dogs

[smkie]

April First will be the day i found Victor. Bronki had been dead for a few weeks and i thought mary and i were going to fall apart...i went to petfinder..not the shelter because i was just looking around.i didn't even have the money to afford to adopt from the local shelter...i called..the number "had been disconnected" i cried. THought it was the sickest april fools joke ever. Called Kelly and she said don't give up..keep trying. So i called the town he was posted in (it wasn't my town) and i tried the sherriff there, no help, and then i called the only vet..they were closed. There he was on my screen. I cried some more, i wanted Bronki so bad i felt like broken glass. Kelly called..she had tried a fund raiser number that went with Save_Our_Strays and found Connie Guthrie's number. I told her my tale of woe, and that i could trade some artwork for fundraisers..that Mary and i needed a baby to love before we broke up entirely. I called and she offered to DRIVE THE DOG TO MY HOME..it was an hour or better..i said no..that was ok, i would come. I did and that is how Victor came to me. This is the fourth dog i have adopted from a shelter. Not one was a biter. Trudy..now old. belongs to my Mom. She looks exactly like a fox..most people think that she is. PetFinders..is nation wide. Give it a try next time.

[Renee750il]

Originally Posted by Fran27

. . .Keep in mind, it is my first dog, I knew nothing of dogs, and they have always intimidated me. So when you go there and you see all those dogs barking/jumping at the door, and you've never had dogs before, you don't know how to deal with it. . . .

. . . and you can't know if your dog is going to turn out being a biter or not..

Then, training. Lots of the dogs that end up in the shelter were from people who obviously didn't care much for the dog, and even less for training them properly. It's much harder to train an adult dog than a puppy, and that's another reason why we went for a puppy instead.

Finally, not sure about all shelters, but that one doesn't have good veterinary control - lots of animals actually die and cost thousands in bills when they leave, and when I was volunteering there one of the dogs that got adopted had a very nasty ear infection. . . .

I will probably adopt my second dog once we have more money for it, but I couldn't imagine adopting an adult dog as a first dog, for all those reasons. Also, I have a hard time getting attached to dogs I don't find good looking, and there are not that many in that category at shelters (I'm just honest, I wouldn't want to play with a dog I find ugly).

I got flamed on another forum for posting about the same thing, but it is another opinion that people often don't want to consider.

Okay, the first point is a good one. I can understand how someone who isn't really a "dog person" when they go in could be somewhat intimidated by all the barking and vying for attention.

But, the second . . . the chances are pretty great that if a dog is ever going to be a biter it's going to happen in a high stress situation like a shelter.

Training: I've always found adult dogs MUCH, MUCH easier than puppies. No training needed at all, actually, just let them know what you want them to do and most will turn themselves inside out to give you the behaviour you need. You have to respect that the dog is a sentient, thoughtful, intelligent creature and treat it as such, but the dog will treat you in much the same way you treat the dog. Straight up - puppies are cute, but most pups can be a real test of patience and your frustration level. Bimmer and Buffy were the only pups I've ever dealt with that weren't a TON of work - they didn't even have to be house trained; they just did that naturally. Ruined me for housetraining puppies for sure, lol!

You're absolutely right about the health issues. You need to check those out immediately. Very few shelters don't have a policy that you can bring an animal back if you find health issues within a certain period. And with any animal, you want to get to your vet a few days after you bring it home.

Now, this isn't a flame, just an honest observation on your last point - one I hope you will take in the spirit in which it's given and mull over, about not being able to get attached to a dog you didn't think was "good looking." I hope, when you have kids, that they turn out to be good looking babies . . .

Always keep an open mind. The Universe has a way of giving you lessons you need to learn - some of them can be rather literal.

[Fran27]

I wouldn't know about the training. I just think that someone who left their dog in a shelter probably didn't care for them enough in the first place to give them appropriate training. It's what I meant.

I kinda feel insulted by your reply though. Yes, I will choose a dog that I think is good looking, sorry. That's why there are, you know, so many breeds, and that people have different tastes about them. But what's with comparing dogs and babies? I think if you really think that adopting a dog is the same than having (or adopting) a baby, you should probably see a therapist - no offense.

[homelessdog]

Originally Posted by k0tt0n_kandee

I've thought about adopting many times. When I just had only Jaidee and Zoe, I went to my local shelter and I was denied from adopting any dog there because I don't have my 3 acre yard fenced in and I already have 2 dogs, apparently having two dogs is too many? I was really upset when we left because I had fallen in love with two medium sized dogs that zoe and jaidee would of loved to play with, they were so friendly. My heart was broken, I don't understand how they can deny people from adopting, if there are so many dogs and animals that need homes, don't deny people. But I'm not saying just to accept everyone either. Just because I didn't have a fenced in yard, it would of costed me a fortune to fence in my yard. I take my dogs all outside to go potty on there leashes. I haven't been back to that particaliar (sp) shelter after that they are quite rude, they treat people who want to adopt like they are the bad people who brought some of these dogs in. It still ticks me off to this day as to why I was denied to adopt, cause I had 2 dogs *at that time* and that was too many, and my yard wasn't fenced?
Anyways, if I wasn't denied for adopting those 2 cuties I would of. =(

I'm not saying you're an unsuitable pet owners, but I definetely understand the shelter's position in this case. Owning more than two dogs without a fenced in yard is difficult. I probably wouldn't not approve an application like that. Chances are if there is no fence then the owner is going to get frustrated with leashwalking three or four dogs and resort to boundry training. Boundry training is not reliable and chances are good that the dog could possibly run away or get hurt. It would depend on the person, but if they had kids, or they were looking at a high energy dog, or a dog that was found as a stray (history of escaping), or a dog with a history of door darting, then I'd definetely turn down the application. You don't have to fence your entire 3 acres, but if you're taking on more than 2 dogs I definetely recommend putting up some type of fence that reaches to your door. A reputable breeder would tell you the same thing as a shelter and turn you down for the same reasons as shelters would. They don't turn people down lightly, because they know there's a chance the person will just go and buy from a backyard breeder or a pet store puppy mill. They know the dog, and they know what's best for the dog, and if they have to turn someone down, they will hopefully explain the reasons why so that the person can learn from that experience and know what needs to be done to care for the dog they are interested.

[homelessdog]

Fran, if you find dogs intimidating, and you don't get attached to them, or find them ugly, why get a dog in the first place?

Also, what happens if your dog gets the mange? (He's going to pretty ugly then.)

[smkie]

I think why everyone is rankled..is love is suppose to be unconditional...a dog gives unconditional love and should be able to recieve the same way...that is a love that is learned over time...we wish to receive the same and hope that if anything happens to us..that we will be as important to someone as we were when we were young and good lookin..before the accident.before we age.etc. The fact is dogs sometimes are LOST when they are picked up.i had one that traveled many many miles....some are dropped off becuase of changes that could not be helped....please Fran go to rainbow bridge where i wrote of my Charlie....there is a referral to another story there where a woman had to part with a wonderful dog because her life had hit a point where she no longer could give him the care he deserved...sometimes people die and there is no one to care for the dog. You don't really know why a dog finds himself in such dire straits. maybe he had someone that just didn't "know" about dogs and it took more effort than they were willing to put out..maybe it was just http://justonelitter.com/litter.html (i will look up the site and get back) I do like my dog to be pretty..but they don't stay that way..like us they grow old..me too! YEt i want to be considered a valuable part of society..and i want to be loved for who i am..the old saying of beauty in the eye of the beholder is a good one..and we were each given something different that hopefully draws someone to us in the first place where they can then see what delightful people we really are.. Personality goes miles when the beauty fades and fortuantely each dog has one of those too. The point of the thread is not to offend..it is to try to help those that are in the dire strait place...to help people see that there is a need..to hope to put them together to find a good life for all.



I know that boundry training is a bite..that is why the dog up the street has such a problem..and walking one on a leash is all i can manage.

[Renee750il]

Originally Posted by Fran27

I wouldn't know about the training. I just think that someone who left their dog in a shelter probably didn't care for them enough in the first place to give them appropriate training. It's what I meant.

I kinda feel insulted by your reply though. Yes, I will choose a dog that I think is good looking, sorry. That's why there are, you know, so many breeds, and that people have different tastes about them. But what's with comparing dogs and babies? I think if you really think that adopting a dog is the same than having (or adopting) a baby, you should probably see a therapist - no offense.

No, a dog and a baby are not the same thing at all, and you've reached this conclusion through faulty logic - no offense.

The point is that your ability - or inability - to love something based on appearance is sadly callous and appallingly superficial - no offense. Even the cutest, most attractive puppy gets old and unattractive - unless you put it down or ditch it when it begins to offend your aesthetic. But, if you can't love something that isn't attractive, it probably won't bother you to do something like that - no offense.

We tend to get the object lessons in life that we need to learn.

[darkchild16]

i was going to do it once or twice when they get their titles because they are both what alot of people look for in a weight pulling dog and i would really research and get to know the families

[smkie]

in my opinion... a baby...needs you, loves u, then grows to take you for granted, despises you, takes you for granted, leaves u, needs u, has grown to somewhat respect u..but basically has a life of it's own and is basically gone (unless of course they need something).
a dog....needs you, loves you, never but never takes you for granted.sees your grief and your pain, celebrates in you joy..until death due you part..They deserve a chance and should not to be thrown away as something without worth....many children are in the home..but not loved as they should be either. It is a hard hard world for us all..as Beatiful Joe said for man AND beast.

[darkchild16]

thats is so true smkie