Bringing Home a Puppy

I remember with such clarity planning for our dog to be picked up and taken to the dog sitter while I was in labor and delivery triage. “This is the last time she’ll be my priority,” I said, half-jokingly, to my husband, as we processed the news that our first born would be arriving a few weeks early. That dog passed away when our son was nine months old.

About a year after our dog passed, we decided it was time to add another “toddler” to the mix. My husband and I had several long conversations about whether we were ready and, if so, what characteristics we were looking for in a dog. If you’re in a similar boat, here are some things to consider:

Do You Want a Puppy or an Adult Dog?

I will forever be an advocate of adopting pets since there are so many animals out there in need of a loving home. When you adopt, you may not know their exact age, but reputable rescue groups and vets are skilled at guessing their age based on teeth, behavior, and other physical characteristics.

Having a senior dog and a newborn baby in the house was a unique combination. They both required their potty needs taken care of every few hours. They were both finicky eaters and I was always coming up with creative ways to get them to take their medicine. Nobody slept through the night.

Now our house is full of noise and excitement with a 1-year-old dog and 2-year-old child. The dog eats whatever the child throws overboard. I feel like we’re always changing diapers or taking the dog out or cleaning up some bodily mess in the house. On the bright side, we typically all sleep through the night.

Are Your Family’s Lifestyle and Activity Level a Good Fit for a Dog?

Do you want a dog you can take hiking or on road trips or planes? One who will cuddle and watch movies with you? Do you have a fenced-in yard so the dog can run around, or do you have time, energy, and desire to walk multiple times each day or go to the dog park? Will someone be home to take the dog out in the middle of the day or will you take your dog to daycare while everyone is at work or school? If your child is older, will they be responsible for walking, feeding, or cleaning up after the dog? If your child is younger, do they listen when you say “no” and respect household rules?

What Size Dog Do You Want?

The first dog we met in person was 85 pounds. The dog we said goodbye to last year was 12 pounds. We wanted something in between. We were nervous about a small dog being tolerant of our grabby toddler, but 85 pounds is a lot to manage on a leash when pushing a stroller. Sure, those puppies are cute, but puppies grow up to be full-size dogs. Make sure you have a good idea of what you’re getting into.

Is Your House Ready for a Dog?

We’ve been diligent about keeping up with child injury prevention practices as our child gains mobility and curiosity. A lot of these practices overlap with how we would modify our house to keep a dog safe and our furniture/carpets clean, like gating off areas of the house, especially staircases. Choking hazards and products that are off limits for both the child and the dog are stored up, away, and out of sight, with cabinet locks on low cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms. You may not know until you bring your dog home if they’ll chew on shoes or steal your child’s favorite toy, so think through how you’ll prevent and manage dog-child conflicts. I’ve met dog parents who never give their dogs plush toys because they don’t want the dog to steal kids’ stuffed animals.

The Most Important Question: Is Everyone in Your Family Ready for a Dog?

There’s a lot that goes into this decision beyond the above questions. Adults need to be on the same page regarding getting a new dog and have a discussion about responsibilities and adaptations before even meeting a dog. Dogs, children, and adults all need to learn to respect each other’s personal space and belongings. Dogs are a time commitment each day and, we hope, for several years.

The dog my family adopted was afraid of men, loud noises, and sudden movements, so he tended to avoid my husband and our son the first few weeks. Now that the dog is more comfortable (maybe too comfortable!) around all of us, my son is learning about “soft pets” and anticipates “DogDog” greeting him by poking his snout through the crib slats every morning. The dog curls up at the foot of the crib every night when we start the bedtime routine. My son recently started saying “ball” and will fling the dog’s ball around in the cutest uncoordinated game of fetch.

A dog is a lot of work. But the lessons they will teach kids and the love they bring to a family are priceless.