are lucky).

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 17:35
      +1

      Thanks for taking the time to share some very good advice.

      Indeed, I don't foresee being able to bring home a little one for some time. However, not sure how long this virus situation will continue on for!

      But thanks for sharing a rough timeline so I know what to expect :)

      • aspirepranesh on 15/04/2020 - 17:37
        +2

        No worries mate :) And good luck. I am sure you and your partner will enjoy his/her company.

        The breed we were after (a cairn terrier) was very rare and very few breeders were available (we had to drive 800kms each way as we refused to fly him out) and it took us 3 months to find a breeder and an other 2 months to convince her as she was very specific about her dog owners and had to wait an other month before he hit the 8 week mark. It took us 6 months from the date we started searching to bring him home.

        On a side note, if you are not aware of this guy already, check out Zak George on YouTube.

        • Antz on 17/06/2020 - 10:40

          Lucky! I’ve been looking for a cairn for the past nearly a year with no luck. Almost at the point of giving up my dream dog.

          • aspirepranesh on 17/06/2020 - 11:03

            @Antz: Whereabouts are you located? I can help you get in touch with my breeder :)

            She definitely has some great dogs.

            • Antz on 17/06/2020 - 11:08

              @aspirepranesh: I’m in Brisbane actually haha. some help would be great! I’m in a rental and the landlord has agreed to the cairn (we still need body corporate approval but it should be ok). I’m at the point where I am willing for a cat but my partner has said no to both cat and dog at the same time until we have our own place - I’ve told him how hard it is to get a cairn and if one became available, it would be heartbreaking to turn it down!

              I’ve been in contact with some breeders and it’s been a bit of a struggle. Twice I’ve asked to be on waitlists (they even suggested it first) and both failed to confirm if I’m on the waitlist when I asked. Plus I don’t want to keep pestering them about it.

              I’ve just emailed most of the breeders on dogzonline but I’m highly doubting anything will come from it. One of them just had a litter and don’t breed for two years!

  • Ghost47 on 15/04/2020 - 17:30
    +2

    The best time to buy a puppy was yesterday. The second best time is today.

  • dcep on 15/04/2020 - 17:35

    i think some tiger or lion gets covid .. not sure about dog

  • fossilfuel on 15/04/2020 - 17:47
    +2

    Cons
    - Unable to bring puppy to "socialise" with other dogs and humans at dog parks etc during the crucial development age due to social distancing rules
    - Puppy might get too used to us being around all day everyday and might suffer from separation anxiety when we eventually ease back into regular life

    Usyd released an article on how to make sure your dog doesn't get canine cabin fever which might help you address your two cons. Please get your puppy locally and not like person who wanted to travel 5 hours across state borders to pickup a dog.

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 18:14
      +1

      Yes, had a read of that thread already before I posted!

      Definitely not looking to do a long road trip, have already looked at a couple of breeders who are at most a 1 hour drive.

      • fossilfuel on 15/04/2020 - 18:23
        +1

        No worries mate. It seems like you've done quite a bit of research and are well informed. When you get your puppy, please post a pic here :D

  • payton on 15/04/2020 - 17:56
    +1

    Are you ready to find out your dog have been doing this all over your sofa/carpet/bed, while you weren't watching? :D

    Daily dog poo pickup, the risk of stepping on bits of poo that didn't get scooped and not realising till you walked back to the door of the house, dog smell on the sofa, carpet etc, the need for more regular cleaning

    So long as you're good with all that

  • Adz81 on 15/04/2020 - 18:00
    +3

    Are you absolutely set on a puppy? I got a senior dog 4 (maybe even 5?) years ago, and will only ever have seniors… Particularly if you have time to help it settle in and decompress.

    • Adz81 on 15/04/2020 - 18:01

      Mine came house trained (she'll let us know when it's time for a walk) and very calm… Poor wee pup has terrible separation anxiety, but between my folks and I it's manageable… She just needs to live as long as I do.

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 18:04

      I considered adopting as well, but looking through RSPCA, a lot of senior dogs I see up for adoption are larger dog breeds (Staffies, German Shephards etc) which will thrive in a large yard space which I don't have.

      I'm looking at smaller dog breeds that will be happy in an apartment (sadly my partner does not like Greyhounds..)

  • chrisd262 on 15/04/2020 - 18:02
    +4

    Please consider rescuing

    • fantombloo on 15/04/2020 - 21:36
      +1

      Of course that's the only sensible option considering hundreds of thousands are killed each year, but people often want a "new" one or demand certain features.

  • chrisd262 on 15/04/2020 - 18:03

    www.dogzonline.com.au

  • ego22 on 15/04/2020 - 18:06
    +3

    my sister and her boyfriend bought a puppy when they were out of work for a while. they were around it so much and gave it so much attention that it developed anxiety seperation problems. it cries loudly when they go to work now and it completely breaks down and makes its self sick that neighbours have complained a few times. its still like that now almost 2 years on. needs a dr harry visit or something. be careful of giving it so much attention. and then having to suddenly leave it when u get busy again.

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 18:10
      +1

      This is exactly one of my concerns, I'm aware that I do need to give puppies more attention but at the same time I need to be prepared for when we do go back to our usual routine. Thanks for sharing your experience, definitely something to think about.

  • SnowDragon on 15/04/2020 - 18:43

    I heard that my local cat center is having 30+ adoptions a day. They usually do around 4.

    I guess everyone wants a companion. Go for it OP!

    • SirFlibbled on 18/05/2020 - 10:52

      Sadly many of them will probably be returned when the world goes back to normal.

      • CyberMurning on 18/05/2020 - 11:26

        and i will take them later, as long they are well behave and small-medium sizes

  • mapax on 15/04/2020 - 19:13

    Being an apartment it might take a little extra effort to prevent separation anxiety but shouldn’t be too difficult with crate training.

  • CyberMurning on 15/04/2020 - 19:14

    Me too!
    Where to get? RSPCA? But they mostly have big and old dogs. I prefer small.

    Sydney south west.

  • Brooklyn on 15/04/2020 - 19:31
    +3

    Hey Dude NO NO NO do not buy a puppy, get a rescue dog. Iam a positive dog trainer who volunteers at Doggie Rescue in Sydney and a Dingo shelter… and we have heaps of great dogs available. Do not get a puppy now as it is not a good time, you will have to socialise it with both humans and other dogs, parks, different noises etc… See Ian Dunbar's Before you get a Puppy and After you get a puppy. (free ebooks just Google him it is from one of the masters of Dog Training). Talk to your local rescue group or shelter. Save a life. Oldies are great. Adopt a dog it's tax deductible also.

    • CyberMurning on 15/04/2020 - 19:49

      I don't mind a bit old but small is a must (we both smalls).

    • ssquid on 15/04/2020 - 21:06

      Adopt a dog it's tax deductible also.

      Wait what?

    • AssamLaksa on 15/04/2020 - 23:10

      Hey thanks for the suggestion. Just had a look at the Doggie Rescue page. A lot of the smaller breed dogs that are fit for an apartment requires someone with rescue experience or is bonded with another dog…

    • Xizor on 07/01/2021 - 21:44

      People always say this, and i have looked repeatedly, and its almost always either larger dogs and old/traumatized dogs that have particular requirements.

  • Lastchancetosee on 16/04/2020 - 08:15

    Get the dog you want. You've put in a lot of thought and time into this, and weighed up the pros and cons.

    Our streets are full of people walking dogs, even more so with the virus, so your pet will start to be socialised.

    We've had puppies, older dogs, and a rescue cat and all have been fine, but several friends have had rescue dogs which had a lot of hang-ups and fear because of their previous owners or previous situation. They were prepared to adapt, quite a lot, to the dog, but not everyone would.

  • try2bhelpful on 16/04/2020 - 08:50

    We live near an off leash dog park area and people are out with their dogs. The dogs are having a great time socialising whilst the people keep their distance.

  • Peck on 16/04/2020 - 10:13

    If you get a puppy, as opposed to a full grown dog, then you need to take him to puppy pre-school (in my experience you only need a small room and there may be 10 adults with their dogs). That way good and social habits are established from the start. Therefore now is a bad time.

  • tinyorca on 16/04/2020 - 10:30
    +1

    Get a puppy! It's a great time to do it as you'll have time to train it and get to know it. Getting a puppy while you're at work all the time would mean it is at home alone and more likely to feel separation anxiety straight up.

    To avoid any future separation anxiety you could just go out the front for a while. Or if you can, go for a walk without him/her. My dog misses me when I go to the letterbox, and is super excited when I come back inside, like I've been gone all day. I don't think they have concept of time like we do.

    A puppy would also be good for any depression you may be feeling, being stuck at home away from friends. The puppy would love all the attention too and probably end up being a great dog because of it.

    Good luck!

  • Pedro123 on 16/04/2020 - 10:41

    Sorry to be a drag but ..

    1 puppydog = 15 years of care and more

    be very sure …

    California laws may be worth a read .

    https://sfvbareferral.com/california-pet-laws/

    • AssamLaksa on 16/04/2020 - 11:38

      I'm very certain that I want a dog, but just unsure of the timing of getting one. Would have gotten one years ago if I was living in my own place and not renting.

      The NSW Pet Laws will be a lot more relevant to me : https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/responsible-pet-ownershi…

    • Peck on 16/04/2020 - 12:20

      Absolutely correct. I am sure not the OP, but some people love them when young and cute, but when they grow up they are not so cute. Sometimes they become an expensive inconvenience and some people think that they are disposable. With animal abandonment being notorious at Christmas. 'Needitcheap' makes an excellent point about training your dog re separation anxiety. It can be distressing for the animal, and damaging to your property. Mr Google tells me this :-https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/does-your-dog-freak-out-when-you-leave

  • Soluble on 16/04/2020 - 15:10

    Got one a few months ago, he was just getting use to being at home by himself for a few hours, no he can't handle it. I can't imagine what it's gonna be like when the wife stops working from home. Probably going to need to get him a friend :(

  • Geekomatic on 17/04/2020 - 00:11
    +1

    Get a rescue dog! You can always get a puppy later and this would help out the shelters. You wouldn't have to worry about the stuff you're worried about because an adult dog is already past all of that stuff. You can still train an adult dog— so that's still on the table, but really only that. Good luck.

    • try2bhelpful on 17/04/2020 - 07:48

      I agree with this. If the dog is, relatively, young then you get all the advantages without going through the chew on everything and isn’t house trained phase.

    • Xizor on 07/01/2021 - 21:46

      Good luck that with. We had no luck, always larger dogs or traumatized dogs.

      • CyberMurning on 07/01/2021 - 21:48

        Same…. The small ones are rare at rscpa

  • sunnyc on 08/05/2020 - 19:31

    Get a puppy. Get a good puppy so it doesn't go to the pound.

  • MaJo on 17/05/2020 - 06:04

    If you are a loving and responsible pet owner go for it! Puppy will be soooo happy! :)

  • ViperAMD on 23/07/2020 - 16:10

    My parents recently lost the family dog, mum was keen to get a dog but it hit dad pretty hard. I recently bought a custom pet portrait for them from an old photo from https://paintmypooch.com.au/ (which turned out great). Dads nearing 70, so not sure if a new puppy is the way to go; think i'm going to look into rescues.

    • try2bhelpful on 23/07/2020 - 16:21

      Maybe look into a middle age rescue, something that doesn’t need quite so much energy but a lot of love.

      • ViperAMD on 24/07/2020 - 14:31

        Thanks! I'll look into it

        • CyberMurning on 24/07/2020 - 15:06

          where to look for middle age rescue dogs? (NSW)

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