getting a rescue puppy or dog, advice please

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi all, after many years of carefully considering getting a dog we are finally ready to take the plunge!

We have a cat, and two kids, one almost out of primary (one more year) and one almost out of secondary.

I think with a cat we are better off getting a puppy and hoping they will get along. Cat is pretty savvy and has been around dogs but not a dog fan. A big dog may overwhelm him. My husband wondered if it was true a puppy would grow up with the cat and be better than an older dog. Any advice, please?

Also any rescue centres to avoid, please?

We are home counties but could go as far as Birmingham, or Kent etc.

Nervous about being told dog is child-friendly, cat-friendly etc and then finding they are not.

Not keen to go to a breeder, our cat was a rescue cat and took a while to settle in but is now lovely.

I've not owned a dog before but we have been walking neighbors dogs for years to get us used to dogs and both kids very keen and respectful with dogs etc.

Mumsnet has always been brilliant for tailored advice so I hope the doghouse will be able to help me, please

Well this is Bella, looking a bit punch drunk because she had been snoozing. She's a lhasa apso, ten years old now. Her positives are she is small, she doesn't moult, she's calm and loves people and likes to be snuggled on your knee if at all possible. Her downside is she does think her job is to guard the house so she barks at anyone who passes, any car that pulls up, the postman and the dustbin men but we live on a cul de sac so barking opportunities are somewhat limited. Exercise wise we are out for anything from 40 minutes to an hour in a morning depending on whether she plays chase with other dogs we know and 20 to 30 minutes in an evening but we are flexible and so is she. If the weather is horrendous a quick five minutes round the block and she is happy with that and if we go into the Peaks she will trot along at the side of us all day. She can be left at home for three to four hours but any longer and she goes to exh or my adult children for a "playdate" because she likes to be around people.

It's not always popular with MN but you can currently rescue from abroad and there is a selection of ages, sizes, breeds/mongrels

I personally would get an older dog (i would insist on having them cat tested and would want a video of their interactions with people,cats and dogs)

Puppies can be hit and miss. A friend rescued a mixed breed puppy before which was the most placcid pup I've ever met. When it got to around a year old something changed and strong prey drive and herding instincts kicked in and it became a liability to both the cat at home and small dogs out and about. If you got a breed specific puppy you reduce this likelihood, but for instance shih Tzu's are generally great with cats and kids yet you get the odd one that really isn't! You wouldn't know until it grew up

Big dogs can be amazing with cats, it's about temperament not size. I've seen many giant breeds treat cats like the boss and snuggle up and play nicely

Yes my friend's cat is definitely the boss of the St Bernard she has. The cat uses him as a taxi jumping on his back for a lift or as a launching platform when he wants to get up high. The cat joins the dog in his bed but if the cat is there first the dog sleeps on the floor

Op my dd is also on the pathway to an ASD diagnosis and she did struggle a bit when we first bought our puppy home. I think she found the change in routine hard as well as the extremes in emotions (going from very excited to worried something would happen to him).

However now dpup is a year old they are great for each other.

Honestly I think you'll struggle to find the right dog/puppy in a rescue but it's worth looking and ringing round a few.

If not get yourself a good dog breeds book and spend time looking through. I know Pets4Homes is not popular on here but it is worth having a quick look imo to see what's about locally. Just use common sense and trust your instincts if something doesn't seem quite right.

Rescue Greyhounds can make great pets, my friends family have recently adopted one that is fine with cats and great with kids so it is possible to find one who is okay with both.

Girlie my two dc have autism, we rescued Bella because I knew they wouldn't cope with a puppy. The rescue we used very carefully considered whether Bella was right for our family. She has been a dream and my dc adore her and she adores them. You might need to wait a while but a rescue dog who has been in foster is a far better option and a safer bet than any dog from Pets4homes.

You may have to be more patient and persistent to find the right rescue dog but IMO there is nothing so wonderful as the feeling that you have given a homeless dog a home, a family and love. It's the best feeling in the world.

I personally don’t really agree with brachycephalic breeds so I wouldn’t go for a shih tzu.

I’d be looking at smaller breeds ideally bred primarily for companionship, I would look at Papillons, Tibetan spaniels, Maltese, Bichon frise.
I probably wouldn’t go for any terriers.

For a larger dog I’d consider English setters or a rough or smooth collie.
Rough and smooth collies are NOT the same breed as a Border collie which imo are not typically suited to young children, it’s an entirely different breed and known for generally being gentle and placid.

Also, pets4homes is used by some very good breeders that are also registered on champdogs and Kennel club assured and do everything ‘right’ eg health tested, not too many dogs, will always take dog’s back etc.
You just have to use some common sense as a PP said.

How can I know what is a brachycephalic breed frostedviolets? I'd never heard of it before and had to look it up.

Brachycephalic dog is a dog with a super shortened nose; pugs, bulldogs, frenchies, ship tzu etc

My sisters Border Collie has been excellent with the children from been babies. He has been so loyal and never needed a leash. Requires tonnes of exercise though. We will miss him greatly after tomorrow. Thats the thing with dogs they bloody break your heart. You seem to be looking at this from all angles and I am sure you will find the right dog. Good luck x

My sisters Border Collie has been excellent with the children from been babies
So has my collie, she was here before my two youngest were born and is a kind, gentle dog with children but I still stand by the view that generally speaking the breed isn’t the best suited for loud, lively homes with young children.

Anyone watch the puppy special today?

www.channel4.com/programmes/the-supervet-noel-fitzpatrick

Hi all, I had such great advice from you all I wondered if anyone wanted to comment on my new thread, please.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/3965338-Hoping-to-get-a-rescue-puppy-how-long-before-a-holiday?watched=1

Hi OP
If you would like a rescue dog/ pup take your time to find the right one for your family. Sadly a lot of dogs are in rescue due to the fact that although on many levels they are lovely dogs, they do have behavioural issues. A lot of them can’t be rehomed with children or cats. I would advise you go for a rescue puppy rather than dog for this reason. However they are few and far between so depending on your timescales it may be more realistic to purchase a pup from reputable breeders. Good luck with your search and enjoy your new dog.

Thank you.

@Italiangreyhound
I have dogs and cats. I always have had both. Any dog can be trained to get along with cats. I recently adopted a 6 1/2 month old dog from a rescue who had never seen a cat before. He gets along fine with my 5 cats. I have had him 5 weeks now and he gets along great. Rescues will usually tell you if they have lived with cats or are cat friendly. I was told my dog was not cat tested. You can train the dog and cat to both get along. If you do get a dog from a rescue it's usually addressed in the description of the dog and will state no cats if there is issues.