Need advice on adopting a dog

If your low on money I'd pass. Vet bills can be very high. You can lucky or unlucky like a friend I have you spent 13k in vet bills over 10 years. That's a lot IMO.


Training gets expensive too. As far as age, a bit young but it's up to you.
My best advice, a tired puppy = good puppy.

 

Brook,,,,,,,,many people will tell you many different things,,,,,,here's what I got for you
First off I was in your position a year and a half ago,,,,,kids begging me for a dog,,,,my kids are older than yours,
I always had cats, never a dog. There a a million pet stores and adoption agencies , websites out there,,, we checked out many of them some we went back to 2 or 3 times.
My wife talked me into adopting a rescue ( this was a great idea ) and as much as I wanted a puppy she talked me into getting a dog that was about a year old ( another great idea as the dog we got already understood basic commands such as sit and come ) and was also already housebroken but also the dog was past her teething stages as many will tell you puppies will chew on anything from shoes to remotes to couches ,,,,,we had none of that !
We visited north shore animal league in LI more than once,,,like many others they have a website with available dogs that you and the family can check out before you go and see pics of the dogs,,,,also not all the dogs are on the site,,, when u go there are actually others . At northshore u can pick out a dog, they will bring it to a waiting area on a leash and you can sit on benches an see how you and the kids and dog interact,,,,,the dogs all come with shots taken care of and as much history as they can give you and the adoption fee was about $150 if I remember.
Adopting a dog is like adopting a kid they ask for a few references of people that will vouch for you and say you are a good family and yes they called our references,,,,,,,,a friend of mine told me to be patient and that eventually you won't find a dog but it will find you ,,,,I cannot tell you how true this was and is! If you guys are lucky enough to find a dog you can take it home that day but be prepared to be there a while as it took about 3 hours for the whole process but it was so worth it, it is true what they say, rescues are very loyal as it seems they understand that you saved them or took them in,,,,,,,..north shore was a great and thorough place I tell everyone I know to go there, your kids will love it there even if u don't get a dog that day,,,,,,,,,this is my advice,,,go there check it out!
Ps keep in mind that big dogs eat an shit a lot,,little dogs eat less and poop less,,,also think about long or short haired,,,allergies or no allergies ? Shedding and picking up lots of hair or very little. We chose a medium size dog about 35 pounds and she's the best,,,oh and my kids swore they would walk it feed it blah blah blah but it pretty much falls on me and my wife,,,,,any questions ask away,,,good luck enjoy the search

 

Here's your Turkey pet travel requirements:

http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/turkey.cfm

 

Brook,,,one more thing,,,,a few places,,,north shore being one of them ask you if u both work, or if the dog will ever be home alone,,,,,,if. You plan on leaving the dog alone they will not give u the dog,,,in my case someone is always home the wife works from home . As I said its like adopting a child they take it serious,,,so if you do plan on getting a rescue there, u might have to fib if you both work or plan on leaving the dog .

 

may i suggest a boston spaniel (boston terrier and cockerspaniel mix).......

xcellent dog with kids, behavior, and can be left alone for hours...breed has not been around that long but now is becoming known due to the numerous favorable owner experiences...

grows to about 25-27 lbs, very minimal shedding, easy to basic train, and healthy so far.

we purchased ours as a puppy for 450 dollars, 3 1/2 years ago (obviously more than adoption but so far well worth it).

if u are able to adopt one of these - dont hesitate 1 second, if not think about an outright purchase. good luck

 

I'll just reiterate what a few have said and add a little.
Definitely go with a mixed breed rescue dog, it will save you tons of money now and in the future. Pure breds will cost more up front and with vets in the future as many pure breds can have problems from inbreeding. Most mixed breeds will also live a little longer on average. Mixed breed females 50 pounds and under will generally give you the longest living dog.
A one year old that already is already house trained is perfect if you can find one. As far as training what you may want to consider is having your boys go along and be the primary trainer, we did this with my 7 year old when we went for training. This will keep the kids more involved and have more chance of them staying involved taking care of the dog.
When you go to Turkey you should probably consider just finding a good place for the dog to stay home. You don't know how the dog will respond to the travel or to being in another country. You can find places that are not just kennels with runs. I take my dog to a place that gives each animal a private room with a bed, they have a common room with couch with tv's playing animal planet and they can go out any time they like to run with the other dogs on 3 acres. It costs about $5 more a day than the kennels that have just a cage and a run.

 

I adopted a pit bull mix two years ago. He was 3 at the time. I have 4 daughters 10,7,5,5 and they absolutely love him. He is so awesome with the girls and he instantly became my boy! He was a shelter dog and its true what they say. My dog is right by my side wherever I go.

Money can add up if your dog gets sick or whatever and its gonna be brutal when he dies but like everything else, its a trade off. But I feel its well worth it because its really awesome having a buddy like a dog.

Plus if any one ever broke into my house, Bobby would eat their face off.

Pit bulls and Am Staffs are notoriously wonderful with children and are some of the most loyal dogs youll find

 

You won't have to. Get a Kangel, a great Turkish breed originating from the Kangal district in Sivas Province, Turkey.

First off, the Sivas Kangal Dog's protectiveness, loyalty and gentleness with small children and animals has led to its growing popularity as a guardian for families.

But what's even better is that since they're from Turkey and already know their way around the place, you won't have to worry abou leaving it at a shelter--a win-win.

 

Would this be for personal or household consumption?

 

We got a female golden as a pup literally from my kids soccer coach who bred goldens on the side. She is small for a golden so we lucked out. Great dog, my kids were 5, 7, 8 and 11 when we got her and it was one if the best things we ever did. She's 13 now and I don't know how I'm going to handle it when she goes. My kids won't be ready for that day ever, but you can't use that massive amount if pain to dissuade you from the years and years of enjoyment you'll experience and your kids will experience.

_

 

I'd go with a cat, but that's just me. Much easier to take care of and can survive without constant attention. You won't get the same "personality" and "affection" you get from a dog, however. They just require way more work.

 

Good luck Brooklyn. I had lab mixes my whole life and they are notorious chewers. The shelters usually do it but test for food aggression. I've done a strict walking routine with my current dog (newfoundland) and lost 25 pounds. try to make everything routine with your pup, walking, eating, playing.

 

What about a homeless bum?…. low-maintainance companionship, their wine only costs $1.99 a gallon and they can sleep in the garage

 

Like others have said:
I love labs / retreivers/ etc, but go with a mutt / rescue / puppy needing for a home........ pretty sure they're grateful for life.
50# range is a good manageable size factoring space / food/ exercise / expenses, but If it's not big enough to catch a ball, it doesn't count as a dog.
If you have a smart dog and a structured household training is not difficult. Crate / training is the way to go, and they will actually like it and treat it as their "den" and yes, a tired puppy is a good puppy...... like your kids. They should be able to give it plenty of exercise, and to be honest make you go for some runs too (my old dog got me to jog everyday, as I knew he'd behave while I was at work if he got some exercise)

btw, the best dogs turn out to be the ones that pick / find you. We've had a few great family dogs over the years and not one of them was really a "planned" aquisition. If you go somewhere where there are a bunch of pups, sit back and observe, and let your dog come to you.

The best dog ever, the original "stinkyB" (the 1st few names I tried to take on a MB were taken, so I used my dog's nickname) An ex-girlfriend got him from the humane society. I had ZERO intentions of having / taking care of a dog, but I took him when we split up. (He was ALOT more loyal...smarter too, no way I was letting go back to the pound). I wont lie, I was CRUSHED when passed 11 years later, but it was worth it.
RIP


good luck with your (eventual) pup. the rewards will be worth the occasional headaches

 

Will a carport work? I use my garage for detailing.

 

My wife would have gone with a cat if she had a say.