Hi,
Im Donna and me and my partner are discussing getting a ten week old springer, we have a 9 week old baby at the moment though and arent really sure of the pro's and cons of doing this.
I know springers have a nice temperment and are meant to be good with kids-but do you think its a good idea getting a puppy who is practically the same age as the baby?
Would it be a good idea because they would grow up together, or a complete and utter disaster do you think?

Hi Donna and welcome to ST! I haven't been in your situation, my daughter was nearly 10 when we got Angel. Knowing what i know now - i wouldn't get such a young puppy with such a young baby. This isn't anything to do with temperment - but down to how much hard work it will be. Not only will you be getting up with the baby, but you will also have to get up in the night to let the pup out, and up really early.

My daughter was really upset by the puppy biting stage - it does hurt! You would have to be extra vigilant having such a young baby (especially when baby starts to crawl)

This is just my opinion and as i say, i haven't any experience with very young baby/young pup combination.

There are members with babies but im unsure what came first Vic where are you??

Good luck

Sam and Angel

Hi Donna and welcome! For what it's worth, my opinion is below.

I've had experience of both pups and babies and have had both at the same time, but only foster pups for a couple of weeks at a time. Being completely honest, there is no way I'd have a pup and baby together permanently, personally I just couldn't have coped but maybe that's just me! That's why we decided to foster, to get our 'doggy fix' without the hassle of a dog long term with young children.

A puppy is incredibly hard work (I actually think they're harder than a baby - they get you up at night and need constant supervision like a baby but unlike a baby they also need lots of training, destroy everything in their path, and teeth all at the same time - with kids it comes in stages but with a pup it's all in one go!). Your son/daughter is probably at her easiest stage about now as she can't move and is presumably on 3 naps a day - it gets much harder when they're older and are on the move, need weaning, only sleep once a day, etc, etc. Ask yourself if you could deal with more than twice the work you've got now, because that's about the amount I think having a pup and an older baby is.

The pup would also need lots of training, is that something that you have time for? I know when my children slept it was the only time I got the washing, ironing, cleaning, etc, done, so wouldn't have wanted to have to spend their nap times training a pup in the garden. The result would have been a very chaotic house indeed but I should point out that I'm not the kind of person that can deal with that, I need it to be neat and tidy or I go crazy! So perhaps that's not as relevant for you?

Added to the prospect of a very bouncy adolescent dog and a toddler trying to learn to walk (speaking from experience of having my son knocked over by a foster dog constantly and being hurt several times - it took a good few months before he was happy with dogs again after that). And pups nip constantly, again, you'd have to be very wary as a pups teeth would easily break a baby's skin.

I think another thing to ask yourself is how would you do at least an hours walk each day with the dog and baby - ok at the moment when the baby can be in a sling or pushchair but not so easy when you've got a toddler that will be too heavy to carry, refuse to go in a pushchair and only walk a few hundred yards before giving up!! (again, speaking from experience trying to walk foster dogs with a toddler!). A springer is a dog that needs a lot of exercise so you need to factor that in somehow.

We're currently getting ready for our pup but now is the perfect time for us - my daughter starts school in the new year, my son starts pre-school, so I'll have time to give to a puppy, and both children are big enough to deal with bouncy nipping pups and go on long walks with us.

It's obviously a personal thing and a pup may suit your household very well but I've just put down a few things that I thought of, and a few of the reasons why we've waited until now to get a pup of our own. If you do go for it then perhaps a breed other than a springer might be better, something not as big (so won't knock a child over as much) and that doesn't need as much exercise. Our neighbours have a cavalier king charles spaniel that they take for a 15 min walk each day which is fine for him - a springer would go crazy on that I think!!

Or you could always offer to become a foster home? That would give you idea of the work involved and help you to see if you want a dog full time - plus it would help out a rescue.

I hope that the above makes a bit of sense. Sorry if it doesn't but I just 'brain dumped' and typed whatever came in to my head!! Best of luck making your decision.

Thankyou both, you both make pefect sense.

I'll have to bring your points up when im talking to my partner about it later. Thank you very much for your input

i have three kids, teenagers now, our dogs are nearly a year old... but quite honestly the pups were harder work than most babies - they create loads of washing and cleaning up, and its not long before they ideally need a couple of hours a day spent walking too, all weathers ... I expect it can be done, but i wouldn't want to combine teething puppies and teething babies... I made my son wait until he was 18

you have to imagine coping with this ... ( i know, gorgeous isn't she :0) )



Stellar looks like this after most walks... no joke!

Sorry to say I have to agree with the above posts.

I have just fostered a young springer who came into care because of a baby. He was just too lively and the wee one would have been constantly knocked over. The owners loved him dearly, but the needs of the baby had to come first. It would be horrible if you had to go through a scenario like that - but entirely possible.

And dare I say it (not all springers are as good natured as you might think)

You could always consider an oldie, but for what is is worth, your wee one deserves 100% of your attention for the first year at least. She will grow so quickly and every minute is precious. And time will fly before you know it.

I agree it's good for children to grow up with a dog, but not till they are old enough to understand them which for her/him is a few years away yet.

I know this is perhaps not the answer you were hoping for. But we are all only thinking of you and your wee one.

I have had dogs for over 30 yrs and would never have a puppy again. I just don't have the energy and patience (and I am a foster mum to teenage children so what does that tell you)