I need some Christmas magic UPDATE: first post!!!

[PeterPan]

Just now, AbcdeDooDah said:

I can see some value in the program but Christmas is not the time to encourage it. Many of those end up right back at the shelter.

Which probably speaks to the don't adopt a dog at Christmas advice...

[Granny_Weatherwax]

To the OP ~

Can you take a deep breath and wait a day or so? I know when my DH told me it was time to buy another car (we've been sharing one vehicle since August), I was filled with a desperate joy. I needed to have a car within two weeks so I could drive it to a family get-together. I know what car I want and I spent hours online looking up dealers, prices, mileage, etc. In my desperation to have the right car as quickly as possible, I begged DH to drive with me an hour away for test drives. I found one that fit the bill - the right make, model, mileage - but it didn't make me happy and was a bit over my budget. We put down a deposit while we waited to see if we would get financing. We didn't even make it home before we began having second thoughts. I waited a day, realized the car wasn't what I wanted, and cancelled the deal. It's been two weeks and I still haven't found the 'perfect' car but I'm sure that being patient and finding one with the right mileage that fits my budget and makes me happy will happen soon. Actually, I now where the car is. It's in the Big City three hours away; I just haven't had the time to get there to look at it. I guess my point is that those initial feelings of "I must do it now for it to be perfect." will be tempered once you begin to see the long term joy that the right dog at the right time will bring. Your DD has waited this long. If she is as mature and caring as you say she is, she'll understand waiting a few more weeks for the 'perfect' dog.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, busymama7 said:

Just someone who is needing to re home.

Well I'm with you that I'd go see the dog, but I'd be extremely cautious and read between the lines. Unfortunately there are a LOT of factory, mill, whatever you want to call them breeders, people who just farm dogs and crank them out and abuse/neglect the mothers. The breeders pay no attention to genetics or health or quality and the dogs are just, well there are a lot of dogs like this being turned out now. And they can be really unpleasant in disposition and unpleasant to have around. We have so many of these unfortunate breeders in our state that they actually have directories you can find online of breeders who have been issued warnings for law violations, failed inspections, etc.

So it's possible the person is rehoming because the dog is unpleasant to have around, or it could be some other, totally different situation (finances, allergies, whatever). Can the current owners verify where they got the dog from? Basically every legit breeder I've ever looked at wanted you to contact them if you were rehoming. 

Was the impetus for a small dog the allergies? Have you considered doing an outdoor dog so the dog could be larger? Have you been around any of the breeds you're considering to see if they're *good* in a large family? That's a lot of commotion for a small dog. Dogs aren't necessarily just smaller by size, even though it is a form of dwarfism. They were also bred that way for traits. They can tend to be more defensive or yappy, because of their small size. They can be more focused on one person rather than being a family dog. They're more vulnerable to surprises and noise. Even in the miniature poodle you grew up with can be a really particular breed. You're bringing this dog into a LARGE FAMILY. Is your household noisy? Do they roughhouse? 

My small dog likes to have breaks and time alone. Ds pretty much maxes him out, and my dog never really took to dd, which peeved her to no end. He's just small, and it's not really the same as some kind of larger dog that is impervious to noise and bustle and roughhousing. Could you BORROW a dog or have someone's dog come over and see how the dog does in your family dynamic? 

Fwiw, your middle of the road size dog would be a wheaten. It still has hair, is intelligent, can fetch and play, and it would be big enough to do well in a family. For the prices you were talking about, you could get an astonishingly nice wheaten. The only reason I didn't get one was because I didn't want it jumping on my aging MIL. Now she's gone, so it wouldn't matter. Maybe that's what I need to go look at again? I follow a breeder of them on FB because they're gorgeous and hilarious. 

I'm not trying to dissuade you, just saying if you're taking your time anyway it gives you options. I ended up with a miniature schnauzer after placing a downpayment on a standard poodle. We got to the breeder of the standard poodles (which were gorgeous) and while they fit all the criteria (hypoallergenic, good with kids, handle a crowd and roughhouse, etc.), I just wasn't comfortable. And I think that could happen with this tiny dog and your dd. It could end up YOUR dog, because that's how some dogs are bred to be by personality. So maybe take your time. 

Get her a nintendo or something in the meantime, I don't know. Would an outdoor dog do? You'd have so many options if you could do outdoor.

[Ellie]

5 hours ago, busymama7 said:

My daughter is a huge animal lover and has been begging for a pet for a very long time. We have finally decided that now is a good time to go ahead and get her one. I've been talking to people including our vet friend and have zeroed in on a shih tzu mix or a maltipoo.  Since this is a sudden decision I had not researched what these dogs cost. I actually had NO idea. And purchasing a puppy for somewhere around $500-1000 is not going happen.

I am open to adopting an older dog of the right breed and temperment but all my browsing of the websites for shelters isn't turning up anything. 

We want to take our time and not get just any dog but I really really want this to happen for her. She will be over the moon thrilled as we have been saying no way for years. 

I just hope something turns up in the next ten days.   I also  going to need a back up larger gift for a 13 year old who wants nothing else. 

24 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

I am not looking at only one breed. I've listed several options. I am specifically looking at a small breed and a hypoallergenic one. I had a toy poodle growing up and like those fine.  I adore my neighbors shih tzu and want one just like her 😊  my vet suggested shih tzu or maltipoo.  

 

Maltipoo is just a made-up name for a mixed-breed dog, which is a mix of maltese and poodle. I'd go for a maltese or a poodle.

[busymama7]

Few things:

A larger dog is not an option for us. I like small cuddly lap dogs. I dont care for larger outdoor dogs. We live on a small city lot and do not wish to have a larger dog. My daughter loves all dogs and would love like a german Shepherd. But since she will be leaving the house in 5ish years, I get final say. Small dog wins. Doesn't have to be teacup size but small for sure.  Our vet friend has been a close friend of our family for 12 years. I didn't even mention any breeds just that we we're seriously considering getting  her one.  he suggested shih tzu or maltipoo (yes I know it's just a mix. I'm totally fine with not getting a purebred.). I am concerned about a small dog and our house but the neighbors 3 lb shih tzu comes over a lot and does fine.  We aren't really loud or anything. We have only six still at home with the youngest being 4.  

If you note from my subject, I was literally saying I know this will take a miracle for this to all come together.  It was an exercise of faith to post as I believe if this is the right thing and the right time then it will all come together. Since we've made the decision to let her have a dog after all if it doesnt happen now it will at some point. My neighbor also has a few leads for me but since we are being totally sneaky she hasnt been able to tell me anything.  We will go together to look at any dogs and I trust her judgment. 

Thank you for your help and input. Since it's been so long since I've had a dog there is lots I still need to learn. 

[PeppermintPattie]

I got my first and only dog when I was 10. My parents went out of town for the weekend, my sister found the ad in the paper, and my grandma sat in the passenger seat while my newly permitted sister drove us to the house where the dog was. She was a beagle, and we fell in love with her instantly. I think every pre-teen/ young teenager should have their own dog! She was so loving, especially when I was down, and she got me out of the house to play catch regularly. I'm excited for your dd and hope you find the perfect dog!

[Katy]

6 hours ago, busymama7 said:

Not yet. Just going off what everyone is saying here.  I just got the go ahead from my husband yesterday. I am planning to go tomorrow or Friday to talk to them but I haven't found any small dogs like I want on any of the websites. I'm not sure how well they keep them updated though so it is worth a shot.

 

The dogs that make the website are dogs that haven't been adopted for months.  They don't bother putting dogs that are quickly snatched up on the website.  Go visit the shelters near you tomorrow.  Visit more than one, even if you have to drive to a different county to see several.

[SamanthaCarter]

My parents just adopted a dog from CL. Totally legit. The pup had been owned by an older lady who quickly figured out puppies were not for her, so a young lady took him in, crate trained him, made sure he was up to date on vacc’s and then began searching for a permanent home for him through CL. 

There are yearly shots, yes. We are on a vet care payment plan of $60/mo. That covers all vacc’s, physicals, base vet visits, teeth cleaning, etc. It also gets us a discount on prescriptions, which helps a lot if she needs an antibiotic. We get heartworm medication and flea/tick treatment online since it’s cheaper that way, it works out to about $10/mo. I also buy food from Chewy.com on auto ship, also cheaper. If you need grooming, that will add to the cost, mine’s a short haired red tick hound of unknown origin. Different in that she eats more and needs no grooming compared to the type of dog you’re looking for. 

Good Luck! 

Oh and if you buy the pup, see if the current owner can hang on to her until a few days before Christmas so you don’t have to stress her unnecessarily, 

[Pawz4me]

10 hours ago, busymama7 said:

How many vaccinations are they required to get? I guess I was under the mistaken notion that there were a few and once they had them all they were done. Do they need shots yearly for their whole life?

 

9 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Puppy vaccines of DHPP every 3-4 weeks, so. At 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks about. Working at 8 weeks plus start monthly heart worm prevention then. Rabies vaccine at 16 weeks. Then repeat DHPP and rabies one year later and then every three years for at least rabies. Kennel cough vaccine and leptospirosis vaccines are dependent on risk factors. Same with influenza vaccine. Plus yearly heart worm test and fecal test. 

The ONLY vaccine required by law is the rabies vaccine. How often it's required depends on your state's law. The other vaccines that Katie listed are highly recommended to ensure the health of a dog.

Flea and heart worm preventatives are highly recommended. The good stuff isn't cheap.

 

9 hours ago, busymama7 said:

ok i have found a lead.  3 month old shih tzu female for $300.  i texted them and they said i can come see her tomorrow.  my neighbor will go with me.  what do i need to know?  i can kennel her at my friends vet clinic until closer to christmas but i am a worried that that would be bad emotionally for her.  is she old enough to be spayed while she is there? my neighbor might be willing to keep her that long but i would have to keep my kids away from her house (shes like a grandma to them) 

ok breathe  i know it could be a scam  or maybe someone else will get there first. or a hundred other things but for right now im going to hope above hopes that this will work out  

Total scam. Run away.

And absolutely no way would it be a wise idea to board a three month old puppy until Christmas. Especially one who is supposedly already being "rehomed." At that age you need to be doing non stop socialization and training. A puppy can't get that while being boarded, and personally there's no way I'd miss out on a couple of weeks of critical time for socialization and training.

 

9 hours ago, busymama7 said:

They listed by name the vaxes she's had. They aren't breeders so they don't have the parents.  Just someone who is needing to re home.  I realize that could be a scam but if I can go to their house and see the dog?  

ETA: I mean I get being cautious but not all postings are scams. There are people legitimately wanting to re home on there. 

Scam. Nobody legitimate re-homes a three month old Shih Tzu. At that age a puppy from a good or even just barely decent breeder would just have been allowed to leave the breeder (good breeders don't place small breed puppies until they're around 12 weeks old). So if this puppy came from anywhere good she would have just arrived at her new home. And yet they're already re-homing her? I don't think so. Also, a good or even decent breeder would take the puppy back. This is a scam. Sure you can get the puppy. But I'd be prepared to deal with all sorts of health issues, and perhaps a dog who doesn't have a good temperament. Now you could get really lucky and it could be a fabulous dog. But this screams puppy mill or back yard breeder.

 

8 hours ago, busymama7 said:

I am not looking at only one breed. I've listed several options. I am specifically looking at a small breed and a hypoallergenic one. I had a toy poodle growing up and like those fine.  I adore my neighbors shih tzu and want one just like her 😊  my vet suggested shih tzu or maltipoo.  

 

Your vet suggested a maltipoo? That's surprising to me. They're cute as can be and if I'm honest I wouldn't mind having one myself. One of our neighbors has one and he's a sweet, fun dog and is our Shih Tzu's best play buddy. But while the vets I know love all dogs, every one of them detests the designer mutt trend because most people breeding them are just in it for the money. They aren't concerned with breeding for health or temperament.

Also, have you considered grooming costs? I guess your neighbor has filled you in on that? It can be substantial depending on your area. I groom my own dog, but I had some hobbyist and shelter volunteer basic grooming experience before we got him, and had already accumulated some equipment. It's not cheap. If I paid someone to keep him groomed to my standards it would be at least $50 a month. Keeping a Shih Tzu or other long haired dog groomed is not something that should be taken lightly. 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Pawz4me

[Janeway]

Here, the "rescue" groups go to shelters and take out the small dogs that are in high demand for adoption. Then they charge a lot of money to adopt and make good money off of it. Check out "rescue" groups and you might have more luck.

[Janeway]

Also check humane society groups. Around here, they do the same thing..get easy to adopt out pets from shelters and then sell them. 

 

Also, if you get the pet, I would not wait until Christmas to surprise her. She is old enough to get her present early and know that is it. It is unfair for a pet to be left at a boarder for 10 days waiting for a big reveal on Christmas morning.

[Angie in VA]

A woman I know wanted a labradoodle (sp?) but couldn't afford one. She kept praying. Sure enough, an older woman had one and couldn't care for it anymore, so this woman and her family adopted him (ETA:) for free. Great fit. 

Christmas magic can happen. 😉 Even if it doesn't, in the form you're hoping for, I hope you find the perfect pet for your dd. 

Edited December 16, 2018 by Angie in VA
To add that the dog was free! :)

[Pawz4me]

16 minutes ago, Janeway said:

Here, the "rescue" groups go to shelters and take out the small dogs that are in high demand for adoption. Then they charge a lot of money to adopt and make good money off of it. Check out "rescue" groups and you might have more luck.

This is a common misunderstanding among people who have little/no familiarity with rescue work or dogs. Small dogs typically become much more stressed in a shelter environment than larger dogs do, to the point that they will refuse to eat and even totally shut down (curled up in a corner refusing to respond to anything, not eating, etc.). Shelters do NOT allow rescue groups to take small dogs so they can then be adopted out for "good" money. They do it for the health/well being of the dogs. Not only does it get the smaller dogs into an environment that is much better for them (most rescues keep dogs in foster homes) it also frees up shelter space for more medium/large dogs. It's a "win win situation" for the dogs.

Here locally the shelters are overwhelmed. It's all pits or Chihuahuas. More Chihuahuas than the rescue groups can possibly take. It's a really sad situation for those tiny little dogs in shelters.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

43 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

<snip>

Here locally the shelters are overwhelmed. It's all pits or Chihuahuas. More Chihuahuas than the rescue groups can possibly take. It's a really sad situation for those tiny little dogs in shelters.

Last night, after reading this thread, I looked at our local shelter's website and 99% of the dogs were either pit bulls or a pit bull mix. Page after page of them. No small dogs at all.

I also checked the shelter in the City an hour away. They had a wider variety but mostly medium to large breeds. The smallest dogs were a pair of beagles they hope to rehome together.

[gardenmom5]

11 hours ago, Storygirl said:

I would worry about a three month old puppy supposedly being rehomed and not being able to meet the doggie parents or the breeder. Why do they not want her? I just adopted a puppy this summer, and our breeder gave us a bunch of information. I would ask to see the info they received from their breeder.

Also, many breeders have clauses in the contract that the breeder must be contacted first if the puppy needs to be rehomed. So it seems suspicious that this puppy would be available. I would worry it might be stolen from the real owners, and I would not adopt if I could not confirm ownership in some way.

if there is concern a puppy is stolen - check for a microchip.

dd's breeder supplied chips for each puppy at pick-up day.   and she pretty much required you take the puppy to a vet (and to be chipped) in the first week you had it home.  

[gardenmom5]

28 minutes ago, The Accidental Coach said:

Last night, after reading this thread, I looked at our local shelter's website and 99% of the dogs were either pit bulls or a pit bull mix. Page after page of them. No small dogs at all.

I also checked the shelter in the City an hour away. They had a wider variety but mostly medium to large breeds. The smallest dogs were a pair of beagles they hope to rehome together.

yep.  or a chihuahua.

[gardenmom5]

OP

 

have you tried petfinder?   you can do a wide area, and breed,size, age specific search.   it pulls up from shelters - but also rescues.   it was a helpful site when we were looking with 1dd.   (she ended up with a breeder on the other side of the state. . . four hour drive.)

[Innisfree]

I just looked at Petfinder for the Las Vegas area. With the search filtered for small, kid friendly, house trained dogs, several reasonable choices came up right away, and I didn't look past the first page or two.

Now, caveats-- a bunch of dogs listed were chihuahuas, which I personally would avoid with a house full of young kids. But there were also other breeds the OP mentioned. Also, these are adults, not puppies. But adults are *good*. They're housebroken! 😉 They have documented good history with kids! And so on... And, these dogs were with a rescue group, and I didn't investigate criteria for adoption. And one at least had diabetes. But there are dogs available in the OP's area, of the small breeds she wants, with known good temperaments, for reasonable cost, waiting for homes. It's worth doing the search.

[gardenmom5]

the thing I wanted to add - the number of "rescues" who claim their dogs are from asia and the "pet food" market.   while some may well be legit, there are others that made me feel they were using the claim as nothing but a ploy to suck in the soft-hearted.  (iow: they were lying about where the dogs came from.  I spoke with one woman - who wanted to go into gory detail.  she actually made me suspicious.)

eta: - listen to your gut.  if your gut says something is wrong - there probably is.

Edited December 13, 2018 by gardenmom5

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

This is a common misunderstanding among people who have little/no familiarity with rescue work or dogs. Small dogs typically become much more stressed in a shelter environment than larger dogs do, to the point that they will refuse to eat and even totally shut down (curled up in a corner refusing to respond to anything, not eating, etc.). Shelters do NOT allow rescue groups to take small dogs so they can then be adopted out for "good" money. They do it for the health/well being of the dogs. Not only does it get the smaller dogs into an environment that is much better for them (most rescues keep dogs in foster homes) it also frees up shelter space for more medium/large dogs. It's a "win win situation" for the dogs.

Here locally the shelters are overwhelmed. It's all pits or Chihuahuas. More Chihuahuas than the rescue groups can possibly take. It's a really sad situation for those tiny little dogs in shelters.

 Small dogs are often also more medically fragile. They get sicker faster and shelter environments are full of respiratory diseases. What is a minor cough or a minor runny nose for a large breed dog could be pneumonia for small breed dog. So best to get them out of the shelters as soon as possible. Plus, if your rescue group, it is just physically easier to have a lot of small breed dogs in your home then a lot of large breed dogs. And cheaper to feed. But trust me, those rescue groups are not making money hand over fist. For every young puppy that they adopt out and don’t have to spend a ton of money on there are a few elderly dogs with major medical problems that they went Into debt in order to treat.

[Familia]

I wish that I had received this suggestion before we got our puppy - I love her, but I would have loved to acquire an older trained dog.  Alas, I heard about this dog acquisition option in puppy class.

(this timing may not be good for you ... )

Go to dog shows and talk to everyone.  Asking around about dogs that may be heading out of the show ring may lead to finding a lovable former show dog.  It is important, to me, to find a dog who has been a companion, not just a competitor.  I was led to believe the show venue would be a good source of well trained dogs ready to move on to a forever home.

ETA, I agree with @Kareni, you could purchase a stuffed animal to stand in until you find one. 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Familia
added info

[Storygirl]

I haven't read the last few posts yet, but I wanted to comment about your idea to have the puppy stay with your friend until Christmas, so that it can be a surprise on Christmas day. I just don't see how you could do this. The puppy will need to go outside all. the. time. so  how would you keep it a secret? And it is a ton of work to ask a friend to do for you.

[AbcdeDooDah]

17 minutes ago, Storygirl said:

I haven't read the last few posts yet, but I wanted to comment about your idea to have the puppy stay with your friend until Christmas, so that it can be a surprise on Christmas day. I just don't see how you could do this. The puppy will need to go outside all. the. time. so  how would you keep it a secret? And it is a ton of work to ask a friend to do for you.

We got a puppy 3 months ago and yes, at first she needed to go our every 20-30 minutes. That's a big ask.

[lmrich]

....get a kitten if you must have the surprise pet on Christmas thing!

 

My son got a puppy in August. She is a lot of work. She is worth the work but it is a lot. 

If you can't find the perfect shelter dog, wait. 

[Tanaqui]

Reputable breeders and shelters will not allow you to get a single kitten, especially if you do not already have a kitten-friendly cat in the house. Kittens do best in pairs and trios. If you want to take good care of a cat, instead of minimally adequate care, and you want to start in kittenhood, you're committing yourself to multiple pets right off the bat. (At least this is true for cat kittens. If you mean rabbit kittens, all bets are off. I don't know anything about rabbits.)

At any rate, the OP and her kid seem pretty set on getting a dog. She could get any number of increasingly exotic pets to shove under her tree, but they don't seem to want cats/rabbits/ferrets/rats/mice/hamsters/snakes/iguanas/frogs/bugs/rocks. They want a dog, of one of a few specific breeds.

[skywards]

21 hours ago, Storygirl said:

I would worry about a three month old puppy supposedly being rehomed and not being able to meet the doggie parents or the breeder. Why do they not want her?

I got my own dog this way. There was nothing wrong with her at all. Some nice older people adopted her and simply didn't realize how much energy a puppy has. After they'd tripped over her a few dozen times, they decided a puppy was just too much hassle. Not that I think all situations are like this, or that the above one isn't sketchy, just sayin it happens :) 

[Pawz4me]

23 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

Reputable breeders and shelters will not allow you to get a single kitten, especially if you do not already have a kitten-friendly cat in the house. 

I don’t know a thing about cat breeders. I know quite a lot about shelters and rescues. And I’ve never, ever heard of one that wouldn’t allow adoptions of single kittens. And I assure you they’re all reputable. 

[Storygirl]

8 minutes ago, skywards said:

I got my own dog this way. There was nothing wrong with her at all. Some nice older people adopted her and simply didn't realize how much energy a puppy has. After they'd tripped over her a few dozen times, they decided a puppy was just too much hassle. Not that I think all situations are like this, or that the above one isn't sketchy, just sayin it happens 🙂

This is possible. I personally know two people who got a puppy and then changed their minds and rehomed it. My real point was that the current owner should be able to prove where they got the puppy and whether they are the legal owners by providing paperwork, and if they can't or won't .... it's a giant red flag. Because a three-month old puppy adopted from a reputable breeder will come with some documents.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Our local Petsmart has cats from the various shelters and foster programs. It takes about 48 from application to taking home a cat. There are no restrictions on how many cats must be in the home; adopting a single kitten is an option.

[Jean in Newcastle]

46 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

Reputable breeders and shelters will not allow you to get a single kitten, especially if you do not already have a kitten-friendly cat in the house. Kittens do best in pairs and trios. If you want to take good care of a cat, instead of minimally adequate care, and you want to start in kittenhood, you're committing yourself to multiple pets right off the bat. (At least this is true for cat kittens. If you mean rabbit kittens, all bets are off. I don't know anything about rabbits.)

At any rate, the OP and her kid seem pretty set on getting a dog. She could get any number of increasingly exotic pets to shove under her tree, but they don't seem to want cats/rabbits/ferrets/rats/mice/hamsters/snakes/iguanas/frogs/bugs/rocks. They want a dog, of one of a few specific breeds.

That is not at all true. We have gotten many single kittens over the years from reputable rescues. And they were perfectly happy. 

[Tanaqui]

The NYC ones won't, or they didn't last I checked, and they're quite right not to. Kittens really do need other kittens or cats.

[ktgrok]

1 minute ago, Tanaqui said:

The NYC ones won't, or they didn't last I checked, and they're quite right not to. Kittens really do need other kittens or cats.

They may either have more money or less cats, if they can be that picky.. In the south that is not the case. 

[Pawz4me]

4 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

The NYC ones won't, or they didn't last I checked, and they're quite right not to. Kittens really do need other kittens or cats.

I don’t really agree that they do. Not at all. 

Anyway, if shelters and rescues here had that policy it would almost certainly lead to the euthanization of tremendous numbers of kittens and cats. 

Edited December 14, 2018 by Pawz4me

[Terabith]

33 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I don’t know a thing about cat breeders. I know quite a lot about shelters and rescues. And I’ve never, ever heard of one that wouldn’t allow adoptions of single kittens. And I assure you they’re all reputable. 

I agree that kittens are better in pairs, but I've never heard of a shelter that wouldn't allow you to adopt a single one.  I would recommend getting two, but I don't think you're necessarily a bad cat owner if you only get one.  I will say that my cats that have been part of a set of similarly aged cats at the time have been HAPPIER as young cats than when they were the only kitten.  Due to finding strays and such, we've a couple times only had one kitten and usually two older cats, and those kittens were not as happy as kittens.  Obama in particular spends a lot of time outside, because we simply couldn't bring another cat into the house, but he had way too much energy to hang out with the older cats without torturing them.  So for everyone's sanity, he became an inside-outside kitty, which isn't ideal, but has worked for our family.  

Edited December 14, 2018 by Terabith

[happi duck]

Do I remember the neighbor loves dogs?  If the dog stays there I'd let the kids meet the dog.  The neighbor can say she's watching the dog for a friend who can't take it home yet.  "Why don't you help me train it?"

[busymama7]

Bumping for the update 😊

[Kareni]

On 12/12/2018 at 3:06 PM, busymama7 said:

ETA: we found a dog!!!! ...So my vet is happy, my neighbor is happy and I'm in a bit of shock!!! 

How very exciting!  I hope you, your family, and your new dog will all be very happy together.

Regards,
Kareni

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wonderful update!  I hope that we can see a picture soon! 

[Liz CA]

Wow, that is truly Christmas magic. You asked for it and it was delivered!

[SamanthaCarter]

Wonderful update! Yay for Christmas magic!

[unsinkable]

On 12/12/2018 at 6:06 PM, busymama7 said:

My daughter is a huge animal lover and has been begging for a pet for a very long time. We have finally decided that now is a good time to go ahead and get her one. I've been talking to people including our vet friend and have zeroed in on a shih tzu mix or a maltipoo.  Since this is a sudden decision I had not researched what these dogs cost. I actually had NO idea. And purchasing a puppy for somewhere around $500-1000 is not going happen.

I am open to adopting an older dog of the right breed and temperment but all my browsing of the websites for shelters isn't turning up anything. 

We want to take our time and not get just any dog but I really really want this to happen for her. She will be over the moon thrilled as we have been saying no way for years. 

I just hope something turns up in the next ten days.   I also  going to need a back up larger gift for a 13 year old who wants nothing else. 

ETA: we found a dog!!!!  My neighbor was traveling out of state and checked the classifieds where she was going and found a 3 year old Maltese/poodle that needed re-homing. She went to meet her and fell in love so grabbed her for me for $200.   She is currently hanging with my neighbor who says she's amazing. Friendly, calm, snuggly, loves riding in the car, potties appropriately etc.  She is going to our vets on Monday to be spayed/shots and possibly to board depending on how she is doing.  It feels like perfect timing since she needs a week to recover from the spay before my kids can play with her. So my vet is happy, my neighbor is happy and I'm in a bit of shock!!! 

Thank you all for your help!

Oh wow! That is such a sweet story!

[Sharpie]

I'm so excited for your dd.  Please update after Christmas her reaction.  🙂

 

[Selkie]

Wow, how perfect! Can't wait to see pictures!

[busymama7]

My neighbor is still out of town so I haven't met her yet but she called me today just gushing about how awesome of a dog she is.  It's making me so anxious to meet her tomorrow night. And I am having a hard time waiting to surprise my daughter. She is going to flip because she still thinks we won't consider a dog ever.  Our new dog will probably stay with the neighbor after a day or so at the clinic for her spay.   She loves her so much that she wants to have her at her house until Christmas.  She needs desperate grooming and was probably a bit neglected actually but her personality hasn't suffered.  The most recent owner was not her original and we are assuming that her first owner was more attentive. My neighbor says she just wags and wags her tail, never barks and loves to lay in the sun in whatever room she is in.  She snuggles up to them on the couch but isn't all in their face either her. She keeps testing her to make sure she doesn't snap or growl and she just doesn't except when her own dog and her didn't have their own food bowls. But now they do.  And we don't have other pets to worry about that with. 

Remember how I said it was an act of faith to post about needing Christmas magic? Well it's not really magic of course. We all believe that the Lord had his hand in leading us to this dog. My keeps saying she couldn't be more perfect for our family. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[skywards]

What a great update! So, SO excited for your family 🙂 

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, busymama7 said:

My neighbor is still out of town so I haven't met her yet but she called me today just gushing about how awesome of a dog she is.  It's making me so anxious to meet her tomorrow night. And I am having a hard time waiting to surprise my daughter. She is going to flip because she still thinks we won't consider a dog ever.  Our new dog will probably stay with the neighbor after a day or so at the clinic for her spay.   She loves her so much that she wants to have her at her house until Christmas.  She needs desperate grooming and was probably a bit neglected actually but her personality hasn't suffered.  The most recent owner was not her original and we are assuming that her first owner was more attentive. My neighbor says she just wags and wags her tail, never barks and loves to lay in the sun in whatever room she is in.  She snuggles up to them on the couch but isn't all in their face either her. She keeps testing her to make sure she doesn't snap or growl and she just doesn't except when her own dog and her didn't have their own food bowls. But now they do.  And we don't have other pets to worry about that with. 

Remember how I said it was an act of faith to post about needing Christmas magic? Well it's not really magic of course. We all believe that the Lord had his hand in leading us to this dog. My keeps saying she couldn't be more perfect for our family. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

I'm not being a Debbie Downer (promise!) but a couple of things to keep in mind --

Dogs who are newly adopted often go through a honeymoon period. It can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It's generally a period when the dog is on her best behavior because she feels a bit unsure of the new people and new environment. Only after a dog settles in will you really begin to see her true personality/temperament. I've had a handful of fosters who came in and were their genuine selves from day one, but more often than not there's that honeymoon period first. 

The food aggression--don't take that lightly. Hopefully it's just getting growly with another dog and won't be an issue around humans. Just . . . be vigilant about the possibility.

[Sdel]

5 hours ago, busymama7 said:

Remember how I said it was an act of faith to post about needing Christmas magic? Well it's not really magic of course. We all believe that the Lord had his hand in leading us to this dog. My keeps saying she couldn't be more perfect for our family. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

 

Good luck with the dog. She’ll be perfect and it sounds like your friend has a lot of experience with small dogs.  I firmly believe our current dog was hand delivered to us by God too.  We found her on the side of the road, dumped in a field to die, of all places.  She’s wasn’t spayed and a bit thin but well socialized, basic obedience training, crate trained, house broke, obviously an indoor dog, and socialized to cats to boot. 

Stefanie

[Angie in VA]

On 12/12/2018 at 6:06 PM, busymama7 said:

My daughter is a huge animal lover and has been begging for a pet for a very long time. We have finally decided that now is a good time to go ahead and get her one. I've been talking to people including our vet friend and have zeroed in on a shih tzu mix or a maltipoo.  Since this is a sudden decision I had not researched what these dogs cost. I actually had NO idea. And purchasing a puppy for somewhere around $500-1000 is not going happen.

I am open to adopting an older dog of the right breed and temperment but all my browsing of the websites for shelters isn't turning up anything. 

We want to take our time and not get just any dog but I really really want this to happen for her. She will be over the moon thrilled as we have been saying no way for years. 

I just hope something turns up in the next ten days.   I also  going to need a back up larger gift for a 13 year old who wants nothing else. 

ETA: we found a dog!!!!  My neighbor was traveling out of state and checked the classifieds where she was going and found a 3 year old Maltese/poodle that needed re-homing. She went to meet her and fell in love so grabbed her for me for $200.   She is currently hanging with my neighbor who says she's amazing. Friendly, calm, snuggly, loves riding in the car, potties appropriately etc.  She is going to our vets on Monday to be spayed/shots and possibly to board depending on how she is doing.  It feels like perfect timing since she needs a week to recover from the spay before my kids can play with her. So my vet is happy, my neighbor is happy and I'm in a bit of shock!!! 

Thank you all for your help!

 

This makes me so happy! I told you it could happen! Congrats on finding the dog you were looking for! May it be your dd's "heart" dog!

[PeterPan]

On December 12, 2018 at 6:06 PM, busymama7 said:

ETA: we found a dog!!!! 

Yayayayayaya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[J-rap]

That's great.  I hope it works out perfectly!  Sometimes, against all warnings. the dog turns out to really be the right one.  The last couple of puppies we've had have been difficult, despite all the research I did.  They still turned out to be beloved pets, but they were not easy dogs.  When my dd decided to get a pup after graduating from college and moving out on her own, everyone in the family tried to talk her out of it.  She was getting a pup from the litter of a rescue dog.  They knew nothing about the father.  Boy, this little pup could have been anything!  It was pure luck that he turned out to be the perfect match for her.  He's a real sweetie pie, learns fast, adores her, snuggles, absolutely loves all people, and will remain small (smaller than his mother, who was a beagle).