Started By
Message
re: Getting a dog and need advice
Posted on 2/5/13 at 3:44 pm to oklahogjr
Posted on 2/5/13 at 3:44 pm to oklahogjr
Vet bills:
- vaccines- 3 rounds of these every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks
- Spay/neuter - don't be cheap here - do not take you dog in to a spay/neuter clinic that will bust out a sugery for you for $50. IMO you get what you pay for in surgery. I work ER and see too many post operative problems from quick turnover spay/neuter clinics. If there's an issue the spay neuter clinic will not fix it and you'll have to pay an ER vet closer to $1000 to fix it
- Preventatives - don't be cheap here either - the walmart brand of flea and tick preventatives are cheap for a reason. They don't freakin work. You can get good flea and tick stuff from the big box pet stores nowadays anyway not your vet. Heartworm prevention is a must = every 30 days, all year, no exceptions (unless you live in like Wisconsin). It's gonna cost your dog several years off its life and cost you >$300 to treat for heartworms
Other stuff:
- Training - you may need to get training classes for your dog if you want him to be cool when you take him out in public. Nobody likes the dog who sucks on a leash, goes crazy and doesn't listen to anyone.
- Food of course
- Insurance - I'm undecided on pet insurance. You can keep a little emergency fund instead but it may be worth while to look into insurance. Like all insurance you never want it until you need to shell out tons of money when your dog decides to eat an entire box of tampons (not kidding, saw this like 3 days ago)
Is it worth it. Absolutely. The companionship you get from a dog is great. They'll love you til the end.
- vaccines- 3 rounds of these every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks
- Spay/neuter - don't be cheap here - do not take you dog in to a spay/neuter clinic that will bust out a sugery for you for $50. IMO you get what you pay for in surgery. I work ER and see too many post operative problems from quick turnover spay/neuter clinics. If there's an issue the spay neuter clinic will not fix it and you'll have to pay an ER vet closer to $1000 to fix it
- Preventatives - don't be cheap here either - the walmart brand of flea and tick preventatives are cheap for a reason. They don't freakin work. You can get good flea and tick stuff from the big box pet stores nowadays anyway not your vet. Heartworm prevention is a must = every 30 days, all year, no exceptions (unless you live in like Wisconsin). It's gonna cost your dog several years off its life and cost you >$300 to treat for heartworms
Other stuff:
- Training - you may need to get training classes for your dog if you want him to be cool when you take him out in public. Nobody likes the dog who sucks on a leash, goes crazy and doesn't listen to anyone.
- Food of course
- Insurance - I'm undecided on pet insurance. You can keep a little emergency fund instead but it may be worth while to look into insurance. Like all insurance you never want it until you need to shell out tons of money when your dog decides to eat an entire box of tampons (not kidding, saw this like 3 days ago)
Is it worth it. Absolutely. The companionship you get from a dog is great. They'll love you til the end.
This post was edited on 2/5/13 at 3:48 pm
0
Posted on 2/5/13 at 4:04 pm to Miz Piggy
quote:
You do not want to have to pay for treatment for a dog who's gotten heartworms.
ammo is getting expensive.
I kid, I kid.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 4:59 pm to CtotheVrzrbck
Something no one thinks about, shedding. My freaking dog sheds 24/7 365, doesn't matter if its 100 degrees or 0 degrees outside he still sheds. But I agree nothing is better to come home to after school.
This post was edited on 2/5/13 at 5:00 pm
Posted on 2/5/13 at 6:48 pm to 478rebel
Also factor in holes in the yard, they'll dig, grass will grow over it, you won't see it and BOOM! snapped ankle.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 7:03 pm to CtotheVrzrbck
I agree with the shedding. My dog sheds a ton as well, but she's more than worth the extra vacuuming and sheets washing! I dont let her on the couches though.
Also, when it comes to boarding (hopefully you hardly or never have to), boarding places usually charge more for dogs over 50 lbs than they do for dogs less than 50 lbs. but if you never really have to worry about boarding, then no biggie.
I trained my dog myself thanks to pointers from my cousin who trained dogs for ATF, DEA, FBI, etc. so i was lucky on that front to have his knowledge and help.
Also when considering what breed, think about how much inside vs outside time the dog will realistically have, as well as how much and what kind of activity outside.
Also, when it comes to boarding (hopefully you hardly or never have to), boarding places usually charge more for dogs over 50 lbs than they do for dogs less than 50 lbs. but if you never really have to worry about boarding, then no biggie.
I trained my dog myself thanks to pointers from my cousin who trained dogs for ATF, DEA, FBI, etc. so i was lucky on that front to have his knowledge and help.
Also when considering what breed, think about how much inside vs outside time the dog will realistically have, as well as how much and what kind of activity outside.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 7:46 pm to JDM1992
quote:
I know you're probably looking for something smaller, but you can't get a better dog than a Golden Retriever
From a former owner - great dog, but learn to love vacuuming and sweeping.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 8:07 pm to PrivatePublic
I have a Labradoodle puppy. She has the poodle hair with no shedding. Great dog and she owns the show when out in public.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 8:07 pm to oklahogjr
There is a front page thread on that "other" OT board about Pet Insurance. You should check it out.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 8:30 pm to oklahogjr
quote:
what are some things that no one thinks about expense wise when getting a dog?
A shitload. I't like having a kid IMO. But Dogs are awesome.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 8:32 pm to DC RaiseHerBack
quote:
Crate training...so a crate for one
No need for this. Never crated a dog. Take a few months potty training the dog if it will be inside which mine have always been.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:11 pm to Wild Thang
I have a Bernese Mt. dog. Amazing dog, but sheds like a fricking maniac.
Posted on 2/5/13 at 9:17 pm to InVolNerable
quote:
I have a Bernese Mt. dog. Amazing dog, but sheds like a fricking maniac.
I'm on my 3rd Doberman, all females. They are fantastic dogs. Don't let the movies fool you. With any family, friends, or children, they are awesome.
With any stranger, they will rip your head off.
That's what I want my dog to be.
Posted on 2/6/13 at 12:03 am to oklahogjr
quote:
Overall would everyone hear say having a dog is worth it?
My first dog ever is 10.5 and is dying from congestive heart failure right now. We don't know how much time he has left but its only days or a few weeks. When my wife, then girlfriend, talked me into getting him back in college I would have never guessed how attached to him I would become. Now he is my best friend. When I'm home, he is attached to my hip. It is absolutely crushing me to see him slipping away. I am going to bawl like a little kid when he passes. That being said, I wouldn't trade anything in the world for the last 10 years that I have had him in my life. Best decision I ever made and I would recommend it to anyone.
This post was edited on 2/6/13 at 12:05 am
Posted on 2/6/13 at 12:27 am to Wild Thang
quote:
No need for this. Never crated a dog. Take a few months potty training the dog if it will be inside which mine have always been.
I've got a 15 week old wolf hybrid pup. She's whining in a crate right now to go potty. Crates work.
I'll add quality of food. Stay away from Old Roy, Purina, Beneful, and all store brands. Those use wheat middlings, which are the after product leftover on floors of bread mills. They also contain sugar and all kinds of ingredients that get recalled all the time.
Go with a quality food like Fromm, Holistic Select, Nutro, California Natural, Innova, Evo or the best of the best in Orijen(like $70-80 for a 30# bag) just check the bag and look at the ingredients. If it contains corn or corn gluten I'd stay away. The most abundant ingredient is always listed first. Seeing Animal by products listed shouldn't scare you. they refer to the liver, kidney, and heart. all of which contain vital nutrients in a dog's diet. Vets will tell you feed science diet. That's because they ALL take a 2 day(max of 5 hours) nutrition course held by Science diet reps. Unless your dog needs a Rx diet($90) I'd stay away from Science diet. Truth is it is loaded with corn or soy, and contains few nutrients.
That's all the info I've got for you. Hope some of it helps.
As for toys, there is no such thing as "indestructible."
This post was edited on 2/6/13 at 7:11 am
Posted on 2/6/13 at 4:19 am to oklahogjr
Pet smart insurance plan. I got my mom an Italian greyhound and also got her a plan over there for 22.35 a month. They take care of about 85% of the bills. The vets that work their are pretty good. She goes to the harahan store. Look into this
Posted on 2/6/13 at 6:20 am to TheCheshireHog
quote:
My first dog ever is 10.5 and is dying from congestive heart failure right now. We don't know how much time he has left but its only days or a few weeks. When my wife, then girlfriend, talked me into getting him back in college I would have never guessed how attached to him I would become. Now he is my best friend. When I'm home, he is attached to my hip. It is absolutely crushing me to see him slipping away. I am going to bawl like a little kid when he passes. That being said, I wouldn't trade anything in the world for the last 10 years that I have had him in my life. Best decision I ever made and I would recommend it to anyone.
I feel the same way about mine. We lost our two labs that we got as puppies 8 weeks apart a couple of years ago. It just killed me and my wife, those dogs were our children.
We have two more now, just mutts from the animal shelter, but great, great dogs.
Posted on 2/6/13 at 12:42 pm to oklahogjr
Heelers are great dogs, extremely smart. But keep in mind that they are VERY hyper and have TONS of energy. Having one in an apartment will work but you will need to exercise it everyday or it will bark CONSTANTLY. Same for once you move into a house. Even if you have a yard you will still have to engage it in activities to wear it out.
Speaking from experience here.
Speaking from experience here.
Posted on 2/6/13 at 1:46 pm to WhoDatHippie
also get the cutest most lovable one you can find. Wilson Park and campus walks will become your thing.
Posted on 2/6/13 at 4:04 pm to WhoDatHippie
True I should've mentioned that my dogs have all been working cow dogs (border collies and heelers) and were used almost daily so I didn't need to walk em as much
Posted on 2/6/13 at 4:13 pm to oklahogjr
DON'T GET A DOG THAT SHEDS.
ETA: If it's an inside dog. DON'T DO IT, MY FRIEND.
ETA: If it's an inside dog. DON'T DO IT, MY FRIEND.
This post was edited on 2/6/13 at 4:15 pm
Page 2 of 3
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News