Puppy or rescue dog? (and other questions)

[Chris_]

Lots of questions, so please bear with me; We would like to get our first dog next Spring, so I am hoping to get some advice.

Bit of background; three kids (6-11), someone at home during the day, existing cat, secure garden, rural area, although we've not owned a dog before, parents/friends/other family have and do. Size; not keen on small yappy dogs so mid-range ideally.

Given our situation, do you think that we would be better off starting with a puppy that grows up with our environment, or would we be better off with a mature dog that will have to adapt?

Which breeds would you recommend? Male or female? What else to consider?

Thanks in advance

[markjo]

We got a black lab almost a year ago from www.manytears.co.uk, she was around 12months old, we also have a young family 2 & 4, and a cat (soon to be joined by kittens).
She is a truly amazing dog, so soft and gentle, still a bit of a monkey when it comes to recall, seems to-do it on her own terms unless i get very angry or there is danger, i have no idea why anyone would get rid of her, she allegedly came from Ireland and was a failed gundog (gun shy)
Would not change her for the world...

[markjo]

Here she is...

[Mrs Grumpy]

Puppies are very, very hard work. Much like having a small child around, only much more mobile and into everything. You would need to take him/her outside about every hour to toilet train him and put a lot of time and effort into socialising and training him. He WILL chew stuff. You would need to puppy proof (ie remove everything from reach) your house. They are knackering!

Puppies are available in rescue. Many of them are born in rescue as the mothers are taken in pregnant

If you go to a good rescue, they should be able to match your circumstances to the right dog, so I wouldn't get hung up on things like breed, age, size, sex, etc, although there are some dogs that from their breed are not generally considered first dogs.

As you have not owned a dog before, I would recommend you did some reading beforehand A couple of good, easy to read and sensible books are The Perfect Puppy - Gwen Bailey and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training - Pamela Dennison.

Hope all goes well

[rovermorris999]

Go to your nearest Dogs Trust home. You'll get plenty of advice from them. I'd tend to a rescue dog, it saves one from a relatively miserable life and it doesn't feed demand like buying a puppy does.

[Chris_]

Thanks for the replies. I am inclined towards an adult rescue dog as well. I am not sure that I want to go through everything that a puppy involves

We haven't got hung up on particular breeds, the aim is that we all fit in together and I am open minded to advice. By looking to get a dog in the Spring, we are hopefully giving ourselves time to do our homework, talk to people, read up, and get Christmas and winter out of the way.

Mark, she is adorable!

[Nom de ploom]

rovermorris999 said:

Go to your nearest Dogs Trust home. You'll get plenty of advice from them. I'd tend to a rescue dog, it saves one from a relatively miserable life and it doesn't feed demand like buying a puppy does.

:nod:

WE did and don't regret it.

Our Rottie Cross is fantastic, such a personality and the dogs trust are terrific - do the training course as well - very worth while imho 4 sessions for £40.

I'll post some pics of Eddie when I get around to it.

[Xtriple129]

Your lab is the spitting image of our lass "Phoebe", utterly beautiful dogs. we got her at a little over 4 months old as she was a rescue and very badly treated to the extent she is very mistrustful of humans, but she soon settled with us and is the best dog ever. We recently got a proper puppy though (Chester) who is a Basset/Springer cross and while he's utterly adorable and a good lad most of the time, he has got a habit of emptying my wifes wardrobe, the rubbish bins, the laundry baskets, the loo roll basket and anything he can get his paws on. He is a full time job watching what he gets up to but with having Phoebe, they spend half their lives playing and fighting.

Puppies need a LOT of attention and playing with. But, they are truly worth it. He's our first "proper" puppy in donkeys years (all the rest over the years have been rescues)and my wife has fallen head over heels in love with him and him with her.

[gog440]

Chris_ said:

Thanks for the replies. I am inclined towards an adult rescue dog as well. I am not sure that I want to go through everything that a puppy involves

We haven't got hung up on particular breeds, the aim is that we all fit in together and I am open minded to advice. By looking to get a dog in the Spring, we are hopefully giving ourselves time to do our homework, talk to people, read up, and get Christmas and winter out of the way.

Mark, she is adorable!

Have a look at a greyhound. A much misunderstood breed that is very very affectionate, needs little in the way of exercise, doesnt cost a fortune to feed, even the pet insurance is relatively cheap. And there are always loads looking for new homes
http://www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk/
Gratuitous picture of our retired racer eddie.

[rovermorris999]

Another vote for a greyhound. I have one and have had a few in the past. Lovely dogs.

[spikey78]

My girlfriend and I are not dog owners, but up until a few weeks ago were seriously considering getting one. Here follows the reason why we've gone off the idea, especially a rescue dog..
We'd been out for the morning, and on the way home we stopped off at a local country show and happened to bump into my folks, who in turn had bumped into some of their friends who were looking after their friends two dogs which they'd got from a rescue home. I'm not sure what kind of dogs tthey were, but medium sized and seemingly very calm, and in fact were both lovely looking animals and seemed very approachable and i spent a bit of time stroking them. Anyway one of them then started to nuzzle my girlfriend, so she bent down to stroke it which it seemed happy with and then with precisely no warning it went for her.. End result-some pretty nasty puncture wounds on her face, where it bit her nose and cheek, fair amount of blood and a very upset girlfriend..
This dog had been taken on by a family with small children apparently-i'd be taking the bds back..
I spose what im saying is you never know what your getting with a second hand dog!

[Jasandjules]

spikey78 said:

My girlfriend and I are not dog owners, but up until a few weeks ago were seriously considering getting one. Here follows the reason why we've gone off the idea, especially a rescue dog..

You should not lean over a dog unless you know it very well IMHO, your girlfriend did not do so.

There is no reason not to get a rescue dog.

[rovermorris999]

I can see why you're not dog owneres - you don't know dogs.

[spikey78]

Yes perhaps you're right, we don't 'know' dogs (fnarr fnarr!) but having got well into our thirties without being attacked so far i'd suggest we're not total morons either..
Anyway the point is this rescue dog has been taken in by a family with young children-do they 'know' dogs? Who knows, they might-they might not. One thing is for certain, they'll 'know' this dog a lot better once its had a chew on their face too..
Of course it wont be the dogs fault, personally i blame Tony Blair

[davepoth]

rovermorris999 said:

Another vote for a greyhound. I have one and have had a few in the past. Lovely dogs.

Rubbish for playing fetch with however. A mate had one and we used to throw a ball for it. It could never be bothered to stand up and collect the ball though, so we used to see how close we had to drop the ball (actually standing next to the dog and dropping the ball from two foot up) before the dog would interact with the ball in some way.

At around 6 inches from his nose, the dog would blink languidly, and that was about it. My kind of dog.

[rovermorris999]

They do vary. Ex-racers, being kennel dogs, often don't have much sense of play. This comes with time but none of the ex-racers I've had have been any good at fetch type games. Lurchers often do though. One of mine will play fetch until she dropped if I let her yet the others don't give a damn.

[rovermorris999]

spikey78 said:

Yes perhaps you're right, we don't 'know' dogs (fnarr fnarr!) but having got well into our thirties without being attacked so far i'd suggest we're not total morons either..
Anyway the point is this rescue dog has been taken in by a family with young children-do they 'know' dogs? Who knows, they might-they might not. One thing is for certain, they'll 'know' this dog a lot better once its had a chew on their face too..
Of course it wont be the dogs fault, personally i blame Tony Blair

Your reply shows that you really don't understand dogs. I can't be arsed to go into it but best stick to cats.

[spikey78]

Ooh, that hurts..

[rovermorris999]

Grow up.

[spikey78]

Your mum. You grow up