[Lexus]

I'm going to give this a shot, do what you will with it....

As a mention of advice JennSLK, planning a third dog when you don't even yet have the second and the first is still really a puppy with her own problems, you are setting yourself up for trouble. I know you say that it is going to be your boyfriend's dog, but that really is a moot point. It will be living in the same house as the other two pups.

Being that you plan on showing, getting another pup when the first two aren't finished or even fully trained is just really not even fair to the other dogs. In all fairness, esp, to the dobe pup on the way, she will not be even fully trained or set by the time another pup is coming into her household.

That pup is going to bond with your other two dogs, more than you. It's attention will be on them over you. (or your boyfriend, as you say it is for him, which is even less fair to him, being a novice, not that you are experienced, but I'd bet he is even less so). Training will be harder with the more dogs you have in the household, especially young ones. And training is all the time, everyday, not just when you go to class.

If I were you, I'd take the time to really work through and train what you have now. You have the pup coming in, whatever the wisdom in that decision is, give that pup and the one you have the attention and training so they can have the best start possible, and you will have the best chance possible at succeeding with it in the show ring.

Now you are saving for the down payment on a house in a year, BUT do you know what the expense is for three dogs? Especially show expenses on top of regular care? And dobermans eat more than a beagle, so a good high quality kibble for three dogs, probable supplements, medical upkeep, not to mention any health problems that seem to pop up when you least expect it. I have three large dogs I know the cost. And I work so much that I would have loved to have Lex titled in OB by now, but my schedule doesn't permit it. Heartworm preventative alone keeps me from buying a new car

I don't know what the two of you do for a living, but I remember being your age, in our first apartment, and yikes, there is no way I could pay for all that. I hope your young fiancée has a pretty lucrative job lined up out of high school, then if he does, where does he get the time for training and possible showing of a young dog?

You'll of course want to make sure that your new house has a fenced in yard with three dogs, esp the beagle being how beagles can be, mine is just a little fenced area filled with pea gravel so there is no mud, my cost on that was about $850 - $950 not to mention the labor we supplied. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find a house with the yard already fenced, doubt it though, as you can't walk away from a good house within a good price range in a good neighborhood b/c it doesn't have a fence.

Don't take offense to this, I, with other's I'm sure, just want to you really think this through before committing and spending more money than you have already put out, and giving your future dogs the best life and chances possible.

I adopted my second dog (a year old), when the first one was 3, I brought in the third dog was the second one was 5. And my third dog is now two. And it is still a challenge to have all three. And I'm only formally training one of them! Let your two mature. Get your titles on them, then see where you want to go from there.

I don't know anything about that breeder you mentioned, but I don't know anything about a lot of them. But if in fact it is a high caliber reputable breeder, chances are you aren't going to qualify for a dog anyway given your situation. I'm surprised the breeder you picked now is giving you a pup, but when you spoke of the breeding rights, I guess it all clicked for me.

 

[Lexus]

I am fully aware that it Will be a challenge. It's not like we will be doing it alone.

Won't be doing it alone? Will someone be living with you to help you? Training is everyday in and out of the house, not just at classes once or twice a week.

I will be going down to casual work in April. Which means I work as much or as little as I want. Depending on the training schedule.

I go back to saying I hope that your fiancée makes a lot of money then. For financing three dogs for OB classes, traveling, showing expenses, house, bills, medical for you all and the three dogs, regular care and food, etc.....

I am insulted you think we are still in High School. Rght now we live in a 3 bedroom townhouse and are moving to rent a house in May. Yes he has a well paying job. He is an experiance Granite/Tile/Marble setter. He only works 8am - 3pm. I worked 630am-630pm and still had time to train. He will have the time and the money.

Apologies then, you have been graduated for two years. My bad. That's great that your fiancée has a good secure job. My husband is a kitchen and bath designer and store manager, he often has to work with floor setters with remodels or designing new houses, hotels, and commercial buildings. He's been a designer and salesman for over 15 years, and in all honesty, he is very good at what he does, but if I quit my job or even went to part time, HA, there is no way that he could pay all the bills, insurances, car payments, house payments, ALL pet expenses (food, medical, fun stuff that we just HAVE to have , heartworm, flea, supplements, OB classes etc...), retirement funds, taxes, medical for us, oh yeah and groceries, household expenses, really I can keep going, granted we do have two children and their expenses as well. Not to mention putting into savings. I would definetly see some luxuries going out the window. Like traveling and showing. What happens if your fiancée should get injured on the job? What if he is out of work for 8 months? Or a year with an injury? I've seen it happen.

I do see you points. But I am not even going to put a disposit down on a pup for a YEAR. It's not like I am getting one now.

I know you say it will be a year. But your first dobe won't even be close to being mature or fully trained by then.

Did you ever think that maybe he trusts me and has seen the work I put in at handling classes on HIS dogs so that I can learn to do it properly?!

I think it is fantastic that you found a mentor. But IMO, I stand by what I said with the breeding rights. So you get to take all the risks with your dobes health and do the work for money in his pocket. Hey each to their own. That was the deal my dad had with the commercial breeder my girl came from (not of my knowledge of course). And I see how well the breeders pocketbook have benefited from it, at the expense of his bitch's health.

But how are you going to get another reputable breeder to approve you in your situation? With two young dogs, one still that will be very immature? Do you think you will work a bargain with them too?


Jenn, I applaud the work you are putting into your beagle. You have a pup on the way, no point in arguing the wisdom in that, it's done. I admire the goals and dreams you have, hey I have them too. But give yourself the opportunity to accomplish them, don't shoot yourself in the foot, financially and time wise, not to mention taking valuable time away from the dobe on the way. This really isn't to pick on you, however it may sound. It is all concern. Do what you may with it.

 

[Lexus]

i dont think that money SHOULD be a last concern when it comes to getting new pets - you need to be able to ensure that you can afford them, and provide for their care. emergencies, feeding, supplies - dogs are not cheap. and then adding to what she plans to do with her dogs, that will cost even more.

yes, its priorities. and responsible people will ensure that they can afford a new animal before they get one. i dont think your financial status should be a last concern when you get new animals - it should be one of the first, because if you cant afford the pet, then you shouldnt get it - no matter how much love you could offer it, IMHO.

From my understanding, I don't believe that Malori is saying that money isn't a priority and concern when animals are involved, I believe what he means is that money isn't a deciding factor in certain situations to some people, in the sense that they will go all out for their dogs regardless of the money, and that their decisions are based on the dog's needs and welfare, regardless of what they have to work through and shell out to accomplish such, and not the $ figure that makes their decisions if their dog should need something that is a priority, health, medical, yadayada. Like most of us You know most of us has run into the occasional person that is willing to more or less "throw" their dog away and get another rather then cure an issue at hand, or do what is in the better welfare of the animal.

But that he agrees totally that a person needs to first make sure they can tackle the financial responsibility of ownership with out a doubt before making these decisions to add more dogs. You can't live on love right Which I do believe is a concern in this case.

I can see how it is written and could be construed as such, but I don't believe that was his intent.