Help please - questions to ask when getting a new dog - updated!

Doozergirl

Thanks so much for all the advice, it is much appreciated if overwhelming! I can't think of anything that is this hard to choose - there is so much to think about! I have bought a copy of The Perfect Puppy from ebay which I think fc mentioned on another thread to do a bit more research. I really want to know that we're doing things the right way and that we're prepared, however buying from a breeder seems so much more complicated than finding a suitable rescue, though that takes a long time! I'd love to have our home vetted first but our local one doesn't do it first, they do it after you have reserved the dog I might try asking though as it's not as if they don't know my face... We've travelled out further to a bigger dogs home but of what must have been 100 dogs, only 2 were suitable for children and they had to be rehomed together. They were also older dogs which is sometimes what does come up but after losing one of the cats last year and the fact that my son is still heartbroken, I can't put them through the inevitable with a 10-12 year old dog

My kids are 4 and a half and 9. I know puppies will nip (been chewed on a few times at the rescue centre already) but more worried about a dog that's doing it a couple of years down the line for no reason!

tealady

I think you would be better off getting your home check done 1st with a couple of organizations (there is the Dogs home and RSPCA here in Brum).
Then if a suitable dog came in you would be ready.

elsien

Have you checked out the Dog's trust place near Evesham. Although I ended up getting my mutt from elsewhere, I found them quite good for saying which dogs they thought were/weren't suitable. And it's a big place so they're more likely to have one that's ideal for you.
Not all dogs have come in as strays, some end up there through no fault of their own (owners illness etc) and have a full health and temperament history to go with them.

potnoodleprincess

Hi there

Like you we wanted a dog for our home, we have two girls age 3 and 7, already have two male cats who arent too fussy.

I used to have a Labrador as a child at home and she was a wonderful pet.

We applied to Labrador rescue who have contacts up and down the country and had a home visit etc.

We got our wish granted this weekend, we now have a 5 year old Black Lab, he is absolutely fabulous, he has lived with cats and small kids before and is very patient. To say he has only lived with us for 2 days he is very chilled, he barks at the door and pulls on the lead a little but other than that he is perfect, we are planning to take him to a class once a week for 6 weeks.

He has a lovely temperament as did the one I had as a child in my family. Having had a female Lab before I was not expecting one quite as big (he is a big boy) but even in a relatively small house he is not a problem as he is so well behaved.

He came from West Midlands and was fetched by a volunteer to East Midlands, I didnt get to see him first we just put our faith in them matching us and to be fair they have done a great job

if you google Lab Rescue you will find all the info

Good luck x

PS He came with a full background of information from his owners as they only do home to home (they dont have a rescue centre) and all his vaccinations are up to date and he is chipped etc

potnoodleprincess

PS

Can anyone recommend any good MSE pet insurance for our dog please

suki1964

Doozergirl wrote: »

My kids are 4 and a half and 9. I know puppies will nip (been chewed on a few times at the rescue centre already) but more worried about a dog that's doing it a couple of years down the line for no reason!

Any dog that is doing that past teething age has been badly trained and isnt being given enough stimulus . Its up to us humans as owners to ensure we train out dogs into the appropriate behaviour and to work and play with our dogs to stop them being bored and getting into destructive behaviours

Fire_Fox

Doozergirl wrote: »

I tend to go to the rescue centre quite a bit, H because of work commitments less so; what tends to happen is that I might see a dog but by the time I've gotten back after talking to him, it's gone - which is good for the dog of course!

Has your OH ever said no to one of the rescue dogs you've seen but missed out on? Could you perhaps discuss as many eventualities as possible, and then he trust you to make a good choice? After all, by reserving a rescue dog you aren't duty bound to take it - you could back out and the dog would still be quickly rehomed. Obviously I don't know his schedule or work commitments but could you text or ring him from the rescue centre?

foreign_correspondent

Doozergirl wrote: »

Thanks for the links. I'm in Worcestershire.

is this list useful to you? - worcestershire dog rescues list, from dogpages - you could ring some of them and let them know what sort of dog you are after - they may well be happy to homecheck first, then let you know if a suitable dog comes in...


Worcestershire

• Blue Cross Adoption Centre
  Wudmoor Lane, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 0RJ
  Tel: 0121 4533130
  www.bluecross.org.uk
• Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre (formerly NCDL)
  89 Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford, Evesham, Worcs WR11 6RT
  Tel: 01386 830613
  www.dogstrust.org.uk
• Forest Dog Rescue
  28 Oakhill Avenue, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 1LZ
  Tel: 01562 636535 or 07753 128099
  Email: [EMAIL="admin@forestdogrescue.org.uk"]admin@forestdogrescue.org.uk[/EMAIL]
  www.forestdogrescue.org.uk
• RSPCA Worcester and Mid Worcs Branch
  Tel: 01886 822 083 Email: [EMAIL="rspcawor@netcomuk.co.uk"]rspcawor@netcomuk.co.uk[/EMAIL]
  www.rspca-worcester.co.uk
• Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter
  Hawthorn Lane, Deblins Green, near Malvern, WR13 5DB
  Tel: 01905 831651
  www.wars.org.uk

Doozergirl

I don't know where you got that list from - I couldn't find a website for Kidderminster or the RSPCA Worcester anywhere! That's fantastic, thank you

We have been to the Dogs Trust a couple of times - it is far from us. That's where I had aconversation around the demand for family dogs versus the actual supply of them. I was basically told it was fine for us to get a puppy as long as we found a reputable breeder etc. - that they always had far more demand for family dogs than they could supply.

I do text H about dogs at our local rescue centre. I think the issue is now that H wants a puppy because he is really worried about a grown dog and the effect of that on our cat, bless her. He thinks she will be able to stand her ground much better with a puppy. I know if I chose a dog that he actually wouldn't mind - he's always hapy when I'm happy but I just want to make a firm decision together. It doesn't help when I feel I need his confidence behind me!

I will have a look for lab rescue too, thank you!

lostinrates

re cats, having introduced many an older dog and many a puppy to our cats (and kittens to dogs, but only three times that way round) I disagree a puppy is necessarily easier than a cat adult dog. Puppies like children test boundaries...again, and again, and again. And older dog suitable for a family espeially, understands the concept of ''no'': a huge help in dealing with the initial introductions. As I type to you my cats and the dog there were introduced to as a puppy and a dog who joined us as a young adult are all in my room. Its possible eitherway, and as I say, possibly easier with an adult.

Its also possible a dog joining you as an adult might have lived with a cat before. we had a resuce from our breed society who had not been tested with small animals (and as a breed ours can be dicey) and our horror as we first introduced her to cats was that she became quite frantic and noisey. we braced ourselves for a long period of trying to adjust (she was a foster who might stay when she arrived with us). The next day we managed to hold her when one of the cats came over to see what all her fuss was about and the dog whipered and carried on, and when we let her sniff, immediately starte to lik, with a strength of love stronger than I've seen from many mother's to their puppies. we conluded shehad either had puppies (it wasn't clear) removed very early, or had had a close frind of a cat. we could also trust her with our rabbit, and woe betide us if we wanted to put him in a hutch.