Thinking of getting a puppy - advice needed please

[Flojo224]

Hi everyone

We've ummed and arrrrd about getting a dog for years now but because I have asthma so would need a hypoallergenic dog and DH only wanted big dog (Husky/Alsatian etc.) we've never agreed on a breed.

DH has eventually come around to my logic and has said he would be happy with something like a Cockapoo, and we think it would be good for our DS14, but I do have some questions if anyone can help.

1. Can you tell from a young pup age what their fur is going to be like? (Our friends have one ginger cockapoo who has very curly fur and I'm fine with him, but they also also have his black younger sister who has mainly silky smooth fur and she bothers me) We'd need one with course/curly fur.

2. We have a 10 day holiday booked at end of May and 16 day one in Oct - so when would be the best time to get one? If we got one now/next few weeks, would it be too soon to leave it to go on holiday in May and similarly, if we wait until June, would October be too soon? (We do know a lady who looks after dogs on her farm whilst owners away and she has them in her home, not in kennels).

3. How soon can you leave them alone to pop out for a few hours? (We now do hybrid of WFH & office so between us we can pretty much be here most of the time with just the occasional day when we'd all be out for a couple of hours)

It would be our first time owning a puppy/dog, so any advice greatly welcomed

Thanks

[Floridatilly]

I would look at a full breed that definitely won’t molt/shed, have you looked a a full size poodle? They are beautiful dogs and very clever. My neighbour has a cockapoo, he is absolutely gorgeous but molts/sheds an awful lot, when they first brought him home the fact he was hypoallergenic and non shedding was the main reason for getting that breed but they still love him to bits!
When we first got Tilly we would leave her for very short periods in her cage so that we knew she was safe. She slept in there at night so her bedding was in there snd I would go and do the school run or nip to the shop without her.
I would probably wait until after your holidays, they can take a few weeks to settle in and weeks/months to fully house train. That first year of getting Tilly we holidayed in the UK so she could come too 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[Floridatilly]

These are standard size poodles so they will be big enough for your husband 👍🏻

[Mazbar]

We have a malamute husky cross and they shed a lot, the thing is just because you are asthmatic it doesn’t mean you will have a reaction. I’m asthmatic and his shedding doesn’t affect me at all. He is absolutely lovely and very gentle, but he is not for a first time dog owner. You have to be very firm or they will rule the roost. Then there is the walking this is non negotiable once they have stopped being a puppy after about 12 to 15 months you will be looking at about 5 miles every day no matter the weather.

[Cinderellabella]

Just be aware if you do go ahead with whatever breed some kennels/boarders don’t take puppies until they reach a certain age. May be worth checking out with whoever you have in mind.

[LoopyLoo07]

If you are asthmatic/have allergies what about a mini schnauzer! They hardly shed anything at all and ours doesn’t affect my boyfriends asthma at all! Despite being small dogs they are stocky and have big personalities!

[Princess Ariel]

I would second everything floridatilly has said. We have a miniature cockapoo and she’s tiny but to be honest eat you never really know what you are going to get! She is also very curly and doesn’t shed but again it’s hard to tell when they are puppies so perhaps a full breed like a poodle would be best?
We (hopefully) have a holiday planned in May, willow will be 12 months old and this will be the first time she’s been left for more than a day at a time, my sister is looking after her for us.
Willow is crated at night and loves this, we also leave her for short periods (max 2 hours) we started doing this when she was a few weeks old for a few minutes each time and gradually built it up.
I’ve recently gone back to work, willow goes to daycare, she’s visited the daycare before and spent an odd day there but last week was the 1st time she did 2 days in a row and it did stress her out, I’m hoping with time she’ll settle and get used to it but cockapoo’s are known to suffer from separation anxiety.
Walks add another thing to consider, we walk willow at least twice a day.
Good luck, getting a puppy was really one of the best decisions we ever made!

[mitch84]

I too would wait until after both holidays. Preferably though to be honest I’d cancel the October holiday and get one at the beginning of summer. A June puppy is much more pleasant than a November puppy.
I’m very soft with mine (he’s a big roughy toughy working lab) but I can’t put him in kennels etc. I left him for 3 nights when he was 5 months old, with a really good friend of mine with 2 little dogs and he slept on her sofa. He goes to her whenever we go away now and loves it. I changed when I got him though, I used to travel the world but I’d miss him terribly and so go abroad for a week max, and then go to Scotland, the lakes etc so I can take him too. The longest we have done is 8 nights. I don’t have kids though so do baby him a bit. I know most are happy to leave for holidays.
The farm sounds lovely but you don’t know what the puppy will be like with other dogs until they are here. They could love it, but could be nervy.
I am asthmatic and terribly allergic to cats, rabbits etc, but have no issue with my Labrador at all, even though he does shed. I don’t think you get the real idea of a cockerpoo until they are a little older.
They say pups can hold their bladder for around an hour per month of age, but you do need to build up to that. You can leave for slightly longer if you go down the pen with puppy pads route, but that will make overall house training take longer.
The puppy phase was really hard, but it was honestly the best thing I ever did. I couldn’t give a stuff if I never went abroad again if I could keep him for longer xx

[alkel2730]

You’ve had some great advice but just wanted to add about breeds, we have a Maltese and he doesn’t shed at all. His fur is like slightly courser human hair. My mum has severe asthma and he doesn’t bother her at all but he does require grooming a lot! And he is small.

[Emmie2016]

Just be careful of mixed breeds that claim to not shred! I'm highly allergic to my in laws cockapoos.

I used to have westies and they didn't bother me.