been thinking a lot recently about my decision to get a dog from a breeder and...

[AllergicToNutters]

and am now seriously considering a rescue dog instead. Your thoughts?

Allergic had a look on that site you mentioned, love scruffy Ben and Harriet is gorgeous. And Susie. And Rua would fit in just nicely with us. Oh and look at those GSD puppies! And Bobby is so cute. And Zaf...

Just as well they're all in Sussex and I am far away. I'd love another dog - but can't at the moment. Some of the stories are so sad, dogs should be another family member, disappointing to see so many needing forever homes.

TwoIfbySea =- thye are gorgeous aren't they? I cannot do anything right now as we have a three week holiday in July so it wouldn;t be fair. Hence why I was waiting for litters due in Sept time. I hope a lovely little dog is waiting for me in a rescue around then.....

I've had pure breeds as puppies, rehomed pure breeds as adults and had a mutt from the RSPCA. Friends just got a terrier from a rescue who, quite frankly, is psycho - although to read the info from the rescue you wouldn't think it. It's the only dog my dcs have been snapped at by and they say the only one they don't like. They got it from a reputable rescue where it had been in kennels for a few months, but displayed different behaviour (aggressively guarding my friend) once rehomed. Of course she's now bonkers about it and is spending a fortune on a dog shrink

If you have a chance to get one from a rescue like Many Tears then they are in foster homes and you would get a much better sense of how it behaves in a home situation and with other dogs - most of the foster carers have quite a few dogs at any one time. I do think it's hard to assess temperament when a dog is kenneled on its own.

Enjoy the new addition to the family!

I had a rescue dog from a big, well-run centre but they knew nothing about him. He was very very hard work for over a year and I'm afraid I'd never repeat the experience. Dogs are in rescue centres for a reason, usually neglect so they have never been socialised or taught anything.

Mine was down as 'needing an experienced owner'. Yes, she was hard work to start with - she got me up every night in the early hours. She wouldn't go in the garden if the door was shut. She didn't know how to approach other dogs... which meant lots of running away to 'somewhere safe' which meant crashing into our legs as she didn't bother with the brakes. She needed a lot of exercise. She didn't walk to heel and pulled.

However, you wouldn't think that to see her now. (Although she now appears disobedient because she's got rather deaf, and slightly loopy with it )

I doubt that we could have got such a perfect dog if we'd picked 'the perfect' puppy.

catsrus and outmnday - oh dear. That does worry me a bit. When I first started reserching a dog for our home I considered different breeds, researched breeders, puppy farms etc. I had my mind and heart set on a lab/retriever dog from a reputable breeder. My reasons were that I did not want to bring a largeish dog into our home when it was aleady fully grown isywim. That is why I was looking at puppies, so my children could 'grow' with it. Then I saw a lot about rescues on here and a prog on TV which featured dogs in rescues and it did change my whole perpsective on dog ownership and make me want to do something to help by rehoming a dog. there are lots of rescue advocates on here adn i can totally see wehre they are coming from. BUt I also need to know that there can be a downside so I can weigh up the positives and negatives. Now I am in a quandry again. I am not an experienced dog owner and absolutely would not risk bringing an aggressive or difficult dog into our home because I don't think i would want to cope with that as that is not what I want for our family.........

Our fostered greyhound was by far the easiest and most gentle dog we have ever had. She went to first time owners and will be ideal for them.

Ours had one accident when she'd forgotten about housetraining and was fine thereafter - so there are definitely swings and roundabouts.

i wouldn't care about housetraining accidents with either a puppy or rescue dog. i totally expect that from either. I am not worried about the training either. My friend just got a rescue lab x pointer from rescue (she was planning on getting puppy from a breeder but her brother works for rescue so she got rescue instead). The dog is stunning , about a year old they think, totally chilled considering she was tethered outside for most of her life . But she is very very quiet indoors (prob as a result of being ingnored all day in her previous life), but once outside she goes bonkers. Absolutely bonkers! She runs like she has never been allowed to run before - whcih she probably hasn't. she runs for the sheer joy of it but yesterday, she ran off and they spent 3 hours standing in the rain yelling her name and frantically asking around the local houses trying to find her. Now she is back she is a quivering wreck and unresponsive to their kindness. My friend swears this is because she is a rescue dog . It has not put me off but it does concern me
doin - i see you are a lover of greyhounds which is great, but they don;t appeal to me really. they sound scrummy and very quirky! but I am not keen on the look of them. I like chunky, solid looking dogs. They're my favourite

mistlethrush - I missed your first post - soz. You sound like a dedicated dog owner. I do feel a bit in awe of those of you who take a 'troubled' dog in and turn them around with your patience and kindness. i would love to be like that. I really would. I do think I am a bit dog obsessed at the moment. Lord above knows what I will be like when i own one!! I will treat it like a god!

Current one not at all troubled - really was a perfect dog for us - yes had to put the work in at the start, but really not a problem.

The two collie crosses that were family dogs before this one were troubled in different ways - first one we got at 10 months and she'd been really badly treated - but became a wonderful, if exuberant dog. 2nd one we got when 1st was 3 to try to help with meeting other dogs (1st hadn't been socialised at all) and that did help - but she was a mixture that I wouldn't recommend to anyone - terrier collie cross (at least, that's what she ended up looking like) - imagine a long-legged, very intellegent jack russle and you're about there). The two ended up getting along really well and played a lot together (hours a day in the garden) but one had been so badly treated that she was frightened of children for hte rest of her life (but learned to simply get out of the way) and the other had a very short fuse so couldn't be trusted an inch. We were her 3rd home when she was only 4 months old.

Allergic- when you find your perfect dog, you won't care about housetraining accidents. My beloved 4 year old Westie had an upset tummy yesterday and pooped all over the carpet. I cleaned it up with a smile on my face; she's never done that before (even as a pup) and must have been pretty desperate to do so . Incidentally, my carpet actually looks better than it did before (yay, steam cleaner!).

I think it's really cool that you want to rescue. I say, go for it! I think I recall you saying that you don't have DCs yet? I'd say that makes you an ideal rescuer (not that you can't rescue with kids...depends on your personality and lifestyle). Good Luck!

messy - I do have two children, a 6 yr old and a teen. Not at all worried about poos and wees. We have wooden floors and a mop!

I wasn't a fan of them until very recently. I felt the same as you, far too skinny and weedy for me. Take a closer look next time you see one. They're actually pure muscle and about as far from weedy as you can get.

I used to think they were quite ugly dogs but once you get to know the breed they are strong, graceful and elegant, apart from when they are on their back legs akimbo in the air. There's nothing graceful about that

You don't have to get a greyhound to have a good experience with a rescue. Just make sure you go to somewhere reputable and allow them to guide you to your perfect dog. Be completely honest with them about your circumstances and what you could and couldn't cope with. There are no wrong answers its important for the rescue to know exactly what you are expecting and are able to provide.

Good luck with whatever you decide. You have put a lot of thought into it. Im sure you will make an excellent dog owner. If only everyone put so much thought into it, there wouldn't be half so many dogs in rescue

I wish we could get a dog. We would all love one but both of us work and it wouldn't be fair on the animal
But I would most certainly get a rescue if I could.

Oops. Apologies, Allergic.

I was not a fan of greyhounds and whippets either. In fact whenever someone said they were thinking of adopting one I would say: "Yuck, no". However, when we lost our Cocker Spaniel we wanted something completely different dog-wise. We looked at our circumstances / lifestyle and kept coming round to the fact that a grey would fit best.
So we trotted of to the greyhound rescue. OMG - I had been so so wrong! They are stunning, beautiful wise faces, knowing, kind eyes, the softest ears I had ever touched, the lovely way they lean into you (their version of a cuddle) and their graceful long legs. Personality wise they are so gentle, calm, loving, and as daft as a brush. (As someone at the greyhound trust once jested: "When God was giving out brains this lot were out chasing rabbits")
Dooin is right, they are pure muscle, not weedy and weak as I had previously assumed. So when in good condition they look beautiful, sleek, muscely and shiny :-)
We went to the kennel open day at the trust we got our Pointy one from. Over 30 greys and other pointy dogs in one place and virtually no barking, growling, pouncing or other madness. Just lots of calm, placid dogs, enjoying being cuddled, patted and being fed tidbits
We ended up not adopting a grey purely because in one of the kennels, hidden away between the greys was a little whippet cross who picked my then 11 year old ds to become his new owner. So that was that!

But I know myself that once whippety boy is no longer, and the dc have moved out, dh and I will only ever have greys! (unless I can smuggle dog number two into the family sooner)

This is a really lovely poem that is so true and puts it into words so well

I didn?t really want you,
I wasn?t really sure,
And I?ll admit I had my doubts,
When you came through that door.

Not small, or cute, or fluffy,
With big, soft puppy eyes,
But tall, and thin, and bony,
With bald, pink, bulging thighs.

You weren?t the kind I had in mind,
Not in any way,
?Perhaps it would be better if I took you back today,
Before we know each other,
It really won?t be kind,
To keep you here for one more day,
And then to change my mind.?

But against my better judgement, I decided you could stay,
And quickly I discovered you were kind in every way,
Your gentleness and patience, they really stole the show,
?Why these dogs are wonderful, I must let others know!?

For You?re my gentle giant,
Who just needed the chance,
To show us all what you could be,
To wipe away that history,
And dispel our preconceptions, which put us all to shame,
And so we come to know and love,
What lies beneath that frame.

And now I?ve come to understand,
What I missed right at the start,
That greyhounds need that great big chest,
To house their great big hearts.

If you want a rescue retriever type then talk to Jemima at Black Retriever X rescue . She is the TV producer who did the "pedigree dogs exposed" show that made the BBC drop Crufts and created such waves that full Vet checks now have to be done on winners there. She runs the rescue alongside her 'day job' and I know my next dog will come from them

thanks for that catsrus - she is very far away from Brighton though.

Allergic - she's even further away from me, but I would certainly consider going there to get the 'right fit' for my family... and I could easily see two or three of those on the website fitting in perfectly (apart from the resident incumbent who might feel rather peeved.

If you want the right dog you might have to travel :) I've done huge trips to go to see breeders (Manchester to Watford for my second dog) and than back again to pick up the pup....

In dog collecting terms it's actually not that far from Brighton really!

Allergic I have had seven rescues, non have come from anywhere that assessed them and six have been giant 70kg+ dogs. Am more knowledgeable than I was but no real expert. Always manage to get a new one when children are tiny or am pregnant although firmly believe 14 months to 3.5 are the danger years:) Despite this they hav all worked out.

From my viewpoint your children are able to be safe and sensible, you can take time to find a dog with good reviews and start off calmly. There are lots of great rescue dogs, there are lots who are great except for their quirk... The hardest bit is staying sensible and not expecting too much. It's tempting to offer them too much stimulation and not enough quiet time and straight forwRd lead walks at the start.

Your friend probably did too much too soon...I do this too! Recall is tough so you start in contained areas, then fields all the time working on their focus being you as opposed to them racing like loons then being expected to stop and return.

Pups can grow into unexpected creatures sometimes. A friend who is experienced and who researched breeders etc got a pup, did socialisation etc but still got an adult bitch who was sometimes very aggressive. Not a fear issue rather a resource issue she was fab but the most alpha imperious madam imaginable. Others have had dogs attacked whose personalities have changed... It isn't all entirely predictable. If yu can view the first six months of a rescue as 'puppyhood' I find it helps.

Three of my seven were the easiest imaginable, four had ishoos but were adorable in other ways. Of the tricky ones one had over 5 previous homes, one 3, one was battered malnourished burnt and had never been indoors, one had never been outdoors. They weren't ever likely to be easy. You can certainly stack the odds in your favour.

splash - I think you sound amazing. I am in awe . really. What a great tip, treat teh first six months as a rescue dog's puppyhood. i will carry that little gem when we get ours. 5 homes??!??!?! ., another battereed and burnt and not fed? Fuck these horrid 'owners'. I mean why? It is horrid. I think you are the Mother Theresa of teh dog world [thanks}

AllergicToNutters, when we were looking for our dog (rescue) we kept an eye on 'PupsNeedingHomes' which is in Sussex

I would ask a rescue to help you find a calm, easy dog regardless of breed, tbh - if you go for a dog that is in foster care, the foster 'parents' will know all about the individual's temperament, how they are with other dogs, children, livestock etc etc.

We did this (with Many Tears, in the end - who also have rescue dogs fostered in Sussex, by the way) and have what we thought was a lab cross named Mouse.

Mouse got dna tested by nosey dh and turns out to be retriever/staffy/allsorts and is now 1 year old and as easy as they come. He will play like a loon with other dogs when out, or with the kids when they're willing, but will also cuddle on the sofa, sleep for Britain, and eat anything you throw his way.

He only has one vice, really, which happens to be chasing rats (on Common): I am thinking of hiring him out as a Professional Ratter....