looking to get a pup for my daughter

hagoonabear

Hi my little girl turns one in november and I would love to get her a small dog just someone who will be her best friend until she is older , I don't know if one year olds are too young but I have always grown up around dogs so I'm looking for a small breed that won't shed much and will be ok enough to train thanks

Tranceypoo

Personally I think it's a really bad idea to get animals as presents for children, especially children as young as one year old, why not get her a stuffed animal toy for now, maybe when she's a bit older, ie old enough to understand that an animal is a living being and she can be taught how to interact properly with it and respect it, then you could think about getting a real pet.

A puppy is just as much work (if not more!) than a baby, your daughter will be crawling/walking and there will be pee and poop from the pup on the floor as toilet training takes a couple of months at least, depending on how consistent you are, the puppy will be nipping and mouthing because that's what puppies do, you turn away for a nano second and the next thing the puppy has nipped (not viciously bitten, nipped) at your daughter in the wrong place, like her face, because she took his toy or he took her toy, puppy teeth can be sharp and 1 year old skin is soft and easily cut/broken.

I would really strongly advice against getting a puppy as a present for a 1 year old child, personally I think it's a recipe for disaster, sorry!

ETA, having just looked at your other posts, I see you are starting a new business and your daughter isn't sleeping through the night - I think you have enough stress at the moment without adding a new puppy that cries at night and pees and poops everywhere into the mix, I don't mean to sound patronising just want you to be realistic!

ButtersSuki

Wholeheartedly agree with the above - she's far too young.

SingItOut

My grandfather gave me a puppy for my first birthday and there was never any problem because I was taught how to interact with her. My cousins 8 month old baby is growing up with a boxer puppy (almost 2 years old) and they adore eachother but are never left alone.

Would you consider maybe getting her a rabbit or similar pet and then maybe a puppy when she's a little bit older to interact with it properly?

Silverfish

SingItOut wrote: »

My grandfather gave me a puppy for my first birthday and there was never any problem because I was taught how to interact with her. My cousins 8 month old baby is growing up with a boxer puppy (almost 2 years old) and they adore eachother but are never left alone.

Would you consider maybe getting her a rabbit or similar pet and then maybe a puppy when she's a little bit older to interact with it properly?

I'm not sure a 1 year old would understand how to look after or handle a rabbit correctly either!

Knine

My second daughter was only 1 year old when I got another dog for us all. It was the best thing I ever did but as mentioned above it is very hard work raising a toddler & a puppy at the same time!

Also consider if you plan on any more two legged additions to the family will you be able to manage? Many dogs end up homeless because of a new baby in the house. It would be a good idea to make sure your child is not allergic to dogs also.

kylith

I'd definitely wait until the little one is steady on her feet and potty trained before getting a pup. That way there'll be less chance of a boisterous puppy knocking her over, she'll be old enough to understand that it isn't a toy, and you'll have a bit of a break from disturbed nights and cleaning up shite.

SingItOut

Silverfish wrote: »

I'm not sure a 1 year old would understand how to look after or handle a rabbit correctly either!

That's where her parents come in to teach her how to do so.

Campingplaces

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Personally I think it's a really bad idea to get animals as presents for children, especially children as young as one year old, why not get her a stuffed animal toy for now, maybe when she's a bit older, ie old enough to understand that an animal is a living being and she can be taught how to interact properly with it and respect it, then you could think about getting a real pet.

A puppy is just as much work (if not more!) than a baby, your daughter will be crawling/walking and there will be pee and poop from the pup on the floor as toilet training takes a couple of months at least, depending on how consistent you are, the puppy will be nipping and mouthing because that's what puppies do, you turn away for a nano second and the next thing the puppy has nipped (not viciously bitten, nipped) at your daughter in the wrong place, like her face, because she took his toy or he took her toy, puppy teeth can be sharp and 1 year old skin is soft and easily cut/broken.

I would really strongly advice against getting a puppy as a present for a 1 year old child, personally I think it's a recipe for disaster, sorry!

ETA, having just looked at your other posts, I see you are starting a new business and your daughter isn't sleeping through the night - I think you have enough stress at the moment without adding a new puppy that cries at night and pees and poops everywhere into the mix, I don't mean to sound patronising just want you to be realistic!

Toilet training a dog should NEVER take a couple of months. I've always grown up with dogs and even volunteer at a dog training centre. Toilet training should take a couple of weeks at best.

A good idea when the pup is still being toilet trained is to confine it to one room that has a door to outside and place newspaper on part of the floor. That way when he is doing his business in that room you can pick him up (mid business) and put him on the newspaper and tell him that is where he is to go.
The pup will quickly learn that it is to do its business on the newspaper and eventually you can make the area covered by newspaper smaller until it can be moved outside. Leave the small spot of newspaper outside (leave the door open maybe if you are around so pup can go outside itself) until the pup knows to always go outside. Eventually you can remove the paper and the pup will go outside.

Personally I think a one year old is a little too young to get a pup, but if you leave it a year I think it would be fine. A two year old is usually old enough to understand what a living thing is. As long as they are not left alone together I don't see a problem with getting her a dog next year

Silverfish

SingItOut wrote: »

That's where her parents come in to teach her how to do so.

Same as a pup then.

andreac

Campingplaces wrote: »

Toilet training a dog should NEVER take a couple of months. I've always grown up with dogs and even volunteer at a dog training centre. Toilet training should take a couple of weeks at best.

A good idea when the pup is still being toilet trained is to confine it to one room that has a door to outside and place newspaper on part of the floor. That way when he is doing his business in that room you can pick him up (mid business) and put him on the newspaper and tell him that is where he is to go.
The pup will quickly learn that it is to do its business on the newspaper and eventually you can make the area covered by newspaper smaller until it can be moved outside. Leave the small spot of newspaper outside (leave the door open maybe if you are around so pup can go outside itself) until the pup knows to always go outside. Eventually you can remove the paper and the pup will go outside.

Personally I think a one year old is a little too young to get a pup, but if you leave it a year I think it would be fine. A two year old is usually old enough to understand what a living thing is. As long as they are not left alone together I don't see a problem with getting her a dog next year

Using newspaper when toilet training is actually the worst thing you can do as basically you are allowing the dog to go inside and letting him think its ok to do so. So then when you want him to go outside, hes thinking, well i have been allowed to go inside all along.

Better to start with outside from the word go.

Tranceypoo

Campingplaces wrote: »

Toilet training a dog should NEVER take a couple of months

No, it shouldn't but like I said it depends on how consistent you are, like if you're potty training a child at the same you might drop the ball sometimes...!!

Campingplaces

andreac wrote: »

Using newspaper when toilet training is actually the worst thing you can do as basically you are allowing the dog to go inside and letting him think its ok to do so. So then when you want him to go outside, hes thinking, well i have been allowed to go inside all along.

Better to start with outside from the word go.

I can see your point. I am just repeating what I have been told at the dog training centre. You have the newspaper covering part of the floor inside and leading outside, then remove it until it is just outside and the pup learns to go outside. He doesn't learn "inside is ok", he learns "newspaper is ok" and then "outside is ok".

I suppose it would make no difference if you started just bringing him outside. It's also a lot easier to clean up when there is newspaper on the floor. My dogs have all been toilet trained in less than 2 weeks and never think it is ok to go inside just because I started them on the newspaper inside

muddypaws

Campingplaces wrote: »

I can see your point. I am just repeating what I have been told at the dog training centre. You have the newspaper covering part of the floor inside and leading outside, then remove it until it is just outside and the pup learns to go outside. He doesn't learn "inside is ok", he learns "newspaper is ok" and then "outside is ok".

I suppose it would make no difference if you started just bringing him outside. It's also a lot easier to clean up when there is newspaper on the floor. My dogs have all been toilet trained in less than 2 weeks and never think it is ok to go inside just because I started them on the newspaper inside

That's really old fashioned advice to be fair, and I'd really hope that any dog trainer would keep up to date with current research and thinking. Sorry to pry, what dog training centre uses volunteers? I would have thought all staff would be paid, if they're charging people to train their dogs.

Campingplaces

muddypaws wrote: »

That's really old fashioned advice to be fair, and I'd really hope that any dog trainer would keep up to date with current research and thinking. Sorry to pry, what dog training centre uses volunteers? I would have thought all staff would be paid, if they're charging people to train their dogs.

I dont train the dogs, just work in the shop at the training centre but that's what the trainers have said

Campingplaces

Campingplaces wrote: »

I dont train the dogs, just work in the shop at the training centre but that's what the trainers have said

It's not really work like I just go down once a week to help out around the shop. I just like to be around the dogs, meet the owners, talk to the trainers and help out a little bit. They don't accept volunteers for training them

kylith

Campingplaces wrote: »

I can see your point. I am just repeating what I have been told at the dog training centre. You have the newspaper covering part of the floor inside and leading outside, then remove it until it is just outside and the pup learns to go outside. He doesn't learn "inside is ok", he learns "newspaper is ok" and then "outside is ok".

I suppose it would make no difference if you started just bringing him outside. It's also a lot easier to clean up when there is newspaper on the floor. My dogs have all been toilet trained in less than 2 weeks and never think it is ok to go inside just because I started them on the newspaper inside

My worry there would be that a dog can't tell the difference between a newspaper that has been put on the floor for them to wee on and the paper you've put down on the floor while you're making tea/opening the door/whatever. I'd be of the opinion that you shouldn't train them do something that you don't want them to keep doing.

Campingplaces

kylith wrote: »

My worry there would be that a dog can't tell the difference between a newspaper that has been put on the floor for them to wee on and the paper you've put down on the floor while you're making tea/opening the door/whatever. I'd be of the opinion that you shouldn't train them do something that you don't want them to keep doing.

That's a good point. I suppose I had just never had any problems with my dogs and had been told this by trainers so assumed it to be correct. I don't really see why there would be paper on the floor though. If you're putting paper down so you can make tea would you not put it on a table or something?
That's how I trained my dogs anyway and never had a problem. They only go on the paper for a week or two when they're puppies, I'd say once they learn to go outside they forget the whole paper thing in a few weeks so it's never a problem. I think the main point of the paper is that it's easy to clean up, you're not always there to open the door and let them outside etc.
But yeah good point and I hadn't really thought about it.

boomerang

SingItOut wrote: »

Would you consider maybe getting her a rabbit or similar pet and then maybe a puppy when she's a little bit older to interact with it properly?

A rabbit can live to eight years old and is more fragile than a dog. Not exactly the best stop-gap.

seannash

Campingplaces wrote: »

I can see your point. I am just repeating what I have been told at the dog training centre. You have the newspaper covering part of the floor inside and leading outside, then remove it until it is just outside and the pup learns to go outside. He doesn't learn "inside is ok", he learns "newspaper is ok" and then "outside is ok".

I suppose it would make no difference if you started just bringing him outside. It's also a lot easier to clean up when there is newspaper on the floor. My dogs have all been toilet trained in less than 2 weeks and never think it is ok to go inside just because I started them on the newspaper inside

I trained my dog this way and it worked very very well.
I don't mind that its old fashioned because it worked. She never associated newspaper with being able to go inside

Zapperzy

I think I'd mirror other peoples opinions in that it's a lot to take on a pup when your child's so young. Pups of any size or breed are boistorous, nippy (surprisingly sharp teeth), will cry at night and pee and poo on the floor. Be prepared for getting up at all hours to stand in the garden waiting for the pup to pee, having to double your attention to try and keep an eye on two fast moving youngsters trying to stick there tongues/fingers into plug sockets.

I'd start researching suitable breeds and breeders, if you decide to go down the purebred route, now and when everything's a bit more stable get a pup.

I wouldn't recommend any small animals (rabbits, guinea pigs etc), far too fragile and easy to fatally injure.

seannash

Campingplaces wrote: »

That's a good point. I suppose I had just never had any problems with my dogs and had been told this by trainers so assumed it to be correct. I don't really see why there would be paper on the floor though. If you're putting paper down so you can make tea would you not put it on a table or something?
That's how I trained my dogs anyway and never had a problem. They only go on the paper for a week or two when they're puppies, I'd say once they learn to go outside they forget the whole paper thing in a few weeks so it's never a problem. I think the main point of the paper is that it's easy to clean up, you're not always there to open the door and let them outside etc.
But yeah good point and I hadn't really thought about it.

Yeah I don't think they assume all paper needs to be pissed on. When you transfer the paper to the grass its the sensation of grass under there feet that replaces newspaper.

kylith

Campingplaces wrote: »

That's a good point. I suppose I had just never had any problems with my dogs and had been told this by trainers so assumed it to be correct. I don't really see why there would be paper on the floor though. If you're putting paper down so you can make tea would you not put it on a table or something?
That's how I trained my dogs anyway and never had a problem. They only go on the paper for a week or two when they're puppies, I'd say once they learn to go outside they forget the whole paper thing in a few weeks so it's never a problem. I think the main point of the paper is that it's easy to clean up, you're not always there to open the door and let them outside etc.
But yeah good point and I hadn't really thought about it.

Well maybe your house is neater than mine.

It's a long time since I had to deal with a pup but we brought her out a lot so that she only ever weed outside. Saves the whole indoor/outdoor transition. Did the same with Tegan when she got a bit lazy a while back and we were back to only weeing in the garden inside a couple of days.

Campingplaces

seannash wrote: »

Yeah I don't think they assume all paper needs to be pissed on. When you transfer the paper to the grass its the sensation of grass under there feet that replaces newspaper.

Yes my dogs were trained this way and never assumed all paper was to be pissed on. The only time he made the mistake of peeing inside was the first year we got a Xmas tree. He got confused, sniffed the tree and pissed on it.

You could avoid the newspaper and bring them outside every time but you are not always going to be there to open the door and let them out. Confining them to one room with newspaper avoids them peeing all over your house and means it is easy to clean up when you are not there to let them out

Millem

hagoonabear wrote: »

Hi my little girl turns one in november and I would love to get her a small dog just someone who will be her best friend until she is older , I don't know if one year olds are too young but I have always grown up around dogs so I'm looking for a small breed that won't shed much and will be ok enough to train thanks

Hi hagoonabear, if you are absolutely set on getting a dog I would suggest an older calm dog. Puppies' teeth are like razors and tbh sometimes it really hurts me never mind a 1 year old. You could also bypass the whole toilet training too . I do agree it's great for children to grow up with dogs. I have a 6 month old baby and labs. I prefer big dogs over small breeds but I suppose that's a personal thing. My dogs are no probs but I had them years before having baby, speaking for myself though I couldn't manage a new pup and baby!

Campingplaces

Millem wrote: »

Hi hagoonabear, if you absolutely set on getting a dog I would suggest an older calm dog. Puppies' teeth are like razors and tbh sometimes it really hurts me never mind a 1 year old. You could also bypass the whole toilet training too . I do agree it's great for children to grow up with dogs. I have a 6 month old baby and labs. I prefer big dogs over large breeds but I suppose that's a personal thing. My dogs are no probs but I had them years before having baby, speaking for myself though I couldn't manage a new pup and baby!

This is actually a much better idea than getting a pup. It would avoid the whole toilet training issue and avoid an accident (puppy's nip)
You could look into getting a 1-2 year old dog from an animal shelter. They are tested to make sure they are not aggressive and ok around children before they are rehomed and not all dogs from shelters come from abusive background, many are just abandoned, lost, handed in, etc and have come from loving homes that just can't take care of them any more

Reventon93

Just want to echo the newspaper thing. I'd definitely be worried about confusing the pup and whether they could differenciate reading paper from toilet paper. When we were training one of our dogs we used the newspaper method and it was grand. Until one day she decided to do a nice big poo on a stack of reading newspapers that was on the couch. Looking back on it, its funny. But I cant blame her from being confused. Anyway, thats just my 2 cents. If you get a pup, good luck!