Jackson Heights Life

Hi folks, I'm either looking for encouragement or disuassion from making the leap to dog ownership--not sure which. My family has two young children (7 and 4) and a cat; partner and I both work full-time (though some of that time is from home). We live in a 2-bedroom apartment with no yard access. I want to adopt a dog. Am I nuts?
A big part of the pro-pupper case is for my kids to experience growing up with a dog (I absolutely adored my dog when I was a kid), and also to give a home to a great pet that is currently homeless. My main worry is finding time to walk the dog in the mornings and evenings, given the need to get ready for school, cook dinner at night, etc.
Would love to hear from other dog-owners, especially with kids, on whether this is something you think can work.

I don't have kids, but am a dog owner.  Before jumping in and getting a dog, I think it's important to check your building's rules regarding pet ownership (unless you live in a private home).  There have been occasions at my co-op when residents have wanted to adopt large dogs when our rules clearly limit the breed, and weight size to 30 lbs.  Of course, this can put a damper on things if you prefer a larger dog.

The puppy thing -- Can get complicated if you're working outside the home.  Fortunately, I was at home during my dog's puppy years, so housebreaking was somewhat simpler.  As you may know, housebreaking requires scheduled walks centered around feeding times.  Also pups require lots of attention.  I remember mine wanted to play all the time and then take long naps.  Also, being at home helped me to train her in avoiding negative behaviors like excessive barking, or chewing on things not meant for dogs.

I know people who have adopted housebroken dogs at 1 year+ who are currently successful and happy dog owners.  Perhaps that's a good solution, whereby you still get a young dog, but the work involved in housebreaking is taken care of.  That said, keep in mind that dogs require an adjustment period for them to feel fully comfortable and adhere to their walking schedules.  It's all about consistency.

Is it a good idea to have a dog in Jackson Heights?  For me it was the right decision, as well as for many others in the neighborhood .  Yes, we lack in green space, but long walks are still doable.  It would be good to know the status of the Proposed Dog Park at Landing Lights.  Here's a link from the folks behind the proposal:

Landing Lights Dog Run

To me, the main reasons against getting a dog (for me) would be guilt at not being home all day and the expense of hiring a dog walker for an afternoon walk.  And the fact that I despise winter and the idea of having to go out at 10 pm in February to walk a dog just doesn't appeal to me.

However, I absolutely loved having a dog as a kid and would have one now if I worked from home or didn't have such a long commute.

 These are excellent points to consider. We have had mixed results now with our third family dog- all three strays/shelter dogs.
The first two were easier to work with in terms of training like walks, eating and most importantly, toilet. The current dog has
been a handful for some years now. Would still get another dog but this time we would like to know more about the habits of
the dog or get a puppy, even with all of that work. Our current dog does not like to be alone which presented some real
problems with barking and chewing. But Jackson Heights is so dog friendly! You meet all kinds of people and it gets you
out walking on a regular basis. There is alot to teach kids about dog's preferences and personality that can be lessons if
you like about the big world out there. Also, dog walkers are eyes on whats going on which is a nice security factor that is
often overlooked. If you need someone else to do this occasionally, I have seen many good dog walkers here.

 Also- there is a dog park on 69th Street and 35th Avenue run by JHBG called JHCrew where dogs can run in a legit place with
all the dogs having had their shots, etc. The ladies running it now are doing a great job.

 I would say go for it - with kids especially- as you will have many fun hours of doggie stuff along with a few rough ones.