Adopting a Puppy

[remdog]

Boss, just so you'll know, Corgi's are chick magnets.

Just sayin'.

That's true. And they also make you look taller. :

So, the bigger question is: has any dog adopted you yet?

Rem

[Spitball]

Boss, just so you'll know, Corgi's are chick magnets.

Just sayin'.

I've heard it said, "Corgi butts drive chicks nuts!"

[jmcclain19]

Boss I guessed I missed this thread earlier.

My wife is a dog groomer, so I get to see all types all year round. In fact we just went to the Arizona Dog Show two Sundays ago.

I love Boston Terriers. Awesome awesome dogs. They are little clowns with amazingly expressive personalities.

It was the dog we were going to get next - and then one of my wife's friends who runs a Chihuahua rescue convinced her to take an abused Chihuahua and we haven't yet decided to take on the 3rd dog yet with two dogs and a 1 year old.

Bostons are very similiar to French Bulldogs, with Frenchies being a little shorter and heavier. But Bostons don't have near the amount of health issues French Bulldogs do.

Be aware they do have some serious energy, but that can be taken care of with regular daily walks and good training. I'll echo about not getting a puppy - they are cute and fun and high maintenance and destructive and need 24-7 supervision. Unless you plan on keeping them in a bathroom or a closet or a kennel during the day when you can't be home (not fun options all around) you're setting up a potential tornado.

I would try a local Boston Terrier rescue first. There are huge benefits of doing so.

#1 - Rescue dogs in my experience have had a pretty rough life. You giving them a second chance with a nice home usually means a pal for life.

#2 - Rescue typically have been in a foster home for a period of time before they get adopted, meaning you'll get accurate information about that dogs quirks, habits and behaviors. Do they get along with cats, other dogs, kids, birds, etc? Are they housebroken? How healthy are they? Folks in the classifieds are complete mystery, some may want to help you, but most are likely just looking to sell the puppies. Rescuing Dogs costs a huge amount in time, energy, personal investment and out of pocket cash - those folks do it for the love of dogs and the love of the particular breed. And most have a form of a return policy if the dog just doesn't work out.

Most breed specific rescues specialize in one breed, but also have lots of cross breeds as well, you'll likely see some Boston/Pugs or the like in Boston Terrier rescue groups as well. One of those may be your future pet.

Anyway, that's my two cents - good luck and report back when you have a new pooch.

[Boss-Hog]

All,

Just to give you an update - I've met with some local breeders twice now and things have gone well. They have three puppies that are nine and a half weeks old and will likely give away the two males (assuming they find people they feel would make responsible owners). Things have gone well, but coming in, their primary concern is placing one with an owner who lives in an apartment (at least for now). As a result, on Monday, they brought the puppies over to take a look at my living situation and the major concern that was raised was that I have a bunch of electronic components and wires on (or near) the ground (i.e. for my TV, DVD Player, Wii and A/V receiver). They made it clear that puppies will chew anything if given the chance, including this stuff, and cautioned that they hoped my couches weren't too expensive because they will be chewed up. Admittedly, the electronic equipment is a hazard I did not consider and I don't see an easy solution because the stuff is located in my living room, which is the biggest part of the apartment, so it's not really practical to simply restrict the puppy from accessing that entire area.

They're been extremely complimentary of my character and feel comfortable that I would make a responsible owner, so that's not an issue. They know that I live only five minutes from work, so I am able to come home at lunch to walk and feed the puppy. I'm waiting to hear back from them, so I'm not sure if they're going to allow me to adopt one of theirs, but regardless, this problem is something I need to consider with any dog. If anyone has encountered a similar situation or has any recommendations on how to address it, I'm all ears. Thanks again for the good advice.

[JaxRed]

Again, I echo the "adult dog from rescue" route. I wanted a beagle, and the rescue lady steered me away from the dog I initially asked about because she was very active and both me and the wife are away from home working 10 hours a day.

She suggested a different beagle which was VERY laid back and mellow and loved being inside. And she made a great choice for us.

By getting an adult you avoid the puppy issues like chewing.

But the nice part is there is no wrong answer. Either way you'll end up with a great companion.

[remdog]

Boss:

Is there anyway to raise the wireing above a reachable height? Even if it isn't the most attractive solution, if you don't care about that, you would probably only have to have it that way until the 'chewing' stage has passed. And, if you live in an apartment, there's always the opportunity to move elsewhere if you'd like to.

Again, I agree with others here that would rescue an older dog and not have to go through the puppy stage.

Rem

[Boss-Hog]

You guys (and gals) are right - I am now open to considering an older dog, but I do not want one more than two years old at the most. Ideally, he or she would be between one and two years old - I don't want to get a dog that's already several years into his or her life, but adopting at this age would eliminate puppy issues, such as house-training. In adopting a young dog (that is not a puppy), is the issue I mentioned above something I will still have to worry about or do most dogs outgrow the "chewing anything" phase by that age? Thanks again.

[Boss-Hog]

Boss:

Is there anyway to raise the wireing above a reachable height? Even if it isn't the most attractive solution, if you don't care about that, you would probably only have to have it that way until the 'chewing' stage has passed. And, if you live in an apartment, there's always the opportunity to move elsewhere if you'd like to.

Again, I agree with others here that would rescue an older dog and not have to go through the puppy stage.

Rem

Thanks for the suggestion(s)...all my electronic stuff sits on an entertainment center, which has shelves below the TV, so short of getting furniture that moves everything out of reach, it's not currently a feasible option.

[JaxRed]

I'd say by 2 you have that stage gone.

[bucksfan2]

Boss, when the wife and I were looking at dogs most a lot of people recommended getting an adult dog. We went ahead and got a 6 week old puppy. To be honest an adult dog may have been easier but I wouldn't pass up raising a puppy. They can be difficult and challenging but well worth it. Even the tough times you can look back and laugh at. Our lab is now about 14 months old and has chewed up two computer cords and about 5 window sills. He hasn't chewed up any or our couches.

I have also noticed that breeders or adopters can be a little particular. I realize that they want to place their dogs in the best situation possible but once the dog is gone it is gone. No matter the situation they will revert to begin a dog.

[redsfanmia]

Boss, when the wife and I were looking at dogs most a lot of people recommended getting an adult dog. We went ahead and got a 6 week old puppy. To be honest an adult dog may have been easier but I wouldn't pass up raising a puppy. They can be difficult and challenging but well worth it. Even the tough times you can look back and laugh at. Our lab is now about 14 months old and has chewed up two computer cords and about 5 window sills. He hasn't chewed up any or our couches.

I have also noticed that breeders or adopters can be a little particular. I realize that they want to place their dogs in the best situation possible but once the dog is gone it is gone. No matter the situation they will revert to begin a dog.

Our akita puppy chewed the posts on our bed, the knobs off the the dresser, the carpet and window sills. She ripped many sheets and comforters digging at them. I would not have traded the puppy stage for anything even with all of these things. I got to see my dog develop into who she is now, a great dog who I love.

[remdog]

Boss:

Most pups out grow the teething stage at between 1 & 1/2 and 2. So, your age range is right on.

I got Rem when he was about 2; Stevie was about 1 & 1/2. Neither were a problem with chewing, they were house-trained and didn't get worried about being left alone during the work day (as long as they had a way out to relieve themselves).

Check around. Boston Terriers are pretty mellow dogs anyway so if that's what you are looking for then you've probably got a lot of good possibilities out there.

Rem

[WebScorpion]

Our dogs were crate trained, (when they're not with someone, they're in their 'den') so they never chewed anything and had very few accidents in the house. Puppies require a lot of exercise, (so do healthy older dogs,) so the more outdoor walking and playing they get, the less likely they are to get into trouble in the house. Later in life, they still go to their 'crate' on command, but their crate is now just a dog bed. If you come home for lunch every day (and have someone else do it when you can't) they are supposed to be ok for 4 hours or so in the crate. My wife and I have irregular hours, so we never really had to leave them in the crate that long.

[Spitball]

Speaking of puppies, has anyone seen this video?

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/689202/puppy_and_duck/

[Boss-Hog]

Here's my new puppy ("Johnny" - not after Cueto, but I don't mind with the way he's pitching ). He turned four months old yesterday and he's an awesome puppy.