so, i'm a bit obsessed with this whole "getting a dog" thing because of my experiences from the last few weeks. so, now i'm curious... how did you guys get your dogs? i've seen a couple stories on here, but would love to hear more!
here's mine [it's not an epic story, even though it's long, but i'm bursting with wanting to talk about it!!]:
we decided we wanted to adopt or rescue an adult small-medium dog. due to my husbands allergies, we aimed for a low shedding breed. he hasn't shown any big problem with dogs in the past, but just to be safe... pugs had to be ruled out!
i started browsing the shelter and rescue websites in town, out of town, and even out of province. with all the dogs needing homes, who knew it was going to be such a difficult process!! if we were ready/able to get a big dog, we would have had our pick of many. but most of the smaller dogs i could find either were not good with kids, had extensive health problems, were too hyper for our lifestyle, or were high shedding breeds. OR a combination of all those things! or, i would find an ideal dog...at a rescue that doesn't ship or won't adopt out of state. i was adamant about keeping within our chosen guidelines, not out of pickiness, but out of a firm belief that the right dog needs to go to the right home to prevent rehoming. i admit my heartstrings were pulled far too many times... but i didn't want to drive a high-strung dog insane with boredom, stress a senior with the craziness of babydom, and couldn't afford to rescue a chronically ill dog.
i also placed ads in online classifieds in our area, and that was were sylvie and i found each other! sylvie's owners emailed me to let me know about their dog. i emailed back with more information about me and didn't hear back. in the midst of this, i had been in talks with a dog owner in town who was trying to find a new home for a dog she had rescued from the pound but no longer had time for. we met her and the dog and felt it was a great match and she agreed. she was going to phone our landlord to verify our ability to have a dog but then emailed us and said that she was too stressed by some things going on in her life and apologized and recommended we keep searching for a different dog. i had my hopes up too much and was sorely disappointed. a few days later, she emailed back with a change of mind, and said we could have the dog! so off we trotted to pick him up. i bought him a new leash and a license and we spent the evening trying to ease him into the household and soften the blow of separation. by the next morning, he was playing and attempting to find his place in the pecking order of our pack. but by afternoon we received a pleading email from his former owner begging for him back. she was a wreck over losing him and decided to change her lifestyle instead of getting rid of him. it was a rather stressful chain of events for everyone [including the dog]. so, we sent him back. i was SO SAD! but, later that evening [timing IS everything!!], sylvie's family finally emailed me back. they were happy with everything i had told them about us and wanted to meet us.
i met her and them the next evening. they had spoken of wanting to keep her until closer to their move out of province. but once they saw how she instantly fell in love with me - they knew this was the right home for her. they wouldn't sell her at all, due to her tibetan background [tibetan terriers were traditionally NEVER sold, only given as gifts], but sent her with her dishes, crate, leash, collar, brush -everything - as a gift to us. she fulfills our entire wishlist for a dog - raised with babies/toddlers [LOVES them], sheds little, is a keen guard, loves to cuddle and loves to play.
i have to say, i can't hardly believe how smooth her transition was! she gleefully ran out the door with me and was super happy to go for a car ride with me. she made herself at home immediately [after sniffing down the whole place] and fell right into a schedule of eating, napping, playing, getting brushed, and snuggling. she already has her special napping spots around the house. you would never know this wasn't my dog two days ago! it was like she KNEW this was her time to move. maybe she sensed the transition from a family weeping over her when they gave her to me, to my extreme giddy elation of having her with me? maybe she knew i needed her more than they do now...
she is in definate need of some grooming [matted coat], and some obedience training. she will sit, and sometimes down. she is very well behaved, but is really bad on leash [cranky/defensive/lunging]. so we have our work cut out - but that will be part of the bonding process!
here's mine [it's not an epic story, even though it's long, but i'm bursting with wanting to talk about it!!]:
we decided we wanted to adopt or rescue an adult small-medium dog. due to my husbands allergies, we aimed for a low shedding breed. he hasn't shown any big problem with dogs in the past, but just to be safe... pugs had to be ruled out!
i started browsing the shelter and rescue websites in town, out of town, and even out of province. with all the dogs needing homes, who knew it was going to be such a difficult process!! if we were ready/able to get a big dog, we would have had our pick of many. but most of the smaller dogs i could find either were not good with kids, had extensive health problems, were too hyper for our lifestyle, or were high shedding breeds. OR a combination of all those things! or, i would find an ideal dog...at a rescue that doesn't ship or won't adopt out of state. i was adamant about keeping within our chosen guidelines, not out of pickiness, but out of a firm belief that the right dog needs to go to the right home to prevent rehoming. i admit my heartstrings were pulled far too many times... but i didn't want to drive a high-strung dog insane with boredom, stress a senior with the craziness of babydom, and couldn't afford to rescue a chronically ill dog.
i also placed ads in online classifieds in our area, and that was were sylvie and i found each other! sylvie's owners emailed me to let me know about their dog. i emailed back with more information about me and didn't hear back. in the midst of this, i had been in talks with a dog owner in town who was trying to find a new home for a dog she had rescued from the pound but no longer had time for. we met her and the dog and felt it was a great match and she agreed. she was going to phone our landlord to verify our ability to have a dog but then emailed us and said that she was too stressed by some things going on in her life and apologized and recommended we keep searching for a different dog. i had my hopes up too much and was sorely disappointed. a few days later, she emailed back with a change of mind, and said we could have the dog! so off we trotted to pick him up. i bought him a new leash and a license and we spent the evening trying to ease him into the household and soften the blow of separation. by the next morning, he was playing and attempting to find his place in the pecking order of our pack. but by afternoon we received a pleading email from his former owner begging for him back. she was a wreck over losing him and decided to change her lifestyle instead of getting rid of him. it was a rather stressful chain of events for everyone [including the dog]. so, we sent him back. i was SO SAD! but, later that evening [timing IS everything!!], sylvie's family finally emailed me back. they were happy with everything i had told them about us and wanted to meet us.
i met her and them the next evening. they had spoken of wanting to keep her until closer to their move out of province. but once they saw how she instantly fell in love with me - they knew this was the right home for her. they wouldn't sell her at all, due to her tibetan background [tibetan terriers were traditionally NEVER sold, only given as gifts], but sent her with her dishes, crate, leash, collar, brush -everything - as a gift to us. she fulfills our entire wishlist for a dog - raised with babies/toddlers [LOVES them], sheds little, is a keen guard, loves to cuddle and loves to play.
i have to say, i can't hardly believe how smooth her transition was! she gleefully ran out the door with me and was super happy to go for a car ride with me. she made herself at home immediately [after sniffing down the whole place] and fell right into a schedule of eating, napping, playing, getting brushed, and snuggling. she already has her special napping spots around the house. you would never know this wasn't my dog two days ago! it was like she KNEW this was her time to move. maybe she sensed the transition from a family weeping over her when they gave her to me, to my extreme giddy elation of having her with me? maybe she knew i needed her more than they do now...
she is in definate need of some grooming [matted coat], and some obedience training. she will sit, and sometimes down. she is very well behaved, but is really bad on leash [cranky/defensive/lunging]. so we have our work cut out - but that will be part of the bonding process!
He stayed in rescue for a week while they dewormed and neutered him and I got all my dog stuff together. 