If you have a dog, where did you get it?

[Spy Car]

I agree with all of this.

 

I think we're just pointing out reality; there are so many homeless pets in the U.S., a problem created by irresponsible breeding. We can argue all we want about not supporting irresponsible breeders, but in the meantime, what about those dogs that end up in shelters? We don't have realistic alternatives to early spay/neuter right now. Rescues are already overburdened and short on funds. The reality is that early spay/neuter is the only way for shelter/rescue dogs. Double-edged sword and all that. I had a conversation about this with the rescue coordinator who took care of our last rescue pup. We both lamented that the dog had to be spayed early; we both know it's not the healthiest option. But the rescues have no choice but to institute the policy that dog is spayed/neutered before it is re-homed. And honestly, I'd rather deal with the health issues and shortened lifespan than have any more damn pit bulls being bred by idiots (and if I'm being honest, I think anyone breeding a pit bull is an idiot). We euthanize dozens of them every month at our local shelter. Those are the alternatives: euthanasia or early spay/neuter. I'm not opposed to either because reality. I'm not opposed to humane euthanasia for dogs that are unlikely to succeed in a home and unfortunately I can't be opposed to spaying/neutering rescue dogs because there are already too many accidents out there. I've pulled dogs that have been broken (literally physically broken and mentally) in ways you can't imagine. Dogs with prolapsed rectums and broken bones from being beaten? Check. Dogs used as bait dogs in fighting rings? Check. Dogs found as feral litters to starving mothers in the woods? Check. Dogs left abandoned, tied up outside a shopping center? Check. I could go on. And those are just my dogs' stories.

 

Anyway, yes, I agree with you, but not everyone is going to go to those ethical breeders. We can only encourage and educate folks to go to ethical breeders or go to rescues--and the reality of rescue right now is early spay/neuter. I don't think that should discourage folks who aren't going to drop $$ on a dog from a good breeder from going to a rescue as the alternative, because the other alternative is buying from crappy breeders.  

 

I don't have a magic answer for how we break the bad cycle we're in as a nation with regard to dogs. And I concede that it is necessary to deal humanely with dogs that are already here.

 

I don't agree, however, that there are no realistic alternatives to early neutering. A vasectomy on a male puppy is as simple as a complete castration and would eliminate the grave health consequences.

 

Just as effective.

 

But, to their shame IMO, most radical animal rights groups actively oppose the alternative of vasectomies. 

 

I'm not sure about the complexity of tying off a female's tubes or leaving the ovaries, but removing both the uterus and the ovaries is very big surgery.

 

And there has been almost no effort put into non-surgical b/c. I'd like to see rescue groups clamoring for better solutions rather than opposing them in favor of mandatory spay/neuter laws. 

 

Bill

[BrookValley.]

I don't have a magic answer for how we break the bad cycle we're in as a nation with regard to dogs. And I concede that it is necessary to deal humanely with dogs that are already here.

 

I don't agree, however, that there are no realistic alternatives to early neutering. A vasectomy on a male puppy is as simple as a complete castration and would eliminate the grave health consequences.

 

Just as effective.

 

But, to their shame IMO, most radical animal rights groups actively oppose the alternative of vasectomies. 

 

I'm not sure about the complexity of tying off a female's tubes or leaving the ovaries, but removing both the uterus and the ovaries is very big surgery.

 

And there has been almost no effort put into non-surgical b/c. I'd like to see rescue groups clamoring for better solutions rather than opposing them in favor of mandatory spay/neuter laws. 

 

Bill

 

Again I agree. The problem I have heard with vasectomy, etc. (I'm also not sure about the canine version of the tubal ligation), is that very few vets are willing to do it, or if they are, it is cost prohibitive. Hopefully the more folks ask for it, the more mainstream it will become.

 

I farm and belong to a couple of groups that discuss livestock guardian dogs. Early spay/neuter is a popular topic with these groups--many are opposed and many do not spay/neuter or, if they do, they wait until 2+ years of age. So this is where I have heard most of the chatter about different kinds of birth control. Very few folks have been able to find vets that will discuss alternatives to traditional spay/neuter.

[Guest]

Our current dog we found through Petfinder, from a foster group.

 

But I wanted to mention this. One time dh found and brought home a stray. We cleaned him up, fixed him, got his teeth pulled (he was in BAD shape) and trained him. He was a great little dude, but was not so keen on my kids. I had a friend who ran an ad for me at her work, and we found a delightful couple for him, with no kids.

 

So if you have any buddies working at giant corporations with their own newsletter or whatever where they have a section for that sort of thing, it can be a great resource! Like a Google type job.

[Spy Car]

Again I agree. The problem I have heard with vasectomy, etc. (I'm also not sure about the canine version of the tubal ligation), is that very few vets are willing to do it, or if they are, it is cost prohibitive. Hopefully the more folks ask for it, the more mainstream it will become.

 

I farm and belong to a couple of groups that discuss livestock guardian dogs. Early spay/neuter is a popular topic with these groups--many are opposed and many do not spay/neuter or, if they do, they wait until 2+ years of age. So this is where I have heard most of the chatter about different kinds of birth control. Very few folks have been able to find vets that will discuss alternatives to traditional spay/neuter.

 

I believe the situation with vasectomies is that almost no vets have been trained in the procedure.

 

It is not a procedure that is limited by cost or complexity so much as a failure of the veterinary schools to teach it to their students. Without demand (serious loud pushing) nothing will change, and the toll on canine health will continue unabated.

 

Veterinarians get on-going education. There is no good reason they couldn't get certifications in what I understand is a pretty simple procedure. Really simple.

 

We are still up against a misimpression on the part of the public that early spay/neuter is all groovey (thanks Bob Barker!) but vets are seeing the evidence in the veterinary medical literature that can't be ignored forever, and some members of the general public (me included) are trying to spread the word on what a bad practice it is for canine health.

 

I'm not surprised to learn members with guardian dogs (or any working dog) are familiar with the negative impact of early spay/neuter. The general public is, unfortunately, not only misinformed but militantly convinced it is a procedure every dog should endure.

 

Bill 

Edited January 9, 2017 by Spy Car

[Laurie4b]

We got our incredible dog from Craigslist. Love her!

[TravelingChris]

Our current dog (a poodle/corgi mix as best we can tell) was rescued by a Great Dane rescuer.  He is very smart and though we don't have small kids, small kids would be fine with him.  Our previous dog to that one was a mini poodle from a poodle rescue group-  great dog, good with my kids (had elementary and early high schooler then).  We did have a lab we got from a lab rescue group once.  It was a female dog with separation anxiety.  She got over it with our family since with homeschooling, we were there most of the time and never left her alone for long periods of time.  We ended up rehoming her when we got an assignment for Europe because we didn't want to trigger her anxiety again.  We have gotten one poodle mix from a pound (good dog), one Westie from a pound (not a good dog for our family- needed to be in home without kids) and two dogs from owners- one allergies(Cocker spaniel) one moving and couldn't take (English Bulldog).  

 

My current dog is dying from terminal cancer (though you can't tell today since we put him on prednisone).  I am not sure where I will get my next dog-  probably the small dog rescue group in the area.  I want another poodle.  I am not particularly interested in a puppy but would consider taking one.  I haven't found reputable breeders around here for my preferred size -miniature.  I see lots of ads for toys (even teacup toys which is not a recognized size) and also for standard poodles.

[Carrie12345]

 

 

But when people support ethical breeders who pay for health clearances and put time and effort into making well-considered pairings, one supports animal heath. 

 

 

 

Absolutely.  But there is no official way for the average person to tell the difference between an ethical breeder and a breeder who meets the requirements to get papers.  Because the organizations refuse to set respectable requirements.  It's up to the individual to be ethical, but they have a million people around them who are only pretending to be.

[Guest]

I agree with all of this.

 

I think we're just pointing out reality; there are so many homeless pets in the U.S., a problem created by irresponsible breeding. We can argue all we want about not supporting irresponsible breeders, but in the meantime, what about those dogs that end up in shelters? We don't have realistic alternatives to early spay/neuter right now. Rescues are already overburdened and short on funds. The reality is that early spay/neuter is the only way for shelter/rescue dogs. Double-edged sword and all that. I had a conversation about this with the rescue coordinator who took care of our last rescue pup. We both lamented that the dog had to be spayed early; we both know it's not the healthiest option. But the rescues have no choice but to institute the policy that dog is spayed/neutered before it is re-homed. And honestly, I'd rather deal with the health issues and shortened lifespan than have any more damn pit bulls being bred by idiots (and if I'm being honest, I think anyone breeding a pit bull is an idiot). We euthanize dozens of them every month at our local shelter. Those are the alternatives: euthanasia or early spay/neuter. I'm not opposed to either because reality. I'm not opposed to humane euthanasia for dogs that are unlikely to succeed in a home and unfortunately I can't be opposed to spaying/neutering rescue dogs because there are already too many accidents out there. I've pulled dogs that have been broken (literally physically broken and mentally) in ways you can't imagine. Dogs with prolapsed rectums and broken bones from being beaten? Check. Dogs used as bait dogs in fighting rings? Check. Dogs found as feral litters to starving mothers in the woods? Check. Dogs left abandoned, tied up outside a shopping center? Check. I could go on. And those are just my dogs' stories.

 

Anyway, yes, I agree with you, but not everyone is going to go to those ethical breeders. We can only encourage and educate folks to go to ethical breeders or go to rescues--and the reality of rescue right now is early spay/neuter. I don't think that should discourage folks who aren't going to drop $$ on a dog from a good breeder from going to a rescue as the alternative, because the other alternative is buying from crappy breeders.

Sorry I can't snip this down. My SIL works for a rescue and when they home puppies, they have to bring them back in at the appropriate age to get spayed, or forfeit the dog. I thought that was a good way to handle it. They do home visits and all that too.

[Wabi Sabi]

We found both of our dogs on petfinder.com. They were both being fostered in private homes but were rescue dogs. 

[JFSinIL]

Got our Lab from a breeder, searched to find a reputable one.  Captain was "discounted" down to $300 (from $800) since he was 11 weeks (folks tend to want the 8 week pups) and already 25 lbs.  He had paperwork, documentation going back through his grandparent (no hip disease).  11 years old now, still a sweet Good Boy!  :-)  AKC registered although he was "tweaked" by the vet (sorry dude, no lady dogs for you!) since we did not plan to breed him.

 

Since he was (and still is) our first dog, we wanted to ensure we got a healthy, good doggie for our four kids.  So we went with a breeder rather than the shelter (where three of our four cats came from. And, yes, they were "fixed" too.)

Edited January 9, 2017 by JFSinIL

[Spy Car]

Absolutely.  But there is no official way for the average person to tell the difference between an ethical breeder and a breeder who meets the requirements to get papers.  Because the organizations refuse to set respectable requirements.  It's up to the individual to be ethical, but they have a million people around them who are only pretending to be.

 

I wouldn't say "no way."

 

At minimum, an average person should verify breeders are members of their breed clubs (local and national) and that the breeders have done the breed-specific medical clearances and ask to see the results of those tests.

 

This is not a 100% guarantee the breeder is breeding for good health, temperament, and working abilities, and breeding against exaggerated features that might score in the ring but damage health, but it is a good start.

 

Best is to get involved with breed clubs (or seek guidance from people who are) to find breeders whose goals are sympathetic with ones own. I won't begin to pretend this doesn't involve work, possible travel, and due diligence.

 

I agree that the mere fact a dog has papers ensures very little on its own. AKC registration does not guarantee a well-bred or healthy dog. You are correct that there is no "Good Housing Seal of Approval" that make this job easy for prospective dog owners.

 

Bill

[zimom]

I'd go for a "career change" lab from the guide dog for the blind association in our city. These are dogs that have been carefully bred for health and behaviour, have been through extensive positive socialization and obedience training, and for various reasons are not suitable to become a guide dog. They are usually around 18 months old. The cost isn't any more than a puppy from a reputable breeder.

 

It's like a "rescue" and carefully bred dog all in one, and the dog is still young enough to have many years with a young family.

 

Usually the wait is long and you have the have a connection to the organization to even get on the list.  

 

One of our dogs is a service dog and the other dog is a 'change of career' dog, or as we call him affectionally, a 'flunky' from the service dog organization.   We were only able to get 'in line' due to already having a service dog from them.  

Edited January 10, 2017 by zimom

[Jann in TX]

GSD lover/owner here... our rescues were altered at 1 year and 3 years respectively.  Our male puppies were almost 1 year before they were altered (breeder's AND vet's advice).  This is good for all dogs but extremely important for large breeds!!!

 

1) First dog from local humane society--1 yr old female corgi-shepherd mix (found near death and endured 6 months of rehab before being adoptable...  Wonderful family dog.  Terrible separation anxiety (like let me eat the doors down)..  so we replaced the doors.

 

2) Full GSD (black and tan) purchased on side of road... GREAT dog-- terrible health issues but still the GREATEST dog in the world (I really really miss him!). 

 

3) GSD (black and tan) puppy from breeder (had congenital kidney issue not discovered until he was 1... lived 3 years.  This issue was not genetic.

 

4) GSD (white) puppy from breeder (highly rated with a long wait list)... AWESOME dog-- well trained and very intelligent (favorite activity was obedience drills... he was being scouted for search and rescue training...  but he lived only 3 years-- died from very rare non-genetic cancer.  Breeder gave us pick of next litter...

 

5)GSD/lab (white) adult from local rescue.  Awesome friendly family dog-- TERRIBLE separation anxiety-- like she cannot be left outside without a human. PERIOD.  Her bladder has a time limit of 6 hours.  We watch the clock.  Luckily we are home most of the time.  A year after we got her we found the rescue was NOT truthful about where they got her-- turns out she was part of a dog-fighting ring!!!!  She has the scars-- and we found out that she CANNOT be around dogs smaller than her (it is like a light switches off and she charges!).  We tried a few trainers and we ended up choosing to just keep her home (we live in the boonies).  Luckily she seems to understand that she has to be nice to our cat--the cat has not been an issue the past 7 years we have had her. 

 

6) GSD (white) puppy from breeder (above).  Great dog--not into obedience like the other one (he does basics great though) instead he PLAYS FRISBEE-- like almost non-stop.  He is more DH's dog because DH can throw the frisbee further.  He did blow a knee this past summer ($$$) but DH was working/playing him too hard at the time.  He has healed nicely. He just turned 5 and is a gorgeous dog!

--

Our cat of the past 17 years (so he is at least 18) was from a rescue.

Our horse (now passed on) was a rescue.

Our hermit crabs are from WTM's Ellie!

Edited January 10, 2017 by Jann in TX

[ktgrok]

Yes, he looks like a GSP (German Shorthaired Pointer).

 

I'm assuming he is "mouthy" at this stage?

 

Get your hands inside his mouth as often as possible at this age to encourage bite-inhibition/soft mouth.

 

If he bites down gently (and gently means gently) move hand deeper into his mouth. While this seems counter-intuitive (the natural-and worst-impules is to pull out) it will result in the pup loosening his grip. When he relaxes partially withdraw the hand (while keeping it in his mouth).

 

If biting is too severe a thumb-nail to the upper palate (very gently) or muzzle folded (with no pressure) over teeth will give a pup feedback that biting hurts. Do this many (many) times daily. The result will be a very safe and happy dog you can trust not to bite.

 

I must chuckle at the choice of GSP as I recall you didn't want a breed with the energy of, say, a Vizsla. LOL. :D

 

GSPs are great dogs. I love them. He should prove easier that an athletic-type Weirmaner.

 

Bill

Yup...he can be mouthy, but not too bad. Of course, I've had a weimaraner bred for hunting, so my scale may be way off, lol!

He has times he's more gentle, say early morning when we are snuggling, and we work on having a soft mouth then. I actually told my husband basically the same thing you just said, when he started to reprimand him for soft mouthing. I was like no! We want that, lol. Let him learn his strength!

 

He tends to get nippy about twice a day when hyper, especially if the kid are running around, so basically I take that as a sign he needs exercise, if he can't control himself well. And we head to the dog park and I let him learn on the other puppies, lol!

 

He's energetic in the sense he does best with two trips to the dog park a day, or at least 1 longer walk and 1 dog park trip, plus tons of time with his kong stuffed with food, training, and chews, but like you said, compared to my weim, that's not so bad :)

 

I'd say he's lower energy for a versatile hunting breed, as he will voluntarily take several naps a day, or just hang out chewing on an appropriate chew, etc. My weim...sigh. I'd take her to the dog park for 2 hours, then come home to have her racing around the apartment like a dog possessed. That dog didn't voluntarily just lay down and nap until she was 9 months old. So yeah, my scale is skewed I think, lol. 

 

The biggest thing is he isn't a jumper...either naturally or because he's learned very quickly that good things in life come to those that sit, including pets, treats, doors opening, etc.  (I should say, he doesn't jump on people. He has leaped over a laundry basket and a few other things with amazing grace)

Edited January 10, 2017 by ktgrok

[Guest]

We found ours on Facebook.

[ktgrok]

Again I agree. The problem I have heard with vasectomy, etc. (I'm also not sure about the canine version of the tubal ligation), is that very few vets are willing to do it, or if they are, it is cost prohibitive. 

 

and the reality is that shelters and rescues can't be choosy about what vet they get to do the procedures. They take whomever will do it for a discount or free. 

[Spy Car]

Yup...he can be mouthy, but not too bad. Of course, I've had a weimaraner bred for hunting, so my scale may be way off, lol!

He has times he's more gentle, say early morning when we are snuggling, and we work on having a soft mouth then. I actually told my husband basically the same thing you just said, when he started to reprimand him for soft mouthing. I was like no! We want that, lol. Let him learn his strength!

 

He tends to get nippy about twice a day when hyper, especially if the kid are running around, so basically I take that as a sign he needs exercise, if he can't control himself well. And we head to the dog park and I let him learn on the other puppies, lol!

 

He's energetic in the sense he does best with two trips to the dog park a day, or at least 1 longer walk and 1 dog park trip, plus tons of time with his kong stuffed with food, training, and chews, but like you said, compared to my weim, that's not so bad :)

 

I'd say he's lower energy for a versatile hunting breed, as he will voluntarily take several naps a day, or just hang out chewing on an appropriate chew, etc. My weim...sigh. I'd take her to the dog park for 2 hours, then come home to have her racing around the apartment like a dog possessed. That dog didn't voluntarily just lay down and nap until she was 9 months old. So yeah, my scale is skewed I think, lol. 

 

The biggest thing is he isn't a jumper...either naturally or because he's learned very quickly that good things in life come to those that sit, including pets, treats, doors opening, etc.  (I should say, he doesn't jump on people. He has leaped over a laundry basket and a few other things with amazing grace)

 

I think you know I had one of those one-in-a-million Weirmaners would outrun 3 or 4 sets of highly-conditioned horses out on long conditioning runs, then chase the horses around a huge paddock and come home raring to go.

 

Current Vizsla is a very fit dog who loves to run. But not the total beast my Weimaraner was. Thank goodness!

 

Good on the bite inhibition training.

 

Does the GSP go into attack mode about dusk?

 

Bill

[ktgrok]

I think you know I had one of those one-in-a-million Weirmaners would outrun 3 or 4 sets of highly-conditioned horses out on long conditioning runs, then chase the horses around a huge paddock and come home raring to go.

 

Current Vizsla is a very fit dog who loves to run. But not the total beast my Weimaraner was. Thank goodness!

 

Good on the bite inhibition training.

 

Does the GSP go into attack mode about dusk?

 

Bill

 

It's more after eating, and then again around 10pm, although that's been better lately. The 10 PM puppy crazies were killing me!  He'd sleep while I got the kid to bed and such, then just when I was ready for bed, wake up and be raring to go! I'd be in my pajamas taking him for a walk around the neighborhood in hopes that the mental stimulation from the smells would help wear him out. Now that we generally do the dog park around 4-5pm he's been better. 

 

And yeah...lots of dogs are active, but few have the sheer intensity that a weimaraner does. Thank heavens, the world couldn't take too many of those dogs! (I'd say a Malinois might also have that level of intensity, although channeled differently. Also a favorite breed of mine, lol. )

[jeremmy]

Almost all of ours have been the shelter. Our current one (pictured) is from a local breeder.

Be careful adopting an adult with children or any other pets in the house. I'm sure there are lots of good cases, but we happen to be one of those that had quite a harrowing experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited January 10, 2017 by jeremmy

[AngieW in Texas]

One of our dogs was a puppy from a litter that an abandoned dog had at a kennel.

One of our dogs was from a litter that the family across the street had.

One of our dogs was from the pound.

One dog came to us as a puppy from a breeder.

The rest were from various shelters.

 

We currently have a German shepherd mix that we got from the shelter at 9 weeks old. Two years later we got another German shepherd mix from another shelter at 2yo. They are great friends.

[6packofun]

We rescued our dog who was "rescued" by a lady who soon after didn't think he got along with her other dogs, then passed him onto her daughter and son-in-law (our friends) and then after they gave the dog back to mom for "one more try" which lasted a week and they ALL gave up on him, we said PLEASE give us this sweet boy.  And that was that.  :)  He doesn't have any issues whatsoever.  He was sporadically having accidents with them because of being humped all day locked in a cage with another a-hole dog and being manhandled by a special needs son to whom they can't ever say NO.

 

Seriously, if there was a way to strip people of pet ownership and find rescuers for rescued-by-idiots dogs, I would.  People collect animals as if they are accessories for their own d*mn egos so that they can inform the universe that they "saved" the poor creature.  ARGH.

[christusg01]

I've had two dogs in my adult life. The first one, a Jack Russell Terrier, DH and I got when I was 19 and we were about to get married. We got him on a whim in a mall pet store. It was probably a puppy mill type deal, but I was young. No matter, he was the best dog ever. Smart as a whip, loyal, just the right amount of energy. I know people say to stay away from pet stores but we had a great experience. Pretty healthy until he got diabetes in his old age.

 

Our current dog, a 3 year old Lhasa poo, we got from a breeder. Sweetest dog ever! We got him to beas family dog. I considered going the shelter route but there were too many unknown variables with a shelter dog for me to risk the safety of my young children. I'm so glad we made that decision. He's bright but not as bright as my Jack Russell was. But he makes up for it with his sweet, happy, wouldn't hurt a fly personality.

[Lanny]

If you are looking for a Lab I would look for the Labrador association of America or whatever it is called. Possibly you can find out how to contact them on the AKC web site.  I was a member of the Old English Sheepdog Club of America, for many years. Usually those breed clubs have someone who is their contact person, when someone is looking for information about buying a puppy, about which breeders in the club have puppies available for sale.  After my apparently healthy OES died in a motel in DE, after driving her up there from TX, a couple of months later, I bought a dog that was 13 months old (I was on a temporary job assignment away from home and felt that a very young puppy would be problematic since I was away from home).    I bought her from well known OES breeders who lived near Cleveland.  She made the trip from TX to Colombia at the age of 12 1/2 and she had a stroke at 15 years of age and had to be put to sleep. She was the dog I had that lived the longest. For a dog of that size, anything over 10 years is a "Senior Citizen".

 

Our current dogs:  One, the Black one, was born next door. I think they were out of town. She came through the fence several times and we returned her to their property, several times. I think she is about 10 now. Had I known that we would keep her, I would have called her something other than "Cosa" (thing). She is known as "Cosa".    

 

We have another dog who I think is a Mutt. We believe he got lost where he lived before. He was homeless and rescued. He was apparently trained and is usually the most respecful of our dogs. My wife usually allows him into the house every day for awhile.   And, we have 4  Tiny Pinchers. We will not get any more of those. After they die off, no more Tiny Pinchers.  

 

We had a Rottweiler who my Stepson and his wife saw jump out of a truck (or be thrown out of it) when they were on their motorcycle. They brought him home. I think he was only 3 or 4 weeks old at that time. Sadly, he died at approximately 20 months of age. He was in the house more than all of the other dogs combined and was a true member of our family.  One very sweet dog. 

 

We had a German Shepherd.  She was in a large litter of puppies (10?) that our German Shepherd had,  and she was the runt of the litter and my wife kept her. We had to have her put to sleep earlier in 2016. I think she was about 11 years old.  

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO BUY FROM A REPUTABLE BREEDER WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL BREED CLUB.  DO NOT BUY FROM A PUPPY MILL. DO NOT BUY FROM A PET STORE.

 

GL with the dog you get!

[Ewe Mama]

We have four dogs. The only one I was involved in bringing home is our lab who came from the shelter. Awesome, loving dog.

 

Ram Man brought home a chihuahua from a backyard breeder, a four month old discounted morkie from a small pet shop, and later on a 10 month old Papilion languishing in the same shop, also reduced in price due to age. I have repeatedly given him the, " you're not supposed to buy dogs from pet shops or backyard breeders" talk, but, in his defense, they were older dogs who still needed a good home. They were past the cute puppy stage and no one else wanted them, so he brought them home.

[Janie Grace]

A breeder. He was our first dog, I had very small children, and I wasn't willing to roll the dice on breed (since you can't be sure about a rescue unless you get DNA testing) or background. 

I did extensive research on breed and then I did extensive research on how to find a good breeder. I had long phone calls with several breeders and chose one based on her answers to my questions and the feel I got from speaking with her and her website. We were not disappointed. It was an great experience and our dog is "practically perfect in every way." :)

[speedmom4]

We got our current dog from the Humane Society. He was 5 1/2 years old when we adopted him and have had him a year. Fortunately we requested a recommendation from a local dog trainer who had worked with the dogs as a service to the shelter. He is wonderful! I will admit that he had a hard time warming up to us the first several months. For a while I didn't think he really liked us. He had been bounced around with two different families and also had spent half of his life in a shelter. He is a total mutt and not much to look at. But once we made the commitment to adopt him we were willing to work through pretty much all issues. The only problem we would have brought him back for was extreme aggression.

 

Now after a year he is a different dog than the one we brought home. He is very bonded to all of us. He is a cuddle bug and there's no doubt he loves us. We spend a lot of time with him and take him for lots of walks, which he loves.

 

Don't overlook a mutt from the shelter. I understand wanting a younger dog for small children but I believe getting stuck on a breed limits the potential to find the perfect fit for your family!

 

Good luck!

[speedmom4]

We got our current dog from the Humane Society. He was 5 1/2 years old when we adopted him and have had him a year. Fortunately we requested a recommendation from a local dog trainer who had worked with the dogs as a service to the shelter. He is wonderful! I will admit that he had a hard time warming up to us the first several months. For a while I didn't think he really liked us. He had been bounced around with two different families and also had spent half of his life in a shelter. He is a total mutt and not much to look at. But once we made the commitment to adopt him we were willing to work through pretty much all issues. The only problem we would have brought him back for was extreme aggression.

 

Now after a year he is a different dog than the one we brought home. He is very bonded to all of us. He is a cuddle bug and there's no doubt he loves us. We spend a lot of time with him and take him for lots of walks, which he loves.

 

Don't overlook a mutt from the shelter. I understand wanting a younger dog for small children but I believe getting stuck on a breed limits the potential to find the perfect fit for your family!

 

Good luck!

[ktgrok]

Don't overlook a mutt from the shelter. I understand wanting a younger dog for small children but I believe getting stuck on a breed limits the potential to find the perfect fit for your family!

 

Good luck!

 

This is true. I told my rescue contact (who I trust..she's a former coworker) that I was willing to consider most any breed or size of dog, I just needed one that was NOT shy at all, good with kids, an old soul of a dog. (I did have a few exceptions..no chows, no akitas for instance)

Edited January 10, 2017 by ktgrok

[Teacher Mom]

Got my beautiful baby from a well-known breeder. She was the pet-quality dog in an all show litter. The breeder interviewed us and answered all our questions. We drove 4.5 hours each way to get her through the big snow last year.  We knew we were getting a headstrong, intelligent, super-energetic individual but we have a lot of land and time for training. I count her as one of the best decisions of my life. I never thought I would have another "heart" dog but I have been blessed with two now in my life. Oh, and the breeder was spot-on about her characteristics and what the needs of this dog would be. She knew her breed (not in the top 100)  and was upfront about what it took to make this dog a part of society. I am very proud to say my pup got her CGC at 10 months -- a long journey from growling at the vet when she was 8 weeks old.

[Lecka]

We got our dog from Craigslist. 

 

Someone local had to move into an apartment that didn't take pets.

 

We met them at the dog park and saw the dog playing with the previous owner's son, and the dog was very nice and friendly to our kids.

 

It has worked out really well for us, she is a part of the family now :)

[Lori D.]

We're not big fans of having to have pure-bred dogs; a lot of bad things go on in the breeding of those dogs, and while there are many reputable breeders, we prefer to go with helping out a dog who might end up homeless otherwise.

 

Our second dog was just about 1 year old and came from the local Humane Society. He is my avatar, and he picked us -- long line of dogs in the kennels all barking, and being squirrely and doing their own things as we walked by the fencing, and our dog waited until he saw us look at him, and put his paw under the fence while looking directly at us. Absolutely he was quietly and politely telling us "I'm the one." And he absolutely was! Once we brought him home, we looked up breeds, and we're pretty sure he was a flat coat retriever. Sweet, gentle, loved to retrieve, such a wonderful part of our family. We just lost him to cancer this past summer; he was 13yo.

 

Our first dog (MANY years ago) was a 7-week-old puppy, we answered an add in the newspaper. The full-blood German Shepherd mom had jumped the fence and came home pregnant from at least 2 different fathers. There were originally about 11 puppies, and we chose from the remaining 6. We're pretty sure the father was a golden lab, from the way our dog's mix came out in looks. Smart, strong-willed, super-fun to play games with and go hiking/backpacking with, loved to catch frisbees, and protective without being overly-protective / aggressive. *I* learned a LOT about dogs and training -- a lot of which helped in child-rearing when the boys came along later on -- lol! He was a big dog (almost 90-pounds), and amazingly lived way longer than the average (he was 14-1/2); I think the gene-mix worked in his favor by minimizing in-breeding issues.

 

In both cases, we used the very helpful "personality tests" in Daniel Pinkwater's book Super Puppy to end up with wonderful dogs, very close to the personalities they "scored" with from those tests. BEST of luck in finding the new furry family member who will be a perfect fit for you all! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited January 10, 2017 by Lori D.

[mommyoffive]

So much great advice 

 

Thank you. 

[Raifta]

We got ours from a rescue.  She was being fostered by a woman down the street from us so we had the dog over for visits before even considering her.  First just the yard, then the front porch, then finally we let her into the house.  We wanted to make sure that she would be fine with the kids and the cats.  And she was.  Then we did a trial sleepover.  

 

After that time we put in our application for adoption and entered a two week trial period during which she lived with us full time.  She continued to be delightful during those two weeks and has remained so after the adoption was finalized mid-Sept.

 

She's maybe around 2 years old and mix of collie, husky and a few others.  Medium sized.  Plays with the cat that wants to play, ignores the other two.  Loves to go for her two walks a day.  Very gentle and quiet.  I think we really lucked out but I also really appreciated how we very gradually introduced her to the house to see how that would go.

[Jenny in Florida]

I found my dog through PetFinder.

 

I knew I wanted to adopt, not buy, but I had certain requirements and preferences that meant I ended up casting a fairly wide net to find the right dog.

• We rent, and we had permission for only a "small" dog, meaning I was looking for one who would be no more than 15 pounds when fully grown.
• Because we already had two cats, I really wanted a puppy, assuming that the odds of the dog learning to live peacefully with the cats would be better if she were young when she joined the family.
• I  wanted a female.
• I wanted her to be "fluffy."

I haunted PetFinder.com for several weeks, contacting every rescue within a reasonable distance whenever anyone posted a puppy who looked like a good bet, but I was having trouble making a match. (Puppies would be spoken for before I e-mailed. Individual rescues had requirements I couldn't meet, such as a fenced yard. That sort of thing.)

 

At the time, my daughter was in college in Virginia, and I was driving from Florida to Virginia and back several times a year. So, I expanded my search to include some locations along that path. And that's when I finally found my puppy. She was the third of a litter of three, the only female, and the only one not already claimed by the time I got in touch with the woman fostering them. She was only three or four weeks old when I said I wanted her, but the timing worked out that I could swing by and collect her on my next drive through South Carolina.

 

Best detour I ever took.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Jenny in Florida

[zaichiki]

Dog #1 -- a mix breed we got from a neighbor at 4 yrs old. Neighbor had adopted her from local humane society (*which had gotten her shipped from the streets of Puerto Rico) at 1 y.o. She was fine with kids, but didn't crave interaction (liked to be off by herself a lot). Had her until she passed at 14. Miss her sweet face.

 

Dog #2 -- 1 y.o. Corgi. Found on a Corgi Breed Facebook page because owner was trying to rehome. He quickly became unpredictable and aggressive. Insanely intelligent. Bit one son. Intimidated the kids. We loved him because he was so adorable, and when he wanted to be he could be so much fun. But he was difficult, "moody," and we just couldn't safely manage him. After six months we were able to find his breeder (backyard breeder) and she took him back. Thank God!

 

Dogs #3 and 4 -- five and seven y.o. Poodle/Bichon Frise crosses.  Found on PetFinder. Contacted the animal rescue that listed them. Went to visit.  Fell in love. Turns out they had been purchased as "designer breed" puppies and lived their whole lives with one family until that family fell on hard times (divorce, job loss, and moving given as reasons). Great with kids. So sweet and super affectionate. Smart. Obedient. Total lap dogs. (Some anxiety and separation anxiety.) We are so lucky!

[PeacefulChaos]

Our first dog (back when DH and I were first married), we got from an ad in the newspaper lol.  She was a little rat terrier/yorkie mix that looked 100% yorkie.  Absolutely ADORABLE.  Bigger than regular yorkies, though, maybe - around 7 lbs full grown.  

We had her before any kids, and by the time I was pregnant with Pink, she spent most of her time hiding from the boys.  We also had a guy next to us with dogs he never took care of (chained up all the time outside, aggressive, and I'm sure not clean - one was mangy and I know they had fleas) and overall I just couldn't deal with her anymore - I had to watch her like a hawk when we were outside because terriers think they own the world, and she wouldn't hesitate to get too close to the neighbor dogs, she wasn't living a happy life IMO anyway, she was scared of the kids - NEVER MEAN - just scared.  She loved my husband and was very much a one person dog.  She loved me too, but she was really his lol.  So I ended up sending a text to just a few friends asking if anyone wanted her.  One friend did, a single mom with 3 kids - all tween/teenagers - who lived in a big house with her retired parents.  Her dad wasn't a big fan of the idea, but they took her in for about a week to see how it went, and by the end of the week, her dad loved her :lol: .  When she got remarried and moved a couple years later, the dog stayed with retired mom & dad.  :)  She passed away last year, right around the same time retired mom did.  :crying:

 

The one we have now (labradoodle) we bought from a breeder.  He lived next door to my BIL at the time, I'm still friends with him in FB.  Older couple.  We got her for less than what he usually charges because of the family connection - I don't think he'd do it for us again lol, so next time we'll go another route.   ;)  But she's a wonderful dog.  She was one of only 4 in her litter - 1 black male and 2 black and 1 cream female... I thought I'd want the cream colored one but when we first went to see them and pick, the one we ended up picking was so calm and sweet.  She snuggled up to us and just rested there.  We went back on New Years Day of 2011 and decided on her for sure and went and bought all the stuff for her.  They'd started calling her by the name the kids had picked (Kida) and we picked her up to come home 2 weeks later.  She rode home in my lap, just laying on me.  

She's 6 now.  She's always been relatively calm, even as a puppy.  Sure, she did normal puppy things, but has been exceptionally sweet, too.  At first Astro (then 5) didn't have a whole lot to do with her - I mean he liked her fine, but just wasn't particularly attached to her - but then around 2ish years ago she was all of a sudden his dog.  I mean, she's not like little dogs (like our yorkie was) where she literally only likes him lol, she loves everyone, but you can just tell he's her person.  She sleeps next to his bed at night, and when he's not home she lots of times finds piles of his laundry he's left on his floor to sleep on lol.  Last night he came home from a weekend at his grandparents with a headache, and she fretted about him until he was peacefully asleep.  

 

I'm not even a pet person lol.  But when this dog dies, I'm not going to like it one bit.  I never thought I'd say my dog is part of the family, but, well... :lol:

 

 

 

We'll probably try rescues and petfinder and stuff like that the next time we get one.  We just have to be kind of picky with their fur, as we prefer - and our allergies are much better - with dogs that don't shed a lot.  Both the yorkie and the labradoodle fit that.  

 

 

Oh, and one of the best dogs I've ever known (besides Kida lol) was my IL's old lab/australian shepherd mix.  She was a really good dog.

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Edited January 11, 2017 by PeacefulChaos