DKinTX Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 We're thinking of adopting a dog. We haven't had one for two years. During those two years, we adopted two kittens from the local shelter. Aside from a few annoying instances, things are going well with these kitties. But I'm more of a dog person; I grew up with dogs as pets, and my children want a dog badly. So, we visit the shelter a lot. And we go to Petfinder.com. I found the perfect dog for us. I emailed the shelter and ask a ton of questions. This dog is sweet and gentle and loving. It's great with kids and housebroken. Hasn't been tested around cats (it's at a foster home), but it's so gentle natured, it shouldn't be a problem. But the shelter is three hours away, and if we go there it will be only once. We wouldn't want to drive there just to turn around and leave empty-handed. So, I'm trying to decide if it's wise to adopt a dog sight unseen. I generally tend to trust the shelter...they have all these clauses about how if you don't want your dog anymore you have to bring it back to them, and it truly seems they have the animal's best interest in mind, which leads me to believe they wouldn't want us to take a dog that we wouldn't be happy with. Meaning, I think they're telling the truth about her being sweet and housebroken, etc. One more thing (sorry this is getting long): she tested positive for heartworms. I really have no experience at all with this because it's not an issue in California where I'm from. They've administered treatment, but apparently it's necessary for the dog to remain mellow and calm for three weeks following treatment, and then they have to receive some follow up treatment once or twice. The vet is 1 1/2 hours away from here. I would probably need to drive there two or three times. When she is done with the treatment, then we would have to get her spayed. It sounds like a lot of trouble, but at the same time I think once the initial bother is over, then we will have this really great dog and it will all be worth it. Am I fooling myself? Thoughts and opinions, please! I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancypants Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I would be very nervous about adopting a dog sight unseen. As much as I understand your feelings, being a complete and total dog person myself, I would just be very nervous about doing it sight unseen. Think of it this way, if you can (and trust me, I know it's hard to be so future minded about what appears to be the perfect dog!) you are hoping to get a pet that will live with you for several years. For both the dog's sake and for yours, be fully prepared to walk away empty handed. Tell yourself that you are looking for the right dog for you. You would not want to bring back the wrong dog and have several years worth of regret (or another, much more sorrowful, trip back to the shelter) because of bringing the wrong dog home. If she is the right dog for you, she will be worth the drive of course. If you feel that you are not the right family for her, the drive home empty handed will be worthwhile for both of you... of course you could just happen to meet the real right dog for you when you are there anyways. (Most places here only list a handful of the animals they have.) As for the veterinary questions... if she is the right dog and you absolutely fall in love with her, I imagine the driving and veterinary bills will be just as worth it to you as was the long drive. :) Good luck! I know how much you want her to be the right dog!! I had these exact feelings when we went to meet Bruce for the first time. He seemed just perfect by the description and his looks... and he is... he has several little issue that we have had to deal with and we have gone to some expense, as would be expected, in special care for him (vet. and a "personal trainer" for some behavioral issues)... all has turned out to be completely worth it and happily my first inclinations were correct. He is perfect for us even though the first couple of weeks were a bit bumpy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I would drive the three hours, meet the dog, and then make the decision. Coming home empty-handed would be a possibility I would leave open. It sounds about 99% sure that this is the dog for you, but you also have to be prepared if he's the 1%. A 3-hour drive one way is a long drive, but it would be worth more than one of these trips to come home with the right dog, if that's what it takes. I'd say your chances of making the trip just once would be good, though. The heartworm wouldn't deter me, but I'm used to driving quite long distances for appointments and don't have young children at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKinTX Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Very wise advice, Nancy, and I appreciate that you took the time to give it. I will take it to heart. God bless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKinTX Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 You're right, Claire. The truth is, I would sooner take the wrong dog than have the shelter manager (the one I've been emailing back and forth with) think I'm a flake and be upset that the adoption fell through. How messed up is that? Thanks for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Dd wanted a dog in the worst way, so we decided to give her one for Christmas. Dh and I are also dog people and knew what to watch out for. Friends in our life group prayed with us to find the perfect dog, and we did! I had been searching (in secret mind you) on petfinder.com for a couple of weeks before finding an adorable little mutt that was just what we were looking for. I e-mailed the shelter lady numerous times and we had great conversations, then we talked on the phone and did the paper work. We agreed to take the three hour drive, and if we were convinced upon meeting her that dd and dog had the potential to bond, we would take her. Our attitude was the same as Claire suggested when we went. We were not disappointed. It was a match made in heaven. It was worth all the trouble and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Even if we'd had to go back for any reason, we would still have taken the risk. Pets are part of the family and we believe it is worth the trouble to get the right match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I wanted a dog in the worst way...I'm worse than the children. :) The German kennels will not sell or give away dogs here to Americans...because lots have abandoned their pets. :( So ...I started looking in the paper and one morning called this girl about Ella Bella our Border Collie. We drove 4 hours to meet her and fell in love the second we saw her. She actually got into our truck and wouldn't come out. The girl said we must be good people and that Ella can tell these things. We got her and she rode in my lap all the way home. She is the best dog and so very loyal. She's treated with lots of love and attention and it was definitely worth going out on a limb for. She's now our fur baby. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'll just speak to the medical side of it. Heartworm treatment is expensive so if the shelter has already treated then maybe you have missed most of the expense as follow up visits are not the bulk of the bill. Our clinic charges $600 to treat for HW. The dog does have to remain extremely calm for 4-6 weeks post treatment as there is a risk of pulmonary embolism if there is too much activity in which case most dogs develop respiratory distress and drop dead. Spaying cost really depends on your location. My clinic is in a semi-rural area and we charge about $200 for a spay. Other costs to consider are yearly vaccines, tick and flea control, and monthly heartworm prevention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 across the country to get a rescue dog sight unseen. :D My relatives thought I was crazy :rolleyes: I did speak a lot to the foster home about what I needed in a dog before we made the trip. The foster home even started leash training him before I picked him up. Now everyone tells you to be prepared to walk away, but, unless something really outrageous happens, that's not going to happen. Not unless you're a stronger person than me. I've never been able to walk away from a dog if it's in a foster home. I can walk away in shelters, but not when it's one person hoping to find a good home for a dog they took in. (But before you think I'm crazy for my dog trip, I was looking for a specific, rare breed. I'm now looking for another dog of the same breed, and it seems likely that I'll need to get a puppy and fly it home. :eek: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKinTX Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Thanks Soph, I am grateful that the clinic has already paid the heartworm treatment costs, and I will only have to worry about the monthly heartworm prevention. I found a clinic nearby that will spay for $50. I'm hoping we can meet the dog this weekend; thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKinTX Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 We'd be picking her up at the foster home. I believe the foster family has other dogs, but not cats. Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKinTX Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 across the country to get a rescue dog sight unseen. :D My relatives thought I was crazy :rolleyes: I did speak a lot to the foster home about what I needed in a dog before we made the trip. The foster home even started leash training him before I picked him up. Now everyone tells you to be prepared to walk away, but, unless something really outrageous happens, that's not going to happen. Not unless you're a stronger person than me. I've never been able to walk away from a dog if it's in a foster home. I can walk away in shelters, but not when it's one person hoping to find a good home for a dog they took in. (But before you think I'm crazy for my dog trip, I was looking for a specific, rare breed. I'm now looking for another dog of the same breed, and it seems likely that I'll need to get a puppy and fly it home. :eek: ) So was it worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Best dog I ever knew came to me with heartworms. He was three and a half years old and HUGE. It was expensive and emotional to cure him. It was worth it even though he ruined my credit! He was my best friend, present at the birth of my dd (home birth) and he watched over her every day for the rest of his life. He died at the ripe old age of twelve and a half (outliving everyone's expectation). Nine beautiful years we had together. I am actually naming my baby after him if it's a boy. This could be the one for you........but you have to crazy and take the leap. Any time I ever got an awesome pet - logic would have said "DO NOT DO IT!" Luckily, I can ignore logic and act from my heart. Karen sn....mom of awesome new dog, gorgeous (almost nice) cat, sweet old horse, cute little turtle, and a gazillion house spiders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'll tell you how we did this when we went to look at our puppy. This was a breed we had never seen in person. We had researched the breed, and it seemed like a good fit; but we had never seen one. So we all agreed that we would not decide until after we had seen the dogs (the breeder had many), and we would not decide at her house. And we all agreed that we might come home without a puppy. And we told the breeder this too. So, we saw the dogs, made notes on which ones were viable candidates; then we went to a hotel for the night. (We were about 5 hours away from home; but we purposely planned to have a night to sleep on it.) After DS went to sleep, DH and I discussed it and made the decision. In the morning, we made sure DS was on board with our decision; of course he was. Then we called the breeder and told her. Then we went to pick up the puppy. In your case, if you won't be staying overnight, could you just go get lunch after seeing the dog? Everybody can discuss the pros and cons without the foster family and the sweet furry face there listening to you. Then make your decision over lunch. Chances are you'll get him; but why not give yourself 45 minutes to think it through. Then call the foster family and tell them what you decided. Then write us and tell us what you decided! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 So was it worth it? nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenstet Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 The thing that jumps out to me is the heartworm like "Soph the Vet" (apparently she's a vet :)) That can be a serious problem. The last thing you would want is for your family to get attached to the dog and then have it drop dead on you. I personally wouldn't take a dog that has a life threatening health condition before you even get it home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 The thing that jumps out to me is the heartworm like "Soph the Vet" (apparently she's a vet :)) That can be a serious problem. The last thing you would want is for your family to get attached to the dog and then have it drop dead on you. I personally wouldn't take a dog that has a life threatening health condition before you even get it home. My favorite dog had heartworm and was treated for it. The treatment cures the heartworm. My dog was older when this happened, and the treatment damaged his heart slightly so that he got out-of-breath faster on walks than he used to. However, he had a normal lifespan for his size. Also, this was years ago. I would imagine the treatment has improved since then, and they know better how to calibrate the poison that kills the heartworms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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