Hi everyone

My husband and I would like to get a dog.  We both work full time but Mr P is a self employed joiner so would be able to take the dog to work with him most days (so it must be good in the car) and on other days come home to let it out at lunch time.  Mr P has had bad experiences with rescue dogs in the past but we don't have the time to commit to having a young puppy as although going to work with him, he wouldn't be able to fuss over it all day, take it for toilet breaks every hour etc.  Then it would get lots of fuss from me on an evening!

After researching we would like either a cocker spaniel or minature schnauzer - i've tried the rescue places specifically for these breeds and they don't have any at the moment.

I wondered whether any breeders keep puppies for showing until they are a bit older, and then maybe if they're not good enough to show would want to sell them at a later date when they are a bit older?  I've also posted this in breeding as I wanted sure where to ask.

If not I suppose it is just a case of keep looking in rescue places for one that we like (of any small-ish breed).  There seem to be a lot in there that can't travel which is no good.

Thanks for any advice :-)

Have you tried the specific breed rescues rather than the general rescue centers?

Hi - yes I have tried the specific breed rescues.  For cocker spaniels they just said they didn't have any and for the schnauzers they had a waiting list but who knows how long you would be waiting.

Also, we are both wary about getting a rescue dog as often they are in rescue for a reason and it isn't necessarily something that can be sorted out through training (we have had experience of this).  I think if we go down the route of rescue it would have to be on the merits of the individual dog, rather than going for a specific breed regardless of why it's in rescue, if you see what I mean!

Thanks for the reply :-)

 

For every bad experience with rescue dogs, there are also many happy endings. I had 8 happy years with my boy and he was the best dog in the world and I miss him terribly. He was 4 years old when I got him and although he wasn't great with strangers at first, he was amazing at home and so loving and loyal, he just needed love and affection. All you can do is go and have a look and in my experience, the dog will pick you and not the other way round.

I hope that you find what you are looking for and have a wonderful time with whichever dog you decided to go for.

I would contact the breed club secretaries and speak to the secretary and ask if she knew any breeder that had or was likely to 'run on' youngsters, that would be available for sale.  What about a retired show dog, or Brood/Stud dog?  Also breeders willoften ahve dogs of their breeding back if the homes don't work out, and by pass breed rescue.

I know you're right about there being lots of happy endings with rescue dogs and I would definitely consider this but at the moment Mr P needs more convincing.  We had an extremely upsetting experience of having a rescue dog for 3 months who was constantly poorly from when we got him and had to be put to sleep in the end.  He was the nicest dog in the world and we were heartbroken.  The place we got him from obviously knew he had health problems as he had constant diahorrea, but never told us.  We don't regret getting him as at least he had a good 3 months with us and knew some love but it was very upsetting. We have also heard other stories about this place e.g. putting dogs who have been reported to be agressive being placed with people with no info. given about this.

I learnt from this to only go to the RSPCA rather than one of those places where the stray dogs go as the RSPCA seem to have a lot more information about their dogs and want to put them with the right person, rather than just get rid of them to anybody. 

Thanks for that Brainless - could you tell me where I could get the numbers for the breed club secretaries please.  A retired show dog would be great - we are happy to have an older dog.

[link]http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=2296&st=20[/link]

link won't work so copy and paste.Scroll down to pudding(5 yrs) and the GORGEOUS Daniel(only 11 months!)

Archer

http://www.dogpages.org.uk

Thanks for that link!  Daniel is gorgeous - and the same name as the gorgeous Mr Pinin...is it fate??!!  I have emailed to see if he is still there, crossed fingers!  Pudding and Babs look sweet too.

Will try the breed club secretaries as suggested tomorrow if not.

Thanks again :-)

Let us know how you get on...must admit I think Daniel is a real stunner!
Archer

If you look on the main site there is a search facility for breed clubs.  Also if you go on the Kennel Club Website the contact details are at the bottom of the breed standards.

Thanks Brainless :-)

No reply about Daniel yet.

I contacted a local breeder who gave me the number of someone with a 16 month old cocker spaniel that had been returned to them...when I explained that the dog would go to work with my husband most days the man said he was "horrified" at this and wouldn't consider letting us have the dog. 

My husband is a self employed joiner who works on new builds as well as in people's homes.  I said when he was on a site the dog would be tied up in the room he is working in so it wouldn't be running all over the site but would have company rather than being left at home all day / tied up outside someones house all day as many dogs are.  He would be walked at lunch and break times and a long walk on an evening.  The breeder just seemed to hear tied up on a building site and obviously pictured a poor dog shivering and tied up on its own where as in reality it would be inside a house near my husband and only tied up if necessary so it didn't wander off into danger.

I realise the breeder is entitled to his opinion and it is up to him where his dog goes, but I personally don't think this is a "horrific" life for a dog and just wondered what your opinions are? 

Would Health & Safety allow a dog on a building site ??

Daisy

I just asked him that.  The sites he works on are quite small and quite often just one house that someone is having built so there wouldn't be any health and safety officer present.  He has worked on numerous bigger sites over the years and nearly all have allowed dogs although they are probably just turning a blind eye health and safety wise.  The dog wouldn't be roaming round the site and would always be supervised or tied up if necessary (with a basket and water, toys etc).

You should be aware that getting an older puppy or young dog from a breeder may be very much like getting a rescue dog.  They will have a huge adjustment to make and it can take many months before the new dog is settled.   Also, many breeders do not house train their dogs - not just with regard to doing their business outside, but with regard to all the other "manners" that dogs learn about how to behave in a home and with people.   So, don't equate an older puppy our young dog with a dog that is necessarily trained even in the basics of home life.  In addition, because many breeders keep their dogs in a restricted environment, they may not even be aware that the dog they are rehoming has behavioural issues. 

I personally do not at all like the idea of tying a dog up on a building site. Unless this was an older dog long past the chewing and eating inedibles stage (and some never get out of it) at least to me it's potentially dangerous to the dog - never mind health and safety issues for the workers.  Even if the dog adjusted immediately - if that dog is left unattended for any period of time you are likely to find it stolen, unfortunately. 

Stacey

There is a lot of bad vibes at the moment about solid colour (mainly Gold???) Cockers still creating mayhem with their ongoing recessive gene problem that apparently kicks start at puberty into adulthood.Now I know a lot of people who love Cockers will go into a denial "Rage" about this but it is a BIG problem all over the Country and needs to be sorted.This is as much for the lovely Cockers reputation as it is for the unwary potential owners,who, after all are taking the brunt of this ongoing problem that should have been stamped out by now.

Yes I have read about this.  The one we rung about was gold who had apparantly shown some aggression towards the children it lived with although the breeder said this was as the children tormented the dog and it didn't have its own space.  The two on that website are also gold and it does make you wonder why an 11 month old pedigree dog would be in rescue, although i realise there are often genuine reasons.

We have decided that maybe it isn't the right time for us to get a dog at the moment as I agree that having it on a building site, however small, is not ideal. 

Thanks for the advice.