I just want a dog

[Coronagroaner]

Our dog died shortly before lockdown. Once the grief had subsided enough to start looking for another one covid restrictions had kicked in and it was impossible to look at rescues.

Then puppy prices went through the roof and there are still slim pickings at rescues.

Now at the stage of simultaneously just wanting anything just to have a dog in the house again and worrying that no dog can ever live up to the last one and worrying that whatever we get will have some big issue and we’ll regret it.

Kids are still devastated and ask when we’re getting another dog every day-they want to play With and stroke every dog we meet and often cry afterwards because they want one so much.

Rescue greyhound through greytrust or similar.

Put yourself forward for dog fostering? You can do a lot of good and may very well find your next family member.

Chimney Farm rescue in Hampshire

Get in touch with all your local rescues & just take it from there. They are good at matching dogs to families. Best wishes xx

www.dogsblog.com/

You might find a rescue in your locality on this site

Oh OP I so feel for you. I have been there in the same time frame as you. The grief, the queries about rescue or puppy, how will it match up to the old dog, the lack of puppies - all of it.

I decided my biggest worry was what if it didn't work out? My mother had three rescue dogs - the first she found so difficult it had to go back, the second, despite initial difficulties was perfect and lived a long and fantastic life with her, the third was 'OK' and she kept that one but it was always very second best. So it was to be a puppy.

I have spent three months looking because this dog is for ever, not just for Covid, getting more and more desperate. Breed websites had nothing and I found my best bet by far was Gumtree. You have to be quick - I was looking for ages and the advert I eventually replied to was only up for 40 minutes, the seller was so overwhelmed. This was a litter not even born at the time but .... my puppy was born last Monday. I won't have her till September but at last I am on my way.

Every good wish to you.

Rescues are slowly opening back up, so just contact a few local ones as they are now able to do home checks again. But please stay away from sites like Gumtree, on there you'll struggle to find well bred and raised puppies.

@Honu

Oh OP I so feel for you. I have been there in the same time frame as you. The grief, the queries about rescue or puppy, how will it match up to the old dog, the lack of puppies - all of it.

I decided my biggest worry was what if it didn't work out? My mother had three rescue dogs - the first she found so difficult it had to go back, the second, despite initial difficulties was perfect and lived a long and fantastic life with her, the third was 'OK' and she kept that one but it was always very second best. So it was to be a puppy.

I have spent three months looking because this dog is for ever, not just for Covid, getting more and more desperate. Breed websites had nothing and I found my best bet by far was Gumtree. You have to be quick - I was looking for ages and the advert I eventually replied to was only up for 40 minutes, the seller was so overwhelmed. This was a litter not even born at the time but .... my puppy was born last Monday. I won't have her till September but at last I am on my way.

Every good wish to you.

Also be wary of this as it can be a scam. You pay your deposit get sent pictures of the puppy but then you don't get the puppy come the date specified.

I hope it works out for you Honu.

Could you sign up to Borrow My Doggy / volunteer with Cinnamon Trust / volunteer at the local rescue centre?

Go on Champdogs and look at the lists of breeders in your area and contact them. At the moment you have to be on a list before conception . I also agree with the advice to look at less popular breeds. I was looking at clumber spaniels, which look very cuddly but are rare so not everyone in the whole world is looking for them.

If you have a breed in mind, you could also check with the owners of stud dogs on KC or ChampDogs listings

Lots of dogs here looking for a human to love - www.facebook.com/Dog-Rehoming-Portugal-UK-100583338351742/

I volunteer here twice a week - the vast majority of the dogs are there through no fault of their own and would make wonderful pets.

No dog you get will ever "live up to the last one". They'll be their own compete personality! Don't worry about that - you'll love them warts and all for themselves. The right dog will come along when it's time. Somehow they always do. My current lovely boy was supposed to be his sister. But at the ripe age of 2.5 weeks old he picked me! Nearly five years later I haven't regretted a day of it. Apart from that one when he was 16 weeks and went deaf, and it took me an hour to catch him!

Ha ha. My dog could hear a piece of ham being placed in his bowl when he was right at the bottom of the garden, but couldn’t hear me bellowing at him on the recreation ground... I had to resort to wheedling tones using his (embarrassing) pet name instead of his normal name to tempt him to pack it in (after two hours)...

I’ve applied for the cinnamon trust and a few local rescues as well as a couple of the Romanian ones. We’ll see what comes along!
I’ve also emailed a couple of breeders on kennel club.
I’m quite open in terms of breed. I know a lot of cavapoos and I do like them but too many disreputable breeders to find a puppy atm so have emailed ‘normal’ poodle breeders too.

I’ve actually always loved the look of clumber spaniels! Maybe will look into them.

Our last dog was a lurcher and I’d love another one of them but we now have (lockdown ) guinea pigs which complicates things a bit and rules out most greyhounds.

Romanian ones
I really wouldn’t..
There are so many threads on here of abroad dog rescue gone wrong.

Our last dog was a lurcher and I’d love another one of them but we now have (lockdown wink) guinea pigs which complicates things a bit and rules out most greyhounds
Another reason to avoid an abroad rescue.
A fair percentage will be ex street dogs, their prey drive may well be extremely strong.

Yes I don’t think we’ll go with an abroad one-although some seem to put them into foster in this country which might work?
Just a waiting game with the local rescues I guess.

Ive got a foreign ex street dog ( spanish).and shes an absolute joy. Most problem dogs i know have been raised from puppies

It might be worth asking local farmers if they know anyone with puppies. A few round here have recently had a litter and the pups went for a lot under the market price. They often have working dogs on the farm or gun dogs that aren't neutered. Might be worth asking if you are rural?

Yes I know a few farmers locally. Good idea.

What would be a good breed for a dog mad boy (8) to grow up with? Obviously the responsibility would be mine & DJ’s but ds would love a dog he could train and play with himself (our last one wasn’t much for playing by the time ds was old enough)

It might be worth asking local farmers if they know anyone with puppies. A few round here have recently had a litter and the pups went for a lot under the market price
I don’t like this advice.
A lot of those dogs will be working terriers which admittedly I have no experience with but I imagine could be quite hard work.

I should think a large proportion will be working sheepdogs/border collies too.
I have one as a pet myself so not against them in anyway at all but they aren’t the sort of dogs you can necessarily treat like a regular family pet.
They have specific quirks and instincts more typical ‘family pet’ dog breeds don’t tend to have.
I’m not saying they can’t be great pets, they can be, but they need researching beforehand, thinking how you are going to manage herding instinct etc

It might be worth asking local farmers if they know anyone with puppies. A few round here have recently had a litter and the pups went for a lot under the market price

I did this and wouldn't do it again. I felt my dog was never fully satisfied in a home environment even though I tried to keep him mentally stimulated as best I could, and he had some of the typical collie traits that I never managed to train him out of. Actually made me feel a bit sorry that he had perhaps missed out a working dog life. Lovely dog though and I miss him! I would do as others suggested in terms of fostering or similar so you have a dog with you, and wait for something suitable from the rescues which apparently are going to have more 'post lockdown' dogs to rehome over the coming months. Or breeder waiting list for a breed you like.

I signed up to www.dogsblog.com/ and rescued Bella as a result. It might be worth a try. I know the rescue Bella came from is rehoming again.

Ultimately it's patience right now.

Lockdown has meant that rescues are overwhelmed by demand that outstrips supply - I know of one puppy at a rescue that had over 600 applications.

Freelistings are packed full of other puppies, which will have been bred for profit and not long term health, or are scams, there's SO MANY SCAMS!

Responsible breeders often have year long waiting lists, especially for popular breeds.

If you can register interest at local rescues do, many of the family friendly dogs will be snapped up before they go on websites so don't just rely on what's online. Phone rescues, be patient. This is how you (try to) teach kids patience haha!

Don't rush into a dog for the sake of it and realise they're not the right match.