Adopting a dog in Cheshire

niklam

Hi there!

After some discussion we have decided that we are now able to adopt a dog. We are a family of 4 with 2 kids (boiserous 3 & 7) and 2 cats. We know about the Cheshire dogs homes and the local RSPCA's but wondered if there were any smaller dog rescue organisations near by. OR if there were any reputable dog breeders close by.

We also wondered if there was anyone out there who could points us in the right direction re breeds. DH and I have both owned dogs before, but, they were larger breeds and we know we dont have the room for that, but a good small to medium breed with a good temperement would be ideal.

Thanks for any help

Niki

foreign_correspondent

Here you go:
http://www.dogpages.org.uk/nth-west.htm

You could also join dogpages, and post in the "homes offered" section!

I would be open as to breeds, but look for an individual dog who is steady and known to be child friendly, preferably having lived with them before!

niklam

THanks for that - have been trying to figure out the dog pages forum! Am now waiting for 1pm so I can start calling - PMSL so excited!!

catlou

Hi

Maybe this will be too far for you? But if you are near the North Wales side of Cheshire (IYKWIM!) they are in Holywell Flintshire and always seem to have a lot of dogs and good profiles of personality etc on the website and they also have a trainer who does work with the dogs there.

http://www.ncar.org.uk/dogs_needing_homes

Stephb1986_2

Hi Niki, Please don't go to cheshire dogs home I went there a few weeks ago and pretty much all the dogs were guard dogs so wouldn't be suitable for you while you have two young children.

Look on freeads thats where I found my lovely border collie.

Steph xx

tankgirl1

http://www.windyway.org/

based in macclesfield

niklam

So sad - have been out this afternoon doing a rekkie of CDH and Warrington RSPCA. So many lovely dogs, but none suitable for us and RSPCA said they would only give us a puppy (if they had one in). Windyway has no suitable dogs in atm either. Have registered on Dogpages and will put an entry on the homes offered forum. We arent in a hurry - we would rather wait to make sure we get the right dog.

Catlou - thanks for that link I'll have a look later - must do some housework or DH will think I have been skiving -

UKTigerlily

Please continue to look at Rescues & don't use Freeads/Gumtree etc many come from Pup farms & worse (Not all) any decent breeder wouldn't be there either. I agree with keeping an open mind, I was looking for a CKCS & a Staff was the perfect Dog for me!

zaksmum

Lurcher Link sometimes has puppies (check it out on the internet) or the Dogs Trust which has a branch in Merseyside. Or Freshfields Animal rescue, again Merseyside.

If you put Dog Rescue Cheshire in your search, you will find several more.

Breed-wise, maybe a labrador cross? Labs have fantastic temperaments and are brilliant with kids...a full lab might be a bit bigger than your small to medium criteria. My own preference is for crossbreeds anyway.

Check out the ads in your local paper, or Loot. Ask local vets to carry a "Dog Wanted" ad for you on their notice boards.

Will someone be at home with the dog most of the time?

Good luck with your search!

Ellidee

The Dog's Trust link http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/our_centres/merseyside/

foreign_correspondent

Stephb1986 wrote: »

Hi Niki, Please don't go to cheshire dogs home I went there a few weeks ago and pretty much all the dogs were guard dogs so wouldn't be suitable for you while you have two young children.

Look on freeads thats where I found my lovely border collie.

Steph xx

Please don't buy animals from the free-ads! You have no option to return the dog if anything goes wrong, no aftercare, and may well be supporting backyard (i.e. irresponsible) breeders....

Classified ads are sometimes also used as a way to get rid of a problem dog, ie. one that has bitten the kids, or who has an expensive health problem... of course, they will not tell any potential purchaser that, as they can dissapear after you have parted with your cash, unlike a decent rescue, who often have a good reputation they are very keen to uphold, and who tend to be very keen to ensure they place dogs in the best homes possible for that individual animal!

Also, please do not discount an entire rescue because of the animals they have in on any one day - many rescues take in and home hundreds of dogs a year, so the list of animals they have in changes on a daily basis!

You may visit one week and they are all big dogs, another week there may be more of a mix, and they will occasionally have pups and pregnant b1tches come in, so pups will be born into rescue...

We arent in a hurry - we would rather wait to make sure we get the right dog.

:TGlad to hear that - a dog should never be an impulsive decision, and patience pays off! Ask the rescues you contact who don't happen to have the right dog in now, if they will take your details and contact you if a suitable pup or dog comes in!