Where to get a new dog

[Peep_erz]

I'm all moved into my new house and I FINALLY have a back yard. My boyfriend and I definitely want to get a dog but I'm not sure where I to get one from. I definitely want to rescue a dog but I can't decide whether to go to a shelter, find a rescue group, or get one off of craigs list. They are all dogs in need but who would be in need the most?

The rescue group dogs if not adopted live out their lives at the rescue so I know they will be cared for. Though if I get a dog from a rescue group I would be helping out an organization that is doing work I fully support.

Animal shelters I imagine provide the minimal care and some are not no kill shelters. I think these animals would need the love the most but I wouldn't necessarily want to pay fees to an organization I don't fully support. (I should really research and find the no kill shelters in my area).

Craigs list I would have to deal with dummies and weirdos and potentially people who mistreated their dogs and I might get something I am not fully ready for. I feel bad for the dogs on there though because they might end up going to other dummies or weirdos or the owners might just drop them off in the country or they might be in a horrible situation or they might just end up at the shelter.

I am going to keep all these up as options but I want to find out what other people think and what their reasoning is.

 

[Ippo456]

You're right about Craigslist. I do see & hear about how people post listings on Craigslist, giving up their dogs with the excuse that they're moving, having a baby, etc, & require some kind of adoption fees, but those are mere disguises and they are actually selling those dogs for a profit.
I think another important thing to think about is whether the new dog is a good fit for you, at a physical & emotional level.
You mention that you have a backyard, but you have to consider that large dogs, including labs, do require at least 6 miles of walk/run per day despite the fact that there's already a backyard. Playing in the backyard is not the same as exercising in the form of running/walking. My friend has a lab & they live in a house that has a fenced backyard. Despite the fact that the backyard is an ok size, pacing back & forth in the backyard won't tire out the lab. I actually run with this lab, and 6 miles only tire the lab for half a day.
On the other hand, I have a mid-size dog, a cocker spaniel, that only requires 1 hour of walking (not running) & that tires him out for the entire day.

 

[RDZCRanch]

If you are looking for a specific breed or you want a specific breed in a mix you would adopt I would get an animal from a rescue group.

If you don't care about the breed and you just want to rescue a dog in need, I would go to the local shelter. Those dogs are in need of homes more than the dogs at no-kill shelters and rescue organizations. The no-kill rescue dogs are already safe...their lives are no longer in danger. I would prefer to adopt from a shelter because they are the ones responding to calls for animal abuse and the main reason they don't have a no-kill policy is because they lack funds to do more than care for a certain number of animals.

 

[blondeangel]

due to bad experiences from local breed specific rescues - i really will only adopt from a shelter. i see shelter dogs every single day at work (petco I work in has a in-store humane society adoption center with dogs and cats daily) to hear some of the reasons dogs are dropped off just break my heart (this weekend we had a dachshund who was was dropped off: 1 yrs old and not potty trained <---reason they gave her up. i was like uh hello its the OWNERS who didn't successfully potty train her...not the dogs fault).

anyways like someone said in rescue groups - they typically will care for the dog til adopted or live out their life. shelter dogs don't have that long to find a loving family. if people weren't so careless and carefree about their pets humane society's wouldn't be overloaded with animals causing them to have to be a kill-shelter. i look at shows like animal cops - and know one of my chihuahuas was found roaming the street of miami, starving & horribly emaciated and was rescued by the humane society and i adopted him (from work). just keep in mind alot of times abused shelter dogs (those that have been, not implying all are) do come with baggage. so be prepared for something like that.

 

[Brittney]

First, let me clear some stuff up

The rescue group dogs if not adopted live out their lives at the rescue so I know they will be cared for.

A rescue group I used to help out with rented crappy kennels from a doggy hotel and kept them there until they found homes. They are given a mismash of food since food is given in on donation only and only get to come out to play once a week. I wouldn't want to stay there if I was a dog.

Animal shelters I imagine provide the minimal care

Absolutely NOT true. I volunteer 5 days a week at the Humane Society both in the Hospital and in adoptions. When a dog or cat comes in, they are automatically spayed/neutered (even rabbits) if they aren't already. Given a full health exam, updated on shots, and groomed. After that they go to behavior where they are tested for everything. Children, dogs, cats, small animals, men, women, you name it. If they don't pass a certain test, it is written clear as day on their kennel card for the potential adopters to see as you can see on anyone's kennel card on the bottom http://www.azhumane.org/dogs.shtml. Our dogs, cats, and even critters are taken out to play every 2 hours. That's what volunteers are for. We are the backbone to the organization. Without us, yes, the dogs probably would never get out to play and would get "minimal care" but with us, they get excellent care.

and some are not no kill shelters.

From my knowledge, all "Humane Societies" are No-Kill Shelters.
Animal Care and Control is a highly kill shelter. They are the ones who pick up the strays and give them 3 days in the shelter before they are put down. The Humane Society steps in and takes dogs from the "E-list" and brings them to their shelter (provided they have room) and lets them take as much time as they need finding a home.

So to answer your question

who would be in need the most?

A shelter dog


I would go to your local humane society or Animal care and control in your area. AC&C dogs only have a short amount of time they can stay at the facility. I am all for rescuing dogs. I wouldn't go with CL. I wouldn't give my money to just any person. I'd want my money to go to good use and help save other animals.

We try as hard as we can to find animals homes. If they have been in the shelter for more than 4 weeks, they are considered "Lonely Hearts" and their adoption fee gets cut in half to just $35. If they are over the age of 5 they are "Prime Time" and their adoption fee is only $25. And if they are "lonely hearts" and "prime time" they are free. We screen potential adopters, we call landloards, we even check with the authorities to make sure the person has not been convicted of any crimes.

Sucky thing I have found with the humane society is that 95% of the dogs in there are in there because HOA's or apartments won't allow the owners to bring them because they are a "banned" breed, and 95% of the apartments and HOA's out there won't allow the dogs either, so the dogs are stuck in the shelter until someone can adopt them.

 

[blondeangel]

no -from first hand knowledge-not all humane societies are no kill shelters. that being said the humane society i know of isn't a kill because your few days stay is up type shelter. but they do put down animals that have a justified reason(well as justified reason as they can have).

 

[Brittney]

but they do put down animals that have a justified reason(well as justified reason as they can have).

As does ours. If they are too aggressive or have a serious health problem beyond treatment they will be put down. But I don't consider that to be a "kill shelter". A kill shelter is one that when they have been there for said amount of days, they are put down.

 

[greychins]

Over here, well, in both places I've lived, the Humane Societies have been just that - humane, as in no-kill. I used to volunteer a ton back where I used to live (here, you have to come set days and times, which is a bit harder for me) and I only recall one dog ever being put down at the Humane Society, and that was one that bit several people and just couldn't be trusted around anyone but this one guy (who was sad to see him go, but whatcha gonna do?).

Both places I've lived, the Animal Control is where the dogs and cats have a set amount of time. Those are the most in danger, because if they're not picked up to go to the Humane Society, they don't have a ton of time...

As for craigslist, yeah, some dogs off there do have some issues... but so do some dogs that are at Animal Control or the Humane Society...

Speaking of the Humane Society... both the one here and at home (I go to the one here for training classes and I use their dog park--both fund the HS) have volunteers and staff to let the dogs out and clean up after the dogs and all that... but for the most part, these dogs are cooped up in tiny little cages 95% of the day. The one here is funded way better than at home, and they have a trainer who does some enrichment work with the shelter dogs, but still, they're in their cages the grand majority of the time. I really think they're the ones that need the most help.

I have nothing against breed rescues, and that's great you support them, but at least around here several seem to have gotten a bit of a bad rap, for several reasons. I honestly can say I have no idea how they are elsewhere, but the one here that I'm thinking of charges $350+, regardless of whether the dog is a puppy or a 15 year old. In fact, it's even more than that if it's only a few years old. I'm sorry, I support rescue, but not paying that much for a rescue dog. And don't get me wrong, I know it costs a bit to care for the dog and give it all its shots and everything.. but I guess at the end of the day, when I can get a nice AKC puppy with papers for not much more than a 15 yr old rescue dog... it's just a little high for me I guess.

And I'm sure not all breed rescues are like this, but the ones around here that I know of, the dogs live in someone's home, as if they are being "fostered" until some rescues them (that's good, I support that). However... something's up with the breed rescue I'm thinking of, cause the grand majority of dogs that I remember being up for adoption when I moved here 3 years ago.... are still for adoption.... The reason I think that is.... (and breed rescues may not all be like this) this rescue really makes you jump through hoops to get a dog. Do you work? If you work, is someone going to be home with the dog all day? If not, do you really plan to leave the dog alone for 8 hours? Now don't get me wrong, I understand why they ask.... but I talked to someone who adopted a dog from this breed rescue (stay home mom) and they said that if you basically didn't have someone home constantly, they wouldn't let you adopt one of the dogs because they didn't want the dogs to be alone. Now, I don't like leaving my dog alone for 8+ hours either, but I work (cause gotta pay for the house, food, dog...), live alone, and I'm single, so it's a necessity. My dog hasn't died yet of boredom or frustration or anything, and she's out of her crate and a happy dog when I'm home.

Next - do you have a fenced yard? If not, we don't care if you run 10 miles a day, you're not getting one of our dogs. Even if I HAD a fenced yard, I wouldn't leave the dog out there alone for fear someone would take it. So I almost think it would be BETTER to walk the dog or run with the dog than let it out in your yard. Also, are all your pets spayed and neutered? One of my friends breeds TICA registered ragdolls (cats). They're obviously not spayed/neutered. They couldn't adopt a dog from this place because all your animals have to be spayed/neutered. I guess, at the end of the day, like I get they're trying to find the best homes, don't get me wrong, I get that. But I guess at least for me, I think that while the breed rescues are trying to do a good thing, there's too many hoops to jump through, and not everyone is a stay-at-home-mom who has a fenced in backyard and has every pet including their show-quality-breeder-cats spayed and neutered. Which is why those same dogs are still in breed rescue 3 years later...

/end rant

I would say the dogs most in need are the ones in shelters or animal control. And if you want to get specific, black dogs have a hard time getting adopted, so I hear.

 

[3CsMommy]

First things coming first: How's the vet fund looking? Are there Breed Bans in your area that might make it hard to live with a Boxer mix b/c idiots can't tell breeds with square heads apart? What kinds of dogs do you have experience with? What breeds or groups of dogs are you thinking about looking for?

It's easy to say "I want a dog", but a royal P.i.t.A to haul your keister out of bed at 2AM because a toy breed dog may not be able to sleep through the night until he/she is several months to a year old, or depending on the type, ever. One thing I look at, as much as I dislike the AKC for many reasons, is what group they class the dog's dominant breed in. Hounds: hard working, eyes or nose oriented, often stubborn, some are prone to running away and will benefit from a fence, most seem to enjoy their food (and yours if they can get it). Herding group: very smart, need to run/exercise and keep their minds busy, may have special grooming needs because of double coats. Toy group: probably temperature and weather sensitive, might have inherited health concerns like protruding eyes/ear infection/soft skulls, easily injured by larger creatures and falling off of things, (some) need lots of grooming. Thinking about what the dog's ancestors were bred to do can give you an idea of what you might have to deal with once the dog is in your house.

If you're satisfied on that end, I'm a big fan of looking by breed mix on Petfinder. Where I currently live, we seem to have an abundance of "lab mixes" that to my somewhat schooled eye look like they might have some OMG EBIL* Pit Bull/Staffordshire Terrier in them. (cue screaming peasants with pitch forks) In and near cities, that's not uncommon. In rural areas, though, you may find a lot of little Poodle or other fluffy type dogs/mixes that have lived through puppy mills. The good news is, Cur Runs (dog adoption railroads) are more common for dogs than they are for pretty much any other kind of animal, so even a dog several hundred miles away isn't always out of the question.

The other nice thing about Petfinder, rather than going through Craigslist or the newspaper, is that there's an extra layer of protection for you as the adopter and the dog as a new fur child; rescues are going to check you out before they let you adopt one of their dogs, and breed specific rescues as well as local SPCA/Humane Societies post their animals on the site. Some guy on craigslist could just as easily have gotten the dog from a neighbor's litter and overestimated himself as he could have stolen it from somebody's yard and be trying to dump it b/c the dog is neutered/won't fight. You never know what you're going to get in the classifieds. At least the groups that use Petfinder are registered as non-profit organizations, and 90% of them take good to outstanding care of their animals (vet checks etc.) so you're far less likely to be surprised with pregnancies, bordatella, or parvo when you bring a new dog home. Going to the pound might seem like the most direct route to saving a life, but there's no guarantee with an Animal Control dog that you're *not* going to have some pretty major injuries/illnesses to deal with, and consequently hellish vet bills, and possibly heartbreak when you have to euthanize a dog you just fell in love with because he/she can't live comfortably.

That's why the SPCA and private rescues do so much good: when you adopt a dog from a group like Under My Wing, which I worked with in Ohio, you're getting a dog that's healthy and ready to live with humans (+ or - some baggage from the past), which frees up space in their kennels/foster homes for a dog from the pound to get medical treatment, training, socialization, and love-- which sadly, some of them have to learn how to accept. Rescue volunteers do much of the hard part for you for the sake of the dogs you might adopt and the next ones that come along needing help. It's definitely, definitely the way I'll continue to get all of my pets from here on out.

*Sarcasm. I absolutely love Pit Bull types and would love to have one to call my own some day.

 

[Peep_erz]

I'm loving all of this input! I think i will just rule out craigs list. I need to do a lot more research on the animal shelters and rescues in my area. From what i have heard and seen online the rescues that i've looked at so far seem pretty good. The ones I have looked at foster the dogs out to families until they find a suitable forever home. Thats where I got my idea of the dogs being well cared for. It is good to know not all rescues run that way. I'll have to start digging deeper to see how some of the rescues are actually set up.

I have used petfinder to browse around and look at animals but i didn't realize how valuable of a resource it is. I'll probably use that to guide me towards the shelters and rescues I will look at.

Are all animal care and control places space and fund limited (making it a kill shelter)? Is there a difference between AC&C and SPCA? Can animal control be part of SPCA?

Right now I think I want an older Labrador type dog. I grew up with a lab and have seen (and interacted with) really great lab mixes. I want to get past the jumpy overly excitable hyperactive puppy stage (though I do know some labs never grow out of it) and get a dog that is probably about 3 yrs old or older. I also want my dog as protection. Not aggressive but I want a bark or growl when someone comes to the door that isn't myself or my boyfriend.

I have a good amount of vet funds and have a good vet lined up for when I do get a dog. I don't really want a cute puppy. I want to give a deserving dog a good home and companionship.

 

[Brittney]

Are all animal care and control places space and fund limited (making it a kill shelter)? Is there a difference between AC&C and SPCA? Can animal control be part of SPCA?

AC&C's are run by the county of which you live in. They are funded purely on donations, adoptions, and limited tax payer money. Their sole job is to get stray dogs off the streets, get the word out about spay/neuters and to educate the public. AKA they are "the pound."

SPCA's are pretty much like Humane Societies, however, I don't know much about SPCA's.

Do some homework though. I have lived in the state of Arizona for 2 years after moving from Tennessee. I had no idea until today that dogs in the state of Arizona have to be licensed yearly. Our vets didn't tell us, nor did we get anything in the mail when we moved, and I have heard nothing about it through the Humane Society. When dogs get their rabies shots back East, the vet gives you the updated tag. Not the case in Arizona. You have to go to the county within 30 days of getting the vaccination, show proof, and pay $16 yearly. If you do not and your dog bites someone, they "have no proof" that your dog is vaccinated and must take them into their custody.


I found all of this out today because my dog growled and snapped at a child at the dog park today (which it clearly says outside don’t bring children under the age of 13 into the park and don’t run. All of which a 3 year old was doing) and AC&C was called. Now I have to pay $40 in fines because she's not licensed and I have to fill out an application and wait until December when she is eligible for another rabies vaccine to get her licensed and get her tag. Since they sort of understood my side, they didn't take her, but she is under home quarantine until December (for rabies watch and since she won't be licensed) which is really unfair if you ask me.

So please, before you pick up your pooch, check on your counties’ AC&C website to see if and what kind of legal documents you need for him/her.

 

[3CsMommy]

Brittney has a good point about licensing laws, etc. And if you have a home owner's association (which I hope you don't b/c they just generally sound like more trouble than they're worth), you might have concerns there too. Are you allowed to build a kennel or run in the back yard for when you're not home? Does the dog have to be quiet after 7PM? Does his/her leash have to be a certain color so it doesn't clash with the greenery? (Ok, I'm exaggerating a little with that one.) Tristannicole is a site user and chin mom that does breed consultations for people starting the process of getting a dog. Maybe you could talk to her about more specifics, or visit her site: http://therightbreedforyou.wordpress.com/ .

 

[BrieannaRochea]

Good luck on your search! Personally, I'd look in shelters. Even though some are kill shelters, they dont kill for the fun of it; they do it because they simply dont have room (and that isnt their fault, its the fault of all those careless breeders and owners out there....). I have four dogs. Lady is my childhood dog. I adopted Terra and Riley from Humane Societys, and I bought Norah from a guy who was abusing her... But where ever you decide to get your dog is a personal choice . Have you ever heard of www.ourdogsonline.com ? Its a great forum. Its fairly small, and the people on the are very knowledgeable

 

[Megan]

I don't know what breed you are interested in, but that would play a part in where I would go.

If I was up in the air about a breed, and just wanted to look I'd walk the shelters. If I wanted a specific breed, I'd go to a breed knowledgeable rescue of that breed. Simply because they deal with the breed, they KNOW the breed, and they'll know if the dog in question is displaying the proper attitude/temperament for that breed.

I also just tend to search petfinder and see what "calls" to me. I found Gavin, my APBT mix that way. I got him from the shelter.

 

[JennyBug]

My husband looked on petfinder for a dog at our local shelter, and at the very least, it gave him an idea of what they had. We didn't end up getting any of the dogs he found on petfinder, but nonetheless it got us out there.

A word of caution: MAKE SURE THE SHELTER SPAYS FEMALES BEFORE ADOPTING THEM OUT!! Some will allow you to get a spay voucher if they haven't had time to spay her, but it's much easier if they just do it there or with their vet. My husband and I adopted a big male pit mix and a medium sized golden female, and it turns out we got ten dogs for the price of two (Jessie had 8 puppies 2 weeks after we got her - they weren't our pit's pups either). While we loved caring for the puppies, it would have been much easier if she had not had them.

You will not find a more appreciative soul than a shelter dog. You just know by looking in their eyes that they are grateful to find a home. I don't know what would have happened to our pit mix if we hadn't gotten him - he had been returned to the shelter by a previous owner (he is extremely big and extremely playful, and the owners didn't like that), so he was on the top of the list for euthanasia.

More advice: don't count out a dog because of the breed or mix it is. I swore that I would never have a pitbull, but I can't picture life without having had Chase. I know that some areas have restrictions, but unless it's against the law, don't say "I don't want this type of dog because I heard it was mean" - it's better just to see the dog for yourself and make your own decision!

Good luck!

 

[mishellyshel]

i didnt read all the responses but i know there is someone on this forum who is in CA and runs a german shepard rescue. all her dogs look beautiful and have stories, many of which are sad.
if i lived closer that is where i would go! there are so many animal lovers and rescues on this forum, hopefully you can look right here and find what you need.

her screen name is: xcoronaangel and if you do a search for german shepard you will see her listing.

i have a collie shepard right now and she is by far the most loyal wonderful beautiful amazing dog i have ever owned. shepards are great dogs & would be good protection and companionship.

 

[Peep_erz]

Isn't she is so. cal? I'll still contact her to see if she has any norcal connections.

 

[mishellyshel]

yeah.......orange county. sorry! i forget how big Cali is!!!!

maybe she can help arrange a railroad???? just a thought.

 

[jrosler04]

I found reading through this thread rather interesting.

I volunteer for a high-kill local dog shelter. The dogs there do NOT have a set # of days, but, after 3 days, they are allowed to put them down. Our dog warden works very hard to send these dogs out to adopters or rescues. But I can say for a fact, there have been several times that dogs have been there for over a month before being adopted, rescued, or euthanized. It all depends on space, the # of surrenders, and the # of adopters/rescues.

And, on the flip side, I find this VERY interesting, because we run an animal rescue out of our home. Our dogs don't all live in foster homes in the house (what a dream that would be!) many are kenneled at our home. I buy ALL food out of my pocket, and pay all expenses out of my pocket.

The type of rescue that was mentioned earlier annoys me. I don't like when rescues charge REALLY large amounts for thier animals.

I specialize in great danes, but I take in all animals who need a home. I generally charge 175 to 200 for my adoption fees, but that's with a spay/neuter, heartworm test (and treatment if needed), all shots, fecal test (dewormed if needed) and any other vetting needed. Needless to say, this barely covers our vetting, and doesn't begin to cover the costs of food & other supplies.

Our rescue is on petfinder www.soarescue.petfinder.com

So, i guess with that said, I do support fully adopting from shelters OR rescues, because EVERY time I get a rescue adopted, I go to a kill shelter & save another dog, get it healthy & vetted, and then start the process over. I wish you guys could see some of the abuse cases we have dealt with! rescues OFTEN take the worst abuse cases out of kill shelters, I know first hand!

 

[Peep_erz]

Thanks for that input jrosler04! That makes me feel better about looking at kill shelters. I've really learned a lot from this thread. For being such an animal activist I sure didn't know very much.