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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 164
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For a long time I've wanted a dog. I told myself I'd wait until my daughter, who's almost 18 months, is at least 3 so I can have time to train the dog properly. I always assumed I'd get a puppy because I worry about older dogs with my daughter.
Well, my husband (foolishly - LOL) told me about someone he knows that needs to rehome their two labs. I really, really want a lab. I grew up with one and so I have a special place in my heart for them. These two dogs are 3, supposedly well trained and were raised around kids.
I would love to take these dogs, but I've never gotten a dog as an adult. I've, personally, never adopted a dog and only had the ones I grew up with and my parents always got them as puppies. I don't really know anything about adopting an older dog.
Is it a smart idea to get an older dog with my child being so young? Is it smart to try and take on two of them at the same time? How long does it take for most dogs to adjust to a new family?
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
Well, my husband (foolishly - LOL) told me about someone he knows that needs to rehome their two labs. I really, really want a lab. I grew up with one and so I have a special place in my heart for them. These two dogs are 3, supposedly well trained and were raised around kids.
I would love to take these dogs, but I've never gotten a dog as an adult. I've, personally, never adopted a dog and only had the ones I grew up with and my parents always got them as puppies. I don't really know anything about adopting an older dog.
Is it a smart idea to get an older dog with my child being so young? Is it smart to try and take on two of them at the same time? How long does it take for most dogs to adjust to a new family?
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
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Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 35
Quote:
Originally Posted by vegton 
For a long time I've wanted a dog. I told myself I'd wait until my daughter, who's almost 18 months, is at least 3 so I can have time to train the dog properly. I always assumed I'd get a puppy because I worry about older dogs with my daughter.
Well, my husband (foolishly - LOL) told me about someone he knows that needs to rehome their two labs. I really, really want a lab. I grew up with one and so I have a special place in my heart for them. These two dogs are 3, supposedly well trained and were raised around kids.
I would love to take these dogs, but I've never gotten a dog as an adult. I've, personally, never adopted a dog and only had the ones I grew up with and my parents always got them as puppies. I don't really know anything about adopting an older dog.
Is it a smart idea to get an older dog with my child being so young? Is it smart to try and take on two of them at the same time? How long does it take for most dogs to adjust to a new family?
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
For a long time I've wanted a dog. I told myself I'd wait until my daughter, who's almost 18 months, is at least 3 so I can have time to train the dog properly. I always assumed I'd get a puppy because I worry about older dogs with my daughter.
Well, my husband (foolishly - LOL) told me about someone he knows that needs to rehome their two labs. I really, really want a lab. I grew up with one and so I have a special place in my heart for them. These two dogs are 3, supposedly well trained and were raised around kids.
I would love to take these dogs, but I've never gotten a dog as an adult. I've, personally, never adopted a dog and only had the ones I grew up with and my parents always got them as puppies. I don't really know anything about adopting an older dog.
Is it a smart idea to get an older dog with my child being so young? Is it smart to try and take on two of them at the same time? How long does it take for most dogs to adjust to a new family?
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
well, unfortunately i don't have any about getting an adult dog when you have a younger child. labs are notorious for being good with children though, as i'm sure you know, and i think adopting older dogs (or adopting any dog for that matter) is absolutely a noble thing to do!
Veggie Regular
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 7,014
3? "Older"? When I saw the title of the thread, my mind immediately went to my dad's experience of adopting a 14 year old greyhound.
Three years old is a great age to adopt a dog! They should already be house broken, past the over-hyper puppy stage, and already used to people. Just make sure to take your baby to meet the dogs first to make sure they're ok with a child. While labs are usually fine with kids, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
--Fromper
Three years old is a great age to adopt a dog! They should already be house broken, past the over-hyper puppy stage, and already used to people. Just make sure to take your baby to meet the dogs first to make sure they're ok with a child. While labs are usually fine with kids, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
--Fromper
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Veggie Regular
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 858
Yeah, older dogs are great because they are housebroken, leash trained, etc. As well, they tend to be a lot calmer (and thus more kid friendly) and their personalities are fully developed, so you are more likely to know what to expect.
Veggie Regular
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 847
The main problems with getting older dogs is retraining them to your rules (no couch, no tug-o-war, no counter surfing) and train them out of the habits that you don't like. A young adult dog is a very good idea, they are like a 30yr old person, past the partying stage, but still healthy enough to have fun. This is about the age most people looking for adult dogs want. Labs are notoriously good with children (as I tell people, I could probably take their leg off and they would just lick my face, they are that good).
Veggie Regular
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 15,684
Here I thought you were considering adopting a dog that was at least 10 years old and likely to need lots of medical attention in the next few years. 
Three years is very young and still quite adaptable.
Three years is very young and still quite adaptable.
Q: How many poets does it take to change a light bulb? A: 1001...one to change the bulb, 1000 to say it's already been done.
Beginner
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 164
LOL. Yeah, I guess 3 isn't "old" but I'm just used to always getting puppies.
Veggie Regular
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 524
I think that an adult dog is a better match for a family with a young child. Adult dogs are usually a bit calmer, may have had some training, and their personality is fairly set. Also, you'll never have to go through that teething stage in which everything is a chew toy. Or, for that matter, have to teach bite inhibition when you've got a toddler.
Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19
I've adopted an older dog and I've adopted puppies too. I think it's fine. And a good idea to meet the dogs, maybe have them spend a day or two at your house to see how they do. I would never seperate animals that have spent a long time together either.
I'm sure their owners would allow you to have them for a trial weekend or something like that, to see how they act towards your child.
I'm sure their owners would allow you to have them for a trial weekend or something like that, to see how they act towards your child.
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 37
i know this is an older post, sorry.
my dog was 6 when i adopter her. she's a german shepherd mix, so there's surely breed differences. she's around kids all the time; however, i don't have any of my own. the thing i most appreciate about her is that she's patient with kids, even really young ones. if she's annoyed by a little kid, she'll get up and move somewhere else, but she'd never lash out at one.
i think i would prefer to introduce a child to an older dog rather than a younger one because younger dogs tend to have more energy and are more likely to jump on/knock over small children. that, or play a little rough. i think it's a definite benefit that these labs were raised around children - i say, go for it!
my dog was 6 when i adopter her. she's a german shepherd mix, so there's surely breed differences. she's around kids all the time; however, i don't have any of my own. the thing i most appreciate about her is that she's patient with kids, even really young ones. if she's annoyed by a little kid, she'll get up and move somewhere else, but she'd never lash out at one.
i think i would prefer to introduce a child to an older dog rather than a younger one because younger dogs tend to have more energy and are more likely to jump on/knock over small children. that, or play a little rough. i think it's a definite benefit that these labs were raised around children - i say, go for it!
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