Posted by finelinebob on May 8, 2004, at 13:02:41
In reply to Re: Puppies before babies, posted by smokeymadison on May 8, 2004, at 11:48:53
Well, if you still want to get a dog, then you should seriously consider adopting one from a shelter. Not for all of the regular reasons people will say, but because a mature dog may meet your needs better. You'd have to check out the dog carefully, but most shelters would be able to tell you about the dog's past -- whether he's housebroken, has he lived with cats, is he nervous around other people or dogs or animals, that sort of thing.
If you really want a pure breed, then there are pure breed rescue organizations from which you can adopt a dog as well. If you go through a municipal shelter, there may be no charge for adopting, but other shelters and adoption agencies tend to charge a small fee to cover vet bills and shots, $50 - $75 or so.
If you do adopt a dog, tho, you need to be absolutely certain you are ready for one. Bringing a back to a shelter isn't good for the dog, and most rescue groups will only accept a dog back in extreme cases -- they'd rather help you find a new owner and have you foster the dog until then.
One other thing you might want to do, if you REALLY want a dog, is to "borrow" a dog for a weekend. Do you have any friends with a dog you like? Talk to them about whether you can "babysit" the dog for a weekend, to see if you can deal with all th responsibilities. Some people will think you're nuts, but dog people who understand the commitment having a dog is may not just agree, but be willing to "coach" you through it.
hth, flb
poster:finelinebob
thread:344603
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040507/msgs/344806.html