The good news: Being retired, they have the time to devote. They have lots of love to give, a beautiful home, and can afford this furry family addition and all the accoutrements.
The bad news: the person then stated, ”I want to get a puppy.” Avoiding the impulse to roll my eyes, I asked, “WHY would you put yourself through THAT?!” Not
having had a pet in over three decades, they have never trained a
puppy, hate the idea of crating, have no fenced yard, have some minor
mobility issues, and patience is not their best virtue. This case has
all the components of a perfect storm of disaster for all – especially
the innocent dog.
• Mistake #1 Wasn’t honest or truthful with THEMSELVES; refused to accept the reality of being a mature human. A lot of our “get up and go” has gotten up and went! A better match would be an adult dog at least two-three years old.
• Mistake #2 “Fell in love with the look” of the breed. Name a puppy that isn’t adorable! The breed in mind is known for stubbornness, health issues, and tenaciousness. NOT something for a new dog-owner.
• Mistake #3 Refused to listen, research the breed, health issues or speak to current owners of the breed. Like spoiled brats, people want what they want, when they want it. The dial on cognitive dissonance is ratcheted way up.
• Mistake #4 Went to a pet store. Dog ($4-8K) came from out-of-state (known puppy mill), at eight weeks old (FAR too young). In this day and age, with all the info available online, cities shutting down puppy stores, documented congenital defects, WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THIS??? If you insist on a purebred dog, go (IN PERSON) to a reputable breeder who is invested in the breed. Do they show? Adhere to AKC breed standards? See their setup, meet the pup’s parent(s), do your research, and be prepared to be screened. They may even have young adult dogs that need to be rehomed, retiring from showing.
• Mistake #5 With scant regard to the dog’s BEST INTEREST, puppy store rep (mid 20s admits no experience with this breed) sold her the dog ($5200), along with all the accessories ( $1K).
• Mistake #6 Treats the dog like it is a human baby. No crate, no boundaries, no guidance, no schedule. “We will figure it out as we go along,” the person told me. Would you let a toddler run wild and call all the shots, figuring it out as you go along?
Reputable rescue groups adhere to a process, and carefully screen each dog, asking ALL prospective adopters:
• What is their experience owning a pet?
• Is everyone in the household in favor?
• Are their (people/dog) activity levels, similar?
• Are they allowed to have a pet where they live?
• Are there size/weight/breed limits? Do they own/rent?
• What is their expectation of adding a dog to their household?
• Are they looking for a companion, a walking partner, planning to do agility?
• Will they have the patience to allow a canine family member to acclimate, adjust and invest the time, energy and resources to train as needed?
• Do they have the time, energy and financial resources to properly care for the dog?
• What is the plan if they become unable to take care of the dog? Are they willing to make prearrangements/provisions for when they “expire?” If they cannot answer these questions honestly and abide by the suggestions/procedures of the rescue, there is an issue. It might sound harsh, but this is the reality of being a responsible advocate for voiceless animals. We can’t explain to the dog losing its home/family that the expensive puppy you bought on impulse “just didn’t work out” because you refused to listen to reason.
We want to place dogs in the right homes. It opens space to allow us to assist more animals. Let us help you avoid headache, heartache and a very expensive lesson.
