Should we get a full grown dog or puppy?

[mbieler]

We have had puppies before, but we didn't have children at the time. I am just not sure about training a puppy with young kids or if I should skip the training issue, bite the bullet, and buy an older dog with some training. We don't want Sch training, just basic potty and such.

Any issues with bringing a trained dog into a new family, rather then raising them with the family from a pup?

Any comments would be great.

Thanks.

[Emoore]

You're going to get a lot of different opinons on this, so I can only tell you what I would do. I do not have children, but I know how puppies are and I know how kids are. If I had kids, I would purchase or adopt an adult dog that had already been tested and was known to be good around kids. I would not want to supervise little kids and a fuzzy little landshark.


No matter what age dog you get, please remember to never ever leave kids and dogs together unsupervised.

[elisabeth_00117]

Originally Posted by Emoore

You're going to get a lot of different opinons on this, so I can only tell you what I would do. I do not have children, but I know how puppies are and I know how kids are. If I had kids, I would purchase or adopt an adult dog that had already been tested and was known to be good around kids. I would not want to supervise little kids and a fuzzy little landshark.


No matter what age dog you get, please remember to never ever leave kids and dogs together unsupervised.

I would do a adult dog with some training who has been tested (and possibly lived with) with children.

Emoore said it best.

[mbieler]

Heck no, I don't leave them alone with my terrifying beagle basset mix we have now. Lol

[sit,stay]

I have done both, adopted an adult dog and raised a puppy with a young child in the home. I had a much easier time of it with the adult dog.

I chose an adult that had been in a foster home with younger children. Even then I supervised stringently, because kids will be kids and even a dog savy child can do something silly.

Other than some basic reinforcement, I didn't have to potty train at all. There seemed to be a fairly seamless integration for us, without any of the "Oh-my-God-what-have-we-done" moments that always crop up with a puppy!
Sheilah

[RubyTuesday]

Anyone torn b/w a pup & an adult should probably go for the adult. Unless you're unwilling to forfeit the puppy cuteness, well chosen adults offer so much more. Breeders sometimes have dogs/bitches available that they've decided against breeding but are lovely, well mannered, nicely trained & thoroughly socialized. Personally, the thing I like best about pups is that they grow up to become adults. The relationship with an adult is so much deeper & more complex.

[lhczth]

I am a puppy person, but I don't have kids. When my parents went to get a new dog, my mom said she just couldn't deal with a puppy and my nephew who is not yet 5. They went with an adult. Dog is already house broken and crate trained, walks on leash, rides in the car which made life much easier for all.

[doggiedad]

how old are your children???

[mbieler]

The kids are 5 and 7. They have never been around a puppy and have always been around an adult dog. Both of my previous GSDs were nipper, as to be expected from a puppy. However, I don't want my kids to be scared the sweet fella because they don't understand everything about a puppy. However, I also don't want to try to introduce a full grown dog into a new strange family. I just have no idea how strong an adult dog is with their orginal family.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by mbieler

I just have no idea how strong an adult dog is with their orginal family.

Do a google search for "rescue dog bond." It's an amazing and beautiful thing the way an adult rescue bonds like crazy glue to the new family that took it in and gave it a great home.