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Original poster

Anyone considering getting a dog?

29 replies

northernrefugee39 · 23/12/2007 16:08

We just got back from a dog rescue centre because or their Xmas pressie from my Mum- my two youngest daughters wanted to sponsor a dog which they could visit.
We found a small rescue centre who need all the money they can get.
There were some gorgeous dogs there- one who had been there 4 yrs- and call me soft but it broke my heart!
They get alot from the Dogs Trust- a big charity- because they're too ugly or not photogenic enough....
I anyone's considering getting a dog - please think of rescues!
We have a rescue already- and she's not fab with other dogs- tho' we may try getting another to go with her as she's older and better behaved than she was.

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FlllightAttendant · 23/12/2007 16:13

Am considering it very hard atm, but new baby so will wait...I want a rescued one too.

How old should ds's be?

Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 23/12/2007 16:23

Hi flight- I think it's lovely for kids to grow up with animals- it really teaches them alot about nurture and also responsibility.Also- it's meant to help them have immunity to things like ahsma and excema.
My three kids- eldest just 13- are really good at cleaning out and feeding etc- it makes them feel grown up to be responsible for a living thing.
The rescue centres are usually very good at telling you which dog is good for young kids/families.
They come and check you out with home visits and stuff- Isuppose hey don't want to make a wrong decision and have the dog back.

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coby · 23/12/2007 16:26

When we can afford to have a dog again we will be getting one from a rescue centre. IME it's a very rewarding thing to do and you never know what kind of dog you're going to end up with as they choose you (not the other way round)

purpleduck · 23/12/2007 16:37

LOve LOve digs, we have 2 rescued ones.
?

Did I read the OP right? Some of the smaller rescue centres get dogs from the dogs trust? How strange is that

Millarkie · 23/12/2007 22:52

We would love to have a dog but there are no people in our house between 9am and 3pm so I guess it's not to be I also find it strange that the Dogs Trust re-home their dogs with the smaller (and I guess, more hard-up) centres!

Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 24/12/2007 08:26

Yes- the Dogs Trust apparently pass on the uglier more difficult to home dogs to this particular rescue centre. Isn't that sad?

What kind of dogs are yours Purple?
We have a lurcher/lab cross- ( who was described as a Patterdale terrier- which is a SMALL dog- ours is quite big, but gorgeous)

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Freckle · 24/12/2007 08:51

Both our dogs are rescued dogs. We've had the elder (about 7.5 years old) for about 4.5 years now and he's fab. The younger, who is 9 months, we've had for 4 months. She's great fun and the boys adore her.

However, having just got up to diarrhoea spread all over the hall this morning, I'm wondering why we've got them...... It was the elder dog, not the puppy who was shut in another room.

ImdreamingofaGROUCHYxmas · 24/12/2007 08:59

We were thinking of turkey ourselves

CountryGirl2007 · 25/12/2007 11:58

Millarkie, I wouldn't let that put you off, you'd still be home early in the day with plenty of time left for walkies etc, I'm sure a dog would rather have a good home where he had to be alone for a few hours instead of no home at all, you could consider adopting 2 dogs to keep each other company, there are often pairs of dogs looking for homes together, or if you didn't want 2 dogs there are plenty of things to keep a dog entertained for a few hours, kong toys, treats, chews etc. some just sleep! mine do, I leave treats for them but they just sleep while I'm not at home lol.

Millarkie · 26/12/2007 16:10

Countrygirl - thanks for that. I need the advice of some dog experts. I was under the impression that dogs won't be rehomed unless there is someone to be at home with them.

TheChristmasFaggot · 26/12/2007 16:26

We spent almost a year looking for a rescue dog (including the Dog Trust in Shoreham, which was the NCDL then) but nobody had anything suitable for us because we had small children. The hundreds of securely fenced acres, permanently occupied house and 30 odd years of dog-ownership, including some 'challenging' rescues, that we were offering didn't count. How sad for the dogs that we could have taken in.

Good luck to anyone trying to get a rescue, perhaps the regulations have changed in the 7 years since we tried.

oxocube · 26/12/2007 16:27

We have a rescue dog, got him just over 3 years ago, aged 2. He's part lab, part greyhound (we think) and is very sweet. He was hard work at first as he couldn't be left alone AT ALL but gradually, we left him for 1 minute, 2, 3, 5 etc and now he's like any normal family dog and is okay for 3 or 4 hours alone.

I agree totally that it changes kids to grow up with animals. We have a dog, 3 cats, a hamster and numerous fish and all 3 of my kids are very responsible regarding their animals, walking, cleaning out etc. If we plan to do anything, eg a trip to my parents, a day out, their first reaction is 'what about the dog?'

Millarkie · 26/12/2007 17:01

TheChristmasFaggot - I've just looked through the 'dogs available' on the Dogs Trust website and none of the many that I looked at, were suitable for families with children (some suitable for teenagers but not under 10s)..so it looks like the situation hasn't changed.
I've found the details of a local dog rescue who have some 'family friendly' dogs on their list - but will have to contact them after the holiday to find out what their definition of family is!

Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 26/12/2007 19:17

TheChristmas- I agree with Millarkie- we had a nearly 2 yr old, 4 and 6 yr old when we started looking for a rescue dog- and in the end we found her at a small local rescue centre.

Like oxo- she was hard work- and took a couple of years to settle into a gorgeous dog.

But this place we went to last Sunday- called Plantation Dog Rescue near York if anyone's interested- had quite a few suitable for younger kids... but they were considered ugly.

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Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 26/12/2007 19:18

oxo- I don't mean You are hard work
sorry!

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oxocube · 26/12/2007 19:26

northernrefugee39! Have never posted any photos here before but will try to put one on my profile tomorrow of my dog. He is a lot of work (aren't they all if cared for properly) but worth it

Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 26/12/2007 19:39

oxo- you know- I'm just so crap I still don't download my pics- my 13 yr old daughter does it for me.
And I just got her old ipod for xmas- as she got a new one- and I can't put songs on- so am having to listen to stuff like Mika-euugh!

Our dog is a lurcher lab supposedly- although they said she was a patterdale terrir- lol- she's huge...

Would love to see your pics- and I'll try and learn how to do pics myself soon....

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oxocube · 26/12/2007 19:45

Actually, when I say I'll try to post some photos, I actually mean I will ask my 12 year old ds to do it LOL re the ipod, mobile phone downloads etc - I don't have a clue yet ds just laughs.

Maybe you could help me determine our dog's breed. We were told lab and 'something', we're thinking maybe greyhound but possibly lurcher.

MulledWino · 26/12/2007 19:47

Sometimes I want a dog so badly it actually hurts. Find myself smiling into the happy faces of random labrador types.. never did I imagine a prolonged period of my life with no dog in it. But can't have one. Unless I re-home DS2!

southeastastra · 26/12/2007 19:48

i'd love a dog. i wasn't allowed one when i was little.

i knocked on neighbour's doors and badgered them to let me take their dog for a walk. only one did . still want one. rabbits aren't really the same.

oxocube · 26/12/2007 20:15

Its funny - I always loved animals and craved a dog when i was at home but was never allowed one. We had a cat and 2 fish but it didn't satisfy my 'animal lust'. When I first left home, I had loads of cats (7 at one point, mostly strays) and now, 20 years on, we have 3 cats, a dog, numerous fish and a hamster.

My friend, who grew up with every animal imaginable including dd's dream of her own horse, doesn't want any animals now. She says she worked through her animal passion and now doesn't need pets in her life anymore. Her kids think my kids are so lucky!

southeastastra · 26/12/2007 20:21

7 cats! blimey

i wil one day get a dog as you will you oxo.

oxocube · 26/12/2007 20:25

Got mine a couple of years ago SEA Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

7 cats, but the place bloody stank. Spent a hell of a lot of money I didn't have on cat food and vets bills I loved them all but I think I was raving, looking back on it

Original poster

northernrefugee39 · 27/12/2007 10:46

oxo- I was like you as a student- had loads of cats.
Our 3 dd's are animal mad - we have , a dog, 12 guineapigs ( we have a large walk-in run where they're free range- so the girls keep rescuing lonely ones from pet shop) 2 hamsters, and two corn snakes. We have also had rats ( which are nice actually- very intelligent, but smell) and gerbils.
To be honest- I don't really like the indoor ones- and have nothing to do with the snakes although they're fairly inoffensive.
When we moved north from London- we promised the girls animals......

OP posts:

cornsilk · 27/12/2007 10:59

I would love a dog but we have a house rabbit - can't move him back into a hutch now. Would a dog be okay with that?

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