You guys...seriously just tell me

Hmmm...
 
I'm having a hard time telling you that.
 
But you know best! [] Sorry I wasn't very helpful

It's OK.
I'm just really messing with this in my head and trying to figure out ways I could make it work.

No No No *spanks hand* but he is a doll!!!

Isn't he?????
*I'm NOT getting attached to a dog that I very well most likely won't be able to adopt!*

Dang it. I'm calling the rescue this afternoon.
Our ENTIRE problem is, (and this is going to sound HORRIBLE) if they want like $300 to adopt him, we can't afford it at this very moment due to Christmas expenses.
If it were January, I'd JUMP on the chance to adopt him.
If they only want like $150 (ella cost us $125 to adopt, that's it) then we can do it. See, we'd have to get a crate for him and I have plenty of food already because the stinker would be put on a raw diet and I have plenty of that in my freezer. He's up to date on his shots and he's neutered. Unless he has some pre-existing health condition that they're not telling the public about, I wouldn't have to take him into our vet right away. I'd have an EXCELLENT vet reference. She owns pit bulls herself and we ALWAYS pay for our visits upfront and have never had to be billed for anything. She ALWAYS tells me how well we take care of Ella.

GAH!

For all of you who browse petfinder and find that special doggie and get attached even though you're not sure if you're ready to adopt, do you ever have these types of things go through your head??? Like, you wonder about financial expenses, if that dog will get along with your other dog, blah blah blah?

OMG, he's a doll!  No, that's not helping you, is it?

What would you guys do???

Like I said, financially, if this were January $300 would be ok...But if that rescue says that it'll only cost us $150 to adopt....
GAH!!!

I don't have a fenced in yard!
It's winter, I'd have to walk two dogs and find a way to exercise two dogs for the wintertime!

Walking two would be workable, I mean, duh, I'd OBVIOUSLY find a way.

My boyfriend's biggest concern is if Ella would be OK with another dog.

this is from that rescue's pet finder site....

"The fee to adopt a dog is $150 ($250 for puppies under 6 months) which includes spay/neuter, current vaccinations, heartworm test and a microchip."http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IL126.html

i walk two dogs everyday. one is 50 lbs and the other one is 70-ish lbs (and a puller!).

for what its worth... i have found several dogs that i just fell in love with on pet adoption sites. luckily (or un-luckily?) they were all adopted once i inquired about them.

good luck! he is a cutie! []

ORIGINAL: cyclefiend2000

this is from that rescue's pet finder site....

"The fee to adopt a dog is $150 ($250 for puppies under 6 months) which includes spay/neuter, current vaccinations, heartworm test and a microchip." [linkhttp://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IL126.html]http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IL126.html[/link]

 
Cyclefiend, I don't think you're being very helpful  []

you may want to contact the people who are taking care of him, since it says he is a courtesy post.  you may find that they do not follow the rules of the shelter/rescue.  I courtesy post for people, and the animals do not go out under our adoption program.  Good luck!!

He's ADOR-A-BULL!!!!

I know, not helping.

Ok voice of reason here as I've been there, done that...  I've fallen in love w/ a number of great dogs that look like they'd be perfect and I've thought about fostering, but, with some help from my mom lol (she's the one I called when I needed someone to tell me "no"), I've really come to the conclusion that now's not the right time.  Here's some of my thought processes:

Pros:
flexible schedule
desire to get a new dog soon
can train on my own
have most of the supplies I'd need

Cons:
limited funds (college student w/ a part time job)
no funds for advanced training (next dog will be a performance dog)
variable schedule (sometimes I have no time to breath, esp around finals week, but others I have all the time in the world)
no yard
will be moving after graduation

For me it just came down to the reality that yes I *could* manage another addition, but I couldn't provide the security of schedule or finances that I would need to add a second dog. 

I've got a counter right now: 11mo, 3 weeks until I'll be in the position to add a second dog.  That date was picked because it will be 6 mo after starting my new job and moving to a new city, so I'll be settled, connected to the doggie network for training and other services, I'll be more financially secure, and I'll know my schedule and housing and its limitations.

Another thing to think about: vet bills if some emergency comes up.  If you can't afford $300 now, what happens if the dog does have an undetected health issue or something happens?  I just paid almost a grand in vet bills because my girl, who I thought had a good recall, ran under a fence after a rabbit and got hit by a car - and she didn't need surgery or have any broken bones!!  My parents gave me a loan for the vet since I would've had to wipe out my savings to pay for it on my own - I'll be paying them back as soon as I get a fulltime job.

I'm sure you could make it work, but it probably will be a stretch at time, especially when you're looking at finals and an untrained dog.

I was doing this yesterday- looking at dogs I know I cannot adopt on petfinder.  I always want half of them too, lol.  Give me a year or two and I'll be able to adopt, I have to keep reminding myself. 

[sm=smack.gif]  What are you even doing looking on petfinder...hmmmm???[]

I'm in the same place you are. I got an email from my Catahoula group about [linkhttp://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6978285]Emily[/link] and fell in LOVE! She looks JUST LIKE Lucy in my avatar. But with Christmas coming and our Dal in bad shape now is just NOT the time... even if I could talk hubby into it! I kept telling myself that OK is too far to go, but then the darn rescue lady had to go and say she's gone as far as Alaska to get a dog a home.