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Bit of a strange one. I'm sure I'm being an idiot but I'd like to get a dog/puppy and just don't know where to start. I'm not worried about a specific breed or anything, just need it to be cheap. Any suggestions?

go to your local animal shelter!

+1 for the local shelter, they do a great job and many of the dogs are in there out of no fault of their own, owners die, split up etc.
We got a really nice springer spaniel from NESSR a few years ago who's owner couldn't cope with her and she's been fine, a bit of training was all she needed, they just asked for a donation. They will want to do a home check to make sure you're suitable and the dog is suited to your lifestyle.

The RSPCA have a rescue animal place at Claverton Down near Bath which could be a good start.

please please make a plan beforehand. Think about your lifestyle. Will it be left alone a lot if so it must be an older dog. What size could you accommodate? a big tall dog in a cottage is also not a good idea. Friends of mine have had dogs from the trailhound trust and although they are great in the house they can NEVER let them off the lead because they don't come back . Do you have children will they want to take it for walks on a lead - will it be too big for them to manage. Are you ok with a very busy dog or a sleepy calm teddy bear is better. The breeds differ in temperament as well as size. Once you decide your ideal breed there will definitely be a breed society in existence. The big bonus in getting a pedigree is that 90% of the time they know everything about the dog most importantly why it is up for rehoming.
I know a bit about most breed and although you can get an exception to the rule there is a better chance of it being to type. I f you want to post abit about your preferences and lifestyle I will be able to advise of some obvious contenders. good luck and don't make decisions too quickly.

Hi

Oh please don't rush into getting a dog, especially at this time of year. It's like the stickers you see A DOG IS FOR LIFE NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS.

Once you have done your homework I agree with other posters visit your local rescue centre. You say it has to be cheap, anyone can buy a dog but if its something cheap you want go for something like a hamster. I am really not trying to be mean here but we are used to having dogs and believe me nothing about them is cheap. They need regular innoculations and any visit to the vet is expensive not to mention their food.

I really do wish you well if you are sure this is what you want and can commit to giving it the best life and be there to care for it.

Sue

Ditto, having worked in an animal rescue at one point believe me its grim please as the others say ensure a dog will work with your lifestyle i.e. do you work? will it be left indoors? can you train it? do you have the required cash to feed and look after it? etc etc sorry to also be the barer of bad news but all considerations that must be taken into account before even considering what breed/s to look for, if you have never had one before go for a Lab or spaniel type far easier to train and look after a shelter can cost you a fortune in Scotland anywhere from £50-100 dependant on whom you go to, all are vacinated and microchipped as well they should but if getting from somewhere else a cost that MUST be factored in....... And a totally fenced in safe garden (dont we know were doing that one right now having just recently moved ...


But having said all that a dog if your lifestyle and finances allow can be the most rewarding thing you might ever do, they generally cause you no grief, are endless fun, company and companionship and best of all keep you hot on a warm night (wee central heating boilers for sure) so please please please think long and hard about it, get whatever if you decide to finally from a reputable source and beware a ped puppy can and will cost between £500-1000 dependant on breed ours a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel puppy was £650 a gift from my inlaws to get their daughter out, excercising and to have a purpose other than simply being my carer and company for me when she is not in. i have to say she has done all that an more, has a lovely biddable and obidient nature and quite frankly we wouldnt now be without her, for all we have high insurance costs, a new fence to finance and feeding her, we dont have kids, we dont smoke, drink or do much else so beleive its not overstreching us to do so........

Take, listen and act on the advice here-in and you wont go far wrong lost of similar but excellent advice here for you....


(we personally were not very impressed with dogs trust way of operating but maybe we just got a bad operative or on a bad day, btw still awaiting their application form and callback over a year later aint very good service really ) hence we ended up with a puppy but so so glad we did now, no getting away from it a great deal of work involved we had ours crate and toilet trained inside her first month and recalled, sit/stay trained inside two, she has remained a totally obidient loyal family pet since her only vice is she is an escape artist if your not watchin her hence us fencing her in presently so she can be let out to play in the garden by herself in the better weather

I understand and appreciate all the worries people have and I don't see it as bad nes pr anything like that as we have thought about it extensively and would only get what is appropriate to our circumstances and what we can look after well.

The dog is not for Christmas - it is a coincidence we are looking at this time of year. When I said cheap I mean I don't want to pay for a pedigree, I'm happy with a less attractive dog so to speak, not that i can't afford to look after it.

We may have a problem if it were to suddenly cost £100s in vet bills because of an illness but I thought that is what pet insurance is for which we would most definitely have.

We have a three storey, two bedroom house. I have a toddler and a baby and am home all day and am confident I would walk it generally everyday with the possible exception here and there. We don't holiday, except with family where we could take a dog and our outdoor space, although small, is concreted and fully enclosed. We live in a country village with plenty of walks on the doorstep and at the weekends could travel a little further for godo walks.

Although I am home everyday for a significant amount of time the dog needs to be left at home alone everyday for about 2-3 hours.

I would like very much to rescue a dog but I'm worried if I do that I am taking a risk with my young children?

The problem with rescue dogs not to put you off or anything as there are loads that will be fine but often the fact they have been rescued can often change a normally placid breed amd likewise staff can give no real assurances i know for fact when i did rescue work that we certainly WOULD NOT rehome to a home with two young kids UNLESS WE KNEW WHERE THE DOG HAD COME FROM and enough about it to be sure of its temp (as far as anyone can be its not an exact science they can change) as in it came in as an unwanted rather than a stray ? a bitch would likely be better as they are generally more placid and sweeter natured..

I would in your circumstances seriously be seeking a pup or very young bitch again a lab or Spaniel type to let it grow up with your kids far, far safer bet in the long term you at the end of the day must protect your children, and again if its to be left regularily a pup would be better again and without doubt crate training it will save you a whole load of grief..

As for insurance its a minefield some good some not so but to get anyhing worthwhile in payout terms be prepared to spend about £20 a mth anything under will just not give sufficient benefits you need one that has a high top payment allowance and one that pays for complete ongoing treatments not just emergency treatments you only get what you pay for in insurance i should point out our breeder (a very well known breeder doesnt insure any of her dogs and some are worth man thousands as she reckons its all a big rip off but she can afford to pay out large sums if she ever had to) we have had ours insured from birth with The Kennel Clubs insurance system not sure if they will insure a cross breed though you need to check but they cover high limits of claims and ongoing illnesses which we wanted...

Hope that helps a bit more a bog decision and one i were in your shoes with two young kids im not to sure i would make to be honest.....

sorry pumpkin only just noticed that you had given more info. The circumstances you have given indicate that most dogs would be very grateful for only 3 - 4 hours left alone, an ideal doable one. Young children slightly limits your choices. There a about a million young families who part with a dog because they have lost their home NOT because the dog is iffy with kids.Your local daily paper may even advertise. Some elderly dogs are so so good with children . Some cynics might point out that "that's because they get to steal loads of food" but honestly I have had dogs that have never lived with kids but just plain old like em.
However I have witnessed some horrific dog fight's and although your children may never be at risk you do need to consider how horrible it is to witness a serious dog fight,..
Please........ people ........I am not saying any breed to avoid but I am saying getting a breed that is generally accepted to be a non fighting dog gives you a better chances of a stress free life. ergo any of the gun dog group . some of the lesser terriers eg Tibetan, border, shit zu .
HONESTLY I would reach for the sky.. If you can wait that long. Go to Cruft's in Feb, look at every breed ,read the info that is posted outside the stand, talk to someone staffing the stand (they are all volunteers and mostly involved with rescue) really find out about the breed, people who love the breed would not want you to have a dog that would not suit you or him/her otherwise the breed gets a bad name and the poor individual dog gets re-homed and slatted as a bad sort.
You may have only just voiced your desire to get a dog and been thinking of it for ages but it is a life time commitment - you did not decide to set up home and have children without knowing the commitment please don't do it with a dog.

Trinder - Well said, basically what i said in as PC a way as i could.

Many families have dogs mine did, with no worries, (springers for my entire childhood as it goes) our first dog was a Springer bitch an ex gun dog a great family pet, well trained and obidient to her last breath (RIP - Daisy gone but never forgotten ) this time around we choose her smaller relative in the King Charles a smaller version with about the same nature and will to want to please but smaller, lighter and doesnt pull so much all important things for us so i could also walk her as i walk with a stick, and have MS so am frequently sore thus her jumping up on me could be painfull but as she has grown up with my disablements she has gotten used to what they mean and im sure senses when im having a bad day, if i have to stay in bed she usally stays with me i truly beleive she knows and is undoubtedly a great comfort to me, however as i stated earlier she is crate trained and has been since eight weeks old when we got her, which allows us a break and her a safe area that she goes to and sleeps every night without fail from 10.30pm till about 6.00am every morning thus is i have a bad night which i do from time to time she is not in the way, but it also helps as she is and always has been great in the car, where she has an identical crate and have yet
to have a problem taking/leaving her anywhere as she cant damage anything...a lot like a child its
all about being consistant and repetitive once hey understand they will do the command as second
nature.

But please ensure you can devote the time invloved to train it correctly as there is no such thing as a bad dog, no sir but there are plenty bad owners thats a fact, in rescue you see the results of dog fights and beleive me its not pretty but as ive said before choose a breed well known as good family pets spend the time they only can ever know what you teach them after all.....

Do you want Lottie!!!!

Who is Lottie ?

Something that springs to mine is a rescued greyhound as they are the most docile loveable creatures who would happily let you leave them to sleep for a few hours a day if not going the lab/spaniel route checkout a Google search for greyhound rescue in your area, but please or your and your kids ultimate safety steer clear of local paper and shop ads for "free to good home" dogs most are not given away for no reason ?

Haha, Lottie is perhaps a little energetic for us but we could give it a go? Would she not miss Archie too much?

My dad has two ex racing greyhounds that we could have, but I couldn't walk them alone as they are too big and strong so they wouldn't be walked everyday and we don't have enough room for them not to be. Do you think they would be manage with being walked every other day? - I could take them out alternate days.

I only want to get a dog if it will work for the dog and for us

Ex racing greyhounds are by nature lazy animals widely known to only want to rest curled up infront of a fire ? you would be better phoning any greyhound rescue they will be able to tell you better and more procise details or Google rescue greyhounds? Im sure most information is out their somewhere for the finding, what i do know for sure is that any i have been involved with are im sure you know docile, biddable beasts..

I trust my posts are helping as thats all they are intended for just my opinion based on years of being a small animal transporter, rescue and kennel hand and being good friends with a kennel owner (we became good friends still are, helping him out often and building/maintaining his website).

Regards