OK I HAVE TO VENT!!! UPDATE UPDATE U R NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!!!!

[Buster]

Quote:
Yep. This is totally understandable, and just one of many reasons that I don't like to see people being slammed for buying a puppy instead of adopting a shelter dogs. I totally support rescue of animals and spend my own time and resources toward that end. But there are lots of reasons, totally legitimate reasons, why many people make a thoughtful choice to buy a puppy.

Personally, I really appreciate the predictability you get with a purebred--you can have reasonable expectations about what that pup will grow to become--even moreso if you've raised it yourself and shaped it into the companion you desire. Only you know what your priorities are for a companion/working dog, and no one is better suited than you for selecting/developing that companion.

Well said!

I would like to add that people getting a dog, no matter if it's a rescue or a puppy, should research the breed/breeds that make up the dog. I tell everyone who buys a Heeler pup from me that these dogs want to work and need a job. I tell them that if they do not give them a job the dog will find something to do and they will not like it. It surprises me how many people jump into dog ownership and have done no research first- then they are upset when the dog doesn't behave well.
Something they tell us at the stock dog club I belong to is that if the dog isn't doing what we want it to, then we are not training the dog right!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Yep. Just like in our relationships with other people, we are ALWAYS, whether we realize it or not, conditioning those we have relationships with. You can shape behaviors (in animals or in people) positively or negatively--it's up to you!

If I nag you to take out the trash, and berate you every day for not doing it, and complain about HOW you do it, are you going to be more or less likely to regularly take the trash out without being asked in the future, than if I thank you sweetly and tell you how very much I appreciate it when you take the trash out?

We are always training each other, whether we realize it or not, and that goes double for dogs! We're always teaching them SOMETHING.

I guess I should stop hijacking the OP's thread now. Or several posts ago.

 

[kstaven]

Dealing with rescues or the spca for that matter can be like reaching into a can of mixed nuts. You never know what you are going to get. Some are pretty decent and others are on another planet.

Our last adoptee tried to rip my arm off the first day I met him. He had been badly abused and reacted out of fear and no doubt remembrance of past injuries. Now he is one of the best behaved and dedicated dogs I have had. He is still a little shy with new people but that is improving with time also.

I have never heard of a rescue that didn't spay/neuter and personally I would say it is a cash cow for some one based on the fee.

 

[Rosalind]

Quote:
I got the same response from a couple of breed rescues. Nevermind that my LGD Pyrenees sleeps on the living room couch every night after the chickens are in the coop for the evening.

I do wonder if these so-called rescues ever did animal behavior work? I've met plenty of working breeds that are amazingly neurotic kept as pets but which magically become "normal" when put in a setting where they can do their jobs--my friend's collie used to be nuts before he was allowed to herd his neighbor's sheep, my aunt's Newfie only has behavior problems when no one lets her swim her energy off, another friend who keeps Aussies takes them for regular sheep-working clinics to keep them sane. We have a retriever at work whose job is to keep the Canadian geese out of the office park ponds, that goes home every night with one of the security guys to a warm house, and it's the most laid-back, relaxed dog on earth when it isn't begging for sandwiches. Do they think the dogs in K9 police units are being horribly abused and ill-treated, or don't get treats and love from their handlers? I mean, you can SEE working dogs are so much more secure and confident compared to the hyperactive, overweight, ill-behaved critters that come into rescues.

 

[Ferngully]

I think the OP should really check into the 4-H for agility with the kids. My 2 joined, and have had a blast, not only does our club do agility but showmanship, obedience and more. Purebreds and papers are not necessary. Ribbons and trophys are awarded the same as in AKC competitions and it does follow a modified AKC format. Our first dog was from our local shelter, before rescue groups became the norm. Now the groups have the shelters call them anytime a specific breed comes in. When we decided to add to our family I searched petfinder and rescue groups, the majority of the groups fees were higher than purchasing from a reputable breeder, and the restrictons were outrageous. Kudos to you for researching the breed, being a responsible pet owner and wanting to know what you may be getting into beforehand, since there are no guarantees. I agree that what they are charging for a puppy, that is not spay/neutered is odd. But in our area, the fees were even higher. They say it is to help offset the costs of care and to go towards saving another animal. Hmmmm... Yes alot of groups have the "I am better than you attitudes". I don't know if you will be able to find many that will come with their "papers" from a rescue group, but keep looking, the dog for you is out there. Also alot of groups "talk" with each other and have little "black lists" of people they will not adopt to, for various reasons, even the "they just didn't like you" reason. Very sad. Check the classifieds on petfinder as well as your local craigslist and surrounding areas. We have so many around here that it is pathetic.

In my opinion if you have a dog that does not work, or do the job it was bred to do, then you have a recipe for disaster, and a dog that could potentialy be sent away. You would think a rescue for that type of breed would be knowledgable enough to know this and to even encourage potential adopters to give the dog a job, or become involved in some sort of sport to keep the dog mentally and physically stimulated as well as build the bond between owner and dog. Not only that but as many of you have said and others can attest to, a dog that someone owns and has spent the time to train to work, is a dog that is more valuable to an owner and often treated better. I can attest to that, I have 2 service dogs in my home, not that my other cute and fluffies aren't spoiled to the ends of the earth. We had to get a bigger bed to accomodate the GSD, lol. And Dh used to say pets are not allowed in the bed. Just try to make him get his maltese off the bed now.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

That is RIDICULOUS! ... We rescue surrendered litters on the side to breeding our Poodles and Poodle Crosses. We've had breeders contact us before, but usually they ask about things like hip check on the puppies, or patella check, or eye check, things that a normal buyer or adopter would not ask. They will also ask about things less known to normal buyers/adopters. We recently had a man buy one of our Newfoundlander puppies when we were breeding them (We have since gotten out of the Newfs, we love them, but the the health issues with them are too much, you have to be very careful in the snow and with exercise for the first couple years, and this buyer is why we got out of them). Well anyway, he was running his Newf pup behind his ATV, she ended up getting injured, he told us and his vet told us it was a Patella injury, but something was weird about it. In the end we found out he had been planning on breeding her, when he had signed a no-breeding contract with us.

His excuse was that he'd been laid off from GM, NOT an excuse! She is NOT a cash cow at all, and because we said no to breeding he tried to find a way that he could sue us, well the injury he gave his dog is one that can also be inherited... except our dogs tested clean and free

I hope you find the perfect puppy! Maybe something like a border collie or aussie ? ... They're VERY good with agility.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I got the same response from a couple of breed rescues. Nevermind that my LGD Pyrenees sleeps on the living room couch every night after the chickens are in the coop for the evening.

I do wonder if these so-called rescues ever did animal behavior work? I've met plenty of working breeds that are amazingly neurotic kept as pets but which magically become "normal" when put in a setting where they can do their jobs--my friend's collie used to be nuts before he was allowed to herd his neighbor's sheep, my aunt's Newfie only has behavior problems when no one lets her swim her energy off, another friend who keeps Aussies takes them for regular sheep-working clinics to keep them sane. We have a retriever at work whose job is to keep the Canadian geese out of the office park ponds, that goes home every night with one of the security guys to a warm house, and it's the most laid-back, relaxed dog on earth when it isn't begging for sandwiches. Do they think the dogs in K9 police units are being horribly abused and ill-treated, or don't get treats and love from their handlers? I mean, you can SEE working dogs are so much more secure and confident compared to the hyperactive, overweight, ill-behaved critters that come into rescues.

Yep! ... Our Newfie used to go and rescue the ducks every spring that swam in the big ponds created by rain on the road outside our old farm out west. They'd get pulled down by old stands of wheat wrapped around their legs, and she'd pull them out every year and put them in the big pond in the forest out back. You couldn't stop her, she'd go nuts.

 

[conroy]

OK I really appreciate everyone's responses...and i am going to post some more pics of my Avatar "Ginger" in a couple of minutes..... but youare not going to believe this. My husband is a sergeant in the local police force and he works the midnight shift...he calls me at 6 am this morning and asked if it was ok if he brought home a foster puppy!!!! OMG I couldn't believe it.... the same day we are denied this lil one walked into our lives... The night before a squad car found her roaming the streets in the middle of the night. A fellow officer took her home and bathed her and cared for her and brought her back last night. My husband said as of now she is a "foster" because it's only been a couple of days and the owners could come forward...I hope they don't. Ok Here are her pics... we named her Clover....

My 15 year old cat is like "another dog...whatever"

This is another pic of Ginger...I have more just not on this computer and my camera battery died...I'll post more later...

SO what do you all think of Clover!!!!!

AND could Ginger pass as a Manchester?

 

[bbRedMom]

I work with Sheltie Rescue, and I do a lot of home inspections. While our website says "must have fenced in yard" and "must have vet references", we also go on gut and interviews alot. If you live in an apartment or condo, and are totally willing to let me com to your home, call your references, and do a follow up, of course we are going to let you adopt one of our babies!

This "rescuer" sounds fishy and highly unprofessional. I always ask a boo-koo of questions when getting a new dog. When I adopted/rescued our GSD puppy, I had so many questions the breeder couldn't answer about health and such, she gave him to me. She knew he would be going to a healthy, happy, knowledgeable home.

Yes, get an ILP. They are just as good as AKC papers in regards to agility and such. Good luck!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Oh, Clover is ADORABLE! I'm so happy she found you!!