I have a new obsession. Every weekend day after a jog through Central Park, the Husband and I have fallen into a pattern of going to visit a puppy store a couple blocks from our apartment. It’s a habit we can’t seem to break as we go from sweating beasts, straight into Starbucks to grab the beloved egg white spinach wrap and an iced coffee and then happen to pass the cutest looking things in the world in the pet shop window, luring us into the store.
This started a couple of weeks back when we happened to wander in just to see what was inside. I didn’t even want a dog. Had no interest in it or remote desire for that sort of responsibility. But then I saw him. Big round brown eyes, floppy ears, black, tan and brown fur color and a happy wagging tail. As soon as the dog and I made eye contact, he stuck his nose straight up against the glass cage and stared at me with his puppy dog eyes, begging me to get him out of there. His tail was wagging furiously and I scratched my finger against the glass where his face was. At that point, he got so excited that he jumped up, hitting his adorable little puppy head against the ceiling of the cage and letting out a little whimper. That did it. I was heartbroken. I looked at The Husband and he looked at me, and we knew we had a problem. Were we ready for a dog? Was this our dog? We stood there, mesmerized at how much this furry little King Charles Cavalier Spaniel had eaten up our hearts in a matter of minutes. Newborn puppies at this store were over $2000, but because the dog before us was over 5 months already, he was a discount puppy – at $799.
The Husband whispered into my ear about how you’re not supposed to buy dogs at a pet store, that it’s supporting puppy mills and how pet stores buy these animals from places that abuse the dogs, etc. He somehow managed to get me out of the store, but the entire way home and for the next two hours, we agonized over what to do. We did research on the breed and found out these King Charles dogs make great apartment pets as well as loving companions. They were a very popular breed for being so easy going and trainable. I called my law school friend whose mother owned one of these dogs, who reiterated how much they loved the breed.
At this point, I had already started calling the dog, “Wally.” We called The Husband’s parents, as they are big dog lovers and had just adopted two dogs from the pound. They were concerned by how much the dog cost and commented that we could get a dog for much less and save a life by going to an animal shelter. This was true, but it was not Wally’s fault he ended up in a pet store. My mother said she’d be happy if we got a dog, as long as she could be a grandma to the dog and not have to take care of it. My father said we should get a “real” dog like a golden retriever or lab, and that we should go to a breeder, not get ripped off by a pet store.
We decided, after two hours of debating, to go back to the store and get more information about Wally. Where they got him from, what health guarantees they could provide, where the dogs go if nobody adopts them and any immunizations/neutering that would need to get done. We made a mental list of questions and talked about how our scheduling would work for walking, feeding and grooming Wally. My last hesitancy was about picking up the dog’s poop on the sidewalk. Still, I wanted more information.
So with growing excitement as we approached the pet store, we walked in only to discover that someone else had bought and taken away our Wally. His cage was empty.
We have now spent the past five weeks going back to the same pet store, checking out the other King Charles Cavalier Spaniels. Twice when we were there, two of these types of dogs got purchased. Apparently they sell like hot cakes. And now every KCCS I see on the street is immediately a “Wally,” and I ask The Husband if he thinks that’s our Wally. Chances are it’s not, but I can’t help but look for him.
Are we ready for a dog? Do you have a great dog that you love? Let’s hear about it.
Heidi says
Funny you talk about the pet shops. On 8th street there is a puppy store I passed constantly and I kept walking into it. I took pictures and text it to my dog loving friends/family. There was one we loved…Wally but decided against it. And then it was gone… Anyway we have two American Cocker Spaniels. The buff one is 14 years old and the black one is 6 years old. They are great dogs but do not like solitude. They need people around. They cry when we leave the home.
Sara says
We also fell in love with a Cavalier after seeing him in a pet store. We couldn't leave him in that cage another minute. He cost way more money than we ever thought we would spend on a dog. It turns out he was the best $800+ we spent that year. Two years later we had our daughter and althouh he was a little upset with me for not having lap room for him as often as he would like, he loves our daughter! Now that she's two the extra food he gets from her is just a bonus. He was easy to train, great with all people and is the perfect sized dog for us. If you find another one, snatch it up, you won't be disappointed!
Anonymous says
Actually the CKCS is on my list for a second dog. We have a Collie and if I can ever talk Hubby into a second dog, I would rescue a Cav.
I am not sure of your (dog) history but in my lifetime, I have had an English Cocker Spaniel, a Sheltie and 2 Collies. I have done an Adult Rescue and also a 4 month old Puppy Rescue. The Adult Rescue was one of the Collies and we got him right when I found out I was pregnant with my first child.
Since you both work full-time (as far as I know) I would really not recommend a puppy. While they are adorable, they need A LOT of exercise and some chew everything in sight.
If you want a Cav, look into an adult rescue. Believe me, rescues are the most GRATEFUL creatures on earth.
Anonymous says
Funny story a little over a month ago I went to a super adoption which I have gone to every year to hold, walk and pet the animals. I just think that it is so much fun. Well I got attached to this dog who is one years old she is a German Shepherd and we think a Whippet mix. She is full grown and is only 33lbs short hair, but has all the coloring of a German Shepherd. She also has the tempermant more of the German Shepherd than the Whippet. She was only $100 since it was a super adoption.
She is so smart was already potty trained and kennel trained. She is pretty easy to train and is so excited everytime we come home. Rescues are the best way to go bc they usually only have a 72hrs once they enter the shelter before they are euthanized if the shelter is full in most states. Make sure that you ask as many questions as possible when looking for a dog. If you do work all the time a puppy might not be the best option. Also, I don't know about new york but her in Utah you can foster animals. So if you see a dog you really like foster it for a month and see if it works out or if you think having a dog will work for you. One last thing there is a book called 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog The loved Dog Method by Tamar Geller. Reading it before you even get a dog will help you understand better about how to pick the right dog for you and if getting a dog is for you. I learned a lot from it since getting my dog. You will have better results with the dog you choose. Also going to a dog trainer before you get a dog and explain your situation and they can actually tell the bests breeds for you. I did a lot of research before and that is how I knew that I wanted a German Shepherd and that it was the breed for me, since she is so small it was perfect for me. If you have anymore questions I would be happy to give you all the help you need.
Kara
Stacey B says
You guys are so awesome!! Thanks for all the dog tips out there. We will certainly look into these. I took my parents to the pet store today, but the Cav there was napping and buried in the cage filling. We'll have to do some more research about what breed we would want and what would fill our life style. I work full time, but The Husband has more flexibility to be at home, so could be around to train the puppy (I say this, having no idea if he'd be willing to do this). Rescue sounds nice, but a lot of the rescues in the NYC shelters are pit bulls or other aggressive breeds and I have no interest in bringing anything like that into our home. I will keep you all posted on if we decide to do this and may even reach out to you. Thanks for sharing all of your stories and for your willingness to answer questions!
Anonymous says
A year ago my son adopted 2 dashchunds, one is blind, while he still lived in NYC on the 30th floor of an apt. He left NYC with the dogs in July. Other son, years ago, bought what was supposed to be a thoroughbred dashchund; turned out to be a very weird dog. Be wary of Pet Stores and their prices??
Anonymous says
Puppies and dogs in general are SO much work! I honestly have no clue why people say that getting a puppy will teach you what it's like to be a parent. Not the same at all. We have a lab that we love to pieces and then decided to get a small mixed breed dog. We have taken both dogs to obedience training, they are both crate trained and the lab was very easy to house train. Our little dog took a little longer to house train, but she was born in Feb and didn't like to go outside in the snow/cold to do her business. She finally caught on though. I read the Puppies for Dummies book as well as House Training for Dummies book and both were very helpful. Also, there are a ton of forums on the internet dealing with just about any breed out there. A CKCS is one breed we looked at for our smaller dog, but even that was bigger than what we were looking for and we went with a mixed breed that didn't cost an arm and a leg. I also am a stay at home mom so our dogs are rarely alone and when they are we crate them.
Also, while doing your research about breeds and breeders, please research dog food. I feel bad that so many people feed their dogs (and cats) very low quality food or buy expensive brands without doing research and they are just spending a lot of money on a crappy product. Do your research and feed your dog the highest quality dog food that is in your budget. Not only will the dog eat less, but they will be healthier. (ok, off my soap box now.)
I also agree with the post about meeting with a trainer to see what kind of dog would fit into your current life style. My sis and brother in law really wanted a lab puppy. After meeting with a lab rescue group and discussing their life style, they realized that a puppy would require the time and training they couldn't provide as they both worked full time and long hours. They ended up rescuing a 7 yr old very mellow lab who they are completely in love with and she fits in well with thier life style. While they did have to make some changes, like coming home right after work to let the dog out instead to going out to dinner after work, they have made it work.
Good luck to you on your decision!
Oh, I keep meaning to post and ask if you saw the blurb that said that Ashley and JP were going to get married on TV? I sure hope it's true. I loved JP from the first episode of The Bachelorette.
Anonymous says
I am a huge dog-lover but am horrified at how many people “get a dog” without any knowledge of the responsibility and commitment. Glad to see that you are doing the research.
Even tiny dogs need lots of exercise (ideally 1 hour power walk/day) and most dogs that we would want as pets need lots of human companionship (e.g, need to hire a dog walker if dog is alone for more than 5 hours).
Watch many episodes of “The Dog Whisperer” (by Cesar Millan) – he is THE master of dog psychology. Dogs are not people, obviously, yet so many people treat them as such. Dogs need and want strong leadership from their “pack leaders.” I wish I had known all that I do now years ago when I got my first dog as I would have done things completely differently.
Also high quality food is essential, and can be $. I am a strong advocate for feeding a raw diet – raw meaty bones, liver, hearts, all that stuff that dogs naturally eat in the wild. Supermarket kibble is “fake food” for dogs! You can find a lot of information on this now on the web- google BARF (bones and raw food).
Good luck on your research and take your time. It may be that this time of your life is not the best time to have a dog (eg, living in a NYC highrise). Also, there are tons of rescue groups for all different breeds; don't be put off by the local shelter which tends to have problem cases.
Anonymous says
Just one more thing. If you decide to do a rescue, you can go online and research. In addition to our Collie who came from Missouri and was being fostered in Ohio (we live in neither), we rescued a cat that we chose online from Michigan. A rescue transporter from Michigan happened to be coming near our area.
In other words, look outside of NYC. Kind hearts are willing to drive these dogs to meet you.
Please consider the rescue; you won't be sorry!
ElleBelle says
I have a three year old Cavalier, that I found on petfinder.com! They have tons of them looking for good homes. They are the kindest, most loving and loyal dogs one could ask for. Maddux is perfect in a small apartment, and all he wants to do is cuddle. You should still have my email address from last fall, so email me/shoot me an email you have any questions!!
Ellen 🙂
Liz says
We have a 10 month old Cav and he is by far the best dog we have ever owned. He is well worth the price (there is a reason they are pricey! They are amazing, amazing dogs. He is super sweet, very smart, easy to train, eager to please, loves to cozy on our laps, never complains and loves, loves to be with us at all times. We have owned many dogs throughout the years and our Cav is by far our favorite. We live in a small house in a large city. We do walk him every day but I wouldn't say he needs a ton of exercise. He just wants to meet and greet all the dogs and people in the neighborhood. 🙂 I would recommend if you are gone for long periods of time to put him in a doggie daycare so he can socialize (they don't like to be alone much). Wally is perfect! You will LOVE him so much!!