Cross Breeds

Would you get a puppy if you had my current living arrangements?

My husband and I have an 11 year old cat (who is not fond of many people and/or animals), an 8 year old Lab/Shepherd mix (who is HUGE, btw), a 3 year old daughter (who is almost 4) and a baby who is due in less than a month. I feel as if I have my hands full already, but one of my friend's dog's just had puppies and they are sooo cute! Would it be wise to add a puppy to our family when we are just about to have a newborn baby as well? I'm just not sure if I could handle it right now. Maybe we can get one when our children are a little older? I don't know... what would YOU do? Dave C... Just so you know, my husband is not the only one with a job. I have one as well. My friend has 3 dogs (not including the puppies). Two of them ARE fixed, but the third one she got at a rescue shelter only to find out that it was pregnant. She plans on getting her fixed as well once she finds good homes for the puppies.

Public Comments

1. No way!!! If you want a puppy to grow up to be an obedient, loyal dog, they need a LOT of time and attention early on and I would be wayyy too busy with a new baby and 3 year old!!!!
2. Don't do it. Life sounds crazy enough for you as is :)
3. no way! You would be trying to train a puppy while caring for a baby (which may be a screamer). That and you have a four year old...thats still part of the energetic years. Your cat may not agree and a huge 8 year old dog may make things even more expensive. Yes they are cute....but this is why there are so many in shelters. They melt your heart then you can't take care of them. Maybe you could kick back and relax at your friend's house and play with them =]
4. I think your pretty much answered this one on your own! If your not sure I wouldn't get another one. Since a puppy would need a lot of attention. I'd wait until after the baby is born and see how things go. If you still want another puppy then go for it. But I'd hold off for now! Good Luck and Congrats on the new baby!!
5. I would wait. Imagine this: Your feeding the newborn. The cat is frantically climbing the curtains trying to get away from the pup. Your 3yo is in her bedroom being very quiet - she must be up to no good. And THEN you notice that the pup is showing signs of needing to go out. No thanks, sounds like too much chaos for me. I'd wait til the baby is at least close to a year old.
6. no! that puppy would be too much for your cat to handle and you wont have the time to spend with it because of the new baby and your daughter so in my opinion just let someone else take the puppy.
7. If you don't think you can handle it, you probably can't. It sure does sound like you have your hands full now. Puppies are always tempting, soo tempting, there is nothing cuter than a puppy, IMO. BUT, you have a baby on the way & I think you should concentrate on that for now, no need to overwhelm yourself with a new puppy & a new baby all at once. Wait & there will be plenty more puppies to choose from when the time is better.
8. ahhhh nope! Your hands are full enough! Don't look at the pups again!!!
9. I think that if I were you I'd wait. Even though the pups are cute, they are still quiet a handful. I couldn't imagine tending to a newborn, and giving a pup the attention that they need. A new addition to the family for your little one will probably be bitter sweet( excited about the new sibling, but learning to deal with not be the center of attention anymore). A pup may add to that anxiety. Best of luck !
10. Definitely NOT wise. You will have TWO babies to take care of if you do that. Give it another year or two, and then look into getting a puppy. Right now you are gonna be under enough stress as it is.
11. A puppy and a newborn... That's way too much for one person to handle. Don't expect your husband to contribute a lot since he's the one with a job.
12. I would not recommend adding a new puppy into your life right now. You will have your hands tied with your newborn baby, and you will be struggling to find time to get to your current animals, let alone train a new dog. Yes puppies are cute, but try to imagine all the work you would have to do to train a puppy, plus all the work of a newborn child, plus all the work of your current child and pets, and then put them ALL together at once. I think the fact that you are even questioning your ability to handle them all together is proof enough that you may not be able to. Also, you do not know what kind of child you are going to have. Hopefully you do not have a special needs child or a colic prone child. It would be a bad time to have a new puppy and a "high maintenance" child. Now, like you said, once the newborn is older and a little less dependent and you know how your children will be, then maybe then you could add another animal if you think you have the time and energy.
13. No way would I adopt a pup from your backyard breeder friend. Please do not support someone who is responsible for millions of dogs being euthanized.
14. Yeah, it seems as though you have your hands full. Once the kids get older, it will probably be easier, and more fun to get a puppy. Congratulations on the new baby!
15. It's not wise at all. The dogs may be cute, and you might want one. -- but it's the same thing as seeing a cute dog in the pet store and impulse buying. I don't know your financial situation, so I might not be correct, but the cost to raise a baby, an infant, a puppy, a dog, and to care for an elderly cat -- not to mention you and your husband -- is more than many people in the world can afford despite what they believe. I'd suggest waiting until your children are older. And I'd also suggest to your friend to get her dogs fixed.
16. I wouldn't. It would be so much more work for you with the new baby and everything and then trying to keep your other child, dog and cat happy. I think the timing might be wrong. ALthough, if you are staying home from work for a couple of months, the pup would be ready to go while you are still at home to house train it. That's the only positive part.
17. Well, if it were me the puppy would already be home with me. lol. I got a puppy about 3 weeks before I had Cade. At the time I had 2 dogs and 2 cats. I just got another puppy about 2 weeks ago. It is hard, but he is so rewarding and Cade absolutley loves him. If you are taking maternity leave also, now would be a good time, so you can train the puppy too.