Adopting an "older" puppy
Discussion
After a year of grinding me down the other half has potentially won the dog battle and has her heart set on picking up a red merle border collie at the weekend. Care, cost and insurance etc. aren't an issue thanks to her place of work and I'll even admit to slightly looking forward to it (I won't tell her that though...).
My concern is that the puppy she wants is coming up to 5 months old. The pros are that he is already crate and toilet trained but I'm concerned that not being there for the first few weeks means I can't tell exactly how he has been socialized. Has anyone adopted an older puppy and if so how did you find it? I appreciate people adopt adult dogs all the time but I feel that is slightly different as they will already be fully developed at that stage and you can tell what you are getting yourself into!
Someone reassure me...
My concern is that the puppy she wants is coming up to 5 months old. The pros are that he is already crate and toilet trained but I'm concerned that not being there for the first few weeks means I can't tell exactly how he has been socialized. Has anyone adopted an older puppy and if so how did you find it? I appreciate people adopt adult dogs all the time but I feel that is slightly different as they will already be fully developed at that stage and you can tell what you are getting yourself into!
Someone reassure me...
Yes to both of those questions. We live on a small farm in Somerset and my other half works at an agricultural college where the dog would be taken every day and spend most of the day out in the fields by her side. Appreciate the sentiment around a collie being particularly hard work though and needing a lot of mental stimulation - if we were not in the position we are in long term I would not remotely consider one.
Edited by rockford22 on Thursday 26th November 12:16
rockford22 said:
Yes to both of those questions. We live on a small farm in Somerset and my other half works at an agricultural college where the dog would be taken every day and spend most of the day out in the fields by her side. Appreciate the sentiment around a collie being particularly hard work though and needing a lot of mental stimulation - if we were not in the position we are in long term I would not remotely consider one.
Edited by rockford22 on Thursday 26th November 12:16
If tge rescue have done their job well you should be fine. It is just out the prime socialising window 6-14 weeks is tge prime time!) but certainly not too late (my first whippet had limited background info and I took him on a approx 5 months, never caused any issues though, just a bit longer to toilet train.
Look forward to the pics
Look forward to the pics
How come there is a 5 month old pup available? I'm having one of those days and confused that you've said adopt and some other replies mention rescue. Is it an unsold pup - still with breeder, or is it a rescue?
Our female was 5 months old when we got her. She was exposed to other dogs, but not really socialised as such. You couldn't ask for a better dog, she's never even barked at another dog. Like Bex said, toilet training took a little longer, but you won't have that problem. Based on my experience of getting a 5 month old puppy, I wouldn't hesitate in doing it again. Apart from being a little slow on the uptake on where to go to toilet and the fact that she likes eating tea towels, she's been absolutely brilliant and had no issues at all.
Our female was 5 months old when we got her. She was exposed to other dogs, but not really socialised as such. You couldn't ask for a better dog, she's never even barked at another dog. Like Bex said, toilet training took a little longer, but you won't have that problem. Based on my experience of getting a 5 month old puppy, I wouldn't hesitate in doing it again. Apart from being a little slow on the uptake on where to go to toilet and the fact that she likes eating tea towels, she's been absolutely brilliant and had no issues at all.
I got a collie x terrier (seems 90% collie) , hes 4 now we got him at 6 months from a rescue centre
Should be ok, its hard work any age, might have a few issues/habbits etc
Ive found collies pretty adjustable , until they have a meltdown!! Mine is fine for 8hours plus alone in our house, leave him for an hour in another house he is familiar and knows he destroys it! If we leave him in our conservatory nothing every gets chewed, in our living room he will chew and herd my daughters toys!!!
Mine was a rescue and at 6 months had never seen concrete and wouldn't walk on it and couldn't work out what it was! He was living rough on a remote welsh farm!
Also mine like lots of collies doesn't travel well...he dribbles lots in the car and then vomits after roundabouts!! Unlike my terrier who would enjoy a lap in a F1 car!
Watch out for any destruction would be my advice, although mine isnt too bad and is happy to go without walks if he is chilling on the sofa with us (rare)
Should be ok, its hard work any age, might have a few issues/habbits etc
Ive found collies pretty adjustable , until they have a meltdown!! Mine is fine for 8hours plus alone in our house, leave him for an hour in another house he is familiar and knows he destroys it! If we leave him in our conservatory nothing every gets chewed, in our living room he will chew and herd my daughters toys!!!
Mine was a rescue and at 6 months had never seen concrete and wouldn't walk on it and couldn't work out what it was! He was living rough on a remote welsh farm!
Also mine like lots of collies doesn't travel well...he dribbles lots in the car and then vomits after roundabouts!! Unlike my terrier who would enjoy a lap in a F1 car!
Watch out for any destruction would be my advice, although mine isnt too bad and is happy to go without walks if he is chilling on the sofa with us (rare)
Autopilot said:
How come there is a 5 month old pup available? I'm having one of those days and confused that you've said adopt and some other replies mention rescue. Is it an unsold pup - still with breeder, or is it a rescue?
Our female was 5 months old when we got her. She was exposed to other dogs, but not really socialised as such. You couldn't ask for a better dog, she's never even barked at another dog. Like Bex said, toilet training took a little longer, but you won't have that problem. Based on my experience of getting a 5 month old puppy, I wouldn't hesitate in doing it again. Apart from being a little slow on the uptake on where to go to toilet and the fact that she likes eating tea towels, she's been absolutely brilliant and had no issues at all.
Thought I'd update the thread as things subsequently changed shortly after posting. The dog had been bought from a breeder by a family with young children and several other dogs, we were given a story along the lines of "our current dogs don't get on very well with the new puppy, the kids are growing up, blah blah". Sounded a little fishy and all of a sudden she stopped replying to our emails and ignored all calls. We called her from a landline and she immediately answered the phone and in rather harsh terms told us to f*ck off and stop bothering her and that the dog was being kept. Charming!Our female was 5 months old when we got her. She was exposed to other dogs, but not really socialised as such. You couldn't ask for a better dog, she's never even barked at another dog. Like Bex said, toilet training took a little longer, but you won't have that problem. Based on my experience of getting a 5 month old puppy, I wouldn't hesitate in doing it again. Apart from being a little slow on the uptake on where to go to toilet and the fact that she likes eating tea towels, she's been absolutely brilliant and had no issues at all.
We've since found a lovely blue merle collie and will be picking him up on Saturday! 10 weeks old, direct from breeder - have a much better feeling this time round. I shall post photos as soon as we get him!
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff