need advice - pets or no pets

[Cillian's Mom]

Hi, i need some advice and i know you guys will have a lot of opinions so here i go.....My husband and i told my kids at Christmas that we could get a dog in the spring. Spring is now here and my husband had been looking for a good dog to get for the kids and decided on a retriever. He found 2 that were posted on FB and they are 3 years old, black labs, one male and one female. The issue is that he took my 4 year old (Mason) to see the dogs on Friday and guilted me into "agreeing" to get both of these dogs. Our house isn't really that big and Cillian is still learning how to master the stairs (full flight, hardwood). I expressed my concerns to my husband but he also took all of us to meet the dogs on Saturday. These dogs are HUGE (one is 105 lbs, the other 75lbs) The male dog seemed very gentle but the female seemed a bit untamed. I again expressed my concern especially with the female, but my husband and kids won out. We were supposed to pick them up tomorrow (Tues) but i woke up last night with a panic attack having nightmares about these dogs. My husband was still asleep when i left for work, so i left him a note stating that i think we need to rethink this decision. We are not getting the dogs now, but my husband is furious with me over my change of heart. I had nightmares that the dogs knocked Cillian down the stairs and tried to bite my other child. Am I being unrealistic???? Help.....

[LKN]

We have two cats and they were all over our son all the time when he was trached. I worried but it was great for him. Not great to suction cat hair out of his trach but it was okay They are still his best buddies and follow him all around waiting for him to play or snuggle.

A dog would make me nervous if it was not well trained. We noticed that some dogs--size didn't matter--were really bothered by the sounds of the trach. The classic trach "mucous breathing" made some dogs growl at him.

If your gut is telling you that one of the dogs won't work then I think you are wise to trust it. Can you get a gentle puppy that you can train? Some dogs are threatened by little kids anyway--even without a trach.

Good luck!!!

[haltec]

We got a new dog in October. He's a 60 lb yellow lab and HIGH energy. He was from a rescue where they train service dogs so he had some basic training, but OMG - he's a horse and scares me with the kids and the stairs.
He has anxitety issues (we didn't know this when we got him) and will try to race out the door if he knows you are leaving (and know anyone down in his path).

I love the guy, but in hindsight should have been a little more picky. I think you did the right thing. You will find the right dog. Keep looking...

[IzzyB]

I personally would not start with two dogs even if I had perfectly healthy children. Two dogs can be more wild and run around the house a lot more. This would mean trouble for any kid learning to walk, never the less a trach kid with extra equipment.

I also would be more hesitant in getting such large dogs. Dogs are a huge commitment and you really need the right environment for them to play in. If they are large they need huge fenced in areas to get their energy out or you need to take them on a lot of walks. If you don't, they tend to also run around the house like a crazy person. My sister-in-law has a lab and the dog doesn't get enough exercise. So it runs around the house waging its tail and hits it off the wall, furniture, etc. Eventually hits it enough times that it starts bleeding and then wags her tail more and blood goes everywhere.

I love dogs and I work with the SPCA her in central Florida a ton. I wish everyone could have a dog, but in some situations you really need to find the right dog for you. And it sounds like the female is not the right selection for you and two dogs really is not the right selection. Maybe down the line once you guys are used to one dog and the kids are older you can add another dog. I hate to see bad fits because then the dog just ends up back at a shelter and that is really hard on the dog.

Another suggestion is your LO on O2 or a vent still? I would make sure before getting any dog that you ask to take them into a smaller quieter room with all of your LOs equipment and make sure they dog is OK with the sounds. My little dog was never scared of sounds (thunder, fireworks, etc), but she HATED the O2 concentrator and hid in the closet because of it. She also hated the suction machine and avoided the nursery like the plague. We had a lot of issues getting her used to all the equipment. She is now fine and will roam the whole house again and is a part of the family again. But since you are starting fresh I would make sure the dog is OK with the sounds of the equipment.

[Cillian's Mom]

thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. I just got so nervous about how we would be able to give enough time to the dogs as well as our kids when i barely have time for the kids. And them being so big and not having been around little kids scares me. I guess my husband will eventually get over it and maybe we can try thinking about this again in a month or so. One dog only

[Christamae]

We have had dogs since I was little. It really depends on the dogs temperament. And I would suggest obedience training & stay away from the wild one. Ever watch Dog Whisperer? My mom trained dogs for a bit so we never really had a problem. It's important that the dog knows all the humans are above him in the pack & you are alpha. You could lay a ground rule that if there is an accident the dog has to go. Dogs can offer a special kind of affection and comfort...Maybe just an outdoor dog???

[Sweet Harrison's mommy]

I think you are wise to rethink this decision...whether you decide to go for it or wait, it's worth sitting on for a bit. Do you have a backyard for the dogs?

We have two big lab mixes (both 70 pounds), and although Harrison loves them, we keep them away from him much of the time. Luckily, we have a large backyard that they pretty much spend most of the day. They are harmless, but can be very wild and no matter how old they get, they seem like forever "puppies". 2 big forever puppies I think having 2 can be easier in some ways (they entertain themselves), but they can also get one another overly excited very easily, which makes me nervous around Harrison.

We had ours before Harrison was born, so they aren't going anywhere, but I can honestly say that if I could find them a fantastic home right this minute (if my husband would let me), I would They can be a handful.

[TEE]

We have a dog (bird dog, large, goofy little over a year old) and a cat....the cat is a full time house cat and the dog is mostly in the house as well. Our daughter loves the dog, he's been very good around her but he does get excited and jumps over her and the equipment which gives me heart failure but we are teaching him to be calm around her---he's just very excitable, especially if he thinks you are taking him for a walk. I think the benefits of the pets far outweigh the issues, but with that being said, you do have to be aware of the animals and be there with your child and them both as it is a learning experience.

I don't leave her alone with the dog nor the cat (she bites) We also have stairs and our little one isn't mobile yet so that isn't an issue but will become one eventually.

[Zmom]

That is a tough one. I understand your concerns completely. We have cat. A very large orange cat (seriously, bigger than many dogs and bigger than my kid at 17 pounds.) We got the cat about a year before Zachary was born. If Zachary had come first, I can honestly say that I would have a very very hard time getting a pet. (I never wanted a pet of any kind – my husband wanted a pet and we compromised on a cat – a cute lost kitten at the time.)

We worried a lot about the cat and having Zachary home. We worried about cat hair getting into the trach (has not happened), we worried about allergies and my sons already fragile lungs (no problems there), I worried about the cat scratching Zachary (nope), chewing on the tubing for all of Zachary’s medical equipment (has not happened).

We have stairs, a lot of them. Zachary fell on the stairs requiring a trip to the ER and we don’t even have dogs.

The cat has never attacked Zachary despite the fact the Zachary has attacked the cat. He pulled the cat’s ear so hard major surgery was required to fix it. That was something I never worried about! I think our cat has encouraged our son to move – he chases that cat everywhere – it is his motivation.

I would certainly be careful about the dog’s personality and ensure that you can get the dog a lot of exercise (whatever type it is). Pets are certainly extra work. When things get really busy we often forget about the litter box, but I am glad we have a pet. We don’t get out much and it is nice to have that kind of company/stimulation for Zachary – and me! I think good training would be key for dog.

It took our cat a long time to get used to the noises of the vent/pulse ox. The peeping really bothered him. But he is fine with it now and will sometimes even sleep in Zachary’s room.

[tbhartman]

Could the dogs stay downstairs so the stairs aren't a fear? (baby gate at the bottom?) or would that not be good for you guys?
Animals aren't my thing, so i'm not the one to say