Getting a dog - rescue or puppy?

krlyr

girlybags wrote: »

I like the idea of being able to take a dog out with us for walks and even on our annual Haven holiday

If this is the case then another consideration to make is the way society sees certain breeds. It's very prejudice and I certainly don't agree with it but many holiday parks will ban or put restrictions on certain breeds - German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, Staffies, etc. so could be something to look into/bear in mind when choosing.

Mrs_Huggett

Lots and lots of really good advice in the posts here, just one other thing, how do you feel about picking up poo? I think that rescue centres etc should include this area of dog ownership in their vetting and general advice sessions to new owners. and I would like to add that I have been picking up dog poo for.........the best part on and off.......44 years :eek: I asked my mum if I could walk my first dog on my own when I got to 8, and she said yes. as long as I cleaned up after her :rotfl:

Also you will need to do the garden every day too, be prepared to have a terrible lawn, although as you have a 6 year old that could already be a possibility lol!

murphydog999

Just another suggestion before you totally commit, do you have any friends/family that will 'loan' you their dog for a trial - maybe while they are on holiday - to see how you all cope with daily life with a dog?

girlybags

Mrs_Huggett wrote: »

Lots and lots of really good advice in the posts here, just one other thing, how do you feel about picking up poo? I think that rescue centres etc should include this area of dog ownership in their vetting and general advice sessions to new owners. and I would like to add that I have been picking up dog poo for.........the best part on and off.......44 years :eek: I asked my mum if I could walk my first dog on my own when I got to 8, and she said yes. as long as I cleaned up after her :rotfl:

Also you will need to do the garden every day too, be prepared to have a terrible lawn, although as you have a 6 year old that could already be a possibility lol!

I've already been prepping my son for poo removing, lol! We go and visit my auntie and her family in London for a week or so every year and my son loves walking the dog and has alwas been fascinated with the little 'poo bags'! On our walk to school some parts of the pavements are covered with dog poo and I have to try and keep my son off the edges of the field which is also covered in poo but is more hidden than on the paths I think people who own dogs should be responsible enough to pick up their dogs mess. Once in Richmond town centre, which is a posh area (where my auntie and family live), my son and nephew were playing in a little park. We saw my nephew, who was only 2 at the time, bend down and poke his finger in something and lift it to his mouth - it was dog poo that someone had just left there, right on one of the little paths. Luckily my nephew was ok and we were armed with wipes and stuff but it knocked me sick to think that someone had just left it there

I'll take the advice about dog breeds, I know there are 2 types of dog that Haven don't allow on the parks but I can't remember what they are, I'll have to check back before we plan our visits to the rescue centres.

My nephew stays one night a week, maybe when their puppy is properly toilet trained we could have her as well on that night

*onlyme*

Rescue every time!

You can also look further afield then just your local rescues. Some rescues have foster carers all around the country, the foster dogs have lived in a home for a certain amount of time, some live with other dogs, cats, kids etc. so this might be something else to consider.

I can recommend Many Tears and think very highly of them. Also you also have the rescue back up afterwards.

http://manytearsrescue.webs.com/

bluebird

An older rescue dog is the way to go, but have you considered the time he will need? 2-3 walks a day helps keep them well balanced.Cost of pet food and pet insurance should your pet get ill, vet bills are so high.
will the cats get on with a dog? world war 3 could break out in your house if the cats arent used to a dog.
good luck and keep us posted on your choice.
As dog sitters we know many breeds and beware some harbour genes of bad health so do your homework.

girlybags

bluebird wrote: »

An older rescue dog is the way to go, but have you considered the time he will need? 2-3 walks a day helps keep them well balanced.Cost of pet food and pet insurance should your pet get ill, vet bills are so high.
will the cats get on with a dog? world war 3 could break out in your house if the cats arent used to a dog.
good luck and keep us posted on your choice.
As dog sitters we know many breeds and beware some harbour genes of bad health so do your homework.

I have considered the time/expense. I'll probably take the dog with us on the school run twice a day and then a longer walk after tea or something like that. It will have the run of the garden while I'm home too. Like I said before, the actual caring for and expense of keeping a dog isn't an issue, I just wanted advise on where's best to get a dog from really. The cats have a catflap so can go in and out as they choose and as long as the dog we get isn't huge (not an option for us anyway living in a small house) I'm sure the cats will settle in time. Another good reason for not getting a puppy!

*onlyme* thanks for the rescue recommendation, I'll have a look at that site now

*onlyme*

We had a few rescue cats and then our household was joined by a rescue dog (border collie who at the age of 18 months had never been in a house)... The cats had their backs up, some growls, hissing and spitting but doglet knew not to chase or go too close quickly.

Move forward a few years and 2 more rescue cats have joined us...and this is what happens on a daily basis...(and the other 2 get in her bed too, they do all have their own beds but all sharing is more fun!)

So stick with it...I never put any in another room or anything, they just get on with it and sort it out as such. Obviously safety is paramount and just use common sense in my view.

girlybags

That is adorable! I have a 'rescue' cat - she came to me just before Xmas. She was my sisters cat and they didn't want her anymore so I made them pay for her to be spayed and took her in. The 2 cats I already had have got used to her now but it took a while! I didn't seperate them or anything either, just let them get on with it, although I did have to try and keep Dave (the new cat) away from all the cat flaps so she was shut in the front room at night for a couple of weeks!

easilyamused

Girlybags I think you sound like you could offer a lovely home to the right dog:)

You're obviously putting a lot of thought into it too, which is a refreshing change (so many people just go for what looks nice rather than what suits their circumstances and lifestyle)

Have you heard of a website called Dogs Blog? You can search for rescue dogs all across the UK using certain criteria (good with cats, kids etc) and many of them seem to be currently living in foster homes, which I think is great for them being assessed in and used to a home environment.

Just having a quick nose through, this lovely little girly who's currently listed on there is possibly the sort of dog that might fit in with your setup.



She's described as: ....slightly taller than a standard Whippet , she is currently living in a house with 14 other dogs, and 6 cats. Although she gets on well with the dogs (collies, chihuahuas, greyhounds, rotties, patterdales and mastiffs). This girl would suit a family home. She thrives on human companionship, and likes living with dogs, cats & young children, 3 years and above, who are very well behaved. Not to mention the chickens and the horses that she respects too! Very clean in the house, crate trained, travels well, doesn’t chew, loves to be with you. Pellie can be left for up to 4 hours. She is fed twice a day, and enjoys a good workout/ play session.

Or this little chap called Red



Red is a wonderful little 1 year old Jack Russell Terrier who sadly came into our care due to his loving owners return to hospital. He is a real character who lights up the room with his fun loving nature. He gets along really well with other dogs but is very playful with them so a dog that can match his energy levels would be the perfect playmate. He currently shares his foster home with a very bouncy Labrador and also a cat, who he is more scared of than anything!
Red has a fantastic nature, he is very loving and could happily live with young children. Red loves nothing more than to play, squeaky toys are his favourite! He is a good traveller, is also housetrained (but initial accidents are to be expected) and also exercises well off lead. Red is looking for a fun, active family home where he will receive plenty of love and attention. He is neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped.

Not saying either of them are right for you in this instance but there's definately plenty of possibilities out there for you!

Wishing you lots of luck x