The Puppy & Dog Owner Thread: Dog owning for dipshits

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Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

That breeder mentions "hip and health" guarantee, and you're going to want to find out what that means. Have the breeding stock been tested for hip dysplasia, or are they just willing to replace any sick or wonky dogs that may arise?

This is very clearly a working breeder. Do you want a working quality dog, with all the temperament and energy requirements that entails? All the reviews mention the dogs performing well in the field, so these are not going to be your standard pet-quality dogs whose idea of excitement and life fulfillment is playing catch in the backyard.

How many litters does this kennel breed per year? They mention they've currently got two litters on the ground -- spring litters. Are there summer, fall, and winter litters too? That seems like a lot of dogs. Not necessarily a puppy mill, but definitely not the best of breeders if they are churning out that many litters per year. The fact that they've got two litters at once stands out to me, but even more so if they are planning on breeding more litters this year. answered just above

They mention having a long-term breeding program, so you should ask about it. If they really do care about their lines, they will most likely be happy to tell you all about it, more than you will even be interested in.

They may well be a very good kennel, and when you get a chance to have a chat with them, I think you'll get a feeling as to whether or not they are legit and you want to support them. I think the thing that's important to remember is that if you don't get a good feeling from them, it doesn't have to be right now and you should walk away. Hope you're able to find the right pup.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2012 04:29

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 12:35

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Asnorban posted:

Thanks! It is my wife's mother-in-law who happened to have a batch of labradoodles, so it isn't a from a breeder really. We talked to her and she is OK with us sending the puppy back for another few weeks, though we will likely make some trips down to visit and keep up a relationship with the puppy for that time to hopefully further ease into the transition.

Please let me know if getting puppies this way is a bad idea for some reason. I have never really wanted to go to a breeder as I would prefer to rescue. This one just happened to fall into our laps and was a labradoodle, which is one of the few dogs I am particularly fond of due to my landlord having the best dog in the world and it being a labradoodle.

Why does she have a batch of lab-poodle mixes? Was it an oops litter or is she just breeding mutts for fun and profit? To me, either of those is generally worse than buying from a legitimate breeder.

# ¿ May 13, 2012 20:42

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

ShadowCat posted:

Is is this an ok place for a rant?

Years ago, my parents impulse bought a "cocker spaniel" from Amish BYB. They've never had a dog before, and of course the puppy was hyperactive, loud, and peed everywhere. They had no idea how to train it, and had no interest in training it either. The dog grew pretty large over the course of a few months (much larger than a cocker spaniel should be) and my parents had enough of having to do such time consuming things like walking the dog or cleaning up the poop/piss.

They got tired of the dog and dumped it on my uncle, who is quite poor and definitely did not need the expense of a new dog.

Recently, having forgotten how much they hated dog ownership, they bought a new puppy. While my dad was in an Oxycodone-induced haze from a surgery, my parents stopped at the Amish farmer's market again. This time they picked up a miniature Eskimo puppy. You know, the really hyper and intelligent breed that is NOT for novice owners. Not like they were going to do any research anyways...

The dog luckily is quiet and calm for the most part, but they still refuse to go to a trainer and they are already on the path to create a really nervous dog. Their idea of playing with him involves just running and chasing him, and having my young cousins all run around chasing him and screaming and yelling. I don't know much about dog ownership but that just doesn't seem like it will have a good effect on the dog when he gets older.

They also own several cats (and their terrible neglected treatment could fill an entire thread) and didn't even think about the fact that maybe the dog would chase them and hurt them.

Is there any way I can try to convince them to at least take the puppy to a trainer? He's already on the path of thinking that biting hands is acceptable and has bitten my mother's leg so hard it bled and bruised up.

He's a very sweet and cute dog and I don't want him to end up being given away or put in a shelter because my parents were too cheap to go to a trainer.

EDIT: I also strongly suspect that the puppy has been "debarked" because he never makes a sound. If he is really really scared he will make a short high pitched squeak, so maybe I am wrong.

I would see if you can get them to try the puppy classes at Petsmart/Petco/etc. You can use the guise of it teaching the puppy manners, though pet-sensible people know the class is really good for teaching owners how to interact with their dogs.

# ¿ May 22, 2012 22:40

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Rufus En Fuego posted:

I'm taking that class in a couple of weeks and I know drat well it's not really for the dog.

Yes, but you didn't buy a dog from the Amish, notorious puppy millers. Obviously you've got sense, but most people don't have a lick of it.

# ¿ May 23, 2012 02:01

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

uptown posted:

Okay, so I was already told in this thread that waking up in the middle of the night to let my puppy out to pee was a judgement call. I plan on doing so. However, I am such an uptight person that I want to know how often to do it. He's 8 weeks old.

I'm really not clear on this either - Should I, or should I not, be giving him water in his crate?

It's almost midnight here in Edmonton where I am, so I doubt I'll be getting any responses tonight. As of right now, I plan on getting up once, at about 4am, and letting him out for a pee and poo. As well, he does not have water in his crate because I don't want him to pee and then sit in his pee - He's very quiet, so I doubt he would even let me know by whining. I don't know if I feel right about not providing water, though... Am I being cruel???

Not having water in the crate at night is fine. It seems to be what most people do.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2012 07:40

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

It's also illegal in a lot of places to separate the puppies earlier than 8 weeks.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2012 14:59

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

tonic316 posted:

Edit: It's all good, I'll do my own research on the cons since its to hard to tell me. Can't be any worse then getting a rescue who was half beaten to death or has a myriad of health problems waiting.

Rescue dogs are often former BYB dogs that have been dumped, and have the same potential for a myriad of health problems. Just because you know where it comes from doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be genetically sound. At least when you rescue an animal, you don't support BYBs.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2012 17:42

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Tiny Faye posted:

Get off yours? A lot of rescues/shelters, (even some breeders) won't let unmarried couples adopt and what I was alluding to was a huge reason why they don't. Yes it's kind of stupid discrimination, but it's sort of hard to blame them for trying to place a dog in as stable a living situation as they can. Taking care of another living creature can totally change the dynamics of your relationship with your SO. You have no idea how many couples (even married ones) have one person that REALLY wants that dog, but the other person who wasn't that big on the idea in the first place ends up doing all the actual caretaking. If you're the only person taking the dog out for every walk, training it, making sure it's fed, and paying all the vet bills it's super easy to get resentful.

The guy was talking about having bad experiences and not being crazy about the idea of dog ownership. That to me right there is a huge red flag. Jumping right into getting a dog simply because "girlfriend wants one" before coming around yourself isn't in anyone's best interest. Even if you're both good about dog duty -some people just might not ever be ok around dogs (sad) and it's lovely to not be able to relax in your own house because you're perpetually anxious around dogs.

Full disclosure: my boyfriend of 3 years and I did adopt a dog a few months ago, but we didn't even consider looking until: A. we agreed we BOTH wanted a dog, and talked extensively about what kind of dog made sense given our living set up and B. we agreed to take equal responsibility for it.

What you said was "[that] sort of says a lot about your relationship." That's a dick thing to say when you don't know anything about the situation or the conversations they've had regarding getting a dog. None of what you said above has anything to do with your rude comment that Veskit took issue with. This isn't E/N and he wasn't asking for advice on his relationship, just on dog ownership and breed information.

# ¿ Aug 7, 2012 14:15

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Superconsndar posted:

Pet Island is currently like a billion times more bland, chill, and tolerant than it has ever been.

Yeah, it's just not the same. :saddowns:

# ¿ Sep 26, 2012 01:11

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Superconsndar posted:

We used to have so much fun. Alas,

The era of the "don't be a dick" rule

adventure in the sandbox posted:

I don't see how this is an response to TVs IAN?? PI is a "nicer" place nowadays, but if that guy with the two mutt pups got pissy and hosed off, what's the point of having a Puppy and New Dog Owner Thread?

I don't have any kind of stats to back this up, but PI probably has a ton of lurkers in addition to the people who post very infrequently. I'm sure the info in the OP and the questions answered in the thread are helpful to people who just aren't chiming in to say so. Or chiming in to let everyone know they're offended because someone posted "the best thing to do is x, but at the least I wouldn't y" and that means that the poster is accusing them of being a bad owner or an idiot. People like that aren't really going to find any help here, no matter how nicely it's delivered to them.

In any case, we're not worse than any other subforum, and we're definitely equal to or better than a lot of them. YLLS and GWS have the same kind of "we know what we're talking about so just shut up and listen" attitude; people tell TFR posters to go back and stay there; FYAD leaks weird meta diarrhea into various subforums on a regular basis; and YCS and LF were so awful they were deleted. I'd say PI isn't too bad for a subforum in a forum that is pretty much just dedicated to kind of being assholes.

# ¿ Sep 26, 2012 02:25

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

This is just me, but if I was looking for a German Shepherd, I wouldn't even bother looking at breeders that show their dogs at all. Schutzhund titling or other types of sport/hunting are nice and OFA testing is critical, but the only way to do well in the show ring with a GSD is to make ugly, crooked dogs. That's exactly what they've done, though they're not as exaggerated as some I've seen posted here before. Still, I can't even fathom the way they're stacked -- it looks like the dog is stretching out and hurting itself. How is that natural? :psyduck:

# ¿ Oct 29, 2012 23:42

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

horchata posted:

So my brother got a lab/shepard puppy about 3 months ago even though I advised against it since neither he nor I are home much. Lately the dog has been having this problem where it just ravages our entire back yard without a care in the world and we can't exactly bring it inside since it'll ravage everything inside.

I know it's quite a vague problem but do you guys have any tips that will prevent the dog from being a character from Rampage World Tour?

Play with the dog. Seriously, it just sounds like it has a lot of crazy puppy energy and no one is caring for him properly. You can't expect an energetic dog to be satisfied and tire itself out in a boring backyard, so of course he's getting up to mischief trying to make his own entertainment. I'd advise long walks multiple times a day. Running wouldn't be a good idea for his joints because he's still a growing puppy, but long walks and actual human stimulation would go a long way to meeting his needs. Leaving him outside because you don't want him to destroy the house is a terrible solution. I understand that this should be your brother's problem, but it doesn't sound like he's particularly responsible.

People are going to disagree with this, but if I was you, I would just try and get him to rehome the dog with people who can handle an energetic puppy.

# ¿ Nov 20, 2012 23:31

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

WASDF posted:

I have 12 week old boston terrier puppy. We live in an apartment in Seattle and I'm trying to figure out the best way to potty train her. For the past week since I've had her, I've taken her outside to this corner place where we have some nature for her to do her business but there's a few problems that I've ran into with it.

Lately, I think she's gotten used to the corner (it's somewhat busy and that's another issue) and isn't as frightful down there so she's become a terrifying menace to me. She runs around, doesn't do her business and eats things and when I get close to her she runs away. It terrifies me to think that she's going to run into the street and get hit or something.
I have a harness for her but when she wears it she doesn't move, she doesn't do anything.

That corner spot is horrible and it scares me to make her go there (she seems fine with it) but there is no where else I can take her. This is my first puppy, so any advice relating would be helpful.

She's a puppy, and they all hate collars, harnesses, and leashes at first because they are brand new to it. She will get used to it over time. You need to STOP taking her out without a leash because she will eventually run off, and may end up in the road. I have no idea what is so terrifying about this corner aside from the possibility of her running off, but if that's where she wants to do her business and isn't some place where drug deals or murders are frequently occurring, keep taking her there.

To help her become accustomed to the harness, leave it on her at all times. Go on little walks with her around your house to get her used to walking on a leash, and give her plenty of treats to reward progress. A lot of puppies go through a phase of resisting the leash because they're not used to it, but once you have her full shots done and start to take her on proper walks outside, she'll learn that putting the leash on means it's time for fun outside time.

# ¿ Dec 9, 2012 15:51

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Ikantski posted:

I always peed outside with my lab when he was learning, can't hurt.

Except that it can get you arrested for indecent exposure and even put on the sex offender list. v :shobon:

# ¿ Dec 30, 2012 19:25

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

webmeister posted:

It was the vet who told us not to take him out until he was immunised. He's socialised with a lot of people in the few weeks we've had him (probably close to 50 people) and a few dogs as well, but safely meeting other dogs is why he's starting preschool tomorrow.

Wait, he hasn't had shots yet, so he can't go on walks, but he can go to puppy training classes? That...does not seem correct.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2013 22:10

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

The Wonder Weapon posted:

Those Ian Dunbar books in the OP are terrifying.

"As a rule of thumb, your puppy needs to have met at least a hundred different people before he is eight weeks old..."

Is it really that critical that the puppy meet that many people that early? There is no way for me to control this personally when getting a dog from a breeder; I just have to hope they're telling me the truth about how many people the dogs have interacted with.

e: I saw a bit that you should avoid feeding your dog out of a food bowl. The idea was that in nature they have to spend a great deal of effort and time acquiring food, and just giving it to them in a bowl means they have a lot more energy, which can easily become destructive. Instead of a bowl, it was recommended to feed them mostly out of Kong toys and the like, so that they have to work for it, increases mental stimulation, etc. Is feeding them out of a bowl really that much worse, or is all of this just a bunch of phooey?

Feeding from a Kong or other kind of food-dispensing toy can definitely be a good thing for energetic dogs, especially if it takes work to get the food out. Mental stimulation can be as important as physical exercise for a lot of dogs. If they're busy taking on the Tug-A-Jug to get their dinner out, they won't be tearing apart the couch out of boredom.

# ¿ Feb 17, 2013 04:19

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Triangulum posted:

You don't want to give dogs cooked bones because they can splinter and cause problems but raw bones are fine.

But for those who don't want gross raw bones on their upholstery (since it is inevitable), pet stores sell bones that are treated/cooked in such a way that they won't splinter but are not disgusting and dripping with bacteria...that is, until your dog slobbers all over it. They're like $3 for a beef rib or knuckle, and have a bit of meat left on them, which is great for distracting dogs for a few hours. Plus, if you get the hollow kind, once your dog snarfs all of the marrow out you can fill them with peanut butter and freeze them just like a kong, but they're much sturdier (my boyfriend's dog just chewed the end off her Kong to get to the peanut butter).

# ¿ Mar 29, 2013 23:20

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Dogdoo 8 posted:

Are retractable leashes completely terrible? My back yard isn't fenced, but the long lead I got gets tangled so easily. I've been using a retractable for a few days since it gives my dog a little room to wander when it's time to pee and I'm hoping that if I use different leashes he'll be more likely to catch on that if I'm using a certain leash it's pee time and that he should stop trying to get me to take him for a walk. The longer lead is probably better if I really want to let him play in the yard, but it's a pain and I don't want to use it all the time. There's also a park area like 20 feet from my house that might be nice to give him a little more room on.

Yeah, I hate retractable leashes for walking, but I love it for the backyard. If we didn't use a retractable for my boyfriend's dog, we'd either have to follow her around within a 6' distance or let a longer leash drag all over the ground. She can't be unleashed back there because despite it being fenced, she always makes a beeline straight for the large gaps at the bottom. I'd say it's good for large areas, but keep a shorter one for walks.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2013 00:25

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Black Dynamite posted:

Cool, thanks. I'm gonna instead wait for a real breeder who has me on a list.

Much better idea

# ¿ Apr 20, 2013 01:28

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

WASDF posted:

I'm afraid my dog is going into heat... How do I deal with the inevitable bleeding?

They actually make devices for this, either a kind of band or creepy little dog undies you can attach a pad to, or just put a diaper on her.

# ¿ Apr 29, 2013 23:53

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

systran posted:

Two or three weeks ago my 8-month-old corgi became extremely lethargic and wouldn't eat. As the night went on he got worse and seemed in some pain. We took him to the emergency care clinic and they implied he might have inflammation or some form of meningitis. They gave him painkillers but recommended we get him an MRI/spinal tap if he didn't improve.

He drastically improved the next day and was completely back to normal by the next evening. The whole thing gave us a scare so we bought pet insurance (and should have bought it earlier). Will the emergency clinic's recommendation to get an MRI and saying there were clinical signs of neurological problems immediately make everything related to this a pre-existing condition?

You would have to check the terms of your policy to be sure, but to be quite honest, it probably will count as pre-existing because insurance companies will dick you any way they can. You're better off taking that $20 or so a month and putting it into a savings and taking out line of Care Credit in case something does happen.

# ¿ Apr 30, 2013 22:02

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

MrFurious posted:

Dogs come pre-wired to search for food on the ground. The definition of "food" is extremely loose.

Cat poop -- food. Vegetables -- garbage.

Dog logic :downs:

# ¿ May 3, 2013 22:49

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

blue squares posted:

Is there a page here in the thread or somewhere else on the site discussing the merits of getting a puppy or an adult dog? I get out of the Navy next month and I have two months of paid time off before I start school. I feel that with that amount of time, it's appropriate to get a puppy, but I want to read more about the pros and cons. I'm sure this has been discussed before so if I could be pointed in the direction of some info that would be great, thanks.

It could potentially be a good time, but puppies are pretty needy for longer than two months. I'd say until they're at least 6-8 months old, you'd need to have someone who can take them out to potty in the middle of the day, in addition to taking them out at night as well. If you can handle that when you go back to school, it should be fine.

That said, you will need to get your puppy used to you not being around all the time. If he spends his first two months with you nearly constantly, when you go back to school he may experience separation anxiety. Setting up a structure during those two months where you're out of the house for several hours a day would be good to help prepare him for this.

# ¿ May 4, 2013 20:40

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

wackoclwn posted:

We got him from a reputable breeder ... when he was 7.5 weeks

See, the things is, these two things don't jive in my mind. I can't think of many reasons to send a puppy off to a new home at less than weeks, and 10-12 is optimal by most reputable breeders' standards. In many places, taking a puppy away from it's mother at under 8 weeks is actually illegal, so who would do it? I don't know, maybe it's just a fluke and they did proper health testing and such, but it really stands out as a bad practice.

Anyway, your puppy is cute and I hope he gets better. Hopefully it's just a weird bug and he makes a full recovery, but there are a lot of resources for the best ways to help make life easier for disabled pets in case his vision doesn't return. Keep us posted!

# ¿ May 9, 2013 03:27

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

MarquisDeSade posted:

So the power is out to the whole city right now because of a rain storm. My dog just hurt his front left leg jumping off the couch and won't put any weight on it at all. It's been like this for a couple hours now. All of the vets and animal hospitals are closed because of the outage. Is there anything I can do to help him while I wait for the power to come back on?

Right now he's laying on his side resting. He wasn't whimpering in pain before but was panting. He even tried to jump back up on the couch with his good 3 legs earlier. Whenever he does walk he won't put the leg down. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary when I touch it and he doesn't do anything when I touch the leg.

He's a 1 year old Sealyham Terrier if it helps. And he's around 22-25 pounds. I'd appreciate any suggestions to make him more comfortable.

Does he have a crate? If so, confining him to his crate to rest his leg for the remainder of the night could help if he only hurt his leg a bit. For stuff like this, I usually give it 24 hours before scheduling a vet visit unless the symptoms escalate (like limping getting worse or vocalizing pain).

Also, posting pictures of him here may help. :shobon:

# ¿ Jul 9, 2013 03:28

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

SuzieMcAwesome posted:

I will make an appointment with the vet but I'm not crazy about the idea of crate training. Its not just a problem when we are not home, she does it when we are home as well.

It doesn't have to be a crate if you're uncomfortable with those in particular. It can be a little x pen set up with blankets. Just something to give her the notion of being in a den to take advantage the aversion that comes along with it of "do not poo poo where I sleep." By giving her access to different parts of the house, she doesn't have to work on holding it at all because she can go pee somewhere else.

I would also say start regulating her water intake. We very strictly regulate the water my fiance's dog gets because she's a smallish dog (25 pounds) and so her bladder isn't big enough to hold it for as long as larger dogs can. This is going to be even more true for a yorkie, so I would also discuss with the vet limiting her access to water at certain times, just to make sure she's healthy enough for that. We limit our dog to a set amount of water in the evenings on an average night (more if she goes for a long walk) because she's always been weird and will drink every drop you put in front of her, but for your dog it might be best to let her have free access to the bowl from when you get home from work until about 1-2 hours before bed.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2013 17:58

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Riiseli posted:

^ Is not usually an issue with puppies. But if the dog has been in such surroundings for even years.

My fifteen pound sheltie could hold no problem and I'd definitely expect everything above 20 pounds to manage nine hours comfortably without one having to withhold water.

It's an 8 month old yorkie puppy. It can't hurt to to be careful with the watering schedule once they've ruled out a UTI, especially since she may or may not decide to go with crating.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2013 23:09

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Superconsndar posted:

Yeah I stopped using an actual clicker years ago and just use "Good!" as a verbal marker. Mainly because I never remember to have a clicker on me ever no matter what.

Yup, I just use praise. If I was trying to train for tricks and poo poo I'd use a clicker, but praise followed by pets or treats when she waits like she's supposed to works just as well.

# ¿ Jan 11, 2014 04:53

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

crowtribe posted:

Oh man, a reply for me!

The rescue says about 3.5, but we took her into the vet yesterday (woo Sunday vets) and they said she's more likely around 5. She has been spayed.

They gave us some preprprpelisone stuff to drop 3/4 of a mL onto her food twice a day and see how that goes, as the effects should be noticeable within just a few days. If there's no luck with that, they'll look into doing an ultrasound to check the ureter path and make sure it's not a congenital defect.

Also she's stone loving deaf. The vet dropped a bed pan (or surgical instrument pan?) on the ground which made me and my girlfriend just about poo poo our pants, and Lexie didn't even turn around to look.

You know, since she wasn't born deaf, this may be partly an acclimatization issue. She doesn't hear someone walking up next to her and gets startled when you're suddenly there.

I had a ferret who was congenitally deaf and nothing ever fazed him. He was 100% accustomed to sensing vibrations from the ground to know when someone was approaching, and I can't think of a single time anyone got the drop on him, whereas if I was quiet I could soundly startle my other ferrets.

Sounds like your pup may have done underlying urinary issues, but I think she'll get better with the startling over time as she learns to cope with her deafness. It may sound silly, but try walking more heavily around her so she begins to get the sense of people moving around her. The cats will always be difficult since cats are naturally tiptoers, but she'll get better at sending them too with time.

# ¿ Mar 10, 2014 17:40

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

luscious posted:

Is there anyway that you can get insurance for Betty (or do you already have it?) in case you do need the surgery in the future?

If you can treat it for now with massage that's great but I think that insurance when you know she's already prone to an issue like that is really important.

I had a rabbit who had cherry eye and it didn't bother her... it was just a cosmetic issue for her. It can become a problem, however, and having insurance to fall back on would be nice.

They will definitely want to check if this will count as a pre-existing condition, though. Because if so, it might not be covered.

# ¿ May 26, 2014 21:45

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Downhome posted:

That's what I'm worried about. She has been to the vet for it already, so who knows. I'm not sure if it would be covered period though since it is a very widespread problem in the breed, and others like it.

Yeah, that's another factor that could work against you. Generally, pet insurance is worthless. You're better off saving up the money yourself each month.

# ¿ May 27, 2014 22:28

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 12:35

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

Petey posted:

Hi everyone -

I posted in this thread probably a year ago when I was starting to research getting my first dog. I really appreciate the resources that it and everyone posting in it have provided.

To recap my situation: I'm a prospective first-time dog owner. I live in an apartment, about .75 miles from the university where I work, and I work from home during part of the year. I have two roommates, both of whom friends who are responsible adults and experienced dog owners with complementary schedules to my own; there's also a doggie day care / socialization facility on my block. I've had preliminary discussions with my landlady about getting a puppy (currently up to her discretion in the lease) and with my HR manager about being able to bring my dog to work. That's just sort of an upshot of my life situation.

I have been looking for a dog that a) is well-tempered, intelligent, suitable for being around lots of people, and ideally also for therapy training, and b) I'm not allergic to it. I've always been drawn to Newfoundlands for a) (plus aesthetics), but I've been allergic to some of the Newfs I've been around.

In my research I stumbled across a vein of people who had Newf/poodle crossbreeds that reputedly had many of the temperamental and aesthetic characteristics of Newfs but were less likely to trigger allergies.* Those folks turned me toward a couple who lives in Michigan and breeds Newfypoos.

Now, the website, and the whole situation, has some of the hallmarks of the BYB danger zone described by the OP. I had a preliminary 40 minute phone conversation with the woman who runs it. Some of our conversation assuaged my fears -- they do vet care prior to adoption, invite everyone to an 'open house' to meet the puppies/dogs and see where they live, are willing to take the dog back if it doesn't work out, have an application, try to pair parents sensibly or at least intentionally, asked me a lot of questions about my own situation, etc. However, I'm still not sure how concerned I should be, given my constraints, goals, and general sanity-seeking.

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has (or can help me form) something of a more informed opinion on whether or not this is likely to be an OK place to get a dog or a terrible sirens-alert never do this at all place to get a dog. That may not even be a coherent question to ask, but I'm still at the stage of trying to figure out what the right questions are, and appreciate any advice folks have on how to arrive there.

* I realize, per earlier conversations in the thread, that this kind of cross doesn't mean I'd not be allergic. If this route seemed promising, then my plan would be to attend the open house and make sure I spend lots of time burying my face in / being licked by newfypoos to see how I react, and to be totally willing to forego to the deposit and such if I show so much as a sneeze.

Why wouldn't you just get a poodle? Poodle crosses aren't all that likely to be low or no allergen. Standard poodles are pretty cool dogs, where as the Newf mix will remove some of their suitability as a pet.

To be frank, that breeder is a 100% clusterfuck. There are some breeders who successfully mix breeds to good purpose (like lurchers and other kinds of sporting/working breeds), but I don't see any point in the Newf/poodle cross -- or any of the other ~doodles~ they've mashed up. Their whole thing is just a money factory selling novelty dogs, with no regard for producing healthy, quality dogs. I mean, poo poo, they're breeding minis of the Newf/Poodles, and breeding for unusual size (small OR large) is a huge red flag of a poo poo breeder.

I strongly, strongly urge you to reconsider your interest in this breeder and this type of dog. Newfs are lovely, but not really the most optimal dogs for pet purposes. You really should look more into poodles, though, if your allergies are really going to be an issue. You can also contact local rescues and ask about dogs they have, and have the opportunity to visit in a foster home (an environment with fewer dogs than a full shelter or breeder facility) to get an idea of whether or not any particular dog is going to trigger you.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2015 02:32

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Pet Island > The Puppy & Dog Owner Thread: Dog owning for dipshits