Pet dog

Nody

Yaskojames wrote: »

I want to point out that i wanted a large dog in the first place but I wasn't allowed. Later i convinced my family if we were to get a dog it was to be one that we want. I am afraid if we get a dog from a shelter that isn't a pup it will be hard to teach and might be spoiled. I don't know what the dog would be like. What if he was raised to be aggressive? By the way my mom usually come back home during those 7 hours for lunch for 30 minutes or so. Can anyone name any shelters around the area of Dublin? Preferably around Town or Blanchardstown.

If anything you'd have the other way around; a young adult or adult dog would already have been assesed for character and unlikely a puppy would not be as easily distracted from living in a foster family. The foster family can also tell you how the dog behaves and it would not be spoiled but rather more settled knowing it's around humans.

That way you know what you get rather then a unknown puppy (costing hundreds if not thousands of euro depending on breed for a real quality pup) that got a very limited attention span that YOU need to train and teach everything (and if you fail socialisation or training you're in for a very long upphill struggle with a dog) and not only do you get a dog suitable for you (in energy and character) but you also save a lot of money (shots done, neutered etc.). Have you also considered what's going to happen once you go to college? The dog is a commitment for 15+ years; not only for a year or two.

Yaskojames wrote: »

In shelters there is a smaller variety of breeds. Im going to have to stick with the golden retriever. Would it be easy to pick one up at a shelter? there are lots on donedeal And i am willing to pay up to 400 euro just for the dog.

Sure you can pick up a dog for 400 EUR on donedeal; and once it get hip dysplasia from poor breeding (and retrivers are a likely candidate for it esp. when poorly bred) are you ready to pay the 2k+ EUR for the surgery to correct it? Skimping by going Donedeal as an inexperienced buyer is going to cost you 10x or more in vet bills later because of all the things you did not ask/see. If you want to know how they dogs can be so cheap on Donedeal simply read this thread on puppy farms to understand why.

If money is tight (and at your age I fully understand if it is) going vi a shelter will give you a much better chance for a good matched quality dog then any other option on the table. We're not recommending it becuse we work at shelters but rather because we want you to be one happy dog owner who'll keep on owning dogs for the rest of your life.

Yaskojames

Nody wrote: »

If anything you'd have the other way around; a young adult or adult dog would already have been assesed for character and unlikely a puppy would not be as easily distracted from living in a foster family. The foster family can also tell you how the dog behaves and it would not be spoiled but rather more settled knowing it's around humans.

That way you know what you get rather then a unknown puppy (costing hundreds if not thousands of euro depending on breed for a real quality pup) that got a very limited attention span that YOU need to train and teach everything (and if you fail socialisation or training you're in for a very long upphill struggle with a dog) and not only do you get a dog suitable for you (in energy and character) but you also save a lot of money (shots done, neutered etc.). Have you also considered what's going to happen once you go to college? The dog is a commitment for 15+ years; not only for a year or two.

Sure you can pick up a dog for 400 EUR on donedeal; and once it get hip dysplasia from poor breeding (and retrivers are a likely candidate for it esp. when poorly bred) are you ready to pay the 2k+ EUR for the surgery to correct it? Skimping by going Donedeal as an inexperienced buyer is going to cost you 10x or more in vet bills later because of all the things you did not ask/see. If you want to know how they dogs can be so cheap on Donedeal simply read this thread on puppy farms to understand why.

If money is tight (and at your age I fully understand if it is) going vi a shelter will give you a much better chance for a good matched quality dog then any other option on the table. We're not recommending it becuse we work at shelters but rather because we want you to be one happy dog owner who'll keep on owning dogs for the rest of your life.

So in your experience, are golden retrievers a popular breed to be in shelters? Are they easy to find?

Nody

Yaskojames wrote: »

So in your experience, are golden retrievers a popular breed to be in shelters? Are they easy to find?

You can find pretty much any breed (and fashion cross breeds) in shelters; the only caution would be not to rush into taking the first one you find but ensure it's a good fit for you. If you reach out to the local shelters (we're not allowed to post names of any) they will be able to tell you what they have in right now and if none are in they will notify you when one does come in.

cocker5

Yaskojames wrote: »

So in your experience, are golden retrievers a popular breed to be in shelters? Are they easy to find?

Yes, all dog are available in Rescues (they are bursting at the seems with lots of dogs including pure breds)... type into google:

Animal Rescues Centre Dublin or Dublin city pound..

if you google them there are tons of rescues lots of them with retrievers etc... just email them all and see what comes back

tk123

I would be very cautions of getting a retriever from a rescue. Speaking from experience with my older boy badly bred retrievers can be fearful/aggressive as well as resource guarders. While you might be able to get a dog who's temperament has been assessed/tested you won't be sure of it's health - hip/elbow/cruciate problems will cost you thousands and you won't be able to insure against them if you buy an adult dog from a rescue.

OP I'd suggest your family either fosters a dog or takes one for holiday cover eg from guide dogs for a long weekend or if you could have one parent take hols when you're on midterm/holidays from school to get an idea of what's involved.

Toulouse

tk123 wrote: »

While you might be able to get a dog who's temperament has been assessed/tested you won't be sure of it's health - hip/elbow/cruciate problems will cost you thousands and you won't be able to insure against them if you buy an adult dog from a rescue.

Sorry to drag it off topic but is it true that you can't insure against hip/elbow/cruciate issues if you rescue an adult dog? Surely the same could be said about buying from a dodgy breeder? I know a lady who adopted an adult Rottie and when she developed cruciate problems she was covered by insurance.

tk123

Toulouse wrote: »

Sorry to drag it off topic but is it true that you can't insure against hip/elbow/cruciate issues if you rescue an adult dog? Surely the same could be said about buying from a dodgy breeder? I know a lady who adopted an adult Rottie and when she developed cruciate problems she was covered by insurance.

I think for cruciate you'd be ok because a dog could eg jump for a ball and land down wrong and snap it but afaik for hips/elbows would need to have insurance from day one as some insurers would see it as an existing condition? Like a dog isn't going to wake up one day and have HD - they'll have had the defect (for want of a better word!) from day one and as time goes by the bone will wear down.

Slutmonkey57b

Yaskojames wrote: »

In shelters there is a smaller variety of breeds. Im going to have to stick with the golden retriever. Would it be easy to pick one up at a shelter? there are lots on donedeal And i am willing to pay up to 400 euro just for the dog.

There are literally thousands of dogs sitting in shelters up and down the country, from puppies to elderly, from pure breed show quality animals to fantastically gorgeous mutts, even abandoned service dogs. Newfoundlands, retrievers, boxers, lurchers, terriers, the lot.

I firmly believe that nobody should buy a dog unless they require a working dog (like a gun dog) or a show dog where known bloodlines and proven generational traits have to be known in advance. There are just too many beautiful dogs in pounds up and down the country who need and deserve homes.

You may be "prepared to spend" money to get the "right" dog, but getting a dog is *not* about making a purchase.

*A dog is not a purchase.*

You need money to feed and look after a dog. But it is a member of a family. It is a long term commitment of time, attention, and love that goes way beyond money. That's why I don't think anyone should go into a decision about getting a dog based on how much they are "prepared to pay", or what they'd like to get out of having a dog.

You've asked some excellent questions here and you've listened well. Now, You need to ask these questions:

What will the dog do all day?
Where will the dog stay at night?
Who will walk it? Feed it? Brush it? Bring it to the vet? How often?
Who will be the dog's best friend? (hint: it'll be the person who spends the most time with it and loves it) If that's not you, who "owns" it?
What happens to the dog when you're on holiday for the whole summer?
What happens in 3 years when you finish school? Do you plan to go to college? Do you plan to get a job? Will you have to emigrate to do that? What are the answers to all the previous questions then?

You sound like you really want to have a dog, and do a good job being a responsible dog owner. Taking on a dog is a big job. Think hard about time and effort and the future, not just money and what you want the dog to do. It's actually mostly about what you are going to do for the dog!

BetterThanThou

Yaskojames wrote: »

So in your experience, are golden retrievers a popular breed to be in shelters? Are they easy to find?

Golden retrievers will be very easy to find in a shelter. I'd consider adopting a cross breed, as they're less prone to the medical problems of a pure bred, and when it comes to a shelter, while they'll do all they can to make sure the dog is healthy and everything is known about it. Sometimes they just can't know things such as the dog's family tree. For all the shelter knows, the dog's mother and father could be father and daughter. With cross breeds, inbreeding is nearly unheard of, and genetic problems aren't very common.

borderlinemeath

BetterThanThou wrote: »

Golden retrievers will be very easy to find in a shelter. I'd consider adopting a cross breed, as they're less prone to the medical problems of a pure bred, and when it comes to a shelter, while they'll do all they can to make sure the dog is healthy and everything is known about it. Sometimes they just can't know things such as the dog's family tree. For all the shelter knows, the dog's mother and father could be father and daughter. With cross breeds, inbreeding is nearly unheard of, and genetic problems aren't very common.

This isn't technically true. While crossbreeding certainly may lessen the percentage of inheriting a disease that has a breed disposition, there is every chance that a genetic or inherited problem can be passed on from either crossbreed parent. It is wholly dependent on the parents and their health but just because a dog is a crossbreed does not necessarily make it healthier. In fact, good purebred breeding programmes where both sires and bitches are health tested and the generations before them are also tested, is the clearest and safest route to go down for a healthy dog.

tk123

BetterThanThou wrote: »

Golden retrievers will be very easy to find in a shelter. I'd consider adopting a cross breed, as they're less prone to the medical problems of a pure bred, and when it comes to a shelter, while they'll do all they can to make sure the dog is healthy and everything is known about it. Sometimes they just can't know things such as the dog's family tree. For all the shelter knows, the dog's mother and father could be father and daughter. With cross breeds, inbreeding is nearly unheard of, and genetic problems aren't very common.

Ok I get that there's rescue agenda here but this this is complete rubbish - a cross can just as equally have genetic conditions of both parents. Also you recently got a pup yourself BetterThanThou and didn't get a cross irrc?

OP if you want a healthy well breed pup the only place you should be going to is the breed club. Even then you need to make sure the parents are health tested and the pups are being raised in the right environment. The breed club may also know of reputable breeders who've had to take adults back under contract that are looking for homes. I get an sense of urgency from your posts though - you need to be prepared to wait for the right dog be it from a breeder or a rescue. Also you need to be upfront with a breeder or rescue about how much time this dog will potentially spend alone and where they're going to be spending it. My dogs sleep all day as I mentioned earlier but that's because they're inside with us all the time and we have time to spend with them. They're out for a walk with me at 7:30, with my mum all day when I go to work and out walking with me as soon as I get home from work no matter what the weather.

BetterThanThou

tk123 wrote: »

Ok I get that there's rescue agenda here but this this is complete rubbish - a cross can just as equally have genetic conditions of both parents. Also you recently got a pup yourself BetterThanThou and didn't get a cross irrc?

Yes, correct, I did get a puppy recently which wasn't a cross, but that was because I have been set on wanting an Alaskan Malamute for a long time, when it came to getting the dog, I did consider a cross, but came to the decision that an Alaskan Malamute was a better choice for me. Yes, a cross can have genetic conditions if both parents carry the condition, but it's definitely more likely with a pure bred, especially one from a shelter which the history may be unknown. I'm not saying OP should adopt a cross, but as he doesn't seem to have anything specific in mind, I feel it's something he could consider. A lot of people decide they want a certain breed of dog and aren't willing to take a cross no matter how perfect the dog is, it's best to keep an open mind.

dobman88

Yaskojames wrote: »

In shelters there is a smaller variety of breeds. Im going to have to stick with the golden retriever. Would it be easy to pick one up at a shelter? there are lots on donedeal And i am willing to pay up to 400 euro just for the dog.

Hi OP, my girlfriend and I got a Golden Retriever back in November. He is 5 months old now and we are really enjoying him. We spent almost 18 months looking for the right dog, so it's not a decision to be taken lightly. He is house trained now but we put a lot of work into it. Also paid €450 for him from a breeder. He came vaccinated and chipped. We have 2 young kids living next door to us and he loves playing with them, the family next door also have a Retriever and the 2 of them get on great. A fantastic breed.

sligoface

Yaskojames wrote: »

I want to point out that i wanted a large dog in the first place but I wasn't allowed. Later i convinced my family if we were to get a dog it was to be one that we want. I am afraid if we get a dog from a shelter that isn't a pup it will be hard to teach and might be spoiled. I don't know what the dog would be like. What if he was raised to be aggressive? By the way my mom usually come back home during those 7 hours for lunch for 30 minutes or so. Can anyone name any shelters around the area of Dublin? Preferably around Town or Blanchardstown.

As I said, dogs from rescues are often in foster homes where they are cared for and trained by the foster parent just the same as they would a permanent pet. And again, you have to meet and evaluate individual dogs yourself. You won't have much knowledge about what a pup will be like either, other than the parents giving an indication of size. Dogs from a shelter will not be spoiled, they will be delighted to have an owner and all dogs have a natural instinct to please their master. You give them treats and praise when they do the right thing, and they will figure it out quickly. Teaching a puppy is like trying to teach a baby, but a young adult dog will be much easier to train. And unless the dog was a pit bull raised for fighting, it would not have been raised to be aggressive. A dog from any place can bite, but most never do, and a truly aggressive dog becomes that way due to how it is raised. A proper rescue organization will have sussed out ny aggression issues and would not adopt out a dog with aggression. They want what is best for the dog and adopter and to have a good reputation also.

Please don't get a dog from Donedeal or something similar, for reasons already posted by others.

Also, the golden retriever seems to often be the go to dog for first time pet owners and yes I get thay they are lovely looking but they can be food aggressive, their coats need a lot of maintenance and brushing. I worked at a shelter for two years, where 90% of the dogs we got in as strays were pit bulls and cross breeds, these dogs never bit any staff while housed with us, even though we were strangers to these dogs (though part of it was probably due to us being trained and experienced with handling dogs of various temperaments). But we also would get in dogs surrendered from families because they bit someone in the house. They would have to be put down.

Most frequent breeds in this situation were golden retrievers and labs, poodles, all manner of small frou-frou dogs, and a few huskies and dalmations. And as a result I would hesitate to recommend them to any home with small kids. Not saying they all bite, just would be wary of them around their food/toys with kids.

borderlinemeath

sligoface wrote: »

As I said, dogs from rescues are often in foster homes where they are cared for and trained by the foster parent just the same as they would a permanent pet. And again, you have to meet and evaluate individual dogs yourself. You won't have much knowledge about what a pup will be like either, other than the parents giving an indication of size. Dogs from a shelter will not be spoiled, they will be delighted to have an owner and all dogs have a natural instinct to please their master. You give them treats and praise when they do the right thing, and they will figure it out quickly. Teaching a puppy is like trying to teach a baby, but a young adult dog will be much easier to train. And unless the dog was a pit bull raised for fighting, it would not have been raised to be aggressive. A dog from any place can bite, but most never do, and a truly aggressive dog becomes that way due to how it is raised. A proper rescue organization will have sussed out ny aggression issues and would not adopt out a dog with aggression. They want what is best for the dog and adopter and to have a good reputation also.

Please don't get a dog from Donedeal or something similar, for reasons already posted by others.

Also, the golden retriever seems to often be the go to dog for first time pet owners and yes I get thay they are lovely looking but they can be food aggressive, their coats need a lot of maintenance and brushing. I worked at a shelter for two years, where 90% of the dogs we got in as strays were pit bulls and cross breeds, these dogs never bit any staff while housed with us, even though we were strangers to these dogs (though part of it was probably due to us being trained and experienced with handling dogs of various temperaments). But we also would get in dogs surrendered from families because they bit someone in the house. They would have to be put down.

Most frequent breeds in this situation were golden retrievers and labs, poodles, all manner of small frou-frou dogs, and a few huskies and dalmations. And as a result I would hesitate to recommend them to any home with small kids. Not saying they all bite, just would be wary of them around their food/toys with kids.

I think there's a big, big link between the two highlighted bits of your post. First time dogs owners, unless they put the time and effort into researching how to care for a dog - sometimes really have NO clue on how to read canine body language and in homes where there's children - parents need to take responsibility for their childrens behaviour around dogs - and this is why a lot of dogs get handed in to be pts because the dog paid the price for being a dog and defending itself when put in a situation that scared it.:(

Also - by first time dog owners - I include people who "grew up with dogs" as children. There's a world of difference between the rose tinted memories of childhood/youth and the actual responsibility of caring for a dog. I also find that a lot of this type of owner falls back to the training and care that they remember the family dog got when they were growing up - choke chains, hitting the dog with newspaper, rubbing their nose in accidental toileting - it falls well short of training standards of today.