Should we get this dog or not?

[bock]

My sister and I really want a third dog, and my parents are warming up to the idea too. My mom took my sister and I to Haven Human Society today to see if there was any we would consider getting. I really liked a young male black Lab mix there. The paper on his cage said he was a stray. I am just wondering if his temperament is good or not. I walked into the room he and some other dogs were in, and it was very noisy; lots of barking and howling. I was walking down the hall, and a 5-7 month old lab mix caught my eye. He was standing by the cage, and he was whining/barking, but not in a mean way. I knelt down by his cage, and he was trying to shove his paws through the opening between the wall and the chain link fence to get to me. After I talked to him a little he calmed down and sat, just looking at me. I began to walk away and he started the whining/barking thing again. Once I returned he got quiet, and was putting his nose up against the fence so I would pet him. I am unsure if this type of behavior was good or bad. He appeared to just want my attention, but I didn't get to take him out of the pen. Is he a good choice for a family dog, or will he always be really needy and annoying? Thanks!

 

[RiverOtter]

The only way to tell anything is to take him out and spend some time with him.

 

[paddock36]

It's hard to say. I have three dogs. Two are dachshounds and one is a Lab-mix (mixed with Newfoundland and maybe chow). The lab came from the pound and has been the best dog ever. The other two are good dogs but not the same as the Lab. He's great with kids, cats, the chickens, other dogs, you name it. The dachshounds are not the same with the chickens unfortunately. I'm sure you would need to work with the new dog. Also how do you think the other dogs will get along with the new dog? As far as the whining, one of the dachshounds is whiny, all the time.

 

[my3chickens]

A dog in a shelter is probably going to act completely different once they are out of that atmosphere, so I think it's hard to determine. Just imagine how confused and scared they must be, a new environment, dogs barking non stop all around them, strangers coming and going. Most shelters will allow you to take the dog out of the kennel, walk them, and interact with them. It's also a good idea to have the whole family with you including the pets that are already in your home to see if everyone gets along.

It's wonderful that you want to save a homeless animals life by adopting from a shelter, I just wish there were more caring people like you. Best of luck, I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

My Rottweiler rescue did that to me at the pound...best darn dog I ever had! He was absolutely the sweetest and remained that way until he died of old age. I say get him!!!

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Ditto. It can take a dog a month or so at your home for his "real" personality to come out. Of course it varies by the dog.

Also note that large breed black dogs do not last long in kill shelters ( you didn't say what kind of shelter he is in ) so you may have to make a quick decision if you think he is good.

I got a large mostly-Lab (mix) off Craigslist, knowing it would be a gamble how he would react to the chickens. All went well and he's a great dog!

If he is completely untrained as a stray would be, be aware that Labs are SUPER high energy (for years!) and he may not know what to do with all that energy - hence trying to get his paws through the fence to you. He probably has a lot of bad manners (jumping on you for example) but it just means he doesn't know how to act, not necesarily that he is mean.
It would depend a lot on YOU how much you are able to train a large can of spaz energy. Labs are great, but can be a lot of work due to their excess of energy.

 

[bock]

The shelter we went to was actually a no-kill shelter. The dogs there seem to get adopted very quickly though. I just wanted to see if we should put him on the list of possibilities or not. When we are seriously considering getting one we will take the whole family and walk the dogs to see how they act. I have good feelings about this dog. If I can just convince my dad to come, I am sure he would help me find a really great dog, he found our 10 year old yellow lab mix from a hi-kill shelter in sacramento 9 years ago. The lab we have now was always very calm, never played fetch, and never swam. Our Wiener Dog mix plays fetch, but doesn't swim and gets tired when we try to jog with her. This time I am ready for a more high energy dog that I can jog with, play fetch with, and loves to swim in our pond. I hope I can find a good dog!

 

[BC_Farms]

There is bunch of info on the internet on how to temperament test shelter dogs...here is one site. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Temperament.php

You basically just want to see if they show any signs of aggression or fear....both which can be worked on but it may take some time and probably means it isn't the best choice for a family pet, unless you have some time to work with him.

As for being "needy", some rescue dogs can have separation anxiety, but you won't know that until you come home to a destroyed house really.

I would take the dog out and play with him and see how that goes.

 

[bock]

Quote:
Thanks for that link.

I will try temperament testing this dog and any other dogs I consider getting. Some thing I am worried about when getting a shelter dog is:

1) Will it get along with my 2 other dogs, will they fight? (My Wiener dog isn't very friendly towards strange dogs)

2) will it play too rough with my 20 pound Wiener dog? (My Lab mix is always very gentle with her)

3) Will it be okay around my other cats, chickens, geese and ducks? (I have 2 house cats, and the chickens, ducks, and geese free range during the day)


I know there is almost no way to know these things when you're at the shelter, and I am always hesitant when trying to choose a dog because of these reasons. I can just hope the dog we get will work out with my other pets.

 

[Cat Water]

I have two dogs with separation anxiety. If we leave home for more than two hours, which is a regular basis living in Maine, the house is absolutely destroyed. Books, toys, and shoes that are left out or on the floor are demolished. I'm not saying you shouldn't get the dog, just be careful that you have plenty of time for him. They howl and make lots of noise when we are leaving and coming home. Once we went on vacation and left a pet-sitter. He said they paced for hours and were constantly looking out the window. Now that we have more time for them, they don't tear up everything as much. It also helps if you leave the TV on while you are gone . Go ahead and get him! Just be sure you have plenty of time for him.