Advice appreciated - puppy or rescue dog......

[Birdie Boy]

I recently got a rescue from Patcham, it is a Portugese Podengo and he is fantastic. Never barks, extremely friendly to all people, wasn't at first with other dogs but he was just settling in to a new environment. Couple of weeks later a mate noticed another Podengo younger and a girl, she is extremely scared of everything, she is only now, after 4-5 months coming to me, she is ok with the wife and kids. She lays down all day hiding but when we take her out, she actually smiles her tail goes up and she loves running everywhere. Took her up the downs and out ran a whole pack of whippets! It's not been long so we are very hopeful she will come good.

They came fully checked, chipped and with a passport, so we can take them on camping holidays in France.

 

[bluenitsuj]

Rescue dog everytime. I cannot understand why anyone buys a dog when there are 1000's of lovely dogs waiting to be rehomed. What really pi$$$s me off is those that habe to give up there dog and want hundreds of pounds in return. Surely the most important thing is to find a good home, not make money from it.

 

[black & white seagull]

Always, always, always a rescue. And preferably a greyhound.

There's no way that a good rescue would allow a dog to be rehomed with a family they weren't 100% certain the dog would be suited to. The last thing any rescue wants is for a dog to be returned, when kennel spaces are so tight. And not every rescue dog comes with issues. Often they end up needing to be rehomed because the owner can no longer care for it, or a couple has split up.

Also, a rescue dog will always have been checked by a vet, vaccinated, wormed, flea treated, neutered and - usually - housetrained. All for an average donation of around £150 - far less than it costs to carry out all the treatments and kennel them.

Click on either of the links in my signature. I think these are the two best greyhound rescues (they both have lurchers, too - Greyhound Gap in particular have a lot at the moment). Many of their dogs go through foster homes, so are fully assessed in the home environment before going to their permanent families.

 

[theboybilly]

We're looking at getting a dog just after xmas. Have been to Patcham and the Dogs Trust. On Sunday, all the signs at the Dogs trust were saying dog suitable for kids over 12. Not sure if that is always the case but they might just be covering the back. Think we will check again after xmas to see if they have an influx of puppies otherwise we'll probably go for puppy from a breeder. Bit more expensive but you'll have a better idea of what you are getting. Looking for a beagle or similar size or even a cross breed.

I went to Dogs Trust this afternoon.... I think 'Flo' could be just the dog you're looking for. She's there on the Shoreham Dogs Trust website.

 

[piersa]

Don't get a rescue dog. They have many, many issues most of the time.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Don't get a rescue dog. They have many, many issues most of the time.

This is simply not true.
Dogs end up in rescue centers for many reasons.
My current dog and my last dog were both rescues and were/are both fantastic. I also volunteered as a dog walker at my local rspca after my last dog died and can safely say every dog I walked over that 6 month period had only one problem and that was that they were desperate for a loving, safe home.
Please, please get a rescue dog and make yourself and which ever dog you chose very happy.

 

[matt]

We got one of our dogs from here: http://www.pupsneedinghomes.co.uk/

He has been a piece of cake in comparison with the pedigree chocolate lab we bought from a breeder in Worthing (and cost 1/8 of the price).

 

[Icy Gull]

We have two rescue dogs, one that we got, who had been physically abused, at about 6 months is lovely. The other that we got at 5 years is a bit mental. It took two years before he trusted us enough to let us step over him without him jumping up and looking worried and even now he is sometimes a bit strange.

Next dog is going to be from a puppy although we didn't actually go looking for these dogs, one we found covered in whip marks the other was basically dumped by it's previous owners because they wanted to move to the USA and nobody would take their beautiful but quite aggressive and very big Dalmatian off them. The poor dog had never been allowed to walk off the lead and fecked off every time we let him off for about three months. Good as gold now though but it was really hard work training him.

I can see the reasoning behind rescue dogs but a dog you have from a puppy also has a lot of plusses.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I went to Dogs Trust this afternoon.... I think 'Flo' could be just the dog you're looking for. She's there on the Shoreham Dogs Trust website.

How is the old place. I lived there for 24 years - what a great place to grow up. My dad built most of the house. He build all our kennels too, but DT have replaced most of those.

 

[grubbyhands]

Any sight hound will be a great dog for a family try lurchersos

Absolutely this but make sure you don't have any rabbits or deer in the vicinity if it's off the lead. It's very difficult to explain to people why your lurcher is wearing a deer costume after it's brought it down, killed it and then tried to get inside it at Newlands Corner on a lovely spring morning>

 

[pasty]

Don't get a rescue dog. They have many, many issues most of the time.

How many posts in this thread did you ignore from people saying taking a rescue dog was fantastic, and how much they love their rescue dogs before posting such a sweeping generalisation?

 

[Stat Brother]

How many posts in this thread did you ignore from people saying taking a rescue dog was fantastic, and how much they love their rescue dogs before posting such a sweeping generalisation?

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

 

[El Sid]

Thanks for all your kind responses.

On balance I think the rescue option is the way to go.
The only issue I see is the rescue centre reluctance to home dogs where children are under 10-12.

I've registered with a couple of centres and we'll wait til a suitable mutt comes along.
I must confess I do quite like the idea of a Jack Russell.

 

[piersa]

This is simply not true.
Dogs end up in rescue centers for many reasons.
My current dog and my last dog were both rescues and were/are both fantastic. I also volunteered as a dog walker at my local rspca after my last dog died and can safely say every dog I walked over that 6 month period had only one problem and that was that they were desperate for a loving, safe home.
Please, please get a rescue dog and make yourself and which ever dog you chose very happy.

This is nice if it were true but most rescue dogs exhibit some traits that are very difficult to deal with once you have taken them home. For example, most of them hate being left alone for any length of time. When you get home that have destroyed the room they have been left in.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Barney and Reg,both rescues,one from RSPCA,one from dogs trust shoreham.
They ****iing love the Albion.

 

[theboybilly]

I recently got a rescue from Patcham, it is a Portugese Podengo and he is fantastic. Never barks, extremely friendly to all people, wasn't at first with other dogs but he was just settling in to a new environment. Couple of weeks later a mate noticed another Podengo younger and a girl, she is extremely scared of everything, she is only now, after 4-5 months coming to me, she is ok with the wife and kids. She lays down all day hiding but when we take her out, she actually smiles her tail goes up and she loves running everywhere. Took her up the downs and out ran a whole pack of whippets! It's not been long so we are very hopeful she will come good.

They came fully checked, chipped and with a passport, so we can take them on camping holidays in France.

I think I gave your dog a fuss when I was at the Patcham RSPCA the other week. A very friendly if a bit nervous little soul. Well done on taking her in, I think she had an unhappy life in Portugal.

 

[theboybilly]

How is the old place. I lived there for 24 years - what a great place to grow up. My dad built most of the house. He build all our kennels too, but DT have replaced most of those.

Dog's Trust in Shoreham had about 30 dogs for rehoming today. Nice people. I have a dog in mind but my dilemma is that I haven't had a holiday in all my years of dog ownership. If I took a dog on now I would have to find a boarding kennels (for no longer than a week) once a year. Something to ponder, but I know that apart from that one week per year that dog would have a very happy and settled home.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Dog's Trust in Shoreham had about 30 dogs for rehoming today. Nice people. I have a dog in mind but my dilemma is that I haven't had a holiday in all my years of dog ownership. If I took a dog on now I would have to find a boarding kennels (for no longer than a week) once a year. Something to ponder, but I know that apart from that one week per year that dog would have a very happy and settled home.

Well this sets the thread off on a different tangent - we've got a 4 month old puppy and will want a boarding kennel next year. Does anyone know an absolutely brilliant one either side of the east west Sussex border?

 

[Jack Daniels]

We got a retired greyhound from here:

http://www.retiredgreyhounds.info/

They are great dogs, friendly, good with kids, and they sleep a lot.

Is all you need know. Perfect pets greyhounds.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

This is not true. Many pets (cats and dogs) become in need of re-homing for a variety of factors. This could be that the owner/s have died, have long term care needs or through pure economical reasons.

Don't get a rescue dog. They have many, many issues most of the time.