References?

Lyzelle

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#1
Whether it be for breeders or rescues, every application asks for references. And they can't be your family, friends, has to be someone you've known for at least a year, and they better be dog people. At least 3-5, please.

Well, I'm sorry I live a boring, anti-social life in which I've moved around in the last 2 years. :rofl1:

And I don't mean just trainers or vets, either. That's a whole 'nother part of the application!

So, tips, thoughts, experiences, whatever. It's just something I've ran into lately looking for a new dog.
 
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#2
If your close to anyone on the board ask them if you can use them as a reference. Just because you've never met in person doesn't mean you can't use them as a reference. ;)
 

MicksMom

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#3
Since vet & trainers are on a different section, if it were me, there are a few people from work I'd put down. But if they were looking for "dog savvy" people, I'd be using the employees/managers/owners of the pet supply stores we go to.
 

katzand

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#4
I'd still use friends. Just because you are friends with them does not mean they can't be a reference if they are suitable references and not just on the list because they like you.
 

Laurelin

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#5
I've thought about asking Chaz people when the time comes, but am hoping to have a good relationship with my trainer by then. Lost touch with my first trainer and we've bounced around so much I don't have that much time with any one trainer.
 

Equinox

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#6
I will have to provide references for my dog in my housing applications, and a few incredibly awesome people from forums have offered to help out. Works out so great because they are dog people who've heard all about me and my dog in the last 3 years, and several of them come with great dog-related credentials (work-related).

Otherwise, I would probably think to ask the lady who owns one of my dog's siblings. We've been chatting for about 2 1/2 years about our dogs and recently met up in person - personally do consider myself on friendly terms with her, enough that I would feel comfortable asking for such a favor. If my dog hadn't been acting like such an asshat recently to my neighbor's German Shepherd, I'd think about asking them, too. They've known mine since he was a puppy and we see each other frequently. If you have anyone you've arranged play dates with or chat about dogs with on and off, they should be able to work as references, too.
 

crysania

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#7
Wow 3-5 references who aren't family, trainers or vets? I had to list two plus our vet when I was applying for Dahlia. Some rescues are going a wee bit overboard and I say that being involved (peripherally) with rescues.

I might ask friends who know me, even if they don't live near me. Maybe coworkers? Friends from forums who have known you for a long time. Neighbor? It's hard when you move around a lot and don't know too many people.
 

JessLough

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#8
Can't say I've ever seem them specify no friends.

Never had to fill out an application for something like that before, but there was a job I was going to try for, and I was going to just ask the people I've pet-watched from here for
 

crysania

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#9
Oh gosh I didn't see that it said no friends. That's really odd. I mean, who else knows how you are with dogs? It's not like my coworkers have really seen me and my dog together much, if at all!
 

Fran101

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#10
Forum people, vet, teacher...

weird that you can't include friends but the forum is helpful in that sense if you are around a lot lol
 

Southpaw

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#11
That's kind of ridiculous.

I remember I was once contemplating filling out a questionnaire for a breeder, and it asked for a trainer reference... and at that time I had never used a trainer before so I was like uhh does that automatically make me unsuitable?

I don't like jumping through hoops.
 

Lyzelle

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#12
Oh, good, so I'm not the only one that find this a bit ridiculous. I really don't have any reliable friends at all, or at least any that knows anything about dogs. I might be able to think of a few forum people, though, I feel kinda awkward asking them about it considering they've never met me. :p As far as playdates or such, definitely not anything recent. All the rescues and fosters I worked with were under my mothers name, so that doesn't help either. Zander is a BYB dog, so no breeder reference. I don't currently work, I'm self-employed which is why I have so much time to devote to the dog. Yeah. My world is sad, empty little place. Lol.

I kinda have the same line of thinking too as far as the trainer and such. I'm not against an obedience/puppy/whatever class or anything, but I really prefer to work with the dog one on one first, and then decide where to go from there. If I think it would be a great idea to get them into a group class with a general Petco trainer, sure! But I don't want anyone saying "You HAVE to take your dog to THIS trainer or you can't have the dog". Uhm, what if that trainer isn't on the same level with that dog? What if the dog and I would work better with another trainer, or no trainer at all? What if it would work better in a one-on-one setting for learning, instead of in a group class? There are just too many "What ifs" when you come down to individual dogs. Same with food. One of them is asking me what food I would feed this dog. Uhm. I kinda need to know the dog's nutritional needs, energy levels, and etc, first!

Sigh. There are some other WTF questions, too, that make me wonder if I should even bother filling out the form, but those are the two on top of my head. Age is a personal thing. I never expect to be taken seriously, and I've had the sharp tongue from quite a few breeders and rescues because I'm too "young and stupid to know anything". That's always fun.

This can be quite a frustrating process these days. I'm half tempted to just mail them a resume, and skip the questions completely! Lol.

I just can't decide if they are being serious with these questions, or it's a set up where the correct answer is "none of the above".
 

Upendi&Mina

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#13
I feel you on some overly intrusive questions, I was looking at a breeder questionare recently and a question that really stuck out to me as being overly intrusive was 'Do you have a cat and if so is it declawed', really?
 

Paige

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#14
They ask if your cat is declawed? I can understand if you were getting a cat because a breeder/rescue/shelter probably doesn't like the idea of declawed cats but a freaking dog? HOW IS THAT IMPORTANT? Does it matter what colour my cat is too or if he has a tail?

I think questions that directly apply to dog ownership do make sense. Like asking how you plan to train your dog or whatever. All dogs need at least basic training or good owner who can manage them (often both!) but to demand a reference to a trainer is pretty extreme. What if you happen to be a totally awesome trainer by yourself for what you need to teach that dog? A trainer reference is a moot point. They are already talking to you.
 

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