Community post

Having a new dog is hard work for a while - and a puppy is a LOT of work! If you're going to get a puppy, get one NOW! Not after the baby is born or when you're good and pregnant. You'll be getting up constantly to let that puppy out, discipline him, clean up after him, take stuff away from him, etc... He's going to steal your kid's food, knock your kid down, take his toys etc... it's going to be too much after baby is born. I got a puppy when my kid was like 15 months old. And it was so awful, I was crying all the time. I had to find her a new home.

I've had a dozen dogs in my life, and now, I only adopt older (10-15 mo) dogs who are ready to learn but over the peeing/chewing/tornado. I've stuck with breeds I know are easy - like herding dogs that are dying to please you. You can skip the 'puppy stuff' and go straight to the 'teaching your dog to be a good citizen' part of it. And when baby is born, you'll have a stellar family dog who can take direction.

Puppies are very time consuming, especially depending on how young they are at adoption. Also you want to research the breed to make sure it's the right fit with your lifestyle. They will need a lot of vet visits and supplies, so expect $600-1000 in the next few months, and that's not including the adoption fee. I don't mean to scare you, just help make an educated decision. It could provide a distraction for you and make an excellent family member, but do what's best for everyone involved, including the pup. Honestly I highly recommend adopting a shelter dog!

Another note from me - I got a kitten right before Baby #1 - and a kitten right after she was born. I totally get the "wanting something to mother" inclination! I think it's probably common. A puppy is easily as much work as a newborn if you do it right. A kitten is much easier and just as much fun, if you can tolerate cats. :) I want a baby now - we are trying. My dog is good and mature and super easy - so this week, we went and picked up a foster dog so I can fill the gap for a while and see if we can handle two dogs. ;) I've been consumed with wanting another dog! Coincidence? Hah!

But like I said, for me, I'll never get a puppy again. I did it twice and twice , it was too much for me to handle with the baby and the chaos around that. The older dog can hold his pee longer, is ready to take direction, can focus his attention, etc.. you get all the benefits of a young, fresh dog that wants to be in your family and none of the puppy crap.

Puppies are the best!! I own 2 Rotties and an English mastiff. The Rotts were purchased before 8wks old and the mastiff was 13wks...they arent as much work as ppl claim. I also bought my first Rottie when my son was a few wks old, they grew up together. The best and quickest way to potty train any dog is crate training. Ive had all my dogs fully house broken, through the night, by 12wks. Train ur dog properly and u wont have issues, puppy training and socialization classes are great!!
Dogs arent for everyone, so if u dont have a dominant personality, u may not have a happy dog owning experience. Buying older dogs is a great way to avoid potty training...maybe...but keep in mind, older dogs and shelter dogs have issues and bad habits picked up from previous owners. Habits that are harder to break than just starting with a clean slate. Just my opinion tho...do what is best for u.
Good luck!! =))

thank you all for your responses, all very good valid points.. the pup is 9 weeks old at the moment and i wont be starting clomid for another month so at the least she should be a year old if i do successfully get pregnant and give birth so im thinking she will be well trained so wouldnt be as time consuming when i have a baby?shes a chihuahua :) im sort of hoping while starting the clomid taking care of a new pup will distract me and lift up my spirits, i would also like if im blessed with a child for them to have a pet growing up. hmmm, dont know why im questioning it really lol

I think it just really depends. I have 3 dogs and a cat and I will say for me my furbabies have been a huge help but they are also ALOT of work. I'm not sure where you live but if you go for a Chihuahua please consider adopting instead of buying. We ended up with our Chihuahua last year when someone dumped her on the side of the road, pregnant. Chihuahuas and pitbulls are the number one most euthanized breeds in the US. if you go on petfinder.com you can put in what your looking for and it will show you every rescue and shelter near you with that breed. Its wonderful. Good luck! Ive been TTC for 4 years and I know how you are feeling I hope that your dream of becoming a mother happens soon! :)

My fur babies are my world along with my kids!! I think it's great that a baby and a dog grow up together!! Yes a puppy is really, really hard work bit so worth it in the end!! I have 1 rescue dog (traditional shar pei) and 1 dog (Samoyed) from 9 weeks. The recscue dog is very temperamental and bless her hates men!!! I don't overly trust her much even tho I have had her for over 6 years, just a shame we don't know what happened in her past :( my other baby is as soft as anything!!! Loves everyone and still acts like a typical baby even though she is now 3 hehehe. Go with your gut instinct!!

UPDATE: so i went and got the puppy and within an hour of having it i end up having a severe allergic reaction to her and had to find her a new home very quickly.. im a little annoyed as to why my body wont let me have anything i want baby, puppy etc.. guess ill have to find a hobby

So sorry to hear your allergies freaked out! Have you considered a kitten or a small furry animal? We got a puppy a few years ago since I was lonely after my nephew went to live with his parents after 3 years of us having him pretty much full-time. Zetty was a big help for me and after I had been told I'd never be pg again, I found out I had gotten pregnant 2 months earlier with DS! My doctor said between not having my nephew anymore and having a new puppy to "mother," it most likely spiked my hormones (compared it to the empty nester syndrome) and made DS possible. I don't know if he was actually serious or not, but I like to believe it's true. Maybe something fuzzy to love on will help but GL either way and I'm sending you baby dust!! Hope you get your BFP and a fuzz ball soon!