SewingMom2many Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 We are thinking about getting a Basset Hound. Can you tell me about your experiences of either getting a puppy or adopting a dog that is out of the puppy stage. I really would like a puppy, they are so stinkin' cute :D but I'm a little concerned about the chewing stage and potty training (although I've potty trained 6 kids so I am pretty confident I can do it lol) How long do those things last and do you think it's worth it to go through that for a puppy or better to skip to a little older, easier dog age? I want my kids to bond well with whatever dog we get so I was thinking a puppy would be better for that, they could grow up together. On the other hand, adopting a dog is less expensive and I wouldn't have to deal with some annoyances that come with a puppy as long as I went with a good rescue agency. But with a rescue dog could come problems too... I'd love to hear about any experiences you've had with getting a puppy or adopting and if you'd recommend one over the other. Or maybe it all depends on the dog or the dog breed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Well, if it matters at all to you (no judgement here, everyone has different opinions), I'm a big fan of adopting animals since there are so many that need homes. We got a 6 month old border collie from the Humane Society and, while we survived the chewing phase, she's been the best dog. It's hit or miss with an older dog, but honestly, it can be hit and miss with a puppy too! ;) Adopting a dog was a wonderful bonding experience for my girls because they really felt like they were giving a dog a home that wouldn't otherwise have one. It was very meaningful. They love her! (The truth is, our particular dog would have been adopted very quickly regardless, so kudos to those of you who take on more difficult ones!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwesternMom Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Our neighbor adopted his bassets full-grown. They are the nicest dogs. Bassets have a strong smell. If you're familiar with the breed, you probably already know that, but if you're choosing them based on adorable looks and haven't been around them, you may want to get a whiff of some adults before you make the plunge either way. I'm a fan of adopting rather than buying in general, but there is something to be said for knowing what you're going to get, too. If you can meet both the puppy's parents and assess them for temperament, that can give you a real sense of comfort about how your pup will turn out. But I'd rather adopt an adult from a foster home (most rescues use foster homes and the foster "parent" can tell you about their housebreaking, energy level, etc.) than buy a pup whose parents I can't meet and who I can't get vet reports on.... too many health problems and heartbreaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorrainejmc Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 My youngest 2 dogs were adopted at 6 months, still chewing but house trained (the one in the avatar) and 2 years, not chewing but never house trained.:tongue_smilie:Both are great now. I would always recommend adopting. There are so many dogs needing homes and an older dog really is much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewingMom2many Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Adopting a dog was a wonderful bonding experience for my girls because they really felt like they were giving a dog a home that wouldn't otherwise have one. It was very meaningful. They love her! I hadn't thought about it this way. It would really be a good experience for the kids to know they are doing a good deed and providing a loving home to a dog who currently doesn't have one. Bassets have a strong smell. If you're familiar with the breed, you probably already know that, but if you're choosing them based on adorable looks and haven't been around them, you may want to get a whiff of some adults before you make the plunge either way. Yikes, I didn't know that! Like strong as in bad stinky wet dog or just something unusual? I think I need to spend some time around a Basset! I want a Basset because I've always thought they were so cute, they are medium size, and from the reading I did they sounded like a good family dog - one that would fit well with our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 FWIW, there are tons of young and adult basset hounds available on petfinder for Chicago basset rescue, and there are lots of basset mix puppies available through various rescues. I think there are benefits to puppies and adult dogs. Puppies are lots of work, but so much fun. Potty training doesn't usually take too long, but different breeds and individuals may take longer than others. Good luck deciding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birkenkathy Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 We adopted a 3yo miniature schnauzer from a rescue a few months ago. We have had a wonderful experience. He came totally house/crate trained and leash trained. No up in the middle of the night, or cleaning up messes for me. Someone along the line had even trained him not to bark. And it feels good knowing I rescued a dog and gave him a good forever home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CroppinIt Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 We got a basset mix from a shelter many years ago. He was such a wonderful dog -- we still miss him. When we get dogs, we always get them from the shelter. I can't support puppy breeders when there are so many wonderful dogs that need homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 The puppy stage doesn't last too long, it can be got through. Though apparently basset hounds are slow to be housebroken and generally not the most responsive to training. I do like adoption too for the reasons the pp gave, but I'm more against supporting the breeder/kennel club system, and for that reason I would tend to stay away from purebred dogs that aren't from a shelter. I'd even be careful of ones that are because of the health issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Bassets are notoriously difficult to housebreak. Be careful that the basset your rescue hasn't been surrendered for this problem unless you're willing to put a LOT of time and effort into housebreaking. astrid P.S. Yes. They definitely have a hound funk, x 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I don't know anything about the particular breed, but I can tell you that I hate puppies! :tongue_smilie: Still, we chose to adopt puppies (mutts) from a rescue group at 9 and 12 weeks old. I wanted them trained "my" way from the beginning. 7 years later, I feel it was worth it! If I were to buy a purebred, I'd be completely obsessive and picky about choosing an ethical breeder who is not in it for the cash, but for breed improvement and by the book. Willy nilly breeders make me angry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momofeat Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 We adopted a papillon/chihuahua mix several years ago. We think she was around 1 1/2 years at the time. It was a great experience. My dh had reluctantly agreed to having a dog, so I knew we had to get it right the first time. I had a list of things we were looking for: already housebroken (I'm terrible at potty training children--definitely didn't want to train an animal!), good with small children, small so that our hardwood floors wouldn't be damaged by it, etc. I drove over 2 hours to the middle of nowhere when we found a dog which matched our needs. We've had her 6+ years, and she has been perfect for us. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Our border collie wandered up from the road and (after trying to find an owner) we kept him. Goodness at the chewing stage! But after that, he's been awesome. If we ever get another dog, I want another collie. He's phenomenal with the kids and somehow knows that our oldest needs to be watched carefully. If she runs away from us, he 'catches' her and herds her back to us. He follows her whenever she is outside, waiting patiently if she's at my mom's house, etc. He sits through 'hairstyles' with my youngest, including wearing crowns of flowers. And he's a phenomenal soccer player. ;) But anyway, yes, adoption is great but find out why the dog was given up by the previous owners. I'm not sure why our dog was dropped off on a rural country road but it was a great thing for all of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 At this point we have both. We adopted our Australian Shep. She was 2 when we got her. It took her a long time to get used to the kids. She was never mean or grumpy, just scared of them and they were always gentle with her. It was several months of seemingly starting over every morning. She loved me from the start and in her mind she really is my dog. It was close to a year before she really showed being comfortable with the kids. She is very much so now and is well loved. About 2 yrs after we got our AS we purchased 2 labordoodles. They loved the kids and the kids loved them from day one. They weren't bad about chewing on things but I wasn't sure if I was ever going to get them house trained(I have trained a few in my years as parent) but when they turned about 6 months old it was like someone turned the light bulb on for both of them and it was done. They are SOOOOO much fun and have totally enjoyed them both. I think it really depends on what you are wanting. Personally I would do either again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwesternMom Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Yikes, I didn't know that! Like strong as in bad stinky wet dog or just something unusual? I think I need to spend some time around a Basset! I want a Basset because I've always thought they were so cute, they are medium size, and from the reading I did they sounded like a good family dog - one that would fit well with our family. If you haven't smelled them, it may be hard to understand. It's not like a wet dog smell, but it is a strong smell, metallic and maybe a little yeasty. My neighbor's dogs have no trouble with yeast infections in their ears (which many of the breed and other long-eared breeds do have) but still, they are very smelly. He takes them to the dog wash regularly and they are indoors (not wet) virtually all the time. The other thing is that while they are low to the ground, they are really big dogs, just chopped down. Their bodies are big-dog bodies. Their claws are big-dog claws. They weigh upwards of 40lbs. So, I would not consider them medium sized, really. Most scent hounds are difficult to train. They want to follow their nose, they do not want to follow directions. If you want a compliant, relatively easy dog, you may want to go with an easier breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Another aspect of bassets which you may not realize is that they're not the best ones to be picked up and hugged. Their long backs can develop problems especially if not picked up properly. They need to be supported the full length of their body to prevent injury. They are definitely cute, but as was mentioned, they tend to have a somewhat oily, smelly coat. Frequent bathing should help with that, but it is more of a problem than with other dogs. An adopted dog will love you for life. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutamattatt Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 We have adopted 3 grown dogs and bought one puppy over the years. We will always adopt dogs. :) It is a personal preference, but we are just better suited for a dog. I am not terribly interested in potty training another creature after children, and a puppy needs a lot of initial round the clock care (and I value my sleep). Our puppy was A LOT of work. We are also considering putting our house on the market in the next year or so and didn't want to have to replace any carpet from accidents. Our dog Marshall was adopted when he was 3ish and he's now almost 7 and one of the great loves of my life. :D Last week after months of searching, we adopted a 2 year old dog for the kids. :) Both came housebroken and both are delightful. If you decide to go the adopt a dog route, spend some time researching the rescues around you. We used the same rescue for both of our dogs because they work hard to find the right dog for the right family. The dogs are also in foster homes, so they are in a home environment with a lot of one on one attention and training. Of course, some of the dogs come from abuse or neglect (our recently added dog did), so there are a lot of considerations in those cases. Whatever you decide - enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Keep in mind that adoptions can cost almost as much as buying a pet. When we were looking for dd's pug, I saw some available for "adoption" that were going for over $300 each. We ended up buying a pet quality puppy from a show breeder for a bit less than that. Also, I had real trouble with a lot of the details in many of the adoption contracts. One big issue for me was the demand to be able to stop by unannounced and check our entire property. No, don't think so. We occasionally have breeding livestock here that can be rather hard to handle. I am not going to have to go out and wrestle down a bull and pen him so they can check the property. Which reminds me of another point that was a deal breaker. We have 120 acres. We were seeking an indoor dog. We were turned down because there is barbed wire out on some of the property 100 acres away from the house. I was terribly frustrated. Dd wanted to help out a dog in need. We have a wonderful, pet friendly home at the end of a dead end road (absolutely no traffic). Our pets get ample time to romp and play with us in our 3 acre yard. But no, we were considered not to be humane enough. I ended that chapter thinking that if some poor pug went homeless, it certainly wasn't my fault - some of those rescue groups have gone completely insane. I understand that the rules are well intentioned, but when they result in a situation where they are precluding the desired result, then perhaps it is time to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 We've adopted a rescued dog and also raised a dog from puppyhood. Both have pros and cons from our experience, but either choice can be a wonderful experiences. You just need to be careful, and if possible spend some time with the dog and get to know them before making a firm decision. The reason I say this is that some dogs that are rescued come with issues related to abandonment and/or abuse. We currently have a dog that is a perfect companion for dd, but the downside is that she's a very needy dog. She is the most emotional dog I've ever met - not that it's bad, but it's extremely obvious that the dog has issues. Dd loves her to death though, and has enough patience to deal with it. Another thing is that the dog cowers around my tall dh and will only come near him if he's sitting down. She ducks when he comes too close to her, as if she's afraid he's going to beat her. We think that she must have been abused by a big man and will never recover from it. If a man comes to the door or in the house, her hackles rise along her spine and she is clearly upset. She doesn't mind females at all, but men seem to always be a threat to her. When I think about the two dogs we've had in the family during the past 18 years of marriage, I would have to say that the better behaved pet was the one we got as a puppy from the dog shelter and raised. But of the two, the one that has been the most devoted and loving to us would be the rescued dog. This could be more related to the dogs' inborn character, but still worthy of consideration. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 For the record I love, love, love them. They have their special needs and are quirky. They're not a regular dog like a lab or golden retreiver (we've had those too and love them). We got two at the age of six months and one was given to us when she was 6. Both situations worked out okay for us. Last year we got a yellow lab puppy. 10 weeks old. Puppies are a lot of work but she's turning into a beautiful dog. We love her. its just a lot of work. We've adopted adult dogs and even picked up a homeless dog. They have all worked out. I think it depends a lot on the family they're going to (our dogs are all part of the family with us most of the day) and the personality of the dog. That's been our experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.