Adopting a Puppy

[Puffy]

Boss,

There is not a right way to do this, there is a right way for you. First, adopting from the classifieds is fine (its how I found my lab) but the key is to visit the dogs and find one that has the personality you are searching for. The number one problem is people get enamored by a cute puppy and don't follow the clues the puppies are giving you. For instance, the puppy I adopted was located in Orlando (where my parents live) I asked my Dad to check it out first since he was there and he knew the type of dog I was looking for. When he got there the puppy came right up to him and started licking him and following him, etc. So we knew the puppy had what I wanted - excellent social skills. The dog wasn't pushy or dominant, etc.

So, my advice is check out all your options - but know what character traits you are looking for right off the bat and don't deviate because you got sucked in by cuteness. If puppy is aloof and dominant, you should probably avoid unless you want to put in extra time for obedience trainings. Have a plan of what you are looking for and stick to it.

[GIK]

My wife and I went the breeder route, mainly because we knew exactly what we wanted (breed, color, sex and age). BTW, he's a chocolate labrador retriever. In addition, certain breeds are susceptible to particular health problems and one way to help limit this is to know the dog's family history (which is a bit hard to do from a shelter). Either way, dogs are great and a wonderful addition to the family.

[Boss-Hog]

Thanks again for the good advice, everyone.

[MrCinatit]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Boss,

There is not a right way to do this, there is a right way for you.

You are right. Though my parents have bought four through breeders, we've also had two given to us and have adopted four strays that people dropped off at the side of the road (we live in the country). Mom said she would like to adopt a female mutt when our oldest passes away to counteract the two male bassets.

[cincinnati chili]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Boss,

There is not a right way to do this

But of course there is. The WRONG way would be to steal five puppies out of the arms of small children, take them all home, pick the one you like best, and then drown the other four in the river.

The OPPOSITE of this way, is the RIGHT way.

But seriously, please report on how this goes, and provide pictures.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by remdog

When I got Remington he was a 'found' dog. I had seen an ad in the paperthat a family wanted to find a home for a black afi they had found on the streets since they already had three dogs. So, we went to see him and all the way over I kept telling my girlfriend, 'we're only looking'. Well, we walk in the door and he runs right up to me and then rolls over and wants me to scratch him. You can tell from my 'nom de plume' how 'only looking' turned out.

About a year later we rescued a female afi from the pound. I had to outbid a 'b&^%h' that wanted to breed her to make money but didn't really like dogs. So, we ended ended up with a $300.00 pound dog, very scared and likely abused dog that threw up in my car before we were even two blocks from the pound.

We got her home and she was shaking like a leaf. Then Rem stepped in. He literally started sheparding her around the house, took her to where they would eat, took her out in the yard, etc. Within a couple of days she seemed to be aware that we loved her and wouldn't ever hurt her. Once it got to that point 'Stevie' (cause the flowing locks looked like Stevie Nicks) just wanted to be near us or to be near Rem. They were inseperable for years.

So, my point in saying all of this is: when you start looking, be prepared to have a dog take ownership of you. It usually works that way, not the other way around. Secondly, if you think you can handle it, get two. It's a circus but you'll be glad you did.

Rem

Great story Rem!

I don't have the time it takes to care for a dog but I love playing with other people's dogs.

My experience has been with cats and boy are those breeders a "different breed" themselves. I haven't found one yet that I get along with. Strange people.

It basically goes like this. Yes, I'd like to buy one of your nicely bred kittens.

Answer: OK, but you can't have him until he's 12 weeks old. He needs all that time with his mother. And you can't breed him, let him outside or declaw him. I have the right to check on these things in the coming years and if I think you've broken these promises I have the right to take the cat back from you.Here sign this 6 page contract which includes all of these obligations on your part.

My reply: Look Pal, if I spend $600 for that cat, he's mine. If I declaw him so he won't ruin my furnture doing what comes naturally to him so be it. If I want to re-coup my money and breed him that's my right. It's just a cat and this is what you can do with your 6 page contract...

[flyer85]

See if there are any local rescue facilities for the breed you are interested in. We have a dog purchased from a breeder and another acquired from a rescue. IMO a rescue is the way to go.

[Redlegs23]

I strongly suggest you check out www.petfinder.com. That's where my wife and I went to get ours. You can select the breed, age, etc, and search for them. These are dogs that are badly in need of a home. Petfinder is a collection of rescue agencies that takes dogs from the pound to try and place them in homes so that they don't get euthanized. The more dogs they place in homes the more they can save from the pound. We ended up getting a 7 week old lab mix (we're not really sure what she is), but she has been an awesome addition to the family. Best dog I've ever had (including the pure bred Golden Retrievers I had growing up, which also loved). She potty trained in about 4 days, learns tricks with about 5 minutes of teaching, and is extremely loyal. We paid $150 for her and that included the first few rounds of shots as well as the cost to get her fixed. So basically she was free.

[WebScorpion]

It sounds like you know what you're doing and have pretty much set your mind on the breed you'd like, so I won't argue for any of my favorites. As far as getting a dog with problems from a rescue, I'm not sure I'd worry too much about that. Dogs mostly live in the moment...dogs that have been severely mistreated by others can be perfectly fine with a stable owner. Dogs are pack animals and so will be happier with two or more...as long as you establish yourself (and you're stable) as the pack leader. Anyway, I hope you get a dog that makes you as happy as some of mine have...they're just a fantastic source of companionship, love, entertainment, and support. I've had dogs that respond to sound, sight, and of course smell and have trained them with balls, treats, clickers, voice commands, and hand signals. They're so smart and eager to please, you just have to find their particular driving force. Anyway, the Petfinder link provided earlier is a great resource. There is a Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue and they seem to have some dogs in Ohio looking for homes. I'd recommend at least looking at them before paying a ton of money for a breeder pup. Whichever way you go, I wish you the best of luck and many wonderful memories!

[Road Pop]

I found my dog through classifieds. Papers/pedigree/bloodlines were all excellent. Somewhat cheaper than larger breeders, but it was all about companionship, not showing and/or breeding. Price had no reflection. The family was very nice and I checked references to make sure.

I got him at 8-9 weeks old and cage/potty trained him. Left him in the cage while at work and went home during breaks. I also had some help from friends LOL. After he was housebroke, he has the run of the house and is VERY well behaved. This was my second dog to raise this way.

Lots of good advice here. But I would rather watch my puppy grow into a young dog. I'd hate to miss out on the formative years.

Anyway, check references and you can find a great dog. Good luck and have patience training LOL. Post pics when you get your new friend.

Butch -

[smith288]

I would recommend against a dog. They take away your ability to go anywhere on a whim if you are single or have a girl. They are VERY hard work in order to train them and they can/will rip apart important things in their puppy hood.

I would wait. This coming from experience with my, now, 10 yr old doberman.

[remdog]

Originally Posted by smith288

I would recommend against a dog. They take away your ability to go anywhere on a whim if you are single or have a girl. They are VERY hard work in order to train them and they can/will rip apart important things in their puppy hood.

I would wait. This coming from experience with my, now, 10 yr old doberman.

Personally, I never had any problem traveling and I was in the Duty Free business when I had Rem and Stevie and was going to Asia and Europe.

Dog sitters/caretakers are available and that's what I used if I had to go on a long trip so that they could stay somewhere that they were familiar with and weren't confined. Dog doors made it easy and, frankly, afghans, while they can be clowns at times, are actually big couch potatoes. A comfy bed, food every day and a way to relieve themselves and they're usually a piece of cake.

Or, if you want to leave town for a few days, find a good boarding kennel. This often works well if the kennel has 'play time' where they let the dogs interact with other dogs.

Take the dog with you. Marriott has over 3000 hotels around the world and I'd say 1/3 to 1/2 of them in the US will accept a dog that is 35 lbs. or under. Should be no problem with a Boston Terrier. You might have to put down a little bigger bigger depost or a special cleaning fee but dogs like a little road trip too.

Starwood (Sheraton/Westin) has made catering to dogs an art form. At many of their hotels they provide a special dogie bed and even have a dog menu for room service (Iams, Purinia, etc.). Just don't order him the sirloin burger 'cause he'll never want regular canned stuff again.

And as to the point of having a girlfriend---if you don't have one now get a dog and you'll add the lady soon. Women love dogs and especially a guy that's a 'single parent' of that dog. It shows his sensitivity and apptitude to become a great father.

Rem

[Eric_the_Red]

Whether you decide on a breeder or newspaper listing, the key is to ask the right questions.

- Are the parents on premises? (The dog's, not the breeders. That'd be weird.)

- Is there a spay/neuter contract, and a show contract? (There should be.)

- What inoculations has the puppy had? (Owner should have documentation.)

- Any references of past buyers?

- Can your vet examine the puppy before purchase?

- What guarantees are provided?

Good luck! I love Boston Terriers myself. We may go that route for our next dog (we have a pug now).

[Spitball]

Originally Posted by Boss-Hog

Yes, I actually did consider a Corgi (I think they're pretty cool dogs), but based on the research I did, I think a Boston would be a better fit for my situation.

I'm with WilyMo on the Pemboke Welsh Corgi recommendation. Our daughter's Corgi, Honey, is a genius and a great companion. She is really entertaining. She hates the vacuum cleaner, hair drier, and the crock pot. If you even say one of those words, she barks at you. Also, she hates gay cows. You can moo like a normal cow, and she hardly notices. But, if you say, "Moo-oo," like a gay cow, she barks, snarls, and grabs your shirt.

As long as you don't also have a gay cow, I highly recommend the corgi.

[RFS62]

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

Just sayin'.