Getting Our 1St Dog?

[Voltage]

Morning all right when we move later this year and have settled in we are going to get a rescue dog mrs v had dogs when she was younger I have never owned a dog... now I'm retired it is a good time to to get our dog.
Now I haven't a clue what to look forward to... can one of you dog owners tell me if possible when you feed your dog and how many times a day ...when do you take it for walks and so on... on a daily basis what else do you do..any help to how to look after the dog would be helpful thx

[anthro-nerd]

Where do we start!!

So, as your first dog there are a things to know.

Do you want a small, medium or large breed?
Do you want a non maulting breed?
How much time do you want to spend walking your dog every day? (30 minutes - 2 hours depending on different breeds!)

[Voltage]

i doubt it will be big dog wont know til we see what is available no idea about going for a walk an hour i thought

[anthro-nerd]

So a little about my dog, he's a 3 year old Cairn terrier, he wakes up at 8am everyday and we give him breakfast, he gets about an hours walk every day (we run together too), and then he has dinner at about 6pm.

Terriers are a high energy breed, full of personality and often very stubborn!

[NoMercy]

They need walking twice daily - morning and evening - at the very least. Always feed after excercise, not before. Get good pet insurance. Take advice from an expert on good quality pet food but avoid Bakers like the plague as it contains anti-freeze.

Personally I'd go for an adult dog as puppies can be destructive.

Consider obedience and social interaction classes if necessary and be prepared to have your dog wrap you around its little paw.

[pixie374]

Congratulations :-). You'll love it... ours is a small dog, a Cavalier. My son takes him out first thing and I go out with him at lunchtime with my sister and her dogs, sometimes in the evenings, especially in the summer and he gets fed twice a day. He doesn't eat much and is quite fussy, so we always leave biscuits out too... But bigger dogs will often wolf down everything in sight.
You need to think about if you go away as well. We always take ours with us, but you might need someone to help out if you go abroad.

[aelmpvw]

the simplest answer is that if you pick a dog at a rescue centre, ask the people at the centre what the dog's requirements are ...

[anthro-nerd]

With a rescue, you'll need to be aware of a few things. If he's happy to socialise with other dogs, it will make your life easier, as even if you don't have friends / family with dogs, when you're out walking you'll encounter a lot!

You'll also need to be patient with toilet training as a change of circumstance could mean you dog has a few accidents, but don't worry, training and patience will sort this!

Get plenty of 'food puzzle' type toys, my dog LOVES these and it can keep them entertained for hours (great for when your favourite program is about to start on the telly!).

Clicker training is highly recommended and dogs pick it up super easily, dont be afraid to attend dog training classes, as you CAN teach an old dog new tricks, and a dog trainer will help you know your dog a little more and help with his/her temperament. It's also great for socialising your new dog. :-)

And just enjoy them :-)

[Voltage]

mrs v will spoil the dog rotten she works in a big cash n carry warehouse which has a large pet dept.
it definitely wont be a puppy tho

[Voltage]

Crikey lots of things to think about isn't there. but we are looking forward to the challenge of a new dog

[Ken4155]

You will no doubt discover that how often you take your dog out walking will change over time. Obviously it will sometimes be weather dependent, but when the sun is shining, rather than sit in the house, bored out of your tree, you will want to take the dog out more often. And he/she will also enjoy more time outdoors, particualrly if you are somewhere you can slip the leash. Just been up the park with mine and he's covered in mud-in which he revels. In fact, i don't know which he likes more, the mud or the shower when we get back.

[Baldric]

A little light reading for you

http://www.timeforpaws.co.uk/blog/resources/owning-your-first-pet-dog/

[pixie374]

I don't have pet insurance any more. I was with PetPlan, but whenever we needed it, they wriggled. Now I prefer to save and pay for what they need, when they need it.

[Voltage]

thx balders that will give me a good insight of what to expect

[Voltage]

typical of insurance companies pixie take your money then when you need to use it they say "your not covered for that"

[pixie374]

Exactly... I think insurance companies do quite well.

[woofgang]

You are going to get as many answers to this as there are dog owners. Its really impossible to be prescriptive. My dogs are never lead walked apart from short walks to the car from the front door and back to the car after a run and never have been. Now they are older, and because they are weather reactive, they may not go out for walks everyday because they either want to sleep after a bad night (like last night) or because they won't leave the house (and garden) if the weather is bad. BUT they are older and I have got a large garden which they can access at any time and am retired and around all day. When they were younger they would have one good off lead run a day but this was possible because they have got a solid recall even in the face of deer. Mine get fed four times a day plus snacks. Two meals are dry dog food and two meals are cooked meat plus they get fruit, veg and treats. This sounds a lot but so long as the food intake is monitored overall then how it is fed is not a problem. Food is a major pleasure in most dog's lives and its an enrichment to feed them smaller amounts more often IMO.
Can I suggest that you look at the lifestyle that you enjoy and then choose your dog (both type and individual character) to fit in with that? Dogs can be live wires or couch potatoes, thinkers who need brain activity or well......sweet natured with less need for brain activity :) Some dogs love to train and learn tricks, some (like mine) think its a joke in poor taste. They aren't stupid, know a solid recall, will wee/poo on request, love people and have good house and car manners...they can also problem solve to get things they want....like a cup of milky coffee that I thought was out of reach sigh.....
Size isn't necessarily an indicator of exercise need...a retired greyhound for instance can be quite a couch potato and a tiny terrier can want and need quite a lot of physical activity.
One thing I would suggest you consider is whether you are prepared to groom or not. I am not and therefore would not consider a dog with anything approaching a long coat....equally you should consider the possibility that your house will never be clean again and how prepared you are for this. Do you want a dog who will travel on holidays with you? If you like to go abroad, will you need a dog who will be happy in kennels?
Loads to think about

[woofgang]

Bakers food is not great but does NOT contain antifreeze!

[woofgang]

https://www.wearebakers.co.uk/what-is-propylene-glycol/index.htm

[Hopkirk]

Forget a dog, get a cat.

Much better.