Am I going to have to get a puppy?

[Ellabella222]

Missing out on rescues left, right and centre. My daughters are 10, 12 and 14 And any rescue I find who is child friendly is snapped up. It’s very disheartening and I feel I will never find a dog. Been looking for months.

Thinking that in order to get a suitable one we will need to accept we need to buy ourselves to a puppy. Is this really the only way?Never thought rescue dogs would be in short supply!

[MaryLennoxsScowl]

Puppies are little bitey bastards - good job they’re so cute and cuddly and funny! Mine was fairly easy to housetrain but a terrible mouther - I’ve met ppl who say their puppy hardly nipped or chewed anything but wasn’t housetrained for months, so it really varies. It’s like having a naughty toddler for quite a while but they do get easier. I found puppy classes were really helpful in reminding you to keep up with training and in supporting any issues you might have. Look for a puppy class teacher who does positive training methods (no dominance/pack behaviour nonsense or ‘discipline’), and it may be worth budgeting to stay in classes until the puppy is a teenager (6 months to a year old) as they often behave badly as teens too and training new things helps. It’s also worth noting that you can’t leave a tiny puppy alone for long (mine howled if I went to the loo!) so any evening-weekend plans you may have had might be cancelled for a while - like lockdown, only with a little furry monster to play with!

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I'd never buy a puppy online: I would always see the litter with the dam. But I sure as hell would be happy to find a puppy online. And then I'd check everything out: FB friend the breeder, double check phone numbers and addresses, look up KC info for a pedigree, and so on.

'Good breeder' is one of those terms that gets flung about as though the definition is set in stone. But it isn't. As I've said before, there is a ranking of breeders from the truly dreadful (stinking sheds full of filthy exhausted bitches churning unsocialised litter after unsocialised litter) through clean but nonetheless commercial facilities where the dogs are not properly treated, to clueless pet breeders, to thoughtful pet breeders (proper vet care, careful to avoid inbreeding, maybe a health-tested stud, sell with a contract, keep in touch), to very well-informed and experienced breeders who show or work their dogs and breed for health and temperament.

Does a good breeder move the litter from house to stable at 6 weeks? IME, a good breeder certainly can, but some would disagree. And so on.

StampyMc that is an excellent point about the gap between dog/no dog being greater than the gap spaniel/schnauzer. Once you've had dogs for a decade or two, and have settled on the working line of a gundog breed, it's easy to forget that you have more in common with the owner of a bichon frise than with someone who has never owned a dog at all.

[Wolfiefan]

Better to ignore those people who tell you to buy online. It’s not impossible to buy a puppy from a good breeder. But it’s not easy.

[MintyJones]

Totally ignore @wolfiefan OP - they have a lot of previous form for this sort of nonsense when the reality is they've bought two dogs known for having a short lifespan from a breeder. So really maybe we could berate them for not rescuing?

We don't though because that would be ... unhelpful

[StampMc]

I totally understand what you mean about not being fussy about breed. I never considered a puppy from a breeder because I’m uncomfortable with the whole industry. I get that certain dogs are needed to work and some pet owners have certain preferences aestheticly or lifestyle wise but most people who want a companion dog can be matched with an awful lot of dogs. Especially if they don’t focus on looks and image. All dogs need exercise - most need moderate exercise and a decent rescue would tell you if a dog needed 6 hours of lead walking a day or if they refused to leave the house . Lots of dogs need a daily brush and a monthly trip to the groomers but this is not beyond the wit of most people. All dogs need veterinary treatment, food and care without there being an enormous variation between breeds. All dogs need training- there are no magic pre trained dogs although some may need more attention than others. It’s the gap between dog and no dog that is big, not the gap between spaniel and schnauzer. Medium sized, medium energy companion animal leaves a lot of doors open.

[Ylvamoon]

@Ellabella222 - take @Wolfiefan with a pinch of salt! She does have some good advice, but she also is trapped in her own perfect bubble! Which in effect means we mere mortals will never achieve the Shangri-la of dog ownership. 😉

[VeruccaSalted]

Welcome to the Doghouse Ellabella, there's always someone trying to find a reason why you'll be/are a terrible dog owner. Don't take it personally.

I had a similar problem as you trying to get a rescue dog, in the end we privately rehomed a slightly older dog via a listing site. I am not saying I recommend that route as it is risky and I think I was a bit naive about it but it worked out brilliantly for us. The dog was exactly as described and I still send the previous owner updates and photos.

[Ellabella222]

Ok. You seem verykeen to make me feel a bit shit and unprepared. Thanks for your input.

What I have said is that we have been geared up for a rescue, how can we research breeds when most rescues are crossbred??

If you read the thread you will see i have only just started to think about a puppy, hence all the questions. I won’t be running outside to buy one tomorrow! IF, And it’s a big if, I decide to buy a puppy, of course I will be talking to the right people. I have started to ask people questions on here. And I fully appreciate that takes time.

Thanks for the rolling eye emoji too. Nicely passive aggressive. You have spoiled a really helpful thread for me. Please don’t offer any more advice. Thank you.

[Wolfiefan]

No you can’t be experienced. But you can plan and ask specific questions to people who own specific breeds. You haven’t.

[Ellabella222]

Everyone had to start somewhere. You can’t be an experienced dog owner until you have one!

I absolutely am prepared thanks very much. I just wanted to explore options if our continued search for a rescue fails to work. We have been planning on getting a dog for years. It’s only now the time is right.

If you don’t think I have considered all of those things...... I’m not here to justify myself. The puppy thing....,that iS something I’ve only just started to consider, hence the questions.

[Wolfiefan]

That FB group is brilliant. @lorisparkle it pretty much saved my sanity with my first. A giant first hound with separation anxiety. She also took ages to toilet train. And the mouthing??

[lorisparkle]

We have a 2yr old lab and just about survived the puppy days. We were recommended the Facebook group 'dog training advice and support' and wish we had read it before we got our dog. It has guidance on surviving the puppy stage, how to cope with a rescue, and how to tackle many issues. I find it gives me a real understanding of the challenges of having any dog so may help you in your decision making process.

[Wolfiefan]

It took me two years to find my first pup.
I considered grooming and size and health and exercise and lots of things. I met examples of the breed and lots of owners. I joined the breed club and met owners. I read up on the breed and got lots of advice. I was home checked. I found a good breeder.
You don’t even seem sure of what breed, size etc you want.
If you want a rescue then spread the net a bit further. Give it time. Use that time to prepare. Find a decent trainer to work with. Research breeds and health concerns and grooming.
You don’t sound very prepared at all I’m afraid. And a family pet as a teen isn’t the same as your first dog as an adult. When you’re responsible for everything.
It’s a big decision to get wrong.

[Ellabella222]

What makes you think I haven’t thought about those things? Rescue was always my first option so not fussy about breed because of that.

Lockdown had been weeks and has held up our plans.

I absolutely know what we can offer a dog. We’ve been thinking about it for ages!

My frustration has been the lack of availability of suitable rescues. I said we would consider a puppy if that doesn’t come to fruition.


Not sure what you mean by ‘lockdown has been going on for weeks’ .,,,,.and???

[Wolfiefan]

TBH if you haven’t considered exactly what size, grooming and exercise etc you could take on then you haven’t done the planning. Lockdown has been weeks.
You need to look at what you can offer a dog. Consider what you can cope with and what you can’t.

[Ellabella222]

Yes I feel I have done all of my thinking and planning. Just now need to find an actual dog!

Going to hope I find a rescue I think. I appreciate they don’t come without baggage but better option that a pup. At the moment. Might consider a puppy though if I remain dog less in 3 months. We’ve been trying for a rescue since before lockdown,

[Wolfiefan]

Start with deciding if you want a particular breed. Consider grooming and exercise and training needs as well as size.
If you want a pedigree then contact the breed club.
You may also find breed rescues.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Really good breeders don’t advertise to strangers online.

What about this litter then?

The sire is an outstanding dog, and the dam's breeding looks bloody good too. Those puppies won't go to just anyone. It's odd-on that the breeder had a list of interested people before the mating even took place. I know someone who knows the breeder, and he is entirely legit (or the breeder of the sire wouldn't have lifted the endorsement).

I've known several perfectly reasonable breeders advertise on ChampDogs, and then proceed to keep in touch with the new owners for years.

It doesn't matter where breeders advertise. What matters is how they treat their dogs, whether or not they health test, how they bring up the puppies and how they screen potential owners. If you are a breeder and you don't advertise, arguably you are limiting your pool of potential purchasers and not doing your best for you puppies.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Finding a good litter can be tricky. You can find good ones on Pets4Homes but you have to do your due diligence extra-carefully and know what you're looking for and what you don't want to see. There are a lot of online resources telling you how to spot a puppy farm or a puppy-farmed litter. It used to be that bulk breeders had to be council licensed so it was quite say to weed them out but the law has changed and some small-scale breeders (3 or fewer litters a year) are now also licensed.

ChampDogs is a better website, where I've seen some really excellent puppies advertised. Most litters there will have had at least one parent health tested. How important you think health tests are will depend on the breed you're looking at and things like how common inherited disorders are within it, how severe they are, and what the average hip score is like (again, you can check out breed health online quite easily). You are highly unlikely to find cross-bred puppies on ChampDogs.

In your position I'd approach the owners of stud dogs listed on ChampDogs and ask them if there any litters due from them. That would get you in at the start, and allow you to check out likely breeders before you even contact them. The good ones will check you out too.

And as Ylvamoon says, quiz people who are walking dogs you like the look of about the breed and its traits. You may have problems getting away...

[Ellabella222]

Thanks.

A few people have mentioned a greyhound. I don’t know. They seem so big! Not sure they are what we want. Looking more small or medium sized.

[StillSmallVoice]

Someone upthread suggested a greyhound. They are big, but very gentle. They don't need a lot of walking. We agreed to foster one during lockdown because the rescue wanted to move some out to make room for more after the dog tracks stopped racing. It was supposed to be a short term thing, but I don't think we will want to give him back.

Another reason to adopt a greyhound is that many are put to sleep at then end of their racing careers, so the more homes they find the better.

[Wolfiefan]

Many good breeders don’t have waiting lists. And no. Really good breeders don’t advertise to strangers online.

[Ylvamoon]

@Ellabella222, Licensing just means that they have more than 3 litters a year. They are council inspected, who give out licenses. The place has to be clean and there is a limit to adult dog numbers. It's not a way of finding out about dogs welfare or health testing or how puppies are raised.
Pets4homes is ok, it's a platform to sell, you need to see it as such. Everyone can advise on it, so be vigilant.
(... and yes even legit breeders advertise on pets4homes and not all breeders operate on waiting lists - these are just MN myths of good dog breeding.)

[Ellabella222]

Ok thanks.

[Wolfiefan]

Pets for homes isn’t great. No. Contact the breed club. Decent breeders generally don’t advertise online.
Licensed doesn’t mean good.