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Old August 30th, 2010, 09:47 AM
garyb garyb is offline
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Help finding the right dog

Hope I put this in the right area. If not I do apologize. Anyone who has followed my posts knows that last month we lost of beloved Shih Poo, Mackenzie due to meningitis. We were told that we did everything possible but this was something that could not have been prevented. Our initial response was "no more dogs", but lately we have realized that that are home is not complete without another dog to keep us company. So we look for help here and maybe some suggestions. We are both in our mid 60's, are basically home people who go shopping a couple of times a week and other than the occasional walk are here in our condo the rest of the time. We are looking for a small dog, no more than 15-20 pounds, enjoys playing with toys, does not bark a lot and is easy to train. We have a list already of 5-6 dogs but are curious as to what others might suggest.
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Old August 30th, 2010, 10:12 AM
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Marty11 Marty11 is offline
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Are you active walkers? If not look at a mature french bulldog or a boston terrier. Nice temperments, playful, quiet most of the time, short hair, no grooming. Weigh between 15-25 lbs.
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Old August 30th, 2010, 10:14 AM
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Marty11 Marty11 is offline
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Have you thought about a cat. Siamese make great companions.........
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Old August 30th, 2010, 10:17 AM
BenMax BenMax is offline
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Originally Posted by Marty11 View Post
Have you thought about a cat. Siamese make great companions.........
Siamese are wonderful cats indeed..very dog like.

If cats are not of interest, then I would recommend contacting a rescue group, give them full disclosure about your lifestyle and they should be able to find the right match should you qualify. Most dogs (and cats if that interest you) are in a foster home and they can provide you tons of information to an animal that you may be interested in. You will no doubt find the perfect match this way.

Best of luck to you.
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Old August 30th, 2010, 10:23 AM
garyb garyb is offline
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Sorry, we are not "cat people" My wife has had dogs all her life and would prefer a dog.
We are not active walkers as we both suffer from plantar fasciitis.
Did I mention that we were looking for a puppy?
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Old August 30th, 2010, 10:32 AM
BenMax BenMax is offline
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Originally Posted by garyb View Post
Sorry, we are not "cat people" My wife has had dogs all her life and would prefer a dog.
We are not active walkers as we both suffer from plantar fasciitis.
Did I mention that we were looking for a puppy?
If you are limited in exercise, then a puppy is not a great choice. They require active people in order to develop into well balanced teenagers and adults. To me, I don't think it fair for a puppy not to get alot of exercise and mental stimulation while doing it. That is simply my opinion. You may have a hard time then finding a rescue that would accomodate you in a puppy if certain criterias are not fulfilled.
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Old August 30th, 2010, 11:05 PM
JennieV JennieV is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garyb View Post
We are both in our mid 60's, are basically home people who go shopping a couple of times a week and other than the occasional walk are here in our condo the rest of the time. We are looking for a small dog, no more than 15-20 pounds, enjoys playing with toys, does not bark a lot and is easy to train. We have a list already of 5-6 dogs but are curious as to what others might suggest.
As was mentioned earlier, I, too, vote older dog. Not only you are older yourself, you live in a condo.. housetraining a puppy will be a tremendous undertaking physically as well as mentally. Owning a puppy is like having a baby: accidents, chewing etc... And while the joy of owning a puppy is quite irresistible, I am sure you will get quite fed up with having to constantly clean up after one.

BenMax is very right. You need to also ask yourself what it is you can GIVE a dog, rather than just what it is YOU want. That is how pets end up in shelters over and over again, is when people suddenly realize they can't handle the dog.
In response to your breed question: your requirements are really more of a temperament rather than a breed...You could have a perfect quiet little poodle, or a yappy one that will drive you and your neighbours nuts.. You should really aim for the character and the temperament of the dog, rather than breed. However, having said that, some breeds are more hyper than others, for instance Jack Russell terriers, they are just a ball of neverending energy, and while this can be cute for a while, this dog will get bored if not stimulated physically AND mentally, and will find ways to entertain itself...You would not believe the amount of destruction that can be caused by a bored Jack Russell, I speak from a personal experience...

To summarize, I think you should work with a rescue, to match you with a dog that is perfect for you AND your lifestyle. Have a few breeds in mind and look for one that will connect with you...
Good Luck
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Old August 31st, 2010, 12:45 AM
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cassiek cassiek is offline
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Can't add much here as a lot of great advice has already been given. But, do keep us posted with your search, garyb!

It can take some time to find the perfect dog, but it will happen and it will be so worth it! I know at the humane society we have people that come in multiple times to spend time with the dogs one-on-one to find that perfect match for their home. It can take some time, and it will usually take a few days at least for the rescue to review your application and process it, but it's such a great feeling being able to provide a home for a dog that truly needs it. I do hope you choose to go with a rescue.

Petfinder is a great resource for finding a dog to add to your home. You can specify age, sex, gender, breed etc.

Like others here, I think an adult or senior dog would fit into your lifestyle perfectly.

Good luck!!
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Old August 31st, 2010, 06:54 AM
garyb garyb is offline
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I want to thank everybody so much for their help and advise. As my wife and I will spend a great deal of time looking into several different options and hopefully sometime in the spring or early summer we will be able to post a picture of the newest addition to our family.
Again, we both thank you so very much for all your help and assistance during our time of grieving.
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Old August 31st, 2010, 09:18 AM
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mastifflover mastifflover is offline
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Garyb I live in downtown Toronto and if you want I do not have a car but if you would like I could drive your car and take you wherever you would like to see potential rescues. Pm me if you would like to take me up on my offer. I am finishing this documentary on the 10th and will be free hopefully not for too long
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Old August 31st, 2010, 09:40 AM
garyb garyb is offline
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Thanks so much for your most generous off. We do have a car, but we are going to wait until at least spring before we make any decision. We have a great deal of research to do and a lot of grieving left in our hearts before we actually decide how to proceed.
Again mastifflover, thanks for your offer. It only goes to show how much dog lovers really care, not only for their pets but for people who love their pets as well.
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Old September 2nd, 2010, 12:45 PM
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dbg10 dbg10 is offline
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GaryB I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved dog. I'm sure it will be a few months before you feel ready to take on a new member of your family. However, you may also run across one that just grabs your heart and your decision will be made very quickly.

My last two dogs have been senior rescues but a senior is not for everyone. I based my choice for a senior on my lifestyle and the fact I don't want the dog to outlive me. Everyone has to make the decision for themselves for what age of dog will fit into their lifestyle. In my experience most small dogs under 15 lbs can get enough exercise running around a condo, but they all like their walks for socialization.

There are many excellent all breed rescue groups as well as specific breed rescues. As everyone has mentioned http://www.petfinder.com/ is a great place to find a list of these rescue organizations as well as a place to find the dogs they have in their shelters. The link I gave is to the list of organizations in the Toronto area. Many have young dogs, even puppies who have been born while in their care.

All rescue organizations listed on the Petfinder site have to be screened before they are listed so it is extremely unlikely you would find a puppy mill or backyard breeder registered there.

In my experience all reputable rescue organizations have a mandatory home visit before they will adopt one of their animals, so if you can't make it to them they will likely come to you. However it is always good to see where the dog is living now before choosing your forever companion. A lot of rescue organizations have their dogs in foster homes rather than have a shelter where the animals are housed.

I wish you good luck when you are ready to adopt, it has usually taken me 6 months before I am ready to accept another dog into my heart and home but everyone is different when they are grieving.
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