Getting a new dog

[SDCyclonesFamily]

Our first dog we adopted as a puppy from a rescue. They made an educated guess as to what breed he was so we thought we were probably getting a min pin/poodle mix based on their guess. I did a lot of research after he became an adult and am fairly sure he is mostly a German Hunting terrier. As a family who lives in town and doesn't do any hunting, this breed was a terrible fit for us. He is a very high energy dog with a strong prey drive (at least he keeps the rabbits out of our backyard). We've invested a lot of time in working with him and he is now 14 years old and still barely slowing down. We are doing a lot of research for our next dog and have decided this time to go with a breeder. We aren't anti rescue as we've love our dog but after having to struggle through training a dog that is probably smarter than us and gets into everything, we would like to select a dog based on specific traits that would work better for our family.

 

[deadeyededric]

That's about right. Small dogs live forever.

I hope so. I adopted a little blind dog about 5 years ago that was 9. I don't know what I'd do without him.

 

[Sousaclone]

Every dog we've gotten from a breeder (2 German Shephards, 1 mini Dachshund, 1 Newfoundland), the breeder interviewed us as much as we interviewed them. Don't go to a breeder for a "dog," go to a breeder for a specific breed. Puppy mills make money on dogs. If a "breeder" has all kinds of "dogs," run away. And if you can't visit the breeder, don't buy from them.

Uhh, one of those is not like the other. Quite a change in breed size there.

 

[dosry5]

Uhh, one of those is not like the other. Quite a change in breed size there.

Size doesn’t matter

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Every dog we've gotten from a breeder (2 German Shephards, 1 mini Dachshund, 1 Newfoundland), the breeder interviewed us as much as we interviewed them. Don't go to a breeder for a "dog," go to a breeder for a specific breed. Puppy mills make money on dogs. If a "breeder" has all kinds of "dogs," run away. And if you can't visit the breeder, don't buy from them.

I have a visual of that mini with those three big dogs...

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Our first dog we adopted as a puppy from a rescue. They made an educated guess as to what breed he was so we thought we were probably getting a min pin/poodle mix based on their guess. I did a lot of research after he became an adult and am fairly sure he is mostly a German Hunting terrier. As a family who lives in town and doesn't do any hunting, this breed was a terrible fit for us. He is a very high energy dog with a strong prey drive (at least he keeps the rabbits out of our backyard). We've invested a lot of time in working with him and he is now 14 years old and still barely slowing down. We are doing a lot of research for our next dog and have decided this time to go with a breeder. We aren't anti rescue as we've love our dog but after having to struggle through training a dog that is probably smarter than us and gets into everything, we would like to select a dog based on specific traits that would work better for our family.

I remember a CF poster who talked about their sibling insisting on having not one, but two Australian Shepherd pups...in a small apartment. NOT a good breed choice...

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Size doesn’t matter

Not to minis, it doesn't. They can be ferocious little beasties!

 

[BCClone]

Not to minis, it doesn't. They can be ferocious little beasties!

Lew is shaking his head right now I would imagine.

 

[Sousaclone]

I remember a CF poster who talked about their sibling insisting on having not one, but two Australian Shepherd pups...in a small apartment. NOT a good breed choice...

Yeah. One of my coworkers ended up with two Aussies in an apartment. Both he and his wife were really active people (i.e. the dogs went on multi mile runs before they left for the day), but I still don't think that was enough for them. A good friend's dad had one on his ranch and he said they barely had to do any training with that dog to get it to herd cattle. Basically was just pure instinct to get the dog to get the cattle herded through gates.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Only negative with boxers is they have a relatively short life span. 10-12 years

Yup. Ours died just before his 10th birthday. It really made us realize how fast 10 years can go by.

 

[carvers4math]

Yup. Ours died just before his 10th birthday. It really made us realize how fast 10 years can go by.

Our boxer made it to 13. I was only in first grade and since he had been sick, had been constantly checking his bed on the three season porch. I went to hug him before school and he was cold. I tried to pretend he was really ok, and that he would run out to meet me after school, but Dad had already buried him when I got home.

So hard to say goodbye to our loyal furry family members

 

[throwittoblythe]

Our boxer made it to 13. I was only in first grade and since he had been sick, had been constantly checking his bed on the three season porch. I went to hug him before school and he was cold. I tried to pretend he was really ok, and that he would run out to meet me after school, but Dad had already buried him when I got home.

So hard to say goodbye to our loyal furry family members

Oh goodness, that’s so sad. We lost our boy very suddenly. He had a tumor in his belly that caused internal bleeding. He was totally fine one night, and started showing symptoms in the morning. I took him in to get checked out at 930am and by noon I was back at the vet to say goodbye.

I am not an emotional person at all. But I cried for 3 days over him. In some ways it was a blessing that he didn’t deteriorate over a long period, but it was also so fast we were in shock. Fine one day, gone the next. It will be one year ago come June. I don’t cry over him anymore, but it still breaks my heart a little to think about the fact that he’s gone.

 

[besserheimerphat]

I have a visual of that mini with those three big dogs...

My wife and I had always had midsized to large dogs, and she wanted a longhaired mini dachshund for some reason. The pup we got ended up having short hair (but a gorgeous chestnut and black coat) and grew too big to technically be a miniature. Not fat, just big. He was 12 lbs, compared to his mom who was 9 and his dad who was 4 (!!!). We had to put him down late last year when he had a stroke at about 16 years old. He was an honery old cuss, and while we loved him like every dog we've ever had we decided he'll be the first and last small dog we ever own.

The decision to get a Newfie was to have a companion animal for our 4 year old with Down Syndrome, not (just) because they are big.

 

[carvers4math]

Oh goodness, that’s so sad. We lost our boy very suddenly. He had a tumor in his belly that caused internal bleeding. He was totally fine one night, and started showing symptoms in the morning. I took him in to get checked out at 930am and by noon I was back at the vet to say goodbye.

I am not an emotional person at all. But I cried for 3 days over him. In some ways it was a blessing that he didn’t deteriorate over a long period, but it was also so fast we were in shock. Fine one day, gone the next. It will be one year ago come June. I don’t cry over him anymore, but it still breaks my heart a little to think about the fact that he’s gone.

Oh how awful. That quick would just be so hard to adjust. At least he didn’t suffer much and was loved so much.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

This was predicted early on when adoptions were on the rise, but this just pisses me off. Pets are not accessories. They are living, breathing members of the family. I like animals better than a lot of people.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

My wife and I had always had midsized to large dogs, and she wanted a longhaired mini dachshund for some reason. The pup we got ended up having short hair (but a gorgeous chestnut and black coat) and grew too big to technically be a miniature. Not fat, just big. He was 12 lbs, compared to his mom who was 9 and his dad who was 4 (!!!). We had to put him down late last year when he had a stroke at about 16 years old. He was an honery old cuss, and while we loved him like every dog we've ever had we decided he'll be the first and last small dog we ever own.

The decision to get a Newfie was to have a companion animal for our 4 year old with Down Syndrome, not (just) because they are big.

My parents got a standard Dachshund when I was 3 years old. After my sisters both left home for college & marriage, it was just me & him for the three years of high school. His eyes were clouded over with cataracts and he had little to no depth perception, making stairs a challenge for him. He slept beside my bed in a basket, and wheezed, whined and farted his way through each and every night.

I went off to college, and when I came home for Thanksgiving, he was gone. He didn't deal well with me leaving. He went into a decline, and basically gave up. My parents didn't tell me because they didn't want to make me sad. Trying to sleep that week was tough. My room was so quiet without him.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Oh how awful. That quick would just be so hard to adjust. At least he didn’t suffer much and was loved so much.

Thanks for saying that. Yes, it was literally a shock. The vet assured me the whole time he was never even in a little bit of pain. He probably just kinda felt "icky" like we would if we had the flu. I'm thankful he didn't suffer and we got to do it in a peaceful way, even if it came on quickly. I know lots of people don't get that benefit.

I couldn't believe how the grief just came out of me. Like I said, I am NOT a crier or emotional person at all. But once I knew he wasn't going to get better, I just couldn't stop crying. It would just hit me in waves for a few days. Like, I was cutting up an apple for my lunch a few days later, then I remembered how he'd always come sit by me when I was doing that and I'd toss him a slice. The sadness would hit me and the tears would flow.

I had never really lost a friend before (human or animal). So, in a way, it was a healthy grieving process for me. We read some kids books with our daughter (who was 5 at the time) and I read "A Dog's Purpose" which helped. Not that we took him for granted at all, because we loved him dearly, but it really made me realize how much he meant to me. I felt really bad because he was our only child for 5 years, but then as kids came along, he got lots of love, but less attention than he had early on. Even though he curled up on my lap every day, he didn't get as many walks as he should, or as much "fun stuff." I'll definitely do more of those things when we get another one.

 

[clonefreek]

You’re right, I bet most puppy mills do have horrible conditions. But I didn’t say anything in my post about puppy mills. I was just saying not all breeders are bad. Your post assumes an awful lot. Your one “story” you saw doesn’t make all breeders pieces of ****. But it’s great you’re blaming the death of a puppy on people you have no knowledge of and calling them names because you saw a show.

So lets go over the timeline of events here. You pick up the dog (let me guess in a walmart parking lot), with in 24 hours the dog dies. You get your money back, then go back to the same people and get another dog. Then you defend these people who sold you a sick dog. Parvo is an extremely contagious disease for dogs so my guess is all of those puppies died.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Oh goodness, that’s so sad. We lost our boy very suddenly. He had a tumor in his belly that caused internal bleeding. He was totally fine one night, and started showing symptoms in the morning. I took him in to get checked out at 930am and by noon I was back at the vet to say goodbye.

I am not an emotional person at all. But I cried for 3 days over him. In some ways it was a blessing that he didn’t deteriorate over a long period, but it was also so fast we were in shock. Fine one day, gone the next. It will be one year ago come June. I don’t cry over him anymore, but it still breaks my heart a little to think about the fact that he’s gone.

Almost the exact same scenario with my girl Maya. Just a little under 10 yrs old. She was fine the night before but that Saturday morning she wouldn't get out of bed. Her stomach was swollen up and she couldn't move. I carrier her to the car and into the emergency vet (only one open on Saturday). They checked her out and told her the surgery to try and remove the tumors could make her in more pain than just letting her go. I cried like a baby but at least I got to say goodbye.
She was the best girl. She took care of me when I needed her most.

 

[dosry5]

So lets go over the timeline of events here. You pick up the dog (let me guess in a walmart parking lot), with in 24 hours the dog dies. You get your money back, then go back to the same people and get another dog. Then you defend these people who sold you a sick dog. Parvo is an extremely contagious disease for dogs so my guess is all of those puppies died.

You’re right about......none of this.