Oh my giddy god......

[HangingOver]

I can't actually believe I'm finally typing this... I think I'm getting a dog!

I've wanted one of my own my entire life. I had one growing up and look after friends and neighbours at every available opportunity as I adore dogs so much. A rescue came up locally and I thought he looked lovely, he was snapped up immediately, but came up again yesterday! Me and DP are meeting him this afternoon.

Any tips for meeting a rescue for the first time? Other than being gentle and calm? He's 8 months so a bouncy chap.

ARGGGH! So excited. 😁

How exciting, can’t wait for the pictures (note, plural).

Word of caution, dogs aren’t cute and adorable all the time. They can be Hard Work, and feel a little relentless at times. They’ll ab so orb all of your time, at least for a while. Conversations will revolve whether he pooed or not (I kid you not). Puppy blues are a real thing.

Don’t want dishearten you, but make you aware that these emotions can occur, and it’s not all a puppy honeymoon. So be prepared. .

hHowever, even though there will be tears , there’ll be plenty of laughs, fun and games as well.

Hate to break it to you, but you're still a two-some. It's just a dog.

Picture of my pooch.

Imagine reading such a joyous thread and feeling the need to suck the happiness out of it.

I hope I never become so bitter.

What a lovely thread.

Just here to echo what someone upthread said about not starting walks too soon. If you're his second home in a short time it may well be enough for him to cope with just being in a new place.

There are a lot of ideas on enrichment activities for dogs on crate rest available online, it might be an idea to have a couple of these up your sleeve. One of my favourites is to roll up his kibble in an old towel (lay towel out flat, sprinkle food over it, put your hand on it like a claw and keep twisting till it bunches up with food trapped in the folds). They will tire him out just as much as a walk, without the added issues of new surroundings.

Keep us posted!

Oh bore off.

I can't wait to see him, he is obviousy a very lucky dog, he just doesn't know it yet!

This is such a lovely thread. In a world of bad news, we need more threads like this with positivity and good news. This is a very lucky dog to have you xx

It must be difficult to carry such bitterness around, especially when directed at something that doesn't affect you in the slightest. Imagine the kind of miserable life a person must lead if they derive some sort of pleasure by being dicky to a stranger online 😂

Love the Sighthounds 🥰

Our one was so quiet, like a little depressed Wraith initially - {found abandoned at about 10 weeks old with dead dogs when Travellers had been moved off an illegal pitch according to police -who at that time kept her til Dog warden came and took her to RSPCA-

We were walking along one day and a little boy behind us said ''That dog's got a monkey swing tail!''- I looked around, and her tail, instead of hanging limply like Eeyore's was in a fine curve at the bottom- just like a monkey swing.

She'd cheered up at long last..some sighthounds shut down emotionally.

She was a superb companion for 12 yrs.

Ironically once she was fit , Travellers tried to steal her - Police advised to get her tattooed on her inner thigh, which we did {as well as identichip of course}
Police said proving a dog is yours can be difficult {Police were called at one point} - Even now, the sound of a Toyota pickup truck turns my stomach over.

Lurcher theft was a massive problem.

Ours gave herself a tour. We just let her wander around on her own. I had a dog bed ready upstairs for her, but she slept downstairs on the chair we used to dump our coats, for a week or two. The day I brought the dog bed downstairs, thinking she wasn’t going to come up, she decided to come upstairs for the night and then stayed up there with us every night from then on.

I went to get a cloth because he immediately peed up the back of the sofa. It happened twice more then stopped. He was dreadfully anxious the first three weeks. A friend told me that as far as he was concerned, he’d been kidnapped and I was the only person who could take me back to his people. Followed me everywhere for that reason. The 3-3-3 rule helped me.
He’s very happy now but I think he must have been so scared.

Yes, please be careful. I had to go into the sea and rescue my dog the first time she went to the beach. 🙏🏼

Also WATCH FOR WINDOWS.

Dogs can and do leap from windows.

A local dog leapt from an attic window {tall 19th Century house} {survived- astonishingly}

You'd think dogs would know not to leap from windows, but if they see something they want- they can leap out.

It can happen even if you are in the room with them, if they are scared of something, like a hoover, and it happens fast.

Be aware of this possibility.

When answering the door, make sure dog is in another room, so cannot bolt out.

@@HangingOver

What lovely news .... mind you , not as if it is a cat! (Team cat here!!!)

@Kiyua · Today 13:46

ThisTentLikeThing · Today 13:42
Hate to break it to you, but you're still a two-some. It's just a dog.
Show quote history
Imagine reading such a joyous thread and feeling the need to suck the happiness out of it.
I hope I never become so bitter.

Indeed. Bit early for the crawling out the bottle bitter brigade Obvs some start earlier!

Pets ARE family!

A young dog took a dive in a pond within minutes of arriving in their new home- with owner present. {still pic from vid I was sent} - dog went to vets for checkover in case she had inhaled water, but was thankfully OK.

Again, not uncommon- cover ponds and be careful near the sea and lakes.

Gorgeous thread. Your excitement is palpable OP - can't wait for the pics.

Lucky dog coming to you 🐾

Oh OP, your excitement is infectious! I am exactly the same as you, and have been with every animal I've ever owned from my first guinea pig (still love the smell of hay and pet shops), to my youngest family member at the moment, who is a 6 month old black Lab. The joy I have had from my dogs has been insurmountable and canine behaviour is my main hobby. I also have a Newfoundland (a tick box for me). I've worked in welfare and rescue, too. I wish you every success with your new pooch; you've had plenty of good advice especially the advice you are sticking on your fridge. Please just hurry up with the photos!!!

This is so lovely!

Excited to see pics!

Off you hop. So bitter. Nobody cares what you think.

So exciting! I can't wait to see the pictures. Be prepared to lose your heart to the new member of your family.

OP are you Irish? 😁
So excited for you!

Just to even things up a bit for you…

I'm here for the photos! 😍Waiting patiently...

So exciting. I’ve been 2 years without a dog, since my old girl passed away.
I think it’s time.