Chixe

You should only get the pup if you are prepared to treat it like a family member, if you are prepared for medical emergencies, and if you are prepared to take care of it in every aspect (cleaning up, shots, etc.).

Dogs require love, lots of love and patience.

I know it irks you, but I can understand the apartment complex deposit. They have to be prepared to clean and possibly replace carpet, or take care of any damage a pet has done.

Is the $500 a deposit or a payment?

Also, do you and your wife have similar or different philosophies when it comes to pets and major surgery and chronic health issues?

@LorriM:

You should only get the pup if you are prepared to treat it like a family member,

I treat ALL my pets -- rodent, feline, and canine alike -- as family members. (C'mon, I just spent $150 on medicines for my cancer-infected hamster. No worries, slow growing cancer common among older hamsters.)

@Abi: Payment, I guess. And yes, similar philosophies. I'm very stringent when it comes to the care of pets. That's why I want to make sure we're making the right decision. I don't want to go into this blind. We're calling vets on Monday to see what they know about puggles and what issues we should watch out for, in order to help determine whether the dog's a good match for us, and vice versa.

@all: Don't take my comment about only needing to be acknowledged very seriously. My point is that I like cats because they're independent and don't really need you -- they're sort of like hairy land fish, more like decorative masters than actual pets -- whereas my wife likes dogs because they interact with you. We both have a fair amount of experience with pets, however it wasn't until very recently that we even heard of puggles, which is why I'd like to hear from puggle owners. (We've met a few here, but haven't gotten to talk much to them.) And, of course, there's the internet research my wife's currently engaged in. By research I mean she's watching YouTube videos of puggles doing battle with dangerous apples and paper bags.

So long as your eyes are open you should go for it if all agree. But, I do agree that the heat and this breed could be an issue, however we have a black labrador and they are known to over heat (male labs and black bad combination). We are lucky we have a river near but when we move we are looking at getting a doggy pool - don't laugh. In the UK it's hardly hot a lot of the time but even here you have to make sure they have the option of water. Of course labs are a bigger dog though.

The main thing is being aware that a 7 month dog is like a toddler and chewing is also a potential. You won't get so much compared to what we got with a lab (they are known for chewing and destruction at their toddler phase). For instance, Dillon ate walls - no I'm not joking. I'd advise if you do get it getting a toy known as a kong - you can get small ones for smaller breeds and some kong paste. This is a great method of giving them something to do while you are out - sometimes you just can't be with your dog 24/7.

I'd also say the first week you get it enrole in training with it as you've already missed the puppy foundations you can put in place. You may with a 'second hand' dog have to unlearn or even teach things that should have been learnt before. Barley was a re-home at 2 years old and we were lucky but I've had previous rehome dogs that needed a lot more work as a result.

Above all I do agree that as long as your thoughts on health and illness are the same and you are wide open about it - you should go for it. We never regretted adding Dillon to our family even though we had Barley before him.

From one dog lover to a potential other: Family members need care. The Humane Society is the only place I'd ever consider because it's like adopting a child in foster care. Some have mighty big problems but most want stability, security and a permanent family. There is something unequal about a dog greeting you at the door after a long day that a cat just does not and cannot do. You're right about the interaction a dog provides and needs. If you really and truly aren't made of that stuff, get a cat who will love you in its own independent way.

Gnorb: It's nice to hear that you treat your pets like family members. Not everyone does, unfortunately.

There is something unequal about a dog greeting you at the door after a long day that a cat just does not and cannot do.

Don't let my cat hear that! She may stop following me around and greeting me lovingly when I come home from work. Then again there may be some species confusion involved causing her to she thinks she's a puppy.

I'm a dog person so I say after debating the pro's and cons if it seems like something you are willing to get into, go for it. Just be sure because there are a lot of pets which end up at the human society because their owners did not realize how much work they were. Joy is not always free. My family always had dogs, our dogs went overseas when we moved, quarantine and all several times, but we always owned Golden's and Rott's. I think there is nothing like a dog.

They are good for your soul.

I know nothing of puggles but Adam Freetly, the guy whose them I currently use, just got a pug..you may want to follow that saga. His link is in the bottom of my template.

@Jesized: So... you're a cat lady? *heh*

@Cooper: We've debated the pros and cons about a dog in general, and have agreed that now would be a good time to get one. However, our big concern is whether the puggle is a good fit for us. My big hopes were for a beagle, because I think they're gorgeous, but the last thing we need is one howling all day in our apartment. (Neighbors wouldn't like that. Do puggles tend to inherit that trait?) Neither of us wanted a pug, mostly because we both think they're hideous, but also because they're not warm-weather dogs: their short snouts tend to cause problems. (Better than having a huge coat of fur, I guess, except you could shave the fur; you can't extend the nose.) However, we like the pug's demeanor, which makes them a good apartment pet, and their [Edit: the puggles'] longer snout tends to make them better adapted to the heat [Edit: than pugs], so long as they don't gain the propensity to run like a mad beagle.

Anyway, from the research we've done it looks like the puggle might be a good choice. We're going to meet him in the next week in order to make our final call.

I think you're making the right decision in meeting the dog. You can use the breed as a guideline, but every dog has it's own personality.

Personally, I couldn't imagine my life without my dogs - they are my babies. :) So, I fully support adding to your family, but only if it's the right dog and the right situation. I've adopted muts from the SPCA and I've bought pure breed dogs. Both have worked out great, it really just depends on what you're looking for.

@Gnorb: Nah, just sick of hearing folks say that all cats are bitches by nature. Any pet will be loving and attentive if you are loving and attentive to it, no matter what kind of animal it is!

Actually, my experience's shown that this depends very much on the cat. I've had two, with wildly divergent personalities. The first was exactly what you describe: loving, attentive, and loyal to ONE person at a time. If that person was around, he was with them, end of story. (short haired tabby, I think.) He was certainly nice to everyone else, though. The other was a lot more independent, to the point of being gruff. He was very much the "leave me alone" and "if you want to pet me you must come here 'cause I ain't going there" type.

Cats are simply more independent than dogs. They're also a lot easier to take care of.

All animals (dogs and cats included) have different personalities. Our two dogs are testament to that and they are both labradors from the same breeder so that looses the breed as being a certain indicator. We often joke about them being 'Pinky and the Brain'.

Dillon (slowly the name DIlbert seems more appropriate) is the big huggy bear, about as tough as a jelly, if he goes about 10 minutes without a hug he'll come and get one (he also tries to hug back) and not the sharpest pencil in the pot. Barley on the other hand is more what you'd call 'cat like'. She's independent to the point of 'meh humans', could easily be the brightest dog I've ever known let alone owned, she doesn't play with toys (Dillon constantly has a kong in his mouth), she is tough as boots and probably would quite happily hunt for her own food, she also has a tendency to get the hump and sigh a lot for no reason - not very labrador like.

Often it's also due to their breed and bringing up. Barley was a re-home from a house that didn't abuse her but weren't about all day so she's developed a more independent edge - although nurture aside I think Barley's nature is to be most of the way she is. I've owned many dogs and can say that there were some cross overs but on the whole each one had a different personality.

Got the dog last night.

And she pooped...

... four times...

... inside the house.

We took her out. We stayed out. We keept her out. She'd come in and poops. *sigh*

First evening was not fun. Still, it seems' she's taken a liking to us, and does respond to her previously given name (Daisy) so that's a start.

Time for the training.

Make that five

No, six.

Damn it! We've had her outside for a friggi'n HOUR and she didn't do anything. Comes in the house and shits all over.

Edit:Make that eight. (Yes, seven happened, too.) In just over 14 hours. (Is this normal?) We take her outside and it's as if she waits until we're inside to poop. And she's also peed on the carpet. She won't do any of this outside, mind you, just inside.

Best method of poop training is every 1/2 hour plonk them outside. It's what works for puppies. Also newspaper is your friend and move the newspaper as they use it to the door - take it away bit by bit and then you can move it outside and they should get the hint. Dillon took about a week to train to poop outside when we had him at 8 weeks. Also you can get a spray that you use when they do poop and it removes the scent of the poo - this basically means they are less likely to associate your house as a bit poop box.

My wife's at home today with the dog. We're doing intensive poop training for the next few days. Your advice will definitely be used.

Dear doG, I can't believe I just wrote that.

@jensized

Don't let my cat hear that! She may stop following me around and greeting me lovingly when I come home from work. Then again there may be some species confusion involved causing her to she thinks she's a puppy.

Lol. Sometimes I think my puppy thinks he's a cat. He's always climbing up and perching on the back of the couch, just like my cats used to do. He likes to go to sleep under my bed, which is something the cats also used to do. Plus he actually took one of my sister's cats toys and made it his own.

You're right though. A cat I used to own was extremely loving & attentive. You couldn't get her to leave you alone, all she wanted to do was lay under you and get her belly rubbed.

OUTSIDE!!!!!!!

After two hours outside (directly after dinner) she FINALLY poops outside, for which she has been greatly rewarded.