Adopting a dog privately - not via a rescue.

[Wellsonsea]

A friend of a friend - casual-says that she has to go back to work full time for economic reasons.( was pt )
They have a 4 year old shiz tu
dog and arranged a walker each lunchtime since she has gone back to work.
This is £15 per session and is therefore £ 300 per month .
They apparently feel this is also not good for the dog and want a home for him were he will have more company.
Are people really this selfless- if so struggle to give my dog up due to finances.
I am really tempted to adopt this dog .
The thing is they live in another town some distance from me so Id have to assess the situation on a visiting basis.

I know will have to be careful as this could be a difficult dog etc. as its without the back up of a rescue.
i will get permission to call their vet .
can i insist on returning if he does not settle .? If so how ?
what if he didnt settle .
He is 4 .
I am aware that dogs need time to adjust. Am experienced dog owner , but not of this breed.
Can anyone advise?
Have spoken to
them on phone and they sound genuine and anxious re their dog .
Ive found that they have advertised the dog for sale and i will post the link- but I have first refusal.
Please do not judge the site they have advertised on- they asked me loads of questions and sound worried.
The advise I would really appreciate please is
. what questions to ask
. how to
judge if they are genuine .
. how to assess the dog
. how to safeguard things if it breaks down( and if they say i cant return him if it breakes down- do i walk away)
On the face of it - he really is my type of dog.

https://www.pets4homes.co.uk//classifieds/yiaxatnq9-buddy-miniature-shih-tzu-calne/?pmg_source=share

Here he is .
They say dw now need s to work full time and a half hr walks at lunch by walker isnt enough and he needs a better quality of life . Reading between the lines - its a money issue.

I think this depends on your own home situation. Do you have young children for example at home?

I wouldn't recommend rehoming a dog privately if you have young children because they haven't been assessed properly.

My parents have rehomed multiple dogs privately though. I would say all the dogs needed work especially behaviour but nothing that classes and routine didn't fix quickly.

In terms of safe guarding and they refuse to have the dog back it would be a case of going to a rescue centre or breed charity.

Are you buying him or being given him?
Does he come with proof that he is healthy and a full medical record?
Have you met him?

Oh I can't imagine giving up my dog in these circumstances. That poor dog will be bereft.
Shih Tzu are a wonderful breed in my opinion.
I've got one, my previous beloved dog had to be PTS last year (cancer) she was a Shih Tzu cross.
But I feel that you'd be a better fit being known to the owner via a friend. I don't know how they can contemplate selling to a complete stranger 😔

Please give me the best advice possible to sus this out.
I am visiting the dog soon .
Thank you .

DD and her DH adopted a dog in very similar circumstances 5 years ago. Friend bought a lurcher on gumtree and was told he was fine with cats. Seller disappeared and dog spent a week trying to kill friend's cats. DD and her DH took the dog on a 2 week trial and he's been fabulous. Perfectly house trained, neutered, all vax up to date and his vet history on his chip.

Just wanted to say, it can work out.

I dont know either - but people are different.
As i said I suspect money issues.
As dw increased hours.
Not Ive not met him yet.
They have asked me so many questions and have asked that i visit over a period of 2 days so that i get to know him and them me .
They have seen photos of me and my home.
They said I sound genuine- which I am .
I am just concerned as they seem to love him as far as can tell on phone ,and worried- but seemed to be deciding early that i sound good ( my previous dog ownership etc )
I will meet them in person over a period of two days as I will need to travel to the area.
If I adopt him I will be the best owner I can - but i need to know - how? - that he is basically an ok dog without behaviour issues.
re health - they gave me the vets number - he has had no health issues and regularly wormed, jabs etc.

So how can I approach this to try and make it work?
what do i ask ? Do i ask about their circumstances?
he is being sold - which i think is fair enough.

thecatdidit

Am going to visit them in their town over a period of 2 days .

I want to take him as I like this breed and could give him a happy life

If i ask for a trial or potential return and they say no what do I do ??
I think they are genuine and I know their vet and address

thecatdidit

You said the dog will be berefit- I get that - I hope he will acclimatise . I would do my best .

Ps . From what I can tell on the phone so far they seem nice people, concerned for their dog and to get a good match .

I’ve privately adopted a couple of dogs. They’ve been great dogs. Settled in well fairly quickly. Obviously you’ve got to be prepared that it might take a good while. It’s not fair to send them back after a couple of weeks. I think if you’re taking on a “second hand” dog you have to be ready to stick out the ups and downs. The dog has already been let down once. And I’ve never paid anyone to pick up the pieces for the mess they’ve made. I certainly wouldn’t be paying £700. The last two dogs I’ve privately rehomed were both pedigree labs and I didn’t pay a penny for them. Their owners recognised a good home when they saw it (they visited) and were just happy that their dogs were going to have a happy home. The first one was with us 9 years until she died, the second has been with us 7.5 years so far.

re health - they gave me the vets number - he has had no health issues and regularly wormed, jabs etc.
Are you 100% sure it was a veterinary surgeon you spoke to? Ask for a written medical history.

The last two dogs I’ve privately rehomed were both pedigree labs and I didn’t pay a penny for them. Their owners recognised a good home when they saw it (they visited) and were just happy that their dogs were going to have a happy home.
This.

It might be that the novelty of a puppy has worn off.

Gingercar
what may the ups and downs look like - not sure what to expect.

Yes I absolutely spoke to the vets- and they read the records to me . I got the vets no of the internet- not them .

for the mess they’ve made. I certainly wouldn’t be paying £700.

I really dont think that they have made a mess by the sound of it - it sounds like they cant afford to be part time anymore

It seems normal to ask for money to be for many people - Id see it as sign commitment .

My advice is... Make sure you exchange money electronically as proof of purchase which also needs to be put in writing for a receipt. Transfer micrchip details. Get vet records transferred to your vet for continuity.

It'll take some time for dog to settle into new routine and environment but he will be fine in a good hone with you. Enjoy him

Just to clarify, exchange of money proves legal change of ownership in a court of law. Even if its just £1.

Thank you .

Just that they might not settle initially or may be a bit down. I’m sure your little guy will be fine. One of our labs was massively overweight and pulled like a train, the other had been abused in a domestic abuse household and was terrified of men. He also dribbled pee constantly- turned out to be because he was scared. But we got there in the end and he’s a happy boy now, who’s had a good life here (snoring on my feet as I write this!) It’s amazing what dogs get over. They’re amazing.

If possible over these two days you’re meeting the dog at theirs, could you take him to your house and see how it goes.
Obviously he’s not going to be comfortable right away but you might get an idea of if it could work.
When you visit, see that dogs seems happy and well cared for, groomed etc.
Quite honestly I think it will be fine, funnily enough I rescued a Shitzu privately years ago, it was from a beauticians I used to go to and Tinkerbell woukd always be sat on a chair at reception, so one week she wasn’t there, so ask why, she had started to follow customers out of the shop and couldn’t be left at home alone all day, I asked what she was going to do and she told me we’ll have to re home her, I immediately said I will have her….
She settled in fine as she got lots of company and was a great little dog, clever too.

At 20.28 you knew the number of the vet, and half an hour later have spoken to the vet? Something is a bit off with this post.

PoppySaidYesIKn
nothing fishy at all re vet .
The family told mr the name of the vet.
I looked the vet name up on line and then rang the vets
The vets then said that the owner needed to get permission to release information re dog.
Owner rang vets - gave this .
Then I rang the vets who read the medical records to me over the phone .

Vets were open tonight, between you first posting at 20.28 to say you were going to get permission, to getting it then speaking to the vets before 21.03?