Rescue or puppy?

[Lovemusic33]

Sorry, posting again. If you haven’t seen my other threads..I lost my dog almost 2 weeks ago (pts), the house isn’t the same without a dog so we would like to get another. I have been in contact will local rescues but can’t find a suitable dog. The problem being that not many of them are cat friendly and quite a few are not dog friendly. We have a cat who is in the house 75% of the time, we don’t have another dog but I have friends with dogs and would also like to be able to camp with the dog so it’s important they get on with other dogs.
One of the rescues suggested a dog but I didn’t feel it was what I was looking for.

I’m not really keen on going through the puppy stage again but on the other hand it means the dog can be trained to suit our needs. We have puppy training classes near by which we could attend, I’m just not keen on the house training, the chewing etc.. etc..

Also unsure what breed would suit us. It’s just me and 2 teens so will be mainly me looking after it. I walk a lot, we live in the countryside, we have a big garden. Whilst out today I saw a lot of dogs and the ones that caught my eye were springer spaniels, I grew up with a springer and owned when when I was younger so I know they are high energy dogs and can be slightly crazy but they also seem to be obedient and great off the lead.

Now I notice the problem of trying find a puppy, there don’t seem to be as many about due to new breeding rules and the prices seem to have tripled since I last bought one (around £1000 for a puppy), is this purely because of the new rules of micro chipping etc?

So I guess my question is....do we wait for a suitable dog from a rescue or do we buy a puppy?

Here she is. The photo doesn’t really do her justice.

Hope this doesn’t out me (if it does please keep your mouth shut).

Oh she is lovely
Had a rescue boy like this, only he was a gsd/collie cross rescue from Wales.
Turned out to be the best dog I have had, sorely missed by all the family.

Im glad you want to rescue, OP and sorry for your loss.

I am pro rescue and my opinion on the moral dilemma is this: even if you buy your puppy "ethically" it still seems wrong to support breeding for the sole purpose of pet ownership when there are so many dogs in rescue centres needing a home. Its almost like the more puppies that get bred, the more lovely dogs get put down. I wish people would stop with the "I know what i'm going to get" mindset of puppy ownership or of wanting a specific breed for looks or worse just a "cute puppy" and seriously consider a rescue. Loads of great ones, even breeed specific rescues out there.

Anyways, glad you got some good advice OP. Good luck!

Also, you do get a lot of toilet trained dogs in rescues. Our rescue lived his whole life in a kennel, never lived in a house until we adopted him and he came toilet trained. He basically was used to his kennel being his "home" and he would do his toiletting whenever he was let out into the field/pen area. We just had to teach him the house was basically his kennel, took all of a week for him to get it.

Sad to say we haven’t got the new dog. The rescue have messed me around, my kids are gutted. We were told Saturday we could have the dog if home check was ok, told they would call me sat night to arrange home check for Sunday and was told they would bring the dog with them as they were sure all would be ok. They never called me and have refused to answer my calls or return any of my messages. I am upset as we really fell for the dog and she was perfect for us (we have a huge garden, I’m at home all the time, I walk a lot and I’m experienced).

We are now looking at getting a puppy. I feel bad as I would have loved to rescue but this is the 2nd time I have had a bad experience with a rescue.

Often rescues are run by a very small staff or even volunteers.
If you buy a puppy you will have a wait too. Find a breed club. Find decent breeder. Wait for litter. (Bitches have a couple of seasons a year but shouldn’t have litter after litter.) You may also face being turned down or there not being a puppy for you. That’s the cost of doing it in a decent way.

I know wolf. I am in contact with several rescues but it seems impossible to find what we are looking for. If I go for a puppy it will be a choice of 2 breeds, both dogs I have had before, one of the breeds is pretty easy to find here the other is not as easy. I can’t decide which breed would suit us most, a part of me just wants to go with the same breed as the dog I have just lost, size wise it’s perfect, the cat may except it but the breed is stubborn and not always easy to train. The other breed is easier to train but very high energy (working dog). I want a breed that enjoys long walks but one that can also be settled and quiet at home.

It’s so hard. I waited over two years for Wolfie girl.
What about issues like grooming and health problems? Does that help with the decision? If you want a certain breed then what about a breed specific rescue?

Puppy.

I didn’t want a dog who had unknown history plus finding one that the rescue would approve us for would be hard work. I have children, an older dog and a cat!

I got my pup in Feb and don’t regret it at all. Yes, they are hard work but I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s livened up the house and my older dog. Pup knows his place with the cat (who doesn’t like dogs but has been surprisingly tolerant of the pup).

I may well choose a rescue in the future when I’m older and don’t have children and cats etc but puppy has suited us all very well. My youngest (10) and pup have a lovely bond.

Oh thats a real shame, thought was all sorted.
Still think rescue is best though, I have rescued two dogs and 4 cats and not had a problem.
Hope you have better luck anyway.

Cherry I am gutted, the rescue haven’t given me any reason, they are just ignoring any contact I make with them, when we visited all seemed good.

Wolf I have checked breed specific rescues for both breeds, the first breed doesn’t get on with cats unless introduced early on (when a puppy) so it’s hard to find one in rescue that’s cat friendly. It’s really important that it gets on with cats as my is literally glued to me all the time (more so since the dog died). I have enquired about one puppy but have not heard back, the pup is a mixed breed of the breed I want and a very similar breed.

I would prefer a mix breed and would prefer a rescue so I know what I’m getting and can walk it straight away, a pup can’t walk far for the first year due to growing bones.

Is it a small rescue? Maybe have been extra busy today, and will get back to you tomorrow, you never know
Will keep fingers crossed.

Oh no what a shame! That's awful of the rescue - especially when you were so excited and thought it was all sorted.
Gutted for you

At least you tried to rescue. And you can get a puppy knowing you did your best

I got so much grief when we bought a puppy. But every local rescue said ‘can’t be left/no cats/quiet house/no small children/experienced owners only/needs obedience training/traumatised/must take its companion dog’ or a variation
First dog. Cat in the house, small nieces visit and I work part time
However, I’d rescue NOW because I’ve got a dog and would like to save one.
But jeez. You have to justify

Rescue dogs from Romania are desperate they are on Facebook

cherry not a small rescue, one of the bigger ones here. Another person that works for them messaged me and told me the foster carer would message me yesterday afternoon but it never happened, she was meant to call me sat night but never called, I have left messages (only takes 5 seconds to reply to a text).

We never planned on rescuing a Romanian dog, I didn’t know where she had come from until after I met her, we chose the rescue as they tend to re home dogs from the uk and Ireland (not that I’m against adopting a dog from romania ). It’s one of the biggest rescues in the area so now I’m pretty limited to where I can rescue from.