Dog Community

Indicisive.....

Posted : 10/28/2006 9:27:55 PM

Alright, I'm saving up to get a dog by next year....I will probably adopt from a shelter..When we were looking for a dog after we put my cocker spaniel down, before we got my beloved chi, we went to a nearby shelter just looking at the plethera of dogs and cats living in misrable conditions,the stench was terrible so I'm trying to decide on a breed. It has to be a toy breed,low shedding, I'll take care of all the grooming and non with the short snout that have the breathing problems. That's the only guidlines set by my parents. I'm looking forward to moving out in a couple years. Poddle,Jrts,pugs are out.Any suggestions?

brookcove

Posted : 10/28/2006 9:48:40 PM

I'm going to wager that if you just go in with those guidelines, you will be faced with a choice of one. Maybe. In addition to the animal shelter, you'll want to try Petfinder for your area to find local breed rescue. It's almost impossible to find toy breeds in shelters. Not to discourage you, but just to prepare you that you'll need to be more persistant than you might think at first.

agilebasenji

Posted : 10/28/2006 9:59:51 PM

That's the only guidlines set by my parents. I'm looking forward to moving out in a couple years. Poddle,Jrts,pugs are out.Any suggestions?

Who gets the dog when you move out?

Actually, I can't imagine any of the toys shed much; they're so small. Even the heaviest toy shedder couldn't compare to a lab.

Pwca

Posted : 10/29/2006 6:09:25 AM

Most shelters, you're going to find a very small selection of toys- especially if you have a particular sex or age group that you're choosing from. I *do* see a lot of small terrierish, poodley mixes in my area- not TINY toys but in the 10-20 pound range that come into shelters between 9-18 months. People purchase them being told they are 'hypoallergenic/non-shedding' and as soon as the (shedding) adult coat comes in (or they realize that these dogs need monthly grooming to stay looking like the cute photos you see advertising 'cockapoos' and 'shimalts' and 'schnoodles', they dump them. It can take a lot of looking to look through a (generally filthy, matted) coat and see the cute dog underneath, but they're certainly in shelters and many of them are low-shedding, just not exactly NO shedding.

Penny Smith

Posted : 10/29/2006 11:20:05 AM

I am getting the dog when I move out and yes I have thought of that. I realize they're not many toy breeds in shelters but I have found a handful nearby who have a decent selection of toy breeds..Yorkies,terriors,maltese.....

KCSO

Posted : 10/29/2006 12:41:39 PM

It is funny how this can vary from shelter to shelter. The shelter I got Jake from had quite a selection of shih tzu, rat terrier, chi type dogs. They are a little bit out in the boonies, and I guess (unlike me!) most of the 'burbs folks dont want to drive the 40 mins to get there. Our nearest shelters are picked clean of little dogs as fast as they can be listed.

[linkhttp://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=5944578]http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=5944578[/link]
[linkhttp://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6911247]http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6911247[/link]

I know this doesnt help the original poster at all! But its surprising (and sad) what you can find if you search "off the beaten path" a bit.

spiritdogs

Posted : 10/29/2006 6:13:01 PM

The no kill shelters around here often have small dogs, mainly because that's all they take in, aside from the hounds, spaniels, and stuff that come up from the South. The open admission shelters have all the big dogs. If shelters in your area don't have small dogs, try rescues.

Some breeds/mixes to consider: Maltese, Tibetan Spaniel, Cockapoo

DPU

Posted : 10/29/2006 6:36:04 PM

You may want to also visit your local Petco or Petsmart on the weekends. Often on weekends the various shelters in your community set up a display and show their dogs available for adoption. Check with the store as to which shelter is coming in, some are specific breed shelters, some are open admission. Petsmart and Petco also make a donation to the shelter if an adoption takes place. I do this on weekends and it is a better and cleaner environment to meet the dog. You get to spend a much time as you want and can even take the dog for a walk.

Now, do I need to show more pictures to dispell the notion that no-kill shelters take in dogs other than small cuddly dogs, hounds, and spaniels? OK, since you need proof, here is Bob a Bull Mastiff coming in at 120lbs.

Susan Robertson

Posted : 10/30/2006 9:30:25 AM

here is Bob a Bull Mastiff coming in at 120lbs

What a great face! I sure hope Bob finds a great home soon. Bullmastiffs can be great family dogs, and he sure looks well cared for. Good luck finding Bob a forever home!

Penny Smith

Posted : 10/30/2006 7:54:05 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm also thinking yorkie or min pin. ......

Xebby

Posted : 10/30/2006 8:08:05 PM

www.petfinder.com is wonderful and a great place to find foster programs. Not that there is anything wrong with shelters but I find for people who are unsure of exactaly what they want are better off going to a foster program. The foster parents can give more detail about the dog and also give the dog some training while in their care so you know exactly what your getting. The dogs are also keepted in much better conditions then in shelters and live in a home with the foster parents instead of being keepted in a cage.

On petfinder look for the kind of dog you want and when you find the foster program that cares for thoes type of dogs contact them. Most likely for every dog they list on petfinder, they have at least three others they did not list or know about.

RidgebackGermansShep

Posted : 10/30/2006 8:25:18 PM

Bob is spectacular.

DPU

Posted : 10/31/2006 5:19:12 PM

www.petfinder.com is wonderful and a great place to find foster programs. Not that there is anything wrong with shelters but I find for people who are unsure of exactaly what they want are better off going to a foster program. The foster parents can give more detail about the dog and also give the dog some training while in their care so you know exactly what your getting. The dogs are also keepted in much better conditions then in shelters and live in a home with the foster parents instead of being keepted in a cage.

On petfinder look for the kind of dog you want and when you find the foster program that cares for thoes type of dogs contact them. Most likely for every dog they list on petfinder, they have at least three others they did not list or know about.

Correct me if I am wrong but Petfinders does not have a search criteria for finding dogs that are in foster homes. A dog that is in a temporary home situation, fostering, will be found in the description of the dog you have selected. Most shelters do have foster care programs. As Xebby says look for the dog that you want by doing a search on your breed preference, M/F, age, etc, and area. Don't worry too much about the area, the search will order the list from closest to farthest. Check daily, dogs come and go very fast.

lorib

Posted : 11/1/2006 8:41:23 PM

You might also check the breed rescues. Be forewarned: they are EXTREMELY picky about who takes their dogs home!

BTW, I agree--BOB IS STUNNING. Be still my heart!