Good and Bad of owning a dog

[robinb]

Sammys shed like crazy!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yeah, I went from a lifetime of German Shepherds, who shed tremendously, to a Cairn who doesn't shed at all, and I have to say, it's a beautiful thing! My car, which has black carpeting, doesn't have hair embedded into it (for the first time in my life), and I have no doggie dust bunnies in my house. Of course, I now have a grooming problem, but it is sort of nice to not have to worry about not wearing black clothing or hairs popping up in food when guests are over anymore haha.

 

[cabanafrau]

One of the most interesting ways we've found to get some easy and fun insight into a wide variety of dogs according to breed is watching the Westminster Dog Show or other dog shows. We always get a kick out of certain phrases, but have also talked about how we wish they would occasionally be a bit more blunt about the traits of some breeds in the hopes it might avoid people seeking out a breed that probably would never suit their family or lifestyle. Things like "always needs to be working", "know to be somewhat domineering", "inherently curious". I wonder if they're afraid to seem as if they are "criticizing" a breed and offend fans of the breed, so they speak circuitously about traits that a dog is likely to have instinctively that serve good purpose, but can make it completely unsuitable for the wrong home or family.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One of the most interesting ways we've found to get some easy and fun insight into a wide variety of dogs according to breed is watching the Westminster Dog Show or other dog shows. We always get a kick out of certain phrases, but have also talked about how we wish they would occasionally be a bit more blunt about the traits of some breeds in the hopes it might avoid people seeking out a breed that probably would never suit their family or lifestyle. Things like "always needs to be working", "know to be somewhat domineering", "inherently curious". I wonder if they're afraid to seem as if they are "criticizing" a breed and offend fans of the breed, so they speak circuitously about traits that a dog is likely to have instinctively that serve good purpose, but can make it completely unsuitable for the wrong home or family.

I like that, too! I think they just don't have a lot of time to get into more detail. There are lots of informational videos on youtube, though. I had to watch them myself on owning and grooming a Cairn, which was a first for me. (And he's been a joy!)

 

[bethy]

I ADORE older dogs the most. Someday in a different season in my life I think I’d like to do the hospice thing.

 

[yoopermom]

Will have to go pour a second cup of coffee before I start this one.






I believe in the concept of adoption, as well. I also follow many adoption and rescue groups online myself and donate and have volunteered to foster, etc. Just the other day I offered to take a sad, overbred dog in rescue with breast and ovarian cancer as a hospice type situation but the dog had already been placed. One group actually posts pictures daily of dogs that are to be euthanized the next day and I cry and get a pit in my stomach every day looking at those poor faces and souls who generally find themselves in these dire predicaments through no fault of their own. I can only hope that they are going somewhere better when they leave this cruel world.

Our pet overpopulation problem is out of control. There is a lot of irresponsibility out there on a lot of levels, and that, I believe, it what drives the problem. I do not blame responsible breeders. (Emphasis on the term responsible.) I think people should be able to get a dog from someone who has taken the time to curb health problems and bring dogs into the world who are cared for and cared about, and who possess characteristics and traits that are predictable. People fancy different breeds for different reasons, and there's nothing wrong with that. I also, as I said above, believe strongly, almost more than anything else, that people welcoming a dog into their home should have the RIGHT dog, because that is what's going to drive the best relationship possible, and therefore the best care of the dog. Dogs that aren't liked very much may be tolerated, but not always cared about or for.

That said, I have been trying, as best I know how (and people who know me know I'm pretty resourceful), for literally years, to adopt a dog that's right for our family, without success, which really saddens me. I'm not being very particular, either, other than I prefer a female GSD and one without major behavior problems, and that doesn't include problems that I can fairly easily remedy with my knowledge and experience, love and patience. I have filled out over 35 applications and its getting tiresome, since it takes quite a bit of time and is very intrusive, and often nobody even gets back to me. (When and if they do, the pet is often gone. Some organizations won't even discuss a dog with you without a full application submitted. And I know they are volunteers, usually, and I respect that, but it doesn't help me with my problem.) I've traveled to shelters, too, only to find empty stalls - websites aren't always updated and phone calls go unanswered. I've called on dogs in desperate situations that I've seen out of state only to be told they can't adopt out to my state. I mean, it's no wonder people give up and go elsewhere.

I've also told this story before but when I was last looking for a dog, we found one in a shelter and were all set to adopt and leave with the dog, when the dog bit my elderly dog on the face twice when I was holding her in my lap. Because my dog was invalid and nearing the end of her days, the shelter manager thought it was best (as did we) to not subject my dog to that in her final days. She actually said to the dog, "That's the second nice family you've lost in two days!", lol, but some dogs have behavior problems that may be why they're there in the first place, and often those are because they weren't trained and socialized correctly, or they were mistreated, etc. So ok, we'll keep looking. We then went to an adoption fair and were looking at another dog. DH asked specifically if the dog was lap aggressive and the woman said no. But a different woman who fostered the dog pulled my DH aside and told him that actually, the dog was lap aggressive. We thanked her for that. But why be dishonest? If you don't know, you should say you don't know. Dogs are sometimes going to homes under false pretenses and that's not good.

I knew an older lady with a kind heart who adopted a Lab. The dog was not the right dog for her, she was medically fragile and could barely handle the dog. Turned out the dog was a pit bull and they pushed the dog off on her even thought it was a disaster for both the lady and the dog. A vet once felt so badly about all the problems she was having with the dog that she wasn't even charged for some things. Eventually she brought the dog back to the shelter but she was heartbroken and deflated in the process. I think that sometimes shelters are so desperate to move dogs along that they might be placing them into situations that aren't right. And I do wonder sometimes if some of the dogs who are really traumatized in life in one way or another, although truly disturbing, are ever going to be right. I think it's smart to really question that when bringing this type of dog into your home, because you are totally responsible for it, and anything that happens you will be liable for. I've read stories where a dog came home from a shelter the week before and attacked the grandchildren or killed the owner (which happened just last week), and things like that. I think it's probably more the exception than the rule, but I think it's wise, especially when you have a young family or others susceptible around you (such as a 93 yr old that I have living with me), to bring in a dog that's stable. What that means may differ from situation to situation. I like having a dog where I either know the background or where the dog has demonstrated that it's a good canine citizen, such as in foster where the dog has been observed in different situations. But make no mistake, my heart truly breaks for dogs and other animals that are in bad situations.

I can tell pretty much by even just watching a video of the dog whether it may be right for our family or not, but I still want to meet the dog in person and see how it is with my current dog and around other people and places, etc. I met one GSD who was one of the largest and most beautiful adults I'd ever seen. When I got there and they took him out, the dog jumped up on the shelter worker, actually towering over him, had his front paws on the guy's shoulders and was staring him in his face. It was hard to say if the dog was being friendly or not. Possibly/probably not. I knew right away this was not the right dog for me; I said thank you and we left. DS was quite upset when we left and pleaded to bring him home. I had to put my foot down and help DS see that it wasn't the right situation for either us or the dog and that wasn't fair to anyone. It can be heartbreaking in the moment, but you have to look at the bigger picture. That said, we tease DS that he will have a houseful of one eyed, snaggletoothed, snarling dogs running around some day because he just loves them and has a warm heart for them - at least at this stage of his life - and that will be his choice later on when he has his own home, lol. Just my $.02.

Just in case someone missed this the first time . I wish I could like it a hundred times over.

I am also much more in favor of rescues that use a foster home situation for many reasons. Any dog will rarely show its true colors (for good or bad) in a typical kenneled/noisy shelter setup. And, unfortunately, not every dog can be "saved". For some, who are too emotionally damaged, being put down may be more of a blessing than being warehoused in a shelter, IMHO.

I'm also horribly frustrated by the lack of spay/neuter in this country. Even in our rural area we have a free clinic on wheels that comes around and does them a few times a year, and yet people still won't utilize the services, even for free.

In the OP's situation, it would be nice if she could "try out" a dog (any decent dog, really) just to get a true understanding of what it means in terms of time, money, hair, etc. Your life does change when you become an empty nester, and I was glad we were "down" to four dogs at the time, because we did want to travel more, be gone from home in the evenings, etc. Now we are down to two, and I've told my DH that in 5-7 years when the last one passes, we are really going to have to reevaluate, since we will be close to retirement age ourselves.

And yet, I'm the softie, who will probably foster long after my own are gone....

Terri

 

[mousefan73]

Who will take care of the dog when you want to go on vacation? Will someone be there to take care of the dog if you end up away from home for an extended day? Are you someone who likes to frequently or regularly vacation and/or spontaneously be away from home for an extended amount of hours on any given day?

This is excately the issue we have. other than that a dog would fit perfect for us.. DD also has been begging for years and I really want one too. DH is retired and I work partially from home.. but the whole we are out of town a lot is the big issue.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I ADORE older dogs the most. Someday in a different season in my life I think I’d like to do the hospice thing.

Yeah. It wasn't something I aspired to do, it's just that I saw this situation and thought maybe I could help (as a nurse and breast cancer survivor myself). The dog was small and had such a loving face. Thinking of her spending her whole life in a cage made me think I'd like to let her know what it's like to be treated right for once before she leaves this world if I could. I did get burned out from caregiving for a while there when both of my last two GSDs lost their abilities to walk, and there was no way I could take that on again too soon. But this situation was different, it was a small dog (which makes a big difference) and I think I could've handled it without too much difficulty, plus around here it's a family effort, not just me. There can be a lot of concerns taking in a dog who may be incontinent or oozing from wounds unless you have the right space (and perhaps knowledge) for that, which I do.

 

[Frantasmic]

Yeah, I went from a lifetime of German Shepherds, who shed tremendously, to a Cairn who doesn't shed at all, and I have to say, it's a beautiful thing! My car, which has black carpeting, doesn't have hair embedded into it (for the first time in my life), and I have no doggie dust bunnies in my house. Of course, I now have a grooming problem, but it is sort of nice to not have to worry about not wearing black clothing or hairs popping up in food when guests are over anymore haha.

My German Shepherd only sheds once a year...for 365 days.

 

[JaxDad]

As many of you know, the greyhound racing facilities in Florida must close by 2021. I've seen estimates of between 7,000-8,000 greyhounds that will be available for adoption. I have had a former racing greyhound for three years. He is a great dog! Please consider or encourage others to consider adopting these wonderful animals. Thanks!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just in case someone missed this the first time . I wish I could like it a hundred times over.

I am also much more in favor of rescues that use a foster home situation for many reasons. Any dog will rarely show its true colors (for good or bad) in a typical kenneled/noisy shelter setup. And, unfortunately, not every dog can be "saved". For some, who are too emotionally damaged, being put down may be more of a blessing than being warehoused in a shelter, IMHO.

I'm also horribly frustrated by the lack of spay/neuter in this country. Even in our rural area we have a free clinic on wheels that comes around and does them a few times a year, and yet people still won't utilize the services, even for free.

In the OP's situation, it would be nice if she could "try out" a dog (any decent dog, really) just to get a true understanding of what it means in terms of time, money, hair, etc. Your life does change when you become an empty nester, and I was glad we were "down" to four dogs at the time, because we did want to travel more, be gone from home in the evenings, etc. Now we are down to two, and I've told my DH that in 5-7 years when the last one passes, we are really going to have to reevaluate, since we will be close to retirement age ourselves.

And yet, I'm the softie, who will probably foster long after my own are gone....

Terri

Re bolded - THANK YOU! Not spaying or neutering is a huge part of the overpopulation problem! I am also appalled at the number of people I know who don't obtain routine medical care, vaccinations or heartworm preventative for their pets. I do agree with a pp, too, that costs for veterinary care have soared in the past decade. I actually often question whether we should get a second dog right now that we have two in college, which is partly why I'm not really in a huge rush to find one. I also think about retirement years as well - not so much about whether to have one, but size and type may be important if we decide to move. Our neck of the woods is very expensive, so even just spring checkups can run in the hundreds for one small dog. (And not getting them is not an option. Medical care is the law in our state, along with food and shelter.) Heartworm and flea/tick preventative also runs in the hundreds.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

As many of you know, the greyhound racing facilities in Florida must close by 2021. I've seen estimates of between 7,000-8,000 greyhounds that will be available for adoption. I have had a former racing greyhound for three years. He is a great dog! Please consider or encourage others to consider adopting these wonderful animals. Thanks!

I'm glad you brought that up. I saw it on the news last week. We also had a greyhound track close in our state and went through the same thing. I agree they make great pets!

 

[Wendy31]

Will have to go pour a second cup of coffee before I start this one.






I believe in the concept of adoption, as well. I also follow many adoption and rescue groups online myself and donate and have volunteered to foster, etc. Just the other day I offered to take a sad, overbred dog in rescue with breast and ovarian cancer as a hospice type situation but the dog had already been placed. One group actually posts pictures daily of dogs that are to be euthanized the next day and I cry and get a pit in my stomach every day looking at those poor faces and souls who generally find themselves in these dire predicaments through no fault of their own. I can only hope that they are going somewhere better when they leave this cruel world.

Our pet overpopulation problem is out of control. There is a lot of irresponsibility out there on a lot of levels, and that, I believe, it what drives the problem. I do not blame responsible breeders. (Emphasis on the term responsible.) I think people should be able to get a dog from someone who has taken the time to curb health problems and bring dogs into the world who are cared for and cared about, and who possess characteristics and traits that are predictable. People fancy different breeds for different reasons, and there's nothing wrong with that. I also, as I said above, believe strongly, almost more than anything else, that people welcoming a dog into their home should have the RIGHT dog, because that is what's going to drive the best relationship possible, and therefore the best care of the dog. Dogs that aren't liked very much may be tolerated, but not always cared about or for.

That said, I have been trying, as best I know how (and people who know me know I'm pretty resourceful), for literally years, to adopt a dog that's right for our family, without success, which really saddens me. I'm not being very particular, either, other than I prefer a female GSD and one without major behavior problems, and that doesn't include problems that I can fairly easily remedy with my knowledge and experience, love and patience. I have filled out over 35 applications and its getting tiresome, since it takes quite a bit of time and is very intrusive, and often nobody even gets back to me. (When and if they do, the pet is often gone. Some organizations won't even discuss a dog with you without a full application submitted. And I know they are volunteers, usually, and I respect that, but it doesn't help me with my problem.) I've traveled to shelters, too, only to find empty stalls - websites aren't always updated and phone calls go unanswered. I've called on dogs in desperate situations that I've seen out of state only to be told they can't adopt out to my state. I mean, it's no wonder people give up and go elsewhere.

I've also told this story before but when I was last looking for a dog, we found one in a shelter and were all set to adopt and leave with the dog, when the dog bit my elderly dog on the face twice when I was holding her in my lap. Because my dog was invalid and nearing the end of her days, the shelter manager thought it was best (as did we) to not subject my dog to that in her final days. She actually said to the dog, "That's the second nice family you've lost in two days!", lol, but some dogs have behavior problems that may be why they're there in the first place, and often those are because they weren't trained and socialized correctly, or they were mistreated, etc. So ok, we'll keep looking. We then went to an adoption fair and were looking at another dog. DH asked specifically if the dog was lap aggressive and the woman said no. But a different woman who fostered the dog pulled my DH aside and told him that actually, the dog was lap aggressive. We thanked her for that. But why be dishonest? If you don't know, you should say you don't know. Dogs are sometimes going to homes under false pretenses and that's not good.

I knew an older lady with a kind heart who adopted a Lab. The dog was not the right dog for her, she was medically fragile and could barely handle the dog. Turned out the dog was a pit bull and they pushed the dog off on her even thought it was a disaster for both the lady and the dog. A vet once felt so badly about all the problems she was having with the dog that she wasn't even charged for some things. Eventually she brought the dog back to the shelter but she was heartbroken and deflated in the process. I think that sometimes shelters are so desperate to move dogs along that they might be placing them into situations that aren't right. And I do wonder sometimes if some of the dogs who are really traumatized in life in one way or another, although truly disturbing, are ever going to be right. I think it's smart to really question that when bringing this type of dog into your home, because you are totally responsible for it, and anything that happens you will be liable for. I've read stories where a dog came home from a shelter the week before and attacked the grandchildren or killed the owner (which happened just last week), and things like that. I think it's probably more the exception than the rule, but I think it's wise, especially when you have a young family or others susceptible around you (such as a 93 yr old that I have living with me), to bring in a dog that's stable. What that means may differ from situation to situation. I like having a dog where I either know the background or where the dog has demonstrated that it's a good canine citizen, such as in foster where the dog has been observed in different situations. But make no mistake, my heart truly breaks for dogs and other animals that are in bad situations.

I can tell pretty much by even just watching a video of the dog whether it may be right for our family or not, but I still want to meet the dog in person and see how it is with my current dog and around other people and places, etc. I met one GSD who was one of the largest and most beautiful adults I'd ever seen. When I got there and they took him out, the dog jumped up on the shelter worker, actually towering over him, had his front paws on the guy's shoulders and was staring him in his face. It was hard to say if the dog was being friendly or not. Possibly/probably not. I knew right away this was not the right dog for me; I said thank you and we left. DS was quite upset when we left and pleaded to bring him home. I had to put my foot down and help DS see that it wasn't the right situation for either us or the dog and that wasn't fair to anyone. It can be heartbreaking in the moment, but you have to look at the bigger picture. That said, we tease DS that he will have a houseful of one eyed, snaggletoothed, snarling dogs running around some day because he just loves them and has a warm heart for them - at least at this stage of his life - and that will be his choice later on when he has his own home, lol. Just my $.02.

I agree w/ so much of this!

I believe in pet rescues & know they do good, valuable work, & the rescue workers have such hearts for their rescues.

However, we did not go through the rescue process w/ our dog, but, instead, purchased him from a reputable breeder.

Pets are "forever" in our family, & I wanted a dog that would fit our family well. After doing lots of research on different breeds (& even asking questions here on the DIS & getting some criticism as well), I knew which dog was right for us & knew what dog I wanted. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately ?), there aren't a ton of Keeshonden Rescues - there are a few, but nothing close to us, & you typically won't find a Keeshond at a shelter.

Additionally, we were novice dog owners, & we don't have a fenced in yard. Many rescues would have had issues w/ us adopting a dog anyway. Even w/ our breeder, we had to a fill out an application & complete a questionnaire, & she had to meet us personally first.

I understand why, but rescues are very intrusive.

We did go through a rescue to adopt the 2 cats we have currently. Our previous cat had passed away at the ripe old age of 18 from old age, which I explained in the application - so, obviously, at least in my mind, we know what we're doing w/ cats. However, throughout the entire process, I felt like we were being judged. We just really wanted one cat, but the cat that DH really wanted was part of a bonded pair. The rescue worker informed me that she & her partner were trying to decide between our family & another family & asked that I put something together that showed how we would be the better home for the cats. I ended up writing a story about our family & put it together w/ pictures of our family like a storybook. We got the cats, but, even on the day we went to pick them up, when a stray remark about us going out of town came up, we were questioned again about our plans for the cats.

We ended up becoming friends w/ the rescue worker on Facebook. Since then, we've discovered that we are about as polar opposites when it comes to politics as people can be, & she's very stridently & vocally the opposite of us. I've often joked w/ DH, "If she knew then that we weren't voting the same as she, she never would have let us adopt these cats."

 

[Klayfish]

This is excately the issue we have. other than that a dog would fit perfect for us.. DD also has been begging for years and I really want one too. DH is retired and I work partially from home.. but the whole we are out of town a lot is the big issue.

It's really not all that big of a deal. If we're gone for a full day, our puppies just stay in their crate and the older dog in the basement. If we're out of town on vacation, we found a dog sitter on Craigslist. We haven't used her since we got the puppies, but our older dog has been with her many times. We bring him to her house and he stays with her...$20/day or less. She texts the kids photos nearly every day while we're on vacation, they love it. Now with 3 dogs, guess we'll have to negotiate a rate with her, but it'll definitely cost a few bucks.

 

[katie01]

Re bolded - THANK YOU! Not spaying or neutering is a huge part of the overpopulation problem! I am also appalled at the number of people I know who don't obtain routine medical care, vaccinations or heartworm preventative for their pets. I do agree with a pp, too, that costs for veterinary care have soared in the past decade. I actually often question whether we should get a second dog right now that we have two in college, which is partly why I'm not really in a huge rush to find one. I also think about retirement years as well - not so much about whether to have one, but size and type may be important if we decide to move. Our neck of the woods is very expensive, so even just spring checkups can run in the hundreds for one small dog. (And not getting them is not an option. Medical care is the law in our state, along with food and shelter.) Heartworm and flea/tick preventative also runs in the hundreds.

I have recently noticed a HUGE jump in boarding costs too! Used to be able to board our two in someone's home for about $40 a day. Now I find people are asking $100 a day for two small dogs!! That's as much as we pay for our hotel room, and that includes a huge continental breakfast, swimming pool, and other amenities lol. And here I am the sucker who has been watching or walking people's dogs for free.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have recently noticed a HUGE jump in boarding costs too! Used to be able to board our two in someone's home for about $40 a day. Now I find people are asking $100 a day for two small dogs!! That's as much as we pay for our hotel room, and that includes a huge continental breakfast, swimming pool, and other amenities lol. And here I am the sucker who has been watching or walking people's dogs for free.

I am thinking it's going to be my retirement job. Considering specializing in medically fragile pets, too.

 

[cabanafrau]

Re bolded - THANK YOU! Not spaying or neutering is a huge part of the overpopulation problem! I am also appalled at the number of people I know who don't obtain routine medical care, vaccinations or heartworm preventative for their pets. I do agree with a pp, too, that costs for veterinary care have soared in the past decade. I actually often question whether we should get a second dog right now that we have two in college, which is partly why I'm not really in a huge rush to find one. I also think about retirement years as well - not so much about whether to have one, but size and type may be important if we decide to move. Our neck of the woods is very expensive, so even just spring checkups can run in the hundreds for one small dog. (And not getting them is not an option. Medical care is the law in our state, along with food and shelter.) Heartworm and flea/tick preventative also runs in the hundreds.

I told my husband recently that things have changed so much since we've owned a dog that I'm not sure we would know what to do as far as taking care of one anymore. We would have to figure out what the best pet foods are in today's market -- I'm certain those cost quite a bit more than the premium foods we bought back 15 years ago. I cannot imagine what it would cost today for the surgery our dog had all those years ago, let alone the accupuncture treatments he needed for about a year or so. He went to the groomers every 6 to 8 weeks. He stayed with my parents if we went away. My father has passed away and my mother wouldn't be up to the task anymore. Based on how my parents had to baby and spoil my dog so he wouldn't mope the whole time we were gone I can't imagine boarding a dog even at the most posh pet resort and not being worried about refusing to eat or simply moping around without a familiar face to spend the energy to keep their mood up and reassure them they were safe and loved.

Taking on all of the extra expense and effort while you've got kids in college wouldn't be the right fit for us.

 

[tzolkin]

As many of you know, the greyhound racing facilities in Florida must close by 2021. I've seen estimates of between 7,000-8,000 greyhounds that will be available for adoption. I have had a former racing greyhound for three years. He is a great dog! Please consider or encourage others to consider adopting these wonderful animals. Thanks!

I was actually just going to start a spin-off thread and say the same thing. I have one that has become a therapy dog with almost no training by me. He already had a great temperament, amazing leash manners, and was well socialized.

These dogs will be flooding the greyhound adoption groups over the next year, so this is the time for anyone who has ever considered a greyhound.

 

[WebmasterKathy]

True, there are rescues that are wonderful, and some that are hard to deal with. I work with a rescue where we take dogs from overcrowded shelters and who frequently have to euthanize for space (huge problem in Texas and much of the South). We foster the dogs in homes, do any necessary medical work (lots of parasites, heart worms, skin conditions), spay/neuter them, socialize and get to know them, then send them to a partner rescue in New York where there are not a lot of available, adoptable dogs. We’ve sent over 3000 through our program, which started small in 2013. I currently have my 39th foster dog sitting at my feet, along with my own two dogs and a crazy cute puppy we just pulled from a shelter we were touring on Monday (the muppet in the photo).

We get to know the personalities of these dogs in our homes, and the adopters can be matched for energy levels, who gets along with cats, which dogs are great with kids, who has great house manners, who needs a lot more work, etc. We work with all breeds, big and small.

We also adopt dogs out locally. We do check references and turn down some adopters, but for pretty solid reasons. We expect you to have good, up to date vet care for your own pets. We want to know yours are spayed/neutered and on heartworm preventative unless there are circumstances that preclude that. We want to know your dog will live inside and that you have a fenced yard if you’ll be letting them out unleashed. We aren’t going to give you a dog if it appears likely that it could become a bait dog for fights (it happens!) We try to make the process easy and to ensure the dog is destined for a better life than it came from, and that you are prepared for the reality of owning a dog.

Finding “responsible” breeders is harder than you might think. Flashy websites and cute pictures are easy to create. Often, there’s an ugly reality of overbred momma dogs who spend lives in dirty cages pumping out litter after litter. Some breeders are responsible. Those who make a living from the dogs most often are not. If you have not PERSONALLY visited the home and know that all dogs are truly family members rather than inventory, there’s a strong likelihood that you could be supporting a puppy mill situation. NEVER buy a dog through a website or from a (shudder) pet store. NEVER. We see those, we get involved in ugly rescue cases with very sick and unsocialized dogs from those places.

There are good, compassionate shelters and rescues. You want to find those, and that’s where you want to get your next family member. Puppies, seniors, purebreds, incredible mystery mutts... they need you. You need them. Don’t support dog sellers.

 

[cabanafrau]

I like that, too! I think they just don't have a lot of time to get into more detail. There are lots of informational videos on youtube, though. I had to watch them myself on owning and grooming a Cairn, which was a first for me. (And he's been a joy!)

It's easy to sit back, watch the parade of cute dogs, absolutely fall in love with the looks of this or that breed and think, oh, I want a dog like that! What's concerning is that for some people that's all it takes to pursue a certain type of dog.

A couple years ago we were out at a very large park in our area with lots of people biking, rollerblading and walking their dogs. We had sat down on a bench to catch our breath and get a drink, watching all the dogs go by. I snapped a picture of a dog and sent it to one of my daughters, telling her the look on the dog's face made me think it was a dog she would enjoy. She told me it was a shiba inu and that, while she loved them she highly doubted she'd ever be in a position to own one. I was completely clueless what she was talking about, but apparently the breed is highly intelligent and rather apt to find trouble in a few ways if the owner doesn't know what they're doing. They're wonderful dogs, but their instinctive traits require a lot of training for dog and owner, a lot of activity and a lot of attention that she's not confident she'll be able to focus on a dog with her career. I believe she said that they frequently are known to bond tightly with a single person, but often be troublesome with other people, even within the household or family. She was afraid of the potential for mischief if it didn't have a task frequently enough if she's working a lot of hours , or of becoming too bonded to only her while she's single and potentially problematic as her lifestyle changes. It would be a whole lot more fun to just gloss over those and simply think, ooh, cute, smart, fun dog! Even if I do realize there really is more to it.

I guess maybe I should just stick with enjoying as many as I want while I watch the dog show.