Should retired first-time owners wait for a rescue dog or choose a puppy?

[Fergie51]

I am hoping for some helpful advice here as I do enjoy the questions and answers given by other mumsnetters. We are a retired couple who no longer need to look after our grandchildren daily as they are all at school etc.
We would love to have a dog in our lives as we could offer a good home with nice garden and lots of lovely walks. We are first time owners but walk our daughter’s dog regularly to help out.
We have applied to the Dog Trust and visited our local centre and had a good chat with the staff. Should we wait for a possible rescue dog or go for a puppy?
I have been reading lots about different breeds and my head is now bursting with too many pros and cons!
Any advice would be welcome.

You don't want a puppy. You think you want a puppy because they are so cute, but they are so much work. Its honestly like having a newborn in the first three months.

Find a rescue that needs a good home where they will be treated lovingly and fed and taken care of. The love you get in return is worth it.

Good luck.

What are your concerns with rehoming? And same question about buying a puppy?
Also, what kind of dog are you drawn to?
Any complications other than presumably visiting grandchildren and daughter's dog?

Why would you need to wait for a rescue dog? Have you got specific requirements? Puppies are a lot of work and very high energy, and obviously live longer than older dogs. Even if you go for a puppy you should wait for one from a rescue if you are able to

Absolutely rescue. You can’t guarantee what you are getting with puppies now even with KC registered breeders. So many dogs stuck in rescue need a good home.

Mumsnet isn’t the best place for advice on this. Rehoming is a very popular suggestion but be wary if you go down this route. Research your rehoming centre thoroughly and be prepared to ask some searching questions.

I’ve had a miniature poodle from a puppy and she’s been amazingly easy. On Mumsnet there’s a lot of talk about how difficult puppies are and I feared the worst. However my poodle was very quick with housetraining. This is definitely partly down to the breeder. The puppies lived in the house with their mother and the breeder had started housetraining them. They were all crate trained so I carried on with that.

Poodles aren’t known for chewing and my poodle hasn’t chewed anything. She settled very quickly at night. Once fully vaccinated she went off the lead, where safe. She loves a run round, is sociable with other dogs but frequently checks where I am. She’s 100% on recall.

Im totally biased towards rescues. Ive had two (a cat and a dog) and theyve both been freeking adorable. No baby stage is a big plus for me.

You can’t guarantee what you are getting with a rescue. I tried a rescue and it really upsets me that it didn’t work out. The rescue centre asked for £100 donation which I gladly gave. They weren’t entirely honest about the dog’s past. When I returned her, it turned out that mine was the fifth home she’d been to. She was a lovely dog with many issues. She wasn’t housetrained but I was ok with that but after two weeks we hadn’t made any progress. She guarded doorways and wouldn’t let me or DH walk through. She ran around the house like a mad thing, spilling drinks on us, leaping onto the beds and refusing to get off. I just felt completely overwhelmed by her behaviour.

I had a rescue puppy, twice so you could do both. However now I’m older and not yet retirement age I don’t think I could cope with having puppies again.

Thank you so much for quick replies. You have all given sound advice and asked questions which are food for thought. We are being careful with our choice of breed and have stated to the trust about a dog being good in the company of a 6 year old. Lovely dogs need rescuing but only suitable for older or secondary children. I suppose more patience is needed and will be well worth the wait.

We had a puppy from dogs trust. The litter was taken in at 3 days old. I’d forgotten how time consuming it is to have a puppy. I wouldn’t advise it! If I was doing it again, I’d go for an older dog.

I wouldn't get a puppy.

A retired greyhound is a lovely dog. They don't need a lot of walking and are very loving.

Ps Definitely will take your advice regarding buying a puppy!

People say puppies are too much work. But
Training a pup is alot easier than retraining a badly trained adult dog.

Focus on what breed is best for you. You will need to train any dog you get, puppy classes are perfect for you a sits socialisation and training

I’ve had both. Our puppy came home, trained easily and was wonderful for 15 years. She still chewed things in her puppy phase and did unmentionably disgusting things during her life.

Our current rescue dog was just under a year when we got him & he’d had a very unsettling start. His character is lovely but he has some residual anxiety issues, which we’ve never got on top off.

My friend’s rescue dog was 11. She was a lovely placid old lady who just wanted to be loved. She was no bother at all and lived for 3 years.

Neither was a better or worse choice. Some dogs are easier than others. The choice is much more about which dog fits you best.

What size dog can fit in your house or car? Where can you go for walks? What will you do when you’re away? Etc.

As you’re retired, be realistic about your capabilities as you get older. Will you still be able to manage a high energy dog in 10 years time and, if not, can you afford to pay a walker? That’s much more likely to give you the right dog, than rescue vs puppy.

My best friends in this situation went for a puppy.

They have not a clue about dogs and how to train them, and the dog is now a liability. I believe, while they love the dog, they have strong regrets.

Just avoid rescues that ship them in from abroad. Most are either street dogs or come from kill shelters, either way they are very likely to have complex issues. I speak from experience as we had a rescue dog from abroad and were not told the truth about him. We loved him but his needs had not been disclosed and we just couldn’t help him. Broke our hearts as he had to go back to the rescue.
In an ideal world I would suggest you try and find a rescue that knows their dogs, has them in a foster home so you can see their personality, and will allow you a 2 week trial. Obviously 2 weeks is not long enough to form a true bond or allow them to truly settle, but any obvious issues will come to light and you will have a good idea if you want to commit. Good luck!

We were first time owners and went for a puppy. Best thing we ever did, she’s fantastic but you need to be prepared to put the training in. The training is primarily for you, the dog will not be magically trained unless you are willing and consistent. We’re bringing home our second puppy in a few weeks and very much looking forward to it.

A relative had a rescue dog. It had all sorts of anxiety and neuroses. I hated going to their house, to be growled at, and we stopped visiting. It wrecked our relationship with the owner.
Be careful what you are getting.

Rescues can be absolutely amazing and sounds like you could give one a brilliant forever home. One of our best and most intelligent dogs was a rescue ( border collie cross) really handsome chap everyone said so. He’d had 6 homes before we got him and we were determined we would be his forever home. He lived happily with us til he died age 13.

He always had some problems as he’d clearly been through some horrendous times. We spent a fortune on him when older as his bones and joints weren’t great (vet thought poor nutrition at an early age) operations, hydrotherapy etc. No regrets he was faithful, loyal and loving. We always wondered what he’d have been like if we’d had him from being a puppy though.

You really don’t know what you are taking on though and rescue centres don’t always know the background. Some might be there because an owner is ill or died, others may have been abandoned or abused. They can resource guard, be reactive or bite if they feel threatened or startled.
Most rescue centres have rules around ages of children so if your Grandchildren visit this might be a factor.

Our current dogs we’ve had from puppies ( 2 years apart) and yes the early weeks are tough but if you do your research on how much exercise, grooming etc needed you can be prepared.
Puppy training classes are a great idea. Do your research on choosing a puppy and avoiding puppy farms/ unscrupulous breeders.
You can get more specific advice on here.

I can see issues with both. I have never had a puppy, but have heard that they are hard work. But surely, that would depend on the breed? I would recommend a Parsons Jack Russel. My inlaws had one. They great little dogs and not too much hassle as a puppy (not compared to the next one they got a kelpie!).

A rescue dog is really hit and miss. Especially if you are not experienced with dogs.

Our dog is a rescue, 99% obedient and just a love bucket (very affectionate!). However, we are his second family. Dh is very experienced with dogs, which is just as well. Out of the blue a few issues arose, which an inexperienced dog owner would not have been able to sort.

Oh, and please don't get a dog that yaps,
Thanks,
Your neighbours.

It’s people that allow a dog to yap.

Rescuing is great.

Would I get a rescue, given how dishonest/foolish, some rescues can be about behavioural issues in the dogs they're trying to re-home when I have a 6 year old? (Which you've referenced above). No. I'd rather tap-dance naked across the sahara.

Would I trust Dogs Trust specifically? No. I trust them about as much as I'd trust Putin to negotiate a peach deal with Ukraine.

Getting a puppy is great.

Would I get a puppy with a 6 year old around given how awful the buggers can be? Maybe. Depending on the breed of dog and how savvy the 6 year old is.

I’d definitely look at rescue first. You may get a lovely dog that hasn’t had a bad upbringing but the owner’s changed job/died and the dog needs a new home. The obvious one is dog’s trust but depending where you live there might be smaller rescues.

If you have a breed in mind there are breed specific rescues too.

Mumsnet isn’t the best place for advice on this. Rehoming is a very popular suggestion but be wary if you go down this route.

I am always surprised when people post statements like this. I see MN as more pro buying a puppy than rehoming a dog. Loads of warnings about rehoming dogs too (some justified). I don't think anyone can really offer any helpful advice though as there is so little info to go on. You need to tell us more, OP!