Feel Good Friday #2
ETC
The other day on ISPYDIY snapchat, I chatted about how I was thinking about getting a dog, and I got so much amazing feedback, I thought I would pose my puppy questions to you all. Living in NYC I was never really a dog person because of the lack of space and grass, but then I met my sister’s dog Charlie and he was so sweet and loving, my mind was totally changed. Once my home renovation is done later this Summer I will have a YARD! Wooot! I was thinking a pup would be a great addition to my life and my home. I am picturing a midsize dog that is super friendly who will come to the studio with me everyday, and is cool in new environments. I also love floppy ears. I think beagles are the absolute cuuuuuutest, but I don’t love how they take off when they catch a scent and always have to be on a lease. Any breed suggestions? Are dogs an insane amount of work? I also kinda love the idea of a mutt, I feel like they are scrappy like me, haha. Let me know what you think! And if I don’t get a dog, it’s still pretty fantastic to look at cute pictures of them on a Friday 🙂
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This was the best Friday surprise – a post full of puppies! I don’t have one because I’ve been having the same battle – I’d love a dog, but I’m not sure if it’s something I can take on just yet. One thing to think about is if you can get a dog walker, it’s not always easy to get right home after work/errands/etc. to walk the dog, so I’d suggest planning that out first 🙂
Dogs, ESPECIALLY puppies are a ton of work and full-time commitment. I have 3 and 1 is a puppy. I’ve had to take him to work everyday. Definitely research the breed(s) you want and if they are suitable for NYC/ apartment living. DO NOT get any type of Bulldog (you have a few pictures of french bulldogs in this post). They are very high maintenance, have a ton of health problems, are expensive to buy, and expensive to maintain. English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and any type of Mastiff is for highly experienced owners of the breed. I’ve had all of them. You could always get a mutt at a shelter but still be aware of the breeds the dog is mixed with. Maybe a pug would be suitable for you or a dachshund. You might also want to get a young adult or adult dog that is already obedience trained and house broken verses a puppy.
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I love dogs, but I do NOT love owning dogs because they are so much work! I would highly suggest borrowing someone’s dog for a week to see if it will work. Surely someone will be going on vacay and need a dog sitter? Otherwise, you can’t be too sure what kind of dog you will get breed-wise, because each dog’s temperment is different. I would suggest a rescue dog, because most rescue orgs will have a pretty good idea of the kind of dog you’ll be taking home and can match you up nicely.
This just made my day!! Seeing these adorable puppies instantly put a smile on my face, thank you!
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I’m thinking about getting a puppy too as most rescue centres in the uk require you to have a child older than 10 and my son is nearly 2. Plus puppies are amazing and then I get to do all the training and stuff with them. It’ll be hard work but it can’t be harder than a baby. I have been thinking about cross breeds that don’t shed too much. Recently I have met a few poodle cross breeds and they have been so beautiful in personality as well as gorgeous to look at. Be good to know what you decide to do!
I have two dogs and they are a lot of work if you care for them properly. They need tons of attention, love and exercise, even the little guys need their walks. If you don’t love doing that, and aren’t a homebody who will be with them, then it may not be a great home for them. BUT they add sooooo much to your life. And, I always say that people should get a rescue dog. Even if it is a pure bred, there are various breed specific shelters. There are so many great dogs that are in cages and need a loving home.
If you end up getting a dog please please please adopt a shelter pet! There are so many wonderful animals that end up getting put down. An adult dog would probably be better suited for you based on what you’re looking for. Puppies are like babies. You need to watch them all. The. Time.
And training them takes months. Start looking for trainers now.
Check if your home owners insurance has any breed restrictions, talk to everyone you see with a dog! Breed standards are just that, standards. Not every dog will fall into that box. Think of that little nugget peeing and pooping all over your beautiful new floors.
That being said, we’ve had our dog for… 6 years I think. We got her when she was about a year old. And she’s great.
PUPPIES !!
PUPPIES!!!!!
I’m not well versed in medium-sized dogs, but our story is we adopted a adult retriever/lab/border collie. He’s a phenomenal, laid-back dog, but he’s got a lot of bad habits we have been unable to break (licking and jumping on company when they first arrive). Some people like this behavior (like my bestie – ha!), but we’re not much of a fan. As the saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
Spend time with the dog if you can (we couldn’t, Murphy was from Texas!), but you’ll start to see habits develop as time passes.
Also if you adopt, make sure you know exactly what energy level dog you are looking for and ask A LOT of questions. We were looking for a laid-back, anytime adventurer, friendly with other dogs, good with kids, kind of dog. He doesn’t need to be walked everyday, he’s just happy to be with us wherever we are. He’s low-engery, but high-anxiety. His anxiety has mellowed out a tremendously over the last year and a half, but it’s an ongoing process. He just needs lotsa lovin’. <3
Best of luck!
Shelter dogs are absolutely amazing, I might be biased but I love basically any pit mix or staffordshire terrier. The best, calmest, most likely to stay put without a leash dog I ever had was a staffordshire terrier rescue. He was the absolute best dog and took basically zero training.
Now rescues can have issues- he had separation anxiety, but when I took him everywhere with me it wasn’t an issue. When I couldn’t- I gave him anxiety meds. Not a huge deal and he was the greatest dog… he was also super lazy which was nice.
Soooooooooo Cute pictures♡♡♡♡
I wish I could hire you to come take pics of my dog! I’m such a huge animal lover, so this post is right up my alley! I also have a stray cat I took in a few months ago and she just gave birth to kittens a couple of days ago.
If you decide to get a dog, please consider choosing a shelter dog. There are so many beautiful and lovable dogs just waiting for someone to love them and adopt them to a forever home! Dogs are not “things”. They are a long term commitment. Puppies are cute, but require a lot of attention. If you work full-time and outside the home, a puppy is not for you. Consider a shelter dog that is 1 to 2 years old and already trained. Find a dog that matches your life style. Don’t get a dog on impulse. Think long and hard before you decide.
Ooooh! Puppies are sooooo cute. Then you get one and it’s adorable, but it’s also biting like a shark, peeing and pooping all over everything, up all night wrecking things, impossible to train, maddeningly unteachable. A lot like a baby. A baby that follows you everywhere, peeing.
That being said, if you have the time and the ego to survive a ten pound being who makes you feel (and act) like an idiot, go for it. I’m a big hound lover myself, but they are stubborn and need a lot of exercise, patience, and humility. They also bark a lot. I have a GBGV who is Mr. Cool and Calm inside the house, tasmanian devil outside.
Rescue dogs are great, but you have to choose carefully or risk getting a problem dog. I got my first two dogs from a shelter and they were wonderful, but they also took work. It is great to start with an older dog, though. Be ready to learn a lot!
Good luck!
Hello! Great photos! Did you take these? If not, where did you get them?
Hi! Did you know it’ illigal to post photos without permission from the photographers? You should of at least given credit to the artist and not have people (comment above ) believe this is your work.
If you are a first time dog owner I would also caution you to avoid Dalmatians. I had one, she was my “girl” for 15 years. As a breed they are extremely smart & loyal to their owners on the downside they can be highly protective, aggressive if not well trained, are very high energy and need a lot of daily exercise or will become destructive. A few great first time dog owner breeds are labs, golden retrievers, golden doodles & many types of terriers. I was a dog trainer and my biggest piece of advice no matter what breed you get…enroll in a training course! Good luck on your search!
this was def a feel good friday! love the puppies!!
What a brave idea to consider! I think the idea of borrowing a friend’s dog was a really important step. I’d also suggest shopping your rescue organization carefully. When we were looking we needed a “bomb proof” dog who’d be safe for small kids and who liked cats ( to play with, not for snacks.) We found a smaller shelter that clearly identified on the website what the DOG was like and what it needed. Twelve years later, we still think Rosie’s the best dog we’ve ever had. Having a clear idea of your needs before you look will help you avoid many issues.
Seconding everyone above – please consider a shelter dog. Here in the UK there’s a lot of Staffies in the shelter, which are really sweet, loyal dogs; I think it’s mainly pit bulls up your area, which are equally lovely. Frenchies are adorable but my god, are they little nightmares, and from what I can see Dalmatians are a lot of work. I second the idea to borrow someone else’s dog for a week (there’s dog subscription services out there like borrow my doggy, which might be useful).
(Also, because there seems to be some confusion in the comments and someone raised it previously, please source your images. Knowing how upsetting it is to see your photography stolen, I wouldn’t wish that on someone else.)
How about a cat. Much easier to take care of her/him.
Such cuties!!!! I love them!!
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