Where should we get our new dog?

[Mr._Graybeard]

Originally Posted by Jerry1
So I was looking at some of the dogs on petfinder and most had a requirement for a fenced yard. I have an acre and it’s all bordered with vegetation. There’s no way I’m getting a fence. This is one of the things that upsets me about this rescue dog thing. I know they want the best for a dog, but given the choice between death and having to put up with or unfenced yard, I would think the dog would chose the latter. I just think they go a bit overboard. Home visits, applications, various requirements . . . And, financially, they’re not a whole lot cheaper. We kept our dog happy and healthy until she had to be put down after 15 years. Call my vet for a reference and let me take a dog off your hands. Geeze

DW and I adopted a little puppy mill refugee from a rescue group a couple years ago, after our Lucy died. The representative wanted a tour of the whole house, including a peek into the bedrooms and upstairs bath. We were approved for the adoption, and went to the rep's house to pick up the dog. She was a hoarder extraordinaire! I saw a dead microwave oven in the yard next to an old SUV that had weeds growing around it. She was a 21st-century Ma Kettle. A flock of geese had deposited their droppings liberally around the yard.

We took the dog to our vet in short order and the exam came back positive for whipworms. I contacted the rescue representative ... a few days later she called back to report that her dogs were infested too.

So not all rescue groups are created equal! That process stands in sharp contrast to our experience with National English Shepherd Rescue, which was absolutely first-rate. I still donate to their deserving organization.

 

[brewer12345]

Go rescue. If you want a specific breed, find a breed specific rescue. Their fosters usually can offer a good evaluation of a specific dog's temperament.

I.came he with our most recent adoptee about a year.ago on a hunting trip. She was a half grown, starving pointer someone dumped in the middle of nowhere and I can't see how she was not eaten by coyotes. Very sweet, eager to please and extremely energetic.

 

[sheehs1]

Just had a friend who lost her pair of Bichons 2 years and 1 year ago. Swore she could not go thru the loss again. In December, she went to Bichon rescue and rescued two of the cutest, well cared for Bichons, 8 years old. A matched pair! And a Match made in Heaven for both her and the dogs. The previous owner had passed away.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

We've had good luck with rescues- I had a wonderful golden retriever rescue before I met DH, he had a chocolate lab that had absolutely no use for me (LOL). Post kids we've had a flunkie yellow lab (nephew messed up her training) and two medium/small pound puppies. Our current is Frank, a pug and no one knows what else mix. He's a great pet though, and he's adorable. He always looks like he's laughing. Pugs are not known for intelligence, so maybe he got his brains from his other parent!

 

[38Chevy454]

All 3 of current dogs are rescues. Male Anatolian Shepherd mix 72 lbs, Female Lab and Pit mix 84 lbs, and Male Cattle dog mix, 55 lbs. Prior to these were also rescues. So we are also firmly in the rescue camp. Speaking of camping, our dogs love going in the RV and being out. Or a simple ride in the car, they just love going in a vehicle. We like medium to large dogs, just our preference. All 3 of current dogs are now 10 years old, so they are starting to slow down some.



Most of our dogs have been younger 1-2 years old when we got them, few were puppies, and a couple older ones. Puppies are a lot more work, but they can also be such fun to watch grow and learn.


The breed-specific rescues are good for those looking for a specific breed. The local humane society always has a big mix from small to large sizes. There are also numerous no-kill shelters around that you can look into what they have for adoption.


Bottom line, a dog makes a great family member and companion.

 

[Sue J]

We adopted from a shelter a little over a year ago. Talia is a sweetheart who has decided that DH is her person and that I'm just the other being who lives here.

If any of you follow Thayne Hamilton at Grey Muzzle Rescue he has a saying, "We don't know their nightmares but we know their now." We were told Talia was picked up as a stray in another part of the country and transported to our area to a shelter that had room. From the way she behaves on walks DH thinks she was a stray for a while, surviving on trash and scraps. She very protective of us and in order for one of us to get a package at the front door she has to go in a bedroom or outside. She had a fear of steps but we got her past that in order to go out into the yard and upstairs but she has been here 13 months and has never ventured into the basement! We think maybe she was kept in a basement or maybe punished in a basement.

We have a new baby grandson and she was "over enthusiastic" when the baby comes over. We got smart and bought some walk through gates to put at the kitchen entrance and the entrance to the hall to the bedrooms and bathroom. Now the dog is contained rather than us having to restrain her. I don't think she wants to eat the baby, she just wants to get too close and she doesn't know her own size and strength. She has big scratchy paws and sharp teeth! For now, we need to keep her from getting too close.

Overall she is a great dog, plenty of personality and darn cute! I wouldn't be surprised if she has some history she'd love to tell us about.

 

[Jerry1]

she has been here 13 months and has never ventured into the basement! We think maybe she was kept in a basement or maybe punished in a basement.

Don't over think it. No one likes going into the basement. The basement is a dark, scary place. The dog is just smart.

 

[Breedlove]

Our last dog came from Barc in Houston . We went to look at a dog named monster on the net . When we got there he was not interested in us. We found a brindle dog in a cage right next to Monster . We took this other dog out to the visiting kennel and she just seemed to cling to me . I sat on a bench to watch her run . She walked around then jumped on the bench with me . We loved her BUT . We asked the vet what kind of dog is she . He told us part Boxer and part pit Bull . Ohhhh no pit in our neighborhood . Now this dog is small 31 lbs. . We took Sadie now 5 years ago . She was 1 1/2 years old and already house broken and knew some commands. If she is part Pit she is so friendly and sweet . This dog is so thankful and caring . We love her so much.

 

[badatmath]

Just a word of warning to those with fenced yards. . . my friend let his Doberman out in the back yard (fenced with 5-6 foot block fence). 2 coyotes jumped the fence and killed him. . . . It still makes me sad to think of it.

 

[Breedlove]

Whaaaaaat , I never seen this . We got Coyotes all around and NOT MINE but there is a Rat Terrier and Lab that hang out all the time and hear say the Coyotes are afraid of the two . My next door neighbor has a cattle dog that runs free ...no problem .
Seen cowboys on horses going out between the holidays hunting the Coyotes and pigs .

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

My daughter found her first dog on the side of the road starving after it'd escaped from a pit bull breeder. Harley was all chewed up as a bait dog. He was wonderful, and we had to manually walk him for his 10 years as AmStaffs are not welcome in neighborhoods.

Then we found a male Rottweiler on a log chain in the sun without a dog house or water. We stole him. Hank also lasted 10 years, and was a great guard dog. After Harley died, he became our house dog. Someone dognapped him.

My daughter then got Xena, a female Rottweiler, to replace Hank. I looked down one morning and two rottweilers were running around my legs as Hank found his way home. We still have her as a house dog.

Check out the local shelters and see if they have a dog that meets your needs. If you have a specific breed in mind, visit the real breeders (not a puppy mill) to see both parental dogs. I especially like the West Highland Terriers and Pappillons as house dogs. Another great dog is a hybrid like a Labradoodle.

Hank was a great guard dog, but someone dognapped him??

 

[brewer12345]

Whaaaaaat , I never seen this . We got Coyotes all around and NOT MINE but there is a Rat Terrier and Lab that hang out all the time and hear say the Coyotes are afraid of the two . My next door neighbor has a cattle dog that runs free ...no problem .
Seen cowboys on horses going out between the holidays hunting the Coyotes and pigs .

There are coyotes and there are coyotes. In the West, coyotes are still coyotes (genetically). Fully grown they are 30 to 40 pounds and extremely shy/timid. If I encountered one that did not scram and I did not have anything handy to whack it with, I am pretty sure I could kick its ribs in if it ever came to that. Given their nature, they typically take one look at us and scram, often doing so at speed and from far away. A Doberman would tear them apart.

East of the Mississippi coyotes are really coy dogs. Genetically they are 30 to 40% coyote with most of the rest dog and some wolf mixed in for flavor. They can range up to 75 pounds or more and have far less fear of people, dogs, etc. When I lived in NJ there were several news reports of these things trying to drag toddlers away as they played in suburban yards. One or two of these could well take down a Doberman.

My main issue is raccoons, which are mostly nocturnal. The 25 beagle would be no match for them if they wanted to mix it up, so she is not allowed out in the backyard alone after dark. The 55 pound Plott hound would likely kill/chase off a raccoon pretty quickly and the 50+ pound pointer would chase it off. If I heard the commotion that would result, well, the very least I have handy by the back door is an axe handle I swung hard, fast and accurately for years splitting wood before the head came loose. I might have a vet bill, but not a dead dog.

 

[ivinsfan]

Racoons are wicked mean and most dogs are not smart enough to leave them alone. I can't tell you how much I hate racoons. We have trouble with coons here and a couple years ago some weird virus went through and decimated the coon population.....

 

[brewer12345]

Probably the virus was distemper. Their populations can be decimated by it.

The funniest thing with the pointer involves a raccoon. I found a huge, dead raccoon frozen solid on a canal last winter while out hunting. It had a nice pelt, so I brought it home, defrosted it for the better part of a week, and taught myself to skin fur via YouTube. When it came back from the tanner I had a beautiful fur I will eventually turn into something. In the meantime, I put it in the basement on top of my hilltop desk with the head leaning over the edge. For months the pointer would sneak down there, glare at it, and then bark at the top of her lungs. She still gives it suspicious looks.

 

[nash031]

I'll just throw in another vote for rescue dogs. I personally can't imagine going to a breeder knowing what I know about the life of many dogs. Our two rescues are great dogs. One of them outgrew her puppy rescue baggage and has blossomed into a completely different dog than the scared little 6-mo old pup we adopted. The other is everyone's friend and won me over in about 10 seconds.

 

[LOL!]

Hank was a great guard dog, but someone dognapped him??

Maybe the original owner stole him back?

 

[LOL!]

I am around lots of dogs. Our dog is a breed-specific rescue we got about 9 years ago as an adult. I think forum member Alan has met our dog even.

Just because a dog is of a certain breed does not mean that the dog will behave as the internet says that breed of dog will generally behave. With every single dog that one might get, one is simply taking a chance. You won't know the outcome until later. You might have a good idea, but you can never truly be sure.

Also be aware that some rescue organizations have some pretty snooty people as foster parents. Don't let that sway you, but you should expect it. They will probably be more into dogs than you are.

 

[Nemo2]

Just because a dog is of a certain breed does not mean that the dog will behave as the internet says that breed of dog will generally behave.

There are , however, certain inherent characteristics within particular groups as a result of many generations of selective breeding.

With every single dog that one might get, one is simply taking a chance. You won't know the outcome until later. You might have a good idea, but you can never truly be sure.

Especially when considering prior treatment and the impact of previous owners.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Skip, the reason dogs end up in shelters is because people are morons not because they are bad. The number 1 reason for taking a dog to a shelter is because they are moving. Do you leave your kids behind when you move? Once a dog ends up in a shelter it develops issues. I have to volunteer behind the scenes at the humane society because I cannot stand the stupid people. Many turn in animals for no other reason except for they are old. Dogs that eat poop sometimes have nutritional deficits. You can buy a product called De Turd to put on poop and when they eat it tastes so bad that they will stop. We had a rescue that wasn’t good with kids so put her in a crate in another room when kids came over. Once it took us 2 years to socialize a deaf, unpotty trained puppy mill dog. We would never return a dog for any reason. Some rescue dogs have no issues.

 

[ivinsfan]

Skip, the reason dogs end up in shelters is because people are morons not because they are bad. The number 1 reason for taking a dog to a shelter is because they are moving. Do you leave your kids behind when you move? Once a dog ends up in a shelter it develops issues. I have to volunteer behind the scenes at the humane society because I cannot stand the stupid people. Many turn in animals for no other reason except for they are old. Dogs that eat poop sometimes have nutritional deficits. You can buy a product called De Turd to put on poop and when they eat it tastes so bad that they will stop. We had a rescue that wasn’t good with kids so put her in a crate in another room when kids came over. Once it took us 2 years to socialize a deaf, unpotty trained puppy mill dog. We would never return a dog for any reason. Some rescue dogs have no issues.

You are on the other end of spectrum...wasn't good with kids can mean many things, in my mind a dog that bites people and or kids can't be watched enough to make me comfortable. A mischievous kid uncrates your dog and gets mauled? How is that a chance worth taking...

 

[ivinsfan]

I'll just throw in another vote for rescue dogs. I personally can't imagine going to a breeder knowing what I know about the life of many dogs. Our two rescues are great dogs. One of them outgrew her puppy rescue baggage and has blossomed into a completely different dog than the scared little 6-mo old pup we adopted. The other is everyone's friend and won me over in about 10 seconds.

Gosh you are painting dog breeders with a pretty broad brush here. A local breeder that you can stop and visit anytime without an appointment isn't acceptable to you?

 

[Teacher Terry]

Ivan, the dog was 15 lbs and her back end didn’t work. She was in our bedroom with the door closed. I would know if a kid was in there. I wouldn’t let kids come over if I wasn’t watching them.

 

[travelover]

I know that the OP prefers a small dog, but I'll give a pitch for greyhounds as great pets. Contrary to popular perception, they are low energy dogs who sleep a lot, rarely bark and have a very gentle nature. With the tracks closing in Florida over the next year or so, many will need homes. There are agencies that place the dogs with a volunteer who gets to know the dog before it is adopted, so their personalities are clear at adoption and the agencies will take back the dog and re-home it if it doesn't work out. Our greyhound was an alpha female and food aggressive with other dogs so she got bounced from a home that already had two greyhounds. She is our only dog and has been a fantastic pet - no separation anxiety, no housebreaking problems, no chewing and no chronic health problems.

 

[jollystomper]

I know that the OP prefers a small dog, but I'll give a pitch for greyhounds as great pets. Contrary to popular perception, they are low energy dogs who sleep a lot, rarely bark and have a very gentle nature.

I agree. One of my brothers adopted a greyhound that his daughter fell in love with while volunteering at a greyhound rescue shelter. That was among the nicest dogs I've known. Shy and gentle, I never heard her bark in the 10 years they had her. Once she got to familiar with you she'd loved to just quietly hang around you but would stay out of you way. If you were sitting reading and watching TV she would come over and just lay down next to your leg and doze off. Great dog.

 

[Nemo2]

Years ago, at an RV park in Texas, I'd often walk my Border Collie with a guy who had a couple Greyhounds - one of whom was quite taken with the Border. Once in a while she'd gently nudge him...a Greyhound come on, I guess.