Adopting a dog

[~Wingnut~]

Hi!
We have always wanted a dog and now the girls are older we feel the time is right. I work part time (home for after lunch) and only work term time so home all school hols. The dog would certainly never be short of people to walk him/her and we go for lots of walks now anyway as it is.

It's not something we will be rushing into and want to check that we have all bases covered first other than being totally committed to adding to our family.

I would be very greatful for feedback from dog owners such as roughly how much a month would you say your dog costs you (not including vets bills) pet insurance is it worth it and if so how much do u pay? Any experiences good or bed? I have seen pets4vets do a monthly pay scheme which covers yearly jabs, check ups etc which seems good so will prob go with that. We would of course be looking to adopt from a local pet rescue and are looking to get a medium sized breed.

Any advice will be great fully received

[woofgang]

I have petplan top of the range insurance and it costs me about 23 quid a month. Food basics (good quality dry food) about 40 quid a month plus treats. Routine vet bills flea and tick treatments about 70 quid a year.

[ladybirder]

Ooo how exciting for you. Good on you for going to a rescue, they are full to overflowing. Don't leave it until too near Christmas if you want one this year, or you won't be able to have one until after New Year. So have you decided on a male or female and are you keen on any particular breed? I'm stating the obvious but do get one that will suit your lifestyle because a mismatch won't be good for any of you including the dog. Perhaps if you give us an idea of your lifestyle etc we can advise on a breed.
As regards food I never feed dry food only, as I find they prefer a bit of wet mixed in with it. Dry is very convenient for the owner but I like to give a bit of variety. How would you like to eat the same thing day after day? Although of course plenty of dogs do, including my son's dog but oh boy does he love to come here and have a change.
Regarding pet insurance. I paid into PetPlan for 12 years and never claimed a penny for my tough mongrel terrier. So ever since then I have always taken the risk myself and had an "AVF", Animal Vet Fund. It's probably worked out a bit better than evens for me but of course it is a risk some might not want to take. I wouldn't discourage anybody from taking out insurance if they feel it's right for them. My last rescue dog came with a few weeks free insurance with PetPlan, who of course want you to then carry on using them.
I'm itching to know what you get. Do keep us informed and good luck:-)

[chaptazbru]

Getting a rescue dog is good, older ones especially need good homes. I have my own fund for my dog's vet fees which I add to every month as I found insurance companies were ripping me off the older he got (but I found Churchills quite good once). It costs about £30 for his annual injections. Food doesn't cost much and you can always shop around. Mine loves Asda's own range (tinned) with their own Mixer and he has lots of doggie treats which he loves. Like ladybirder, I like to vary his food too. I don't find him expensive at all to keep and he's quite a biggish dog (alsation/collie cross). Enjoy your dog, they're GREAT !!! x

[jules77]

Also bear in mind that even with Insurance there is an excess where you pay the first £70 or so for treatment. Annual vaccinations, worming and flea medication around £60 a year.

'Some' Rescues wont re home to anyone that works, even if only part time.

[rsvp]

What a sensible approach you've got to owning a dog. Difficult to put a figure on monthly costs as it is very dependent on the breed and size of dog regarding feed and insurance - some breeds carry a high risk medical wise so if you are thinking of a pedigree check out what the breed is prone to. Can't beat a good old bitza dog - a bit of this and a bit of the other. Of course all annual jabs, worming etc is required by all dogs so check out your local vet as to cost as it can vary quite a lot depending on which area you are in. How many hours a day will the dog be left alone btw and how old are the children - this is important and if it is ignored by a rescue centre you visit - run a mile cos they aren't really interested in the dog or matching you with the right animal, they just want your cash and will probably not offer any back up after you've adopted the Hound of the Baskerville!!

[seadogg]

Do you like the kind of holidays where dogs are not allowed?

If you are concerned about pet insurance go for a "healthy" breed. We have spent nothing on our terrier for 3 years, apart from annual checkup and vaccination. Insurance usually ends in a rip off in our experience.

Don't skimp on dog food. There is a lot of well advertised rubbish on supermarket shelves. We always use John Burns dried food with a sardine or other oily fish now and then for a great coat.

A lot of Staffies are sent to dog rescue by people who were not fit to keep them and most have a lovely temperament when trained, but avoid if you haven't much experience.

If you work mornings, be prepared to get up early and give the dog a walk before you go to work.

[lankeela]

If you think you would be able to cover an unexpected vets bill then I would not take out insurance, instead put an amount away each month. However if a large bill would be difficult to cover then take out insurance but compare several different companies as they differ greatly in what they offer and what they cost.

Working part time would not be a problem if you took a dog from our rescue, and provided the dog gets regular walks and the chance of a good run every now and then it should be quite happy. Have you considered a greyhound - there are many waiting for homes, they are usually quite happy to sleep a lot while you are not there, they have been well looked after in kennels and all vaccinations up to date. Most are easy to housetrain even if they have been kennelled and they are very quiet and affectionate. They don't need any more exercise than a normal dog, and they will eat anything. Not a lot of grooming either which can be an added expense with a coated breed, or one that does not moult and needs clipping. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[Jules001]

We have a Bichon x, he was from a rescue, we got him 4 years ago. The rescue asked for a donation, I think it was £100. We had to buy his bed, water and food bowls, food, lead, collar, toys, a car harness and a coat for him - he hates getting wet:) just to mention the initial outlay needed. He was on Hills Science Plan food as that was what the rescue centre fed him on, so we continued with this for a while until it started going up dramatically, we changed to James Well Beloved, which he likes, but now alternate his meals with dried and wet food. We have never bothered with insurance for him, he was covered for a little while when we first got him, through the rescue centre, but when that ran out, we didn't renew. We are fortunate enough not to have to worry about unexpected bills. He has had a couple of large vet bills at £400 + and £200+, plus one other of £200 + when he was attacked by another dog, but fortunately the other owner paid that bill. Apart from these, I think the biggest costs were grooming, he was needing to be done every 6 weeks at £35 a time, but my daughter is now a trained dog groomer so he gets done when needed at no cost. The worming tablets from the vets only cost £4, I get a prescription for his flea treatment and buy online from Petmeds. He gets an annual booster for his vaccination and gets a health check at the same time - this costs about £40.
We would not be happy putting him in kennels, so for the last few years have holidayed in this country in places where we could take him, which is great however most holiday places that accept dogs will not allow them to be left in the property unattended, so this can limit what you do on your holiday.
To sum up though every day our dog does something to make us smile or laugh, we certainly wouldn't regret getting him and is worth every penny we have or ever will spend on him.

[~Wingnut~]

Thank you for all the replies! Certainly given us a lot to think about. Like I said we aren't going to rush into anything and will def make sure this is the right choice for us and what's best for the dog. We are going to go along to the dogs trust next week in the school holidays to have a talk with them but as soon as anything happens I promise I will come back and update you all :o)

Thank you all again for your helpful replies.

[peachhamster]

If you're getting an older dog, I would think twice about whether to continue with vaccinations. Google the topic. I have spoken to loads of breeders and trainers who disapprove of them. Then again, if your dog picks something up, you might have a problem ... it's a choice you have to make. so worth researching. If you get a pup, always have the first jabs, but after that, they should be covered.

I've fed my dogs on the raw/BARF diet in the past and it is fantastic. At the moment I can't as I don't have any floors inside that are suitable and nowhere with shelter that they can eat outside. I've never fed just dry; they have biscuits with wet food mixed in, so they get the crunch to scrape their teeth, but more flavour than from biscuits alone - and if you give them the choice, they will normally choose anything but dry biscuits.

Depending on the breed, not good to mix their food too much or it can cause stomach upsets. If your dog does get the runs, give him/her a raw knuckle bone (not cooked as they can splinter). Not only will he/she enjoy it, but the problem will be sorted by the next day. Butchers will often give you some lovely bones when you buy meat from them and you can bag them up in your freezer so they will keep.

I've never had insurance - have been told a few things about limits on how much will be paid; how you can't claim twice for the same thing, etc. Probably if you pay top whack you'll be covered, but even though the vet bills can sometimes be big, unless you have a dog with problems, it's not likely you'll use them that often. Might be worth trying it for a few years to see what you've taken on and/or if it covers what you would have paid?

BTW, good on you for considering a rescue dog. I've had two and they are wonderful dogs. Just be prepared for maybe one or two accidents and/or a bit of confusion while they adjust - for the most part you won't know what they've been through and/or who they're missing.