There are many factors to consider when choosing a pet. Having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) weighs heavily in the decision making process. As a animal lover and owner of many dogs over the years, temperment, breed and animal size are very important issues to consider before making a commitment that will last many years.
Max
The first step in finding the right dog for you is research. Go to the local library and read some books about the type of dog you may be interested in adopting. Research online; the American Kennel Club (AKC) and DogBreedInfo.com both have good sites with plenty of information to help you choose the dog that is right for you. If you are interested in a shelter or rescue dog go to your local shelter and ask a lot of questions. Spend some time with the type of dog that you may be interested in before making the committment.
Daisy
Some of the factor that you may want to consider are:
- Size: I am speaking from experience here. I have a large golden retriever(Max) and a small silky terrier (Daisy). They are both good dogs and very loveable, but Max can’t help his size and when he gets excited he has been known to hurt me inadvertently. I can’t count how many times his 80 pound self has stepped on my inflamed feet, or he has come bounding by and run right into a sore ankle. My golden retriever is loyal and kind but he can’t help his size and that is a factor with my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The little silky terrier is easier when negotiating small spaces and even though she has also stepped on my sore feet she is so small it didn’t hurt at all.
- Space: How much space does your potential pet need and how much space are you able to provide for it is another important factor. Max takes up a lot of space and he frequently wants to be near me. This means that on many occasions just trying to navigate around him can be a challenge. When I am flaring every extra step I have to take can be painful and the extra ones need to avoid the sleeping giant can be hard.
- Energy: Some dogs have boundless energy, others like to lay at your feet. My silky terrier Daisy is a bundle of energy. She runs all day long, she always has something to investigate. At the end of the day she rests (usually just collapses from exhaustion). It is important to factor in that this type of dog needs a lot of exercise and that may mean walking this dog plenty. (As a side note, we have an ample yard and an invisible fence so that my dogs can run at will and walking them is a luxury when I am up to it.)
- Cost: Dog ownership is an added financial burden that you need to consider. Veterinary costs can be expensive and regular feeding and mantenance costs can add up.
- Puppy vs. Dog: Puppies are cute and cuddly but they are baby dogs and require much more attention that full grown dogs. The benefit to a puppy is that they haven’t learned any bad habits yet, but house training them can be a challenge when you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) because a quick dash to get the puppy out may not be an option if you are in the middle of a flare.
Dog ownership has many important benefits. Dogs can lift your mood, decrease your blood pressure and reduce stress. They are always happy to see you and give unconditional love. They can be trained to be a great help as well although mine are just really good at giving love.
Tags: AKC, American Kennel Club, arthritis, breed, dog, DogBreedInfo.com, flare, golden retriever, inflamed, RA, rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, silky terrier, stress
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What a great post and oh so true.
When my arthritis was so bad our springer spaniel Beth caused me no end of problems. As you say, when Beth jumped up it was so painful because I had such tender legs and arms, well actually whole body ache which was put down to Fibromyalgia.
When the arthritis was at it’s worst of course I could barely stand or walk across a room so no walks with Beth. However as things started to improve whilst on antibiotics although the arthritis moved to other joints too such as wrists fingers and toes this not only made walking so difficult but holding onto a lead of an excited springer spaniel was impossible. Thankfuly we have a field and wood nearbye where I could let her off for a run without having to walk too far. At that time it was thought that my x rays showed signs of RA.
Thankfuly all is behind me now and I have no pain or debility since being on long term antibiotics. It took 5 doctors 3 rheumatologists 4 years to realise I was sufferring from Lyme Disease. The NHS blood tests miss 50% of cases and HPA say that it is so rare in UK Hah not from the many patients and doctors and vets I am in touch with who have sufferred from Lyme Disease themselves or have family members who have sufferred from it..
One wonders how many more people could be helped to recovery when HPA start listening to what ILADS doctors are saying. Details on my blog and also IDSA website at their recent review of Lyme Disease Guidelines.
I love this post. I want to say that my dog (the beloved, spoiled, very much a DIVA, Harley) has been SO therapeutic for me. She is my mood enhancer (who can be down when a bundle of love is so excited to see you come home that they nearly turn themselves inside out?), my sounding board (yes, I talk to her- I tell her everything), my motivation (she has to walk- ergo, I have to walk and she is little enough that I can go as slow or fast as needed), and my comfort (she snuggles up to me when I am feeling the effects of my RA or my meds). We rescued her from a shelter 18 months ago- but in many ways- she rescued me as well.
My little Miss is all of 19lbs (she’s a yorkie mix) and has a heart bigger than any person I know. While I agree that all of your points are very important- temperment and training can make a huge difference in any size dog. I have been very fortunate in my last two “fur babies”. Harley is sweet and lovable but not much of a “lap dog” as many of her size are. In fact- the only time she “cuddles” is to sleep at night and when I am not feeling well. She is wonderful with people of all sizes and ages, other dogs and cats. The only time she pulls on her leash is when she sees rabbits or squirrels. Her good behavior is a huge benefit when I am doing my best to be able to walk her due to pain. My last dog, a gorgeous Rottie who weighed as much as I did- was equally as well trained and well behaved. Had he not been- I would not have been able to handle him during “normal” days- much less in a flare.
When I chose Harley- there were many little guys and gals to choose from, but it was her mellow demeanor and ladylike behavior that tipped the scales in her favor- to say nothing of the fact that she stole my heart-lol. My suggestion is that anyone who is adopting a new furry family member spend some time with the dog and make sure that their individual temperment matches your lifestyle and abilities. See firsthand how they react to other animals and people- it can make a difference between easy strolls for exercise and more pain caused by pulling and having to control the animal.
It sounds like you found yourself a gem of a dog!
I had no idea you were a dog person too! I guess we belong to the club of crazy arthritis sufferers who insist on having a family and pets despite the challenges that face us. Good for us!
My reply to this post got so long that I turned it into a post of my own instead, which you can read here:
http://berchshill.livejournal.com/69728.html
I have 2 retired racing greyhounds. Although I got them before I developed RA I think they are a fabulous breed for people with the condition. Because they ate talk I don’t need to bend to stroke them, they have short hair so don’t leave much lying around or need a lot of grooming. The best thing is that they are very lazy and need little exercise, they actually seem to walk slower than I do. They have lovely temperaments; and are very gentle with my disabled daughter too and they are therapeutic for the whole family. Of course life would be a bit simpler without them but they bring us a lot of happiness.
Thanks telling us about your dogs. I think many people don’t know that they have such a calm temperment.
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This is the first I have seen someone incorporate choosing a pet with an arthritis condition. A great idea, because I know that alot of people would not think of considering that when getting a pet.
Thanks for your comment. We are fortunate enough to have dogs in two sizes big and small. They each have their pros and cons