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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

Rescue dog just before xmas - what would you do?

39 replies

Titsywoo · 04/12/2015 10:44

My family have been wanting to get a rescue dog for several years but have waited until we owned our own home and then until we had finished refurbishing it until we went ahead. We really wanted an english bulldog so put our names down at the Bulldog Rescue centre a while ago as they say it can take a year or two to get a dog homed with you. But one has come up - she is apparently a lovely girl, good with kids and happy to be home alone which is good as I work part time 3 days a week. She is an ex-breeding bitch and has been at the rescue kennel for 6 months. She is an older dog at 7 but we would love to give her a forever home for the time she has left. We are having our homecheck next week then we should be able to meet and hopefully collect her soon after that.

The dilemma is this. Xmas is coming up and although we are mainly at home there will be about 10 of us at our house on xmas day and we are also having a New Years eve party with adults and kids. On the 29th we are travelling to my parents 50 miles away for lunch so will likely be out for 10-12 hours. I am concerned that this is too much for the dog while settling in and I'm not sure what to do with her on 29th. We can't take her with us as my parents live where they work and dogs are not allowed (plus my parents hate animals). We can have my MIL and neighbour pop in several times to see her, walk her, let her out in the garden. But I don't know exactly what she will be like when left alone so it seems a risk. DH however thinks we should get her as soon as possible and she should be settled in that time.

WWYD? Thanks :)

OP posts:

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Titsywoo · 04/12/2015 10:44

Sorry I didn't say the other option is seeing if we can wait until the New Year to collect her.

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aginghippy · 04/12/2015 11:06

Talk it over with the person who comes to do the home check. They may be able to help, suggest alternatives and/or put your mind at rest. IME they are very experienced and will have the best interests of the dog in mind.

When my rescue dog came to us it was during the summer and we had a (non-dog) holiday booked. Ddog came to us for a few weeks, went to a foster carer while we were away and then back home to us.

She sounds lovely btw

Aliiiii · 04/12/2015 12:26

Ooooh lucky lucky you!
BDR are very experienced so have a chat with them
Please post a pic, they are such wonderful dogs
Here's one of our girl-surprisingly awake for a change!!

Rescue dog just before xmas - what would you do?

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 04/12/2015 12:37

She sounds lovely. Talk it over with the rescue. It might be easier to pick her up on 1st jan but the rescue centre may feel she is better out of kennels and with you, even with the upheaval going on. If you moved the homecheck to asap she would have a couple of weeks to settle in before Chritsmas day bedlam begins.

Titsywoo · 04/12/2015 13:52

Well the homecheck was supposed to be yesterday but the person broke down on the way! So looks like it will be Monday. Yes I think we will talk to them but I think dh is thinking better at home with us than in the kennels for Xmas.

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Dieu · 04/12/2015 17:01

I personally don't think Christmas would be a good time at all to settle a new dog. Some dogs find a full house overwhelming at the best of times, never mind when they don't know the people. Will the rescue centre allow you to wait, do you think? I remember when we got our rescue cat, they wouldn't wait an extra day for us. Their logic was that if we didn't snap him up, someone else would! So getting him rehomed ASAP was their priority, and he had only been at the rescue centre a matter of days.
Hope it all works out for you, and all the very best (she sounds lovely)!

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 04/12/2015 18:41

Well I don't think the dog will know it's Christmas. I'd wait until the new year before you put her through the upheaval of a new home without the stress of a busy strange household and then being left alone there too. It's too much for her.

ThatsNiceDear · 04/12/2015 18:48

People wait years for a rescue bulldog. If I was your dh I'd stay at home with the dog on the 29th!

Titsywoo · 04/12/2015 22:38

That's what he said but I think my parents would be seriously offended!

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Titsywoo · 04/12/2015 22:40

The dog has been there for 6 months - I think the older ones are harder to rehome because bulldogs tend to live 7-10 years on average. My point is I'm not sure there is a huge chance of losing her if we wait a few more weeks.

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Aliiiii · 04/12/2015 23:35

Just speak to the rescue and see what they suggest
Personally I would get her asap but that's just me!

honeyroar · 04/12/2015 23:45

Personally, if I was doing a home check I'd be concerned about someone who couldn't work out a compromise to their plans over Xmas/New Year to fit a dog into the family. Or for someone who would rather their future family pet sit in kennels another three weeks for them. I've got 3 rescue dogs and from the moment I decided that I wanted each of them I started working out how to reshuffle plans so that it worked for us and the dogs. Surely there could be a quiet corner at Xmas for the dog, who may well be fine by then anyway. And I'd shelf the NYE visit for one year and do something more local this year.

honeyroar · 04/12/2015 23:47

Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, just my opinion..

Dieu · 04/12/2015 23:51

Yes, would you be able to cancel/postpone some of the stuff you have on, such as the lunch at your parents'?

LeaLeander · 04/12/2015 23:58

I tend to agree with honeyroar. Either you are going to amend your lifestyle to accommodate a dog or not.

If the dog can stay cozy in your bedroom on Xmas Day, that shouldn't be a huge problem. New Year's Eve might or might not work depending on the noise level, etc.

The lunch why must you be gone 12 hours? 50 miles isn't that far leave at 11 a.m. for a12:30 lunch, two hours at lunch, back at 4:30. Or someone stay home with dog. Or parents come to you. Or you meet halfway to shorten driving time.

I adopted two rescues four years ago and since then my travel etc. has been curtailed more than I would like, but that is what you.

Aliiiii · 07/12/2015 09:07

Hope your home check goes ok today
Let us know how you get on with speaking to them about getting her before xmas

ThatsNiceDear · 07/12/2015 21:45

How did it go titsywoo?

Titsywoo · 14/12/2015 22:57

Sorry just rechecked this after a busy week! Homecheck was today as the lady broke down on her way to us last week and couldn't get out again until today. All went well and we passed with no issues. They were very understanding about the Xmas situation and said they will discuss with the lady at the kennels whether she thinks the dog will settle in time to be OK for Xmas. If she says yes we will pick her up on Friday.

Bit harsh on some replies there! Yes I accept I will have to fit some aspects of our lives around the new dog but this was fairly unexpected after being on the waiting list for a long time. It's not like I went out looking for a dog last week then said oh but we are a bit busy at the moment...!

I am adjusting plans but some involve other people who are looking forward to it and I'm not letting loads of people down! My parents work long hours in their business and like to see their grandchildren so we were planning on a long day there. We were going to stay for 3 days but have scaled that way down. Xmas day is fine except my mother on law usually brings her dog which was my main concern in case they don't get on.

Anyway we will see what they say and go with that.

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ThroughThickAndThin01 · 15/12/2015 03:03

I agree re harsh comments, unwarranted and unfair IMO.

Glad home check went well.

Keep us posted.

ThatsNiceDear · 15/12/2015 07:31

Really pleased for you OP, congratulations!

Titsywoo · 15/12/2015 13:45

Thank you :)

It looks like we will be picking her up on Friday! The kennel lady who has been looking after her for the last 6 months laughed when she heard our concerns and said "she will have her feet under the table in 15 mins". She appears to be a very lazy, laid back dog who sleeps a hell of a lot!

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Aliiiii · 16/12/2015 16:50

Oh fantastic!

Please post a pic when she has settled in!

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ThatsNiceDear · 16/12/2015 20:17

Yes please post a pic.

Dieu · 16/12/2015 23:13

Great news and all the best!

Titsywoo · 18/12/2015 19:07

Frankie has arrived! She is very sweet and gentle. Just constantly shadowing us at the moment. She is not off her food and is fully house trained although they said she does wet her bed a little bit at night so we got some pads. The thing concerning me is her breathing. The moment we got her in the car she was panting madly and the sound is like someone very loudly snoring. She does it most of the time. I have met many bulldogs and never heard one that sounds like this! She is quieter when asleep. What could this be? I hate to be horrible but it is already driving me mad. Dh says she is just nervous and it will settle but I'm worried she always sounds like this!

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