mongrel puppy

pukkamum

In the not too distant future we are considering getting a pup.
I don't want a pedigree but wondering where to find a mongrel pup.
I have looked on gumtree but they are all pedigrees.
Would they have pups at the local dogs home?
I am assuming they are mainly older dogs and with 3 kids I just can't have one that I don't fully know the history of but I know if I went down there on spec for a pup I would be far too tempted by an older one desperate for a home ifyswim.

valk_scot

It's puppy and kitten season so a good time to be looking. Why not phone your local dog home and ask? That way you can't be tempted.....

krlyr

Rescues certainly do get puppies in, of various ages. There are some rescues specifically for rehoming puppies (e.g. Pupsneedinghomes in East Sussex), some that tend to get a lot of puppies through their door (Many Tears in Wales will take puppyfarm reject puppies - a controversial subject, but opinions aside they do deal with a large amount of puppies and often get farm type cross breeds (Collie cross, Kelpie cross, Lab cross, etc). Websites like Dogsblog list dogs from rescues all over the country, and you can narrow these down by age (e.g. under 1 year)

Do be very careful using Gumtree etc. to find a dog though - whether it's a purebred or crossbred dog, Freeads are a popular medium used by puppyfarms and backyard breeders. You could pay a lot of money for a dog from poor breeding, born and raised in terrible conditions, and prone to health issues (from immediate, life-threatening issues like Parvovirus, malnourishment, etc. to long-term chronic problems like hip dysplasia, eye problems and so on) which could be heartbreaking to your children.

Where to source a dog from is a quite basic question you will find plenty of information on when researching to get a dog. If you haven't come across articles and so on already, I would say that perhaps you haven't done quite enough homework to be getting a dog just yet. There is plenty of literature available - some old fashioned and in support of outdated theories and methods like the pack/dominance theory, using choke chains, rubbing a puppy's nose in its mess, etc. but there is a lot of good literature online too. I would say start on the APDT - they have good articles themselves, you will be able to find a local trainer who uses APDT-approved methods, who can probably advise you on where to source your dog from too and help from day 1, and there is also the APDT library which is a great resource. www.apdt.co.uk

I wouldn't rule out an older dog completely though. Puppies and children often aren't the best combination - puppies will mouth and nip, and kids will be excitable, make lots of interesting noise and movement, and won't always respect that a dog needs space. A slightly older dog that's been 'tried and tested' with children may be a safer choice - remember, not all rescue dogs are unknown.

pukkamum

valk_scot wrote: »

It's puppy and kitten season so a good time to be looking. Why not phone your local dog home and ask? That way you can't be tempted.....

Thanks I wasn't sure if they had tiny pups at shelters, not sure why seems a bit thick now, but I didn't want to phone and seem stupid because they never have them:o

pukkamum

Kylry I haven't researched properly yet as it will be a while yet, we have been told our dear old cat hasn't long left so trying to cheer myself up by looking for pups.
It's dh's turn now he's been wanting a dog again for years so thought I could start looking to distract myself.

MatyMoo

Where in the country are you? I know a great rescue centre in Berkshire that quite often has pup's

I see Many Tears mentioned above. They usually have ex breeding !!!!!es and want them to go to a home with a resident dog.

pukkamum

MatyMoo wrote: »

Where in the country are you? I know a great rescue centre in Berkshire that quite often has pup's

I see Many Tears mentioned above. They usually have ex breeding !!!!!es and want them to go to a home with a resident dog.

We are in the North west near manchester, want a smallish dog ideally, is it true that the size of the paws is an indication or is this an old wives tale.

krlyr

In a general sense..small dogs do have small paws, but then they also have small bodies! I don't believe paws are an accurate indication of size within the breed(s) though. My previous puppy had giant paws as a puppy but didn't really grow any bigger than the average size for her breed.

neveranymoney

I cannot recommend getting a rescue 'adult' dog highly enough. Perhaps we have been very lucky, but our wee Scamp is just the most lovely, lovable beastie ever. After an initial settling in period where I had a few concerns, (I posted on here looking for advice not too long ago) he has been a wee dream.

I shared your concerns about knowing the dogs background as my youngest child is 7, but reputable rescue centres, like dogs trust try to match the dog to your needs. We have had a dog from a pup years ago and even though it really is personal preference, i don't think we would get a pup again. Scampers is fully toilet trained, through the destructive stage and is a spoilt little joy. Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing him loving his walks, rootling about, snuggling and knowing that you have given him a happy life. NO dog is perfect, he goes crackers at the sight of other dogs and would do a flit if he got half the chance but I would definitely consider getting another dog this way if my husband gave me the green light!

Ash_McCloud

There's plenty of younger dogs in rescue centers, check out the local RSPCA and Dogs Trust websites, that'll give you an idea of what's about.

I think it's lovely that you're wanting to take on a dog without feeling the need to have a fashionable breed :T Hope you find a good un and give him/her a very happy life

Person_one

There are nearly always puppies in Manchester Dog's Home, that would always be my first choice if I were able to have a mongrel.