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This is kind of a vent, but also sincerely asking...
So our last dog died back in June. "We" (mostly me) have gotten serious about looking for another dog within the last month or two.
I'm not particular (too much) about the breed, and I'd prefer to get a rescue, but lawdy, IMO, these rescue groups put up a lot of barriers!
We found one little cutie, and when we inquired about her, we were told "she can only be adopted out to a single man. She doesn't like women". OK. well, since she'd be mostly MY baby, I guess that wont work. Other dogs/other rescue groups are like "must have fenced in yard, no other pets, must have vet references, and we will come check out your abode, and we will charge you $300, $400, $500 rehoming fee on top of all that." (I get charging a rehoming fee, as the rescue group does what it can to get the dog healthy, and recoup some of their costs, but sometimes I think "Brother, you're wanting me to rescue, rather than buy from a breeder. Maybe I should be charging YOU to take your rescue with obvious behavioral or medical issues."
The local humane societies don't seem to have the same restrictions...but in our area, the dogs are all some mix of pits or labs. And if they're NOT pits or labs, they're seniors on medications for the rest of their who-knows-how-long-they-have-left lives. We've already lost 2 dogs in 2 years to old age. I'd like to have a dog that would have a few years left in them...you know?
I've even resorted to looking on Craigslist for dogs. Most of the time, when a dog is available, what I'm seeing is someone giving up their dog for this or that reason...and AGAIN, they want a "rehoming fee" and they want (again) a $200, $300, $400 rehoming fee. One or two that I saw was justifying the rehoming fee because they'd also be throwing in some extra dog food, blankets, bed...whatever. And again, I think to myself "You're trying to 'give' a dog away with issues."
Sigh. I really didn't want to have to buy a puppy, for a few different reasons, but I'm considering it.
Plus...maybe there's a shortage on available dogs because of the pandemic, and everyone wanting a companion...I don't know.
But my question...are there other resources I haven't considered? I've even looked as far as 100 miles away.
I'm sort of in the same boat...have you looked at the cost of puppies?
Just for grins and giggles, I checked a few breeders nearby. The LOWEST cost was $1000. And I haven't even researched the breeder to see if they do the proper checks. In fact, many of them seem to be backyard breeders.
Finding a rescue dog is not easy. I'm getting a little frustrated with rescues as well. I have sent in applications to several places. We are working on getting a fence installed so we are not quite ready. But I am aware it can take a few weeks for a rescue to do their "background" checks. Not one rescue has contacted me about my application. I was hoping to get general approvals in place and work on selection/specific dogs when the house is ready (in about 2-3 weeks). The rescues have not called, emailed, nada since the beginning of December.
I used to volunteer with a rescue. I quit when the coordinators repeatedly ignored a man who wanted to adopt a dog from our group. This poor man emailed me weekly asking about this dog or that dog. I would forward his requests and he was never answered. It definitely soured me.
While there are GOOD rescues out there, IMO your best bet is the local humane society/animal shelter. Check their websites every day, go and talk to the people that work there. Many of the dogs that are considered "more desirable" are adopted before they are even really placed because the workers call their friends/family/acquaintances.
I'm not a big fan of Craigslist, but I will consider it - for the right dog and the right situation. Any puppy listed almost anywhere is not going to be available long.
I too am looking for a younger dog (older than 1, younger than 8 depending on the breed) because we lost our last fuzzball in March. We waited for our house to be built, and until we moved in, and now until the fence is built. We are getting close!!! And I'm looking everywhere.
You do have other options besides rescues, and each one is different. If you don't like their policies, you just have to go somewhere else.
I'm allergic to dog fur and I live in the boonies. I waited for quite a while for a non-shedding dog (poodle, schnauzer, etc.) to come up in rescue and rehome groups in quite a wide radius of my home, to no avail. After about 6 months of that I decided to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder instead. My boy came from a litter that were bred for service dogs...a couple of the puppies weren't good candidates for it and so went to pet homes instead of training. (It doesn't take much to wash out of service dog training, so I didn't have any qualms about this...when I was a kid, my family got a failed seeing eye dog as a pet and she was the most stable, sweetest dog ever. Just had a weakness for squirrels.)
I know "adopt, don't shop" is a mantra, but I think if there aren't any dogs for you in in rescue/shelters, then you're not contributing to pet overpopulation by buying - clearly demand outstrips the availability. My thing is, just don't support a puppy mill or crappy backyard breeder type situation, because they're adding suffering to the world. Go for a dog from a breeder that's doing the work to produce mentally and physically healthy long-lived dogs and place them in forever homes. It'll cost more, but it can save you more money in the long run by not having to pay out on issue like hip dysplasia and heritable orthopedic problems, certain cancers and eye problems, heart problems, dermatological issues, etc. And you can't put a price on longevity.
Oh yes, I've looked at the cost of puppies. $1000 seems to be the MINIMUM for puppies to buy. That's definitely ONE of the reasons I haven't gone that route yet. Another reason being...I don't really want to potty train a puppy. lol
BUT at least (I know) someone from a pet store would sell me a dang puppy, if I wanted to buy one.
Ideally, I'd like a dog over a year, but not older than 5. And I don't want a BIG dog, thus, I don't want a pittie or a lab.
I like your idea of visiting the humane society and talking to the workers. I never even thought of that, but that's a good idea. Give them an idea of what we (again, mostly me LOL) are looking for.
Sometimes I think "I guess a dog is just going to have to fall from the sky into my lap". I feel like I'm not TOO picky about what I look for, and if we say...found a wayward dog, or abandoned or something like that, I'd love it just as much as if I went and bought my dream baby.
I miss having a dog so much. I miss it so much, that I get frustrated with the search, and thus the vent. lol
BUT at least (I know) someone from a pet store would sell me a dang puppy, if I wanted to buy one.
Pet store puppies (other than adoption events like PetCo holds) are puppy mill puppies. Their moms spend their lives in tiny cages pumping out litter after litter, and the puppies are bred without regard to congenital health issues.
A puppy (that's not a show prospect or a rare breed) from a responsible breeder might run you a thousand bucks, $1,500 bucks, at the lower end, yes. That's a lot, but consider that a single, say, luxating patella surgery will cost like $2,000. Treating parvo or distemper (common in pups coming from subpar environments) can cost thousands of dollars and the dog still might die or be permanently affected. It's like buying a beater car to save money...it's a false savings. You don't need a brand-new Ferrari, sure, but putting in a little research and extra money up front to get something reliable saves money in the long run.
Edited to add: you probably know all this, I'm just saying, for the benefit of anyone reading who might be thinking about pet store purchases...
I'm allergic to dog fur and I live in the boonies. I waited for quite a while for a non-shedding dog (poodle, schnauzer, etc.) to come up in rescue and rehome groups in quite a wide radius of my home, to no avail. After about 6 months of that I decided to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder instead. My boy came from a litter that were bred for service dogs...a couple of the puppies weren't good candidates for it and so went to pet homes instead of training. (It doesn't take much to wash out of service dog training, so I didn't have any qualms about this...when I was a kid, my family got a failed seeing eye dog as a pet and she was the most stable, sweetest dog ever. Just had a weakness for squirrels.)
I know "adopt, don't shop" is a mantra, but I think if there aren't any dogs for you in in rescue/shelters, then you're not contributing to pet overpopulation by buying - clearly demand outstrips the availability. My thing is, just don't support a puppy mill or crappy backyard breeder type situation, because they're adding suffering to the world. Go for a dog from a breeder that's doing the work to produce mentally and physically healthy long-lived dogs and place them in forever homes. It'll cost more, but it can save you more money in the long run by not having to pay out on issue like hip dysplasia and heritable orthopedic problems, certain cancers and eye problems, heart problems, dermatological issues, etc. And you can't put a price on longevity.
Sometimes I wish I was as naïve as I was back when we got our previous dogs. One, we bought from a pet shop, and the other was a rescue.
The one from the petshop...we lucked out. Aside from a case of kennel cough when he was little (and we got it treated) he was a happy healthy dog, until old-age issues started to come up. And our rescue dog...if I knew THEN what I know now about chichuahuas, I probably would've steered clear. (She was part chichuahua and part terrier) but again...she was a good dog...even with her quirks, and she had a couple...but you know...it was just a PART of her whole personality, and she made me laugh, and she was a loving and funny girl, and gosh, I miss them both so much. LOL
If you prefer a dog that's not a little pup, and are washing out with rescues/shelters, my suggestion would be to contact local dog showing, training and/or breeder clubs and let them know you're looking to adopt. Good breeders sometimes get dogs returned to them (often through no fault of the dog's) because their contracts normally state that if you can't keep the dog, it must be returned to them rather than resold or dumped. Also, dog sports people may have dogs that were competition prospects that didn't work out and need a pet home. And trainers just know tons of dog owners, so they have an inside connection when someone's needing a "private adoption" for a dog they can't keep.
Sometimes I wish I was as naïve as I was back when we got our previous dogs. One, we bought from a pet shop, and the other was a rescue.
Yeah. What I miss are good old fashioned farm dogs. They were genetically healthy, since their parents had to be healthy to do work, cheap to buy, and mentally and physically sturdy. They've become way less common as family farms have disappeared, I think. (I'm old )
If you prefer a dog that's not a little pup, and are washing out with rescues/shelters, my suggestion would be to contact local dog showing, training and/or breeder clubs and let them know you're looking to adopt. Good breeders sometimes get dogs returned to them (often through no fault of the dog's) because their contracts normally state that if you can't keep the dog, it must be returned to them rather than resold or dumped. Also, dog sports people may have dogs that were competition prospects that didn't work out and need a pet home. And trainers just know tons of dog owners, so they have an inside connection when someone's needing a "private adoption" for a dog they can't keep.
Awesome advice! Thank you so much!
Sounds like I need to put it out to the universe more. lol Thank you!
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