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Jordan
Lv 6
Jordan asked in PetsDogs · 6 years ago

I'm complacent with my dogs and I'm not sure what to do next. Help?

My fiancee and I have 3 pets, 2 dogs and 1 cat. The cat is the most recent addition, but we've had him for a year. The dogs we got 2 and 4 years ago.

Our pets are well-behaved, friendly, and get along great, so I find myself kind of bored with their training. I was a trainer in college and really enjoyed the challenge, but now find myself without that challenge and without the time to take on a 2nd job.

We've been discussing fostering, but my fiancee is concerned about the kind of dog we could get "stuck" with.

She's come to me with an older (7-year-old) Labradoodle who is up for adoption through a local rescue because he's knocking over his owner's toddler and has Addisons, which the owner is unwilling/unable to treat.

She's been very anti-3rd dog for a while, but we've dreamed of adopting a Doodle/Standard Poodle for a few years.

But my worry is that he'll mesh with our family, get trained, and then I'll get bored again in a few years. His lifespan isn't super long (roughly 12 years) and the disease can shorten his life.

Should we foster or adopt?

Update:

Seriously? Your answer is "don't". How is that helpful? I'm not asking if I should do nothing, I'm asking for actual input on what is the best idea for our family.

We own our own 1500sqft home with a fully-fenced yard, we have more than enough income to support an additional (and sick) dog, and I have the time, patience, and knowledge to rehabilitate and love most dogs.

So what's your reasoning for "don't get another dog"?

Update 2:

Both of my dogs are therapy dogs, are both small (8lbs and 25lbs) so physical activities like cart pulling aren't realistic, they kayak and swim and fetch. They walk on a leash, sit, stay, recall, etc.

They know "tricks", but nothing that's actually enhancing them or the family, so I don't make them learn weird things. Fetching a tissue when I sneeze seems pointless and I have a hard time training things like that without feeling like I'm treating my dogs like circus animals.

Update 3:

I could train them in a lot of things, but why give them skills they won't use? I won't take them to obedience shows or whatever because I don't enjoy that. Why should I teach them things just because other people teach their dogs those things?

I really enjoy large dogs and that's part of the reason I'm leaning towards adopting this Doodle. I grew up with Retrievers and missing having a dog that takes up half the bed, oozes across the entire couch, etc.

Is that so wrong?

Update 4:

As a final update, I don't know why it's so wrong that I want to adopt/foster dogs that need homes. I'm not talking about going to purchase another dog that shouldn't have been bred or furthering the terrible practice of breeding designer dogs.

This dog is older, sick, and already here. Why is taking him in bad?

Why is teaching a rambunctious dog that will never get adopted because of their behavior how to be a good house dog bad?

7 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    I am sure there are lot of things your dog cannot do. Can they pull a cart? Can you and the dogs do freestyle? Can your dogs do agility - and would they like to? Are you interested in doing obedience or rally? How about tracking or nose work? Interested in having therapy dogs? Or dogs who can skateboard? Of course the dog might not be suited to every dog sport, but the bar is as high as you want to put it.

    It doesn't necessarily mean that you should not get a third dog, but first think of a challenge you want to meet (e.g. compete with a dog in agility) and if you adopt a dog, get a dog who is suited for that activity.

    Edit: Why not do something with the dogs you actually enjoy and where they need skills. It seems to me that the problem is that you don't really enjoy doing things with the dogs which would challenge them further, not that there isn't any challenge or that the dogs wouldn't enjoy the challenge. That's something you have to sort out with yourself.

    Keep in mind that your question was whether you would get bored with the new dog after a while. From what you write, I would think so.

  • Lizzie
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    I've been where you are now and I found, for me, that the best approach was to challenge myself. I taught all of my dogs to crawl, to rollover, and several other tricks. Did you know that the average person is far more impressed by a dog that can do things like "speak" and "high five" than a 30 minute long down? I made a mini agility course in the yard and taught the dogs to weave poles and go through tunnels and jump sticks and other stuff. I changed the course at times to keep it interesting.

    It was a bit of a challenge because some of the dogs I had were generally known to be "hard to train" or "stubborn" but they all learned and we had lots of fun. Keep finding new things to do with your dogs. Take them new places. It's up to you to keep it interesting, not to keep getting more dogs.

  • 6 years ago

    If you are getting another dog just because because you find the other one's boring, then don't. I also doubt you have researched addison's. It is a very serious disease. It is incredibly difficult and expensive to manage. Leave this dog for someone who actually wants a dog, not just entertainment,

  • 6 years ago

    Since dogs bore you so easily, please don't get another one.

    What exactly have you trained your dogs for that you're so bored? Do they have their GMOTCh in obedience? How about Rally, Tracking, Flyball, agility, dock sports? How many titles do these dogs have that you can't think of anything to train them in?

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  • 6 years ago

    Then don't get a dog.

  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    If I was you I would get him, You sound like a good owner and as its 7 you can give him his forever home.

  • paul
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    do not get another dog ....just that easy

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