I wouldn’t go with a bulldog as a first dog personally and they aint much use as a trail dog, not fast enough and they can be very dodgy (=expensive) due to overbreeding, read up on them, good ones are £850+ so find out why it’s so cheap.

Other dogs to avoid = Doberman, bloody nuisance, difficult to train but fast as hell, I can’t stay with him.

A lab is a good first dog, they’re generally reliable if you’re not used to dog ownership all of which has been amply described.

Personally we as a family wouldn’t be without one, love them to bits and are currently dealing with another puppy, Doberman cross Jack Russell, (don’t ask, it goes with the other one and the furniture).

We’ve had Stan, our Bedlington for coming on a year. Non-shedding, amazing with the kids, mad as a box of frogs and was a trouble free pup – ignoring a brief phase of sh1ttng on my wife’s favourite rug (straight after we had him ‘done’ – was like a revenge thing)

I’m from a family that always had cats so was a little reluctant as just seemed like an awfully big commitment – turns out to be one of the best things we ever did.

Bedlington’s are ace as a breed too…

Tell them they can never have another foreign holiday and the only weekends away they’ll have are at dog friendly campsite in the rain until the dog dies as it’s not fair and too expensive to keep putting the dog in kennels.

Wrong. A pet passport will allow you foreign holidays in Europe. Choose wisely and hotels/holiday cottages allow dogs in the rooms.

Would advise against a terrier breed unless you can be as stubborn as they are to start with. With a second-hand dog you have to undertake a bit of a battle of wills to establish the pack hierarchy, this can be as short as a week or can go on for months!

Dogs are ace if you give them a chance.

Mrs Cat won’t have one cos she’s never owned one and does not understand the “joy of dog!”

Dogs can live outside in a kennel, they are pretty hardy and some breed would be far healthier outside than in a centrally heated house (may let them in during the depths of winter – though most of the shepherds round here leave theirs out).

Mrs Cat’s uncle has a bullldog and she walks for miles albeit slowly and with regular wheeze stops. They are droolmonsters so forget new carpets and furniture if it lives inside.

Desperate to have another dog, may get one when the kids leave home as I’ll need someone to talk to. 🙂

Most of the negatives people are mentioning like them being smelly, messy, a tie, a drain on disposable income. The OP has children already!!!!

The dog may be all these things, but in a lesser measure.

To me, a house doesn’t feel like a home without a dog.

Op- I wouldn’t touch that £100 bulldog with a badge poll. In fact I wouldn’t touch a bulldog as a first time dog full stop. ( can have a lot of health issues, especially one for £100 ). What sort of research have the famliey done with regards to fitting into your lifestyle?

Don’t don’t look after themselves. Cat’s do (apart from the feeding while you’re away on hols) – get a cat!
They don’t smell as bad as dogs either & sometimes you can train one to go for a short walk with you…

Dogs are a huge bind. Even simple days out have to be planned for if the dog is not permitted to come. Take last week’s Christening, for example. Christening at 12.00 followed by party afterwards. You have to get home for the dogs at some point so you dont drink at the party and slope off in the car to take the dogs out for a good run.

Fancy a day trip with the kids somewhere that doesnt permit dogs? Get them in the kennels or persuade a relative to walk them for you. Maybe you are visiting relatives and you want to stay overnight?

Dogs are a huge pain in the arse and I never wanted one…but…

We got one in the end..then another. I honestly can’t imagine the house without them in now. loves ’em

I wont have another cat though. They bugger off out the cat flap and you never know if they will make it back. We recently had one put down after he had struggled home after being run over 🙁

edit. My Springer has just laid a paw on me to remind me the Saturday woods are calling.

Get a black and white one, the licence is cheaper.

… Ah they were the days

Did your wife get the dog?

Ditch the carpets downstairs for vinyl or wooden floors. Most of ‘Dog’ smells in a house comes from carpet. You will notice by using a solid floor covering and the daily mess a dog creates just how much dirt and hair a carpet can hold on to.
I’ve been without a Collie in my life for six years now since I moved out of my folks. Me and the missus however have just been to make another visit to our first puppy that we bought a couple of weeks ago at just two weeks old. She is four weeks old now and we still have another four weeks wait until we can have her finally.

A dog will always change your life. They need you and want to be involved, just make sure that’s what you want.. 😕

Oh, and house rabbits can be awesome. Very low maintenance and very terratorial when it comes to shi**ing!

Just tell them it’s their job, always, and they can’t go on holiday unless they ensure the dogs minding is paid for (average of about £15 a day on top of your hoildays if you can’t take the dog, i.e. anywhere abroad):

Dogs can go abroad. Pet passport required. Details are on the DEFRA website

Just tell them it’s their job, always

This. It can work if you stick to your guns. I was in the same position as the OP, and now share my house with a daschund (sp?). At least it’s small. I have always refused any doggy requests (eh?) by saying “it’s not my dog”. So I don’t walk it, clean up after it etc.

It can be entertaining to have around I suppose. It can be very affectionate, which is nice. But don’t think I’d miss it if it wasn’t here.

We’re dog-sitting our daughters bulldog at the moment. She is getting on a bit but lots of health problems, as suggested above. No real character as far as I can tell. Wouldn’t want one.
We had a rescue greyhound, which was my first dog. Fantastic. Needs very little exercise, laid back, lovely character (unless you’re a cat, then you’re dinner)and brilliant with kids. Would strongly recommend visiting a greyhound rehoming charity. They’ll find a dog that suits you and your lifestyle (or tell you if you aren’t suitable). I’d suspect they’ll want less than £100 donation too.

Red the greyhound enjoying his retirement on a beach in Kintyre…

Rob

Dogs can go abroad. Pet passport required. Details are on the DEFRA website

Obviously. But I don’t know anyone who can be bothered with the trouble if it’s not just popping over on teh ferry.

Have lived with dogs most of my life. Most of the above is true. Would avoid a heavily in-bred dog (like a bulldog) like the plague as the most in-bred breeds often have major health problems. Seeing as you have kids I’d also avoid buying an adult dof that you know nothing about – if its been mistreated it could turn on you/the kids with no warning. Either go to a breeder and get a lab or a bedlington and be prepared to cough up, or go to a good dog’s home where they will interview you, check you (and your house) out and match you with a dog that is right for you. If they’re really good they’ll insist you walk it daily for a couple of weeks before they let you take it home. A dog can be the one of the best things that ever happened to you, but its a big responsibility and commitment and you need to do your research properly. FWIW I wouldn’t touch that bulldog with a bargepole….