I'm planning on getting a Shih-tzu puppy soon. I live alone and work
full time, although I can pretty easily get home midday so they pup
shouldn't be along longer than five hours in the morning and another
couple hours in the afternoon. I can't really afford two dogs, but I
was wondering if getting a kitten at the same time would be a good
idea. I've had cats before and love them. I just wonder if getting them
young at the same time would maybe give them both someone to play with?

wrote:
I'm planning on getting a Shih-tzu puppy soon. I live alone and work
full time, although I can pretty easily get home midday so they pup
shouldn't be along longer than five hours in the morning and another
couple hours in the afternoon. I can't really afford two dogs, but I
was wondering if getting a kitten at the same time would be a good
idea. I've had cats before and love them. I just wonder if getting them
young at the same time would maybe give them both someone to play with?

1. Have you ever lived with a kitten? They are *work*. I'm not a
big fan of living with puppies, in general, but I think living with
kittens is far worse. Hell, there are days that living with a
full-grown cat makes me pull my hair out.

And, I definitely would not want to manage a kitten and a puppy at
the same time. Friends of mine recently tried to, and the
puppy--now that she's old enough to no longer be cute and
adoptable--has been "gotten rid of." Now, that's not a solution *I*
would have chosen, but they bit off more than they could chew and
something had to give.

2. Do you actually want a cat?

If it were me, I'd get an older puppy or even an adult dog from a
shelter or rescue. Responsible breeders sometimes have older
puppies or dogs, as well. An older dog will have better
bladder/bowel control, as well as--hopefully--less of a destructive
urge (a crate is your friend). With an older puppy or young adult,
and with the schedule you've described, you should be able to
manage. Just make sure that the time you *can* spend with your dog
is good quality time, and that the dog gets sufficient mental and
physical stimulation.

Working full time and owning a dog is certainly possible--I've been
doing it for years. Just don't expect to go out every night or to
be gone all weekend, unless you can take the dog with you. It's a
balancing act, for sure, but if you work at it, it can be done.

--
Shelly (Warning: see label for details)
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm planning on getting a Shih-tzu puppy soon. I live alone and work
full time, although I can pretty easily get home midday so they pup
shouldn't be along longer than five hours in the morning and another
couple hours in the afternoon. I can't really afford two dogs, but I
was wondering if getting a kitten at the same time would be a good
idea. I've had cats before and love them. I just wonder if getting them
young at the same time would maybe give them both someone to play with?

I would tend to think that a puppy alone would be enough to handle (i.e.
training, housebreaking, etc...) without compounding the situation with two
animals. Especially two animals of different species and the fact that you
will have limited time during the day to work with them. I have a Shih-Tzu
myself and have found them to be wonderful little companions, quite bright,
and very easy to work with. Above all else, they crave their humans love
and attention. Dividing your attention between puppy and kitten during
critical bonding and training periods may be asking for problems.
Please keep in mind that I am not a professional or a trainer but I do
have some experience with Shih-Tzu's. In my opinion, I have found them to
be quite content to nap during the day and even entertain themselves if
given appropriate toys, providing you give them lot's of love and attention
when you are home, they get sufficient exercise, and of course, proper
training. There are a lot of good trainers in this group that can help you
with training issues and techniques if you have questions. However, as I
said, I would suggest sticking with one animal at a time until it is
properly trained and older. - - Les Hilliard

Sracey,
I don't see anything wrong with gettng a puppy and a kitten at the
same time, as Shelly said don't think it is not a lot of work. But what
concerns me even more than the work is that you mentioned doing so the
puppy would have companionship in lieu of another dog. Lemme tell ya I
got a 14 yr old cat and 2 dogs close to her age. They are not
companions to each other, they barely tolerate each other and I got the
cat and the oldest dog at about the same time....Of course it may not go
that way with your puppy and kitten. They may end up best buds... My
suggestion is to spend all your spare time exercising and playing with
your puppy. You be his new best friend...walk him, exercise him...etc.
You can always get a kiiten down the line if you so choose.....Good Luck
with whatever you decide and Congrats on your new pup!
Judy


Be Free,
Judy

wrote:
I'm planning on getting a Shih-tzu puppy soon. I live alone and work
full time, although I can pretty easily get home midday so they pup
shouldn't be along longer than five hours in the morning and another
couple hours in the afternoon. I can't really afford two dogs, but I
was wondering if getting a kitten at the same time would be a good
idea. I've had cats before and love them. I just wonder if getting them
young at the same time would maybe give them both someone to play with?

If you can't really afford two dogs, what makes you think you can afford
a dog and a cat? The purchase price of the animal itself is small
potatoes compared to the cost of lifelong care for the animal. Cats
need to see a vet for shots and flea preventative, maybe heartworm meds,
etc, and you've got to buy food, kitty litter, etc.

Kathleen

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 16:41:09 -0400, Janet B
wrote:

Should I mention that 2 of my cats have cost me more than any of my
dogs?

What she said. My last cat was free, but I spent a ludicrous amount of
money on his vet bills--far more than I've spent on any dog.

And you didn't count in S/N ;-D. We don't use flea
preventative on any of the beasts, and since the cats stay inside, no
HW meds either (I know it's a possibility, but very low).

Ditto here.

Cats can be pretty high maintenance per pound, and high cost as well.
They're not as cooperative a dogs for one thing!

And they tend to live longer.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
-- A.A. Milne

In article ,
Janet B wrote:
Cats can be pretty high maintenance per pound, and high cost as well.
They're not as cooperative a dogs for one thing!

Also, while they don't eat as much the food is a lot more
expensive.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Bad policies lead to bad results.

Janet B wrote in
:

Cats can be pretty high maintenance per pound, and high cost as well.
They're not as cooperative a dogs for one thing!


They're a lot quieter though. Sometimes, on bad dog days (I know, there are
no bad dogs, only bad dog behaviors), I close myself up with the cat and
say "don't make me go out there again" and she will let me curl up with her
and she will purr in a very civilized fashion. These are the days on which
I wonder how in heaven's name I went from having only cats for 18 years to
having 3 dogs and only 1 cat. Who am I??????

--
Catherine
& Zoe the cockerchow
& Queenie the black gold retriever
& Max the Pomeranian
& Rosalie the calico

ceb wrote:

They're a lot quieter though.

Wanna bet? Mr. RoryPants was the noisest damned cat EVAR.
Harriet's unnaturally quiet, for a dog, but still. Cats can make
plenty of noise, and are than dogs harder to train to "hush."

And then there was the Siamese mix my roommate in college had. Dear
gawd, was living with that cat ever a miserable experience.

These are the days on which
I wonder how in heaven's name I went from having only cats for 18 years to
having 3 dogs and only 1 cat. Who am I??????

Beats me, but I've always had cats, and as much as I love them, I'm
not intending to have any more after Pandora is gone.

--
Shelly (Warning: see label for details)
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:04:25 +0000 (UTC), ceb
wrote:

Well, that is true. And my cat Madeline was a loud one -- she loved to
talk. And if she didn't feel I was responding adequately, she would sneak
up on my and yell right into my ear.

Ooooh! What a clever little brat!

Still, it was nothing compared to
the barking, my god, the barking. Queenie emits a high-pitched yelp that
physically hurts me. She stops when I tell her to, but some days are
better than others.

I'll grant you that the barking is stunning, and not in a good way. I
refer to the Cockerchow boy next door as The Shrieking Eel. Did I
mention that I'm dog sitting again for a week? Ow ow ow.

Nickleby's mother was a Siamese, and he was a master of the silent meow.
So pathetic. So effective.

Awww. I love the silent meow. Pandora has a cute one. It's just a
tiny little gurgle in the back of her throat. She also chirps, like
Rosalita. That, too, is cute.

Why so? I'm just wondering, not trying to change your mind.

I just feel like a house isn't a home without a cat (for me, I mean -- I
don't run around judging other people's homes). I find them very
comforting. And I like their sense of "amour-propre."

I love cats, but I've lost three of them in a relatively short time, and
Pandora is starting to show her age, so I'm more aware of the fact that
she's got an expiration date. That's pretty much it. I also think that
cats are more delicate than dogs, in that they hide being ill. I've
found it difficult to tell when they're a little off, the way I would
with a dog, so I end up feeling guilty about not catching problems as
quickly as I should.

I won't say never, but I'm not planning any more cats. Plus, I *do*
have a Sibe planned. While there individuals that are cat-safe, it
would make life easier if that weren't an issue.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

J is for James who took lye by mistake.
-- Edward Gorey, The Gashlycrumb Tinies