I don' think I am ever going to find a rescue dog because I don't seem to meet any criteria!!!

[2T2T]

How hard is it owing a puppy?????

I will check these out. I am becoming a bit obesssed with dog rescue sites - I sleep, eat and dream dogs!

Oh I have a number of sites in favourites and check them twice a day in case anything new arrives

sherlock - me too [embarrassed]

stupid emoticons!

I do feel a bit better that its not just me - I was beginning to feel upset that someone as unsuitable as me would even consider giving an unloved dog a home....despite the 11 lovely years with the last dog who loved us to bits (we loved her back and miss her so much)

Sherlock, please have a read of what I put on your other thread, and anyone else who feels got at by rescue too, please do the same. :) Hopefully it will reassure you.

Thanks I did - I felt awful when I got off the phone but when I thought about it I realised it could be a deliberate thing to see if I would persevere.

"Theres a lovely little terrier on Pound Puppy but I would imagine they dont get on well with cats? Dont know much about them!!"

i love terriers (despite Scuttle trying to brainwash me with greyhounds ) and have two jrts as well as a collie x. most terriers require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. one of mine is fine with cats, the other one isnt.

although there are breed traits you really need to go on the individual dog and no better way to know what temperament a dog has than to rehome a rescue dog who has been assessed by experts and whose temperament is known (unlike with a 8wk old puppy)

btw i wouldnt recommend any puppy, even a rescue puppy to a family with young children as you have no way of knowing for sure what type of temperament that dog will have. yes training and socialising can dramatically limit any future difficulties but there is still a little bit of unknown. this is unknown element is eliminated when rehoming via a reputable rescue

have posted on other thread too. good luck

2T, re Dogs Trust see FAQ page here

Chick, actually I love terriers too. If I win (um, when I win) the Lottery, a lovely feisty little terrier will be part of the Scuttle pack, along with lots of elderly greyhounds, and a few deerhounds/wolfhounds.

My current dog (working on number 2) is a rescue cross - see this one for the potential for disaster with a cat that already lost one leg to a dog attack in her previous ex-feral life...

Collie - German Shepherd - probably some terrier in there to explain his stoopid ginger beard ... dog is fine with the cat - in fact he's scared of her and she hisses for his spot - he moves! Took a long time to get to that stage (a good 3-4 months) but most of the problems came from Princess PrissyPaws's side and not the woofbag!

It's a bit easier if you've got a RamboCat who will stand their ground, swipe a paw and hiss like buggery if they're pissed off (my cat does being pissed off as an art form) rather than one that will leg it and provide a good game of chase the kitty. Once the dog got the message that going up to the cat in a "wooo hoo plaaaaaaaaaaaay maaaaaaaaaate" tigger-esque bounce got him walloped on the nose by a paw and that the hissing black ball of wrath was really really not worth the effort things settled down to a truce. Dog has dog's sofa, cat has the back of the other sofa, humans... well... yeah!

I caught her cleaning his ears the other night when she thought I wasn't looking!

I couldn't do a puppy at all though!

If you want a larger dog Many Tears have lots and they rehome to people with children if the dog is right.

at Rambocat. she sounds like a great character

scuttle if when you win the lottery remember me

Ooh, am going to join this thread please - although we can't re-home until September (loft conversion, family holiday: too disruptive for new woofer). Val has already helped me hugely in preparation, but its nice to have company!

To rescue experts: we have two children, girls (they will be nearly 5 and nearly 8). We are an 'older' (ie mature and stable ) couple, SW London with good sized enclosed garden, near common and river. Vet and training classes nearby. dh works p/t, and I am at home most of the time. We have had a rescue dog before, who died aged 14 after being happy and loved - but have to admit, he was very easy - and pre-kids, too.

So any moderately active, child and dog friendly pup (any age) might be The One...I keep seeing wonderful, lovely dogs I'd like to meet but am holding back as there's no point applying until the building work and holidays are over....

hi Elibean!!!

Can I join too? We really want to get a rescue dog but have a baby and no garden and a lot of rescues just won't consider us (Battersea won't and nor will our local one), and others just never seem to have any suitable dogs within reasonable driving distance. We haven't been able to do anything very serious about it yet as we've had building works, but they are now finished. Where do you knowledgeable people think I should start? DH and I both had dogs as teenagers but wouldn't describe ourselves as experienced dog owners.

thanks Scuttle for the link.
Chickchick...- I have looked on Puppypound, I actually rang them last week adn they were really helpful, I guess persistence is the key here!
Babyreindeer - I really want a small to medium sized breed. I hav elooked on Many tears but as they seem to have a large number of ex breeding dogs/bitches that rules a large number of the pooches out. Why do the breeding bitches/dogs go blind? It sounds horrendous - makes me feel sick about the conditions they are kept in [sad

i have found a beautiful pooch - x breed small - medium sized. Being fostered in Oxford. Am waiting to hear if I have passed first muster!

Ooh! Good luck! How exciting. I thought you were waiting till September too, did I get that wrong? Fingers crossed for you

Was that Puppypound, 2T? My Mum lives in Oxford, thats not so far for us - am trying to find all the reachable rescues that consider homes with children under 5, Val gave me some great links but doesn't hurt to widen the possible search!

Does being a smoker count against you in the criteria?

no not puppypound Elibean, Friendsoftheanimal RCT. They rehome throughout UK just happens they are fostering out in Oxford. I am really waiting until September but this pooch looks so, so gorgeous. I can be flexible. My main worry was that we are going away in Aug but my parents are housesitting anyway so I could bend......................I won't get a look in anyway so it probably will still be September!

Well, you sound like a lovely dog-mum to me 2T - good luck!

thanks elibean! Am hoping to do a pooch proud! Cannot wait . Still get moments of trepidation though. Is that normal?

like the term dog-mum

i think trepidation is a normal feeling to have. after all it is something you have put a lot of thought into.

2T - why dont you print off these threads? you come across as so caring and i am sure once you have gotten to know any potential homecheckers/rescues they will be impressed by how much you have thought about this

resurrectionbychocolate - firstly, love the name . afaik smoking doesnt count against you