Doggie Dreams
Okay, so after yesterday’s post about ants for pets (lame!) I just have to write about the kind of dog that I really want for a pet. I’ve been researching online a little and I think that I’ve come to a conclusion about the breed of dog that would be best for our family. Here’s the basics to look for:
1. Doesn’t need a big yard…since we don’t have one
2. Good temperament and great with kids (no this is not an announcement!)
3. Little to no dander…for WE and since the dog will be inside
4. Toy to medium sized
That said, I’m thinking about a Cockapoo (Cockerspaniel/Poodle Mix). Ideally you get the poodle’s smarts/fur and the cockerspaniel’s temperament! I’ve read that they are easy to train and very good dogs. But I guess that’s what people say about every kind…I’m sure it depends on how they are raised/trained.
I can’t decide if I want chocolate, gold/white, or spotted, or black. Since they won’t shed I’m not too picky. Here’s some pics.
PS. For those of you that know Hugo, doesn’t the chocolate pup look almost exactly like him?!? (Hugo was my bestest stuffed friend in the whole-wide world growing up)
I found a breeder here in Dallas that has litters twice a year. Since I’ve never done this before – I really have no idea how to judge whether a breeder is good or not. WE says we should just go to a rescue and find one. But I don’t know about that. I guess I’d rather know more about the dog (i.e. parents) and error on the safe side. But I’m up for suggestions from any of you dog lovers out there. Here’s a picture of the parents if we decided to go with this breeder.
(Ha, it looks like the Mr. Poodle told a funny)
This breeder’s website doesn’t say a price, but I read that they can go from anywhere between $250 and $750. Again for any of you dog owners out there, I’d be interested to know approx. how much you spend a month (or year) for your dog on food, vet, grooming, dog sitters, etc. I wouldn’t want any surprises for WE 
Ha, I’m totally kidding myself.
I’m pretty sure it’s gonna take an act of congress for any of this to actually happen. But hey, there’s no harm in dreaming, right?
I say skip the dog and have a kid. Here’s why–eventually that kid (boy or girl in my experience) will become a toddler and then that toddler will pretend to be a dog. For me, it’s easier not to worry that my kid is eating out of the real doggy bowl instead of the plastic tuperware I put on the ground for him.
No kidding. We have reached “that” stage.
This is so ironic – if you want one, Alex’s parents have one for FREE! They’ve been trying to give it to us, but I’m not ready for a dog yet. Let me know if you want it!
Please tell me that is a joke, A1. Please… please… please…
I felt this way once. We got a puppy.
The next 6 months were not pretty.
I don’t believe in animal cruelty, so we sent her to live with my sister-in-law (you know, the animal lover who lived with us when we got her and promised to take care of her!).
I would say we’ll never have another dog again, but lets face it, I already have two boys. I’m sure they’ll talk me into it in about 10 years.
I agree with Emily. Have a baby instead. Then when the he/she is old enough to take care of a dog, get one.
Well, you know how Mike and I feel about dogs…LOVE them. In fact, I think Mike believes Cheerio is a real boy sometimes. We loved getting a dog before we had Nicholas. It eased us into parenting (of course a kid is much more work) but you get a taste of it…you’ve got to feed, walk, pick up poo, etc. And you’ve got to make arrangements if you go out of town. Plus, it’s sad because when you do have your first kid, your “best friend” gets relegated to number 2. However, dogs are the BEST!!! Who else loves you no matter what…Cheerio has been the best dog we’ve ever had and you know what…your kid will be ahead of the others – he/she won’t be whining to get a dog like all the other kids and he/she won’t have dog phobia like a lot of kids do. In fact, I’ve read somewhere that kids who have dogs do better in school, are more sociable, etc because they have learned to help out with the dog, treat animals with respect, etc. Okay…you get the picture that we are big dog fans. The first six months are rough yes, but if you put the time, effort, and training in your dog will be a wonderful addition to your family. And ask Mike exactly how much we spend for Cheerio…he’s even got a line in the budget for Cheerio : ) Good luck and if you do get one, I can pass on plenty of good tips!!! And Cheerio would love to have a playmate in the family : )