www.iva.co.uk

Hi all, and a happy new year.

I'm looking for some info on acquiring a dog whilst in an IVA.

We have been offered a puppy German Shepherd, and I was wondering if this would be frowned upon due to extra costs etc?

We already have a cat, and has such this is reflected in our I&E, so can we take on-board this puppy, and have the uplift in costs factored into a new I&E?

Many thanks.

No, you should have no problem as long as you can afford the costs. We had two when we started and acquired a third last year. I didn't even inform the IP that I had done this.

Hi
I would go ahead and add the extra cost into your expenditure when you have a review
Regards

Hi
We had 2 dogs at the beginning of our IVA but at the time I didn't notice that the figure in our I&E had been reduced to only cover for one dog. At review we just notified our IP and the extra I&E was included from that point at the records amended. Wouldn't have thought you'd have a problem at all.
Have fun - dogs are absolutely brill for taking your mind off things, especially when out walking in our wonderful winter weather [:D][:D]

Must admit I could quite happily not take them out this weather!

We grin and bear it though!

I am the biggest dog lover ever - my Jack Russell puppies are now 16 weeks old and adorable (that's my word for boisterous!) and if you can afford the puppy go for it.

Do carefully calculate the cost of keeping the little one - I am £175 lighter this evening after a trip to Pets at Home - but I am afraid that we do rather pamper ours! If you can afford the dog then go for it - you will get so much pleasure out of family walks that your social and entertainment will be largely set for you for the next few years! And a dog's faithfulness and unconditional love will keep you going when there are bad time as well.

Send me some pictures when you get the pup!

Know what you mean about faithfulness and unconditional love Mel - our last dog was an 18 month old lab that had been kept in a cage all day that was too small for it. Poor thing has a big lump on it's head where it physically grew through the top of the cage!! She didn't know what to make of her new found freedom when we got her but she soon learnt to trust us all and adores the kids and she's got me through so much with the IVA process - visitors would think I'm totally gaga as I talk to her constantly and she looks at me as though she understands - bet she's really thinking that I've seriously lost the plot - lol!! She'd probably be right though.

Yep they're good for your mind and the exercise is a bonus too.
Hope you can afford the pup - the benefits you'll get will be well worth it.

But dogs do understand! I wish I could have one...but it wouldn't be fair in my top floor studio flat!! I am thinking about a pygmie rabbit tho. I hate living without animals but I am mummy to my boyfriends two cats at the weekend!

We talk to ours all the time! We even refer to ourselves and mum and dad we well, so nobody would think you'd lost the plot!

RL, I'm glad your dog is doing so well - our three are all rescue dogs and I'm glad we could give them a decent home.

Thanks all for the replies.

One of the motivators in going for this puppy is to do exactly that - take and focus our minds elsewhere, and to encourage more walks/exercise, and a life experience for our kids.

Our friends have been breeding German Shepherds for over 6 years, and they usually sell out at £700 KC regd, blood lineage etc.
I will certainly send you some pics Mel of the pup. They are due in February, so we have a few months to deliberate name etc...

Thanks once again.

Sounds wonderful SF! Once you get past the toilet training he/she will be a joy!

Don't forget to get some pet insurance as well!

Kallis,

Who would you recommend for dog insurance?

I have three different ones! One is Petplan, one is Sainsburys and one is Esure.

Your friend will normally give you a months free cover with Petplan, it's what most breeders do.

I shopped round then for the best cover with the least excess. Hopefully you will never need to use it (touch wood, we've not had to yet with these three) but it always best to make sure that you get a good cover for illness - you never know how much these things will cost and also it is best to get it covered for life.

I'm sure other posters will be around to recommend other insurers.

Our lab is insured with Animalfriends they were very reasonable and also donate from their profits to animal charities.

It does pay to shop around - Petplan quoted me almost as much for my 12 month old Russell as they did for my huge 6 year old Lurcher!