Getting a new dog

[cyrocksmypants]

Did you get a new dog yet? Are you referring to the Corgi you recently lost here?

That was a post from 2014 (talk about a throwback!)

It was about my corgi. I get the urge people have to get a new dog when one passes. It definitely is lonely when you’re used to having a dog to come home to every day for over a decade. But I’ve held off the urge. I’ve got a lot of traveling I want to do that is hard to do when you have a dog.

 

[t-noah]

That was a post from 2014 (talk about a throwback!)

It was about my corgi. I get the urge people have to get a new dog when one passes. It definitely is lonely when you’re used to having a dog to come home to every day for over a decade. But I’ve held off the urge. I’ve got a lot of traveling I want to do that is hard to do when you have a dog.

Oh wow! LOL on me. I didn't even notice it was 2014! Haha.

Again sorry about your dog. Corgis are great. Shed/ hair factories though.

 

[t-noah]

Bump

Anyone buy a puppy online? I was thinking about doing that and they can ship you the puppy. How do you know the sellers are legit and you’re not getting scammed? The main site I have been looking at is puppyfind.com.

Just funny about the 7 year bump!

 

[zumbro clones]

A quick Google search seems to indicate it's a bad idea.

I agree that you need to be careful for breeders shipping to you without visiting them on-site first. Often the breeders list the puppies before they are old enough to be weaned. Buyers can visit and then have them shipped later.

The breeder I used will ship their puppies but they are accompanied by a handler. $$$ Luckily they were just a couple hours away by car. They actually deliver their puppies without cost if they can meet somewhere nearby to deliver a batch of puppies to multiple families in one trip.

 

[t-noah]

There are some adorable puppies at AHEINZ57 right now (bottom of the page)

Dogs - AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport

View our available dogs for adoption at AHeinz57. Most dogs are in foster care and not at our facility.

www.aheinz57.com

Mrs cyfan wants a poodle mix to minimize shedding in the house. I don't blame anyone else for wanting the same

Hippie!

 

[t-noah]

Good breeders will want to be a little cautious because there are organizations trying to get on property and turn dogs loose.

Seriously?? Who? Can't imagine what type of organization would want to do that.

All types in this world.

 

[t-noah]

We have always adopted but recently purchased our first puppy. We fostered a bullmastiff years ago and fell in love with the breed. It is rare to find them in shelters and I really wanted to know the parents before bringing such a big dog into the house. We found a breeder on line then communicated via messaging and FaceTime. We visited to see puppies and mother/father before paying any money. Worked out really well, very happy with our addition.

To an earlier point, some big breeds do not necessarily need a lot of space. Our dog just turned one and weighs around 130 pounds. He still has puppy energy but as long as he gets his morning walk he is plenty happy to lounge around the house the rest of the day.

Sounds like a big, loveable breed/dog. Just looked them up. Too bad their lifespan is short.

 

[NWICY]

Do not buy online. There was a setup here in Iowa, where they were claiming to be a rescue, and selling dogs to wealthy Chiburb people for thousands of dollars. The dogs were actually from puppy mills. They got some jail time for that, but the mills that were involved are still operating.

Some chain stores charge so much they will FINANCE your pet, again thousands and thousands of dollars and often puppy mill origins.

Go to a local rescue, there are boatloads of them and all those dogs/cats need homes.

GF & I are involved in this doing medical fostering for the shelters. We've had a fell terrier who had nearly fatal diabetes because his owner was a stoner, a cat that was flat out neglected to almost death in a semi-hoarding situation, and now a little affie who got run over by a truck, had to have tail/spine surgery, and will have to have a rear leg amputated soon. And is absolutely the sweetest little dog you have ever met.

My point is that shelter pets are often the sweetest and most loving ones you will ever find. People seem to think they are defective somehow, but that has been the exact opposite of my experience.

Here is a list of very well run rescues, mostly in eastern Iowa:
CC Rescue Partners

Silly question but what is an affie?

 

[cyclone1209]

Silly question but what is an affie?

I have a 6 year old pug. Awesome companions and def a lot of personality.

Having a dog has been a blessing in the covid craziness

 

[t-noah]

Silly question but what is an affie?

affie dog - Bing
One of these breeds maybe?

 

[CascadeClone]

Silly question but what is an affie?

Affenpinscher. AKC has a good description on them if you google it. Gf had never heard of them either and she is very animal smart. We thought she was a shizhu yorkie who knows what mix.

German origins from like 1600s. Used to be ratters, small breed.

Every dog has a "job", right? Shepherds herd, watchdogs watch, retreivers fetch, terriers chase varmints. Affies are clowns; they just goof off and act cute to entertain their people. Super smart but you dont train them to do tricks, they just really know whats going on.

Great dog for not super active, maybe retired folks.

 

[Cyforce]

Scam. Go to ARL or Furry Friends and be done with it.

We've had two great rescue dogs. One here in Des Moines and the other we went to Ottumwa for.

 

[besserheimerphat]

I get why people advocate for shelter dogs. If you don't have any other pets or kids, absolutely go with a shelter dog. But as you add kids, other dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, etc to the mix its more important to consider getting a puppy. You know that a puppy will grow acclimated to your existing pets/kids. A shelter may screen for certain traits, but you can never be sure until you have them at home.

In our experience, a good breeder will screen you as much as you screen them. They care about their pups and want to know they are going to good homes. We picked up a Newfie puppy about 2 months ago. They spent a bunch of time telling us all the "bad" things about the breed before the litter was born. Drove 8 hours to pick him up from the breeder's house (Seattle to Missoula, MT). The breeder wasn't able to get their normal cardiologist checks done beforehand due to COVID, so we booked one ourselves after getting home and the breeder paid for it.

 

[simply1]

I get why people advocate for shelter dogs. If you don't have any other pets or kids, absolutely go with a shelter dog. But as you add kids, other dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, etc to the mix its more important to consider getting a puppy. You know that a puppy will grow acclimated to your existing pets/kids. A shelter may screen for certain traits, but you can never be sure until you have them at home.

In our experience, a good breeder will screen you as much as you screen them. They care about their pups and want to know they are going to good homes. We picked up a Newfie puppy about 2 months ago. They spent a bunch of time telling us all the "bad" things about the breed before the litter was born. Drove 8 hours to pick him up from the breeder's house (Seattle to Missoula, MT). The breeder wasn't able to get their normal cardiologist checks done beforehand due to COVID, so we booked one ourselves after getting home and the breeder paid for it.

And as you know, shelter dogs are imported in the PNW from a lot of other states, which makes it tougher to know the personality of the dogs, etc. That said, we did rescue a dog back in Iowa and she worked out wonderfully, if a bit on the ruffian side.

 

[UnCytely]

I love my PomChi. He is so adorable and has the perfect temperament, easy to train, very loyal. And they live forever compared to other breeds, without the genetic problems of pure breeds.

 

[throwittoblythe]

We got a boxer puppy right after we bought our first house in 2010. We lost him last June. He was the best dog. So playful yet obedient and well mannered. He was 5 when our first kid was born and he adjusted well when kid number one then number two came along.

We can’t wait to get another one but are in a phase of life where adding a puppy seems impossible. We have our hands full with a 6 yr old and, especially, our 2 year old. That being said, we will absolutely get another boxer when the time is right.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

If you DO adopt from a shelter, consider adopting a black dog (any breed or mix). For whatever reason, they spend more time waiting for adoption than any other color. Same for black cats.

Superstition. My dog is black and people are afraid of him. He's a big baby.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Superstition. My dog is black and people are afraid of him. He's a big baby.

Same here. We have an 80 lb lab mix who is black with brown stripes. He’s a lover but very excitable. He will jump up and try to lick your face. It scares people but he’s just a big lover.

My wife and I were always surprised by the lack of dog breed understanding. Our boxer was brindle/brown. People would walk around us and say “is that a pit bull?”

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Same here. We have an 80 lb lab mix who is black with brown stripes. He’s a lover but very excitable. He will jump up and try to lick your face. It scares people but he’s just a big lover.

My wife and I were always surprised by the lack of dog breed understanding. Our boxer was brindle/brown. People would walk around us and say “is that a pit bull?”

Mine's a lab mix but he has great dane in him so he's long and just has that big dog look I suppose. He's super calm and very tranquil. I wonder if it's unsettling to people because he will approach you very docile? Seems to be cultural as well. Latinos and the African-American communities will literally cross the road if I'm walking my dog.

And yes when it comes to breeds people are typically completely ignorant. I know that I've chosen a dog when I was younger based upon its visual appeal. She was a Jack Russell terrier and luckily I was young and could handle the energy but many people would have got rid of her.

 

[Pat]

I get why people advocate for shelter dogs. If you don't have any other pets or kids, absolutely go with a shelter dog. But as you add kids, other dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, etc to the mix its more important to consider getting a puppy. You know that a puppy will grow acclimated to your existing pets/kids. A shelter may screen for certain traits, but you can never be sure until you have them at home.

In our experience, a good breeder will screen you as much as you screen them. They care about their pups and want to know they are going to good homes. We picked up a Newfie puppy about 2 months ago. They spent a bunch of time telling us all the "bad" things about the breed before the litter was born. Drove 8 hours to pick him up from the breeder's house (Seattle to Missoula, MT). The breeder wasn't able to get their normal cardiologist checks done beforehand due to COVID, so we booked one ourselves after getting home and the breeder paid for it.

Mileage may vary, but with a household full of kids and animals, we’ve had more issues with the (now 3 year old shelter) puppy than any of the adults we’ve adopted. Everyone, pets included, has to spend time with the potential new dog, but it’s usually pretty easy to tell if there’s going to be an issue. The nice thing about adopting an adult dog is that the personality and habits are pretty well established and you know what you’re getting.