Well, you guys, I’m a little bummed today.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I would really, really like to get a dog. Joey feels the same. It’s part of what makes us such a great couple. (Ok, a fairly small part…but it doesn’t hurt.)
But we’ve been holding off. Partly because we feel guilty about having a dog at home all day while we’re at work. (I know, I know, everyone does this. People have to work. And since we plan on adopting a shelter dog, isn’t it better that at least they’re in a loving home than in a cement cage somewhere? Trust me, I have played out this inner dialogue more times than I care to share.)
We also take the commitment of a dog pretty seriously, and we want to make sure we have the time to dedicate to training and giving the pup plenty of attention. So even though we would love to get a puppy, we’ve become open to the idea of getting an older dog.
After over a year of going back and forth on the idea, and after a host of job changes (on my part), we’re finally at a place where we’re ready to make the leap into pet parenthood. (Yup, I called it that. You’re taking on a completely dependent life form, so yeah, I think it applies.)
The problem is, we haven’t found the right dog yet.
We came dangerously close to taking home a puppy a few weeks ago. We were with our friends Brett and Heather, when Heather (who is equally as enamored with dogs as we are) casually suggested swinging by a pet store to kill some time.
You know. Just for fun. To look. Nothing serious.
This is known as the point when we should have known better.
After I nearly sprinted into the store, I was immediately drawn to two tiny beagle pups. I made myself do a lap to appreciate every dog (Am I the only one who does this? Dogs are apparently like fine art to me.), but it wasn’t long before I found myself crouched in front of that little glass window.
One of the puppies stood out. She had immediately spotted me and was licking the glass to try to get to my fingers.
I asked if we could play with her. You know. Just for fun. To look. Nothing serious.
This is known as the point where I started playing with fire.
One of the store associates fetched the puppy (see what I did there?) and set us up in a little room with a bench full of toys. After a few minutes of warming up, it’s safe to say my husband and I were in love. (With the dog. I mean, with each other too, but that’s nothing new.)
And just to give you a point of reference as to exactly how tiny she was:
I know it looks like I’m begging for the puppy in this picture, but really I’m having a joy-meltdown because she started licking my fingers. Let me tell you, I am an excitable individual around dogs.
In a matter of minutes, our just-for-fun-to-look-nothing-serious puppy visit turned into Joey and I playing with the numbers, debating names, and figuring out how much work we could take off to train her.
In the end, though, we forced ourselves to step away. Besides the fact that pet stores skeev me out a bit, the puppy was really expensive. To the tune of $1,300. Ahem.
(For the record: A quick internet search when we got home led me to a local breeder who charged a third of the pet store’s price. AND the puppies would be more socialized and we would know where they came from and the list goes on. Don’t even get me started on what we would save by going to a shelter.)
In short, we made the responsible decision. And sometimes being responsible sucks. We’re both still a little heavyhearted about the whole ordeal. (I mean, come on. Look at that face!)
Then earlier this week, family friends of Joey’s parents told him that they were trying to find a home for their 1-and-a-half-year-old boxer/pit mix, Bella. Joey met her first, and she’s a total sweetheart, but as soon as I met her, it was pretty clear she was way too big for our apartment. A hyper beagle-sized dog is one thing; a hyper 50-pound ball of solid muscle is another.
So despite her totally loving disposition, we again made the responsible decision that we weren’t the right people for this dog.
This story could end there and still be a total bummer, but, in true me style, I’m going to take it a step further.
Last night, we decided to swing by an animal shelter to see what our options were there. We scoured every single cage, but we didn’t find anyone that really jumped out at us and headed home dog-less yet again. I mean, there are other shelters we can check, but I’m just feeling a little disheartened.
I’m just…bummed, you guys. I’m one of those people who truly believes life is better with a dog. Both Joey and I always had them growing up, and it’s a little weird to not have a furry little body snuggling with you on the couch after work.
For my pet-owning readers, where did you get your dog/cat/whatever? Do you work full-time? How’s that going? Any advice for me on finding the right dog?
Sorry for this bummer of a post. I’ll work on something more upbeat for tomorrow.
Craigslist! There are always tons of dogs (and puppies) on Craigslist where I live. And it’s fun and sweet because oftentimes the people just want to find a forever home for the pups–and you can still get the history and everything. It probably depends on the area, but a lot of times, around here, they’re free on Craigslist… or the sellers require a small re-homing fee just to make sure that creepers that collect puppies (or make coats out of them? I’m not really sure) don’t take them. Good luck!
Thanks! I’ll definitely check that out!
I’m so impressed you managed to step away from that beagle – oh, the cuteness!
We adopted our dog from a rescue charity – she’s a retired racing greyhound and she is A-DORABLE. But before we got to that stage, we did a lot of research into the different breeds and what would work best with our lifestyle, which I think really helped to narrow our choices. We live in a smallish apartment so we needed a breed that was good for that and didn’t need enormous amounts of exercise, which surprisingly greyhounds are – they basically just like to curl up on a couch and sleep all day, they’re the laziest dogs known to man. And I was really happy that we could give a home to a dog that was looking for a new life – I think I would only ever adopt a rescue dog now, it’s such a warm fuzzy feeling.
I have to say though, I think I’d be really sad if we had to leave her all day – my husband works part-time at the moment so she’s not usually alone for more than 4-5 hours max in a day, and it’s heartbreaking to see how happy she is when we get home. But as long as you have arrangements in place to keep your dog fed and watered and occupied/walked, I’m sure it would be ok – and if you’re adopting an older dog or a rescue dog, make sure it’s one that is reasonably confident and calm, not one that’s going to be neurotic or anxious or chew up your house.
It’s been hard work and a lot of responsibility, but it is definitely worth it and I think it’s brought me and the hubster closer together too – to both have something that we love equally is pretty amazing. Fingers crossed you find the right dog for you soon!
Kirsty {a safe mooring} recently posted..Hello, Mr Darcy.
Thanks, Kirsty! I have a friend in Brooklyn who recently adopted a retired racing dog, and they’re absolutely in love with him. Might have to consider that!
Oh Justine . . . I really want you to find your dog! This is one of my favorite posts. Our little Sonny came into our lives as a fluke, he was $900 and we got him for free. I’m sure your little guy will come to you soon!
What a great deal! Thanks for your thoughts, Susan!
I am totally with you, Justine. Dogs DO make life a little sweeter.
As soon as we found out we were buying our house, I was on Craigslist and (of course) stumbled across some free puppies — beagle-mix with a little pug. I begged Jonny for us to just “look” and we drove out to the country to a box of irresistible puppies. When I held Ruby I just knew! We were still in our Drake-owned apartment, so my dog-lover mom volunteered for Ruby to go Grandma’s until we moved into our house. Bonus for us: My mom potty-trained her! When Jonny + I worked full-time she was fine home alone — it just made her excitement for our homecoming even sweeter! I hope you get your puppy soon!!
Thanks, Kayla! Did you guys crate-train her, or was she ok left out while you were at work?
We lucked out with our dog situation and inherited our fully-trained Nutmeg (at 4 years old) from my parents, who gave her to me as Christmas gift. It’s been wonderful and she is such a happy part of our little family of three. Joe and I both work full-time and are gone most of the day, but we found that Nutmeg’s breed seems to do just fine with alone time, as long as we walk her when we get home and give her lots of puppy cuddles! I can’t wait for you to find the right dog for your family. It really is all about finding the best fit. Be encouraged, I know it will work out!
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Thanks, Madison! As you know, I am one of Nutmeg’s biggest fans
TOTALLY understandable to feel bummed! I would be bummed too!
When we moved to Des Moines, Iowa – we didn’t know a single soul so I made it my mission to find the perfect puppy to liven up our daily lives a bit.
I am a huge proponent for animal shelters and rescue shelters. Pet stores are the WORST as most puppies come from puppy mills. (I’m definitely not a big political person but this cause is one thing I am very passionate for. You can read an article about it here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-sayres/aspca-puppy-mills_b_1562764.html).
So I set out to find the perfect puppy and I used pedigree’s adoption finder. It was SUPER easy – I just typed in that we wanted a female puppy in a 25 mile radius and within a couple of days, little Gracie’s face popped up and she stole my heart! We contacted the local shelter and put in our adoption application. After a few phone conversations with the people (they want to make sure they don’t give their precious puppies to crazy people), we set out to go pick up our pup! I was giddy as no other.
I love adoption because most of the time, puppies come spayed or neutered (which can easily be a couple hundred bucks), microchipped (can get expensive) and they have their first shots done (also probably a hundred bucks). The puppies are socialized from the very beginning and usually live with a foster family until they are adopted – so Gracie was used to having people and other dogs around her.
The training process wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. Kevin and I had a TON of fun and we learned a lot about each other and ourselves during the process. I wrote a blog post about it a few months ago if you want to check it out (http://www.livingwithaboy.com/training-grace/).
Leaving her when we go to work is hard, but dogs learn to love their crate. They consider it their home/den and now gracie just goes in there to chill or hang out whenever she wants. It’s hard not to feel bad, but it’s not a punishment or a “cage” as some people see it.
I know this is super long but I hope this eases your bummness (just made that one up) and you guys find your perfect dog soon! I should also add that rescue centers are great for older dogs too.
This was such a great comment, with great advice! I completely agree about pet stores (plus, as weird as it sounds, I get way less overwhelmed looking at dogs online than I do going into a shelter first). And thanks for your thoughts on crate-training. I’ve read that a few times, but it always helps to hear it from a real person!
You’re not alone, Justine! Nathan and I wanted a dog forever. And we just never felt that the time was right. Then one day we were strolling down Lexington Avenue when we decided to duck into one of those skeevy pet stores to look for something for our cat.
I noticed a small chihuahua that looked like an adult compared to the others. I asked one of the workers, “Is that someone’s dog?” His response: “No, we’ve had her forever and can’t get rid of her.” WHAT? So of course, I asked to hold her immediately, and she melted my heart of stone. (For the record, I’ve never been a chihuahua person.) They had reduced her price by more than half, but like you, we decided to walk away and really think things over. We agonized all night. Then the next day, we went to Petco to see the dogs that were available for adoption. Like the listings I had been looking at for months, they were all too big for our apartment. So Nathan said the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard: “I have an idea. Come on.” We immediately went to an ATM and withdrew less cash than they were asking for the chihuahua downtown. Nathan said he didn’t want them to even turn a profit. Shortly after, we walked into the store, flashed the cash, and told them if they’d take that much, consider her sold. They accepted, and five days later on a Friday, we brought Lexie home. She was five months old.
She had been in a crate her entire life, so crate training, to say the least, was challenging. But she eventually caught on. We hired a dog walker to stop by once a day, with every intention of eventually weaning her off of that. (Ten months later, she still has a dog walker, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. They take such good care of her!) When I get home in the evenings, you would think HER LIFE IS COMPLETE. We go for a walk, stop by the dog park–I mean, honestly, it’s therapeutic even for me.
We never intended to get a dog that way, but we still say that she found us. And in our minds, she’s a rescue dog. You’ll find yours too!
Aw, I love that story! I actually have found a few local dog walkers on Craigslist, so I’m definitely considering that option when we find the right dog.
It’s so funny you mentioned chihuahuas because I was really surprised at how MANY there were at the shelter we visited. My brother used to have two, and they were so sweet. So happy you found the perfect dog for you guys!
Justine,
I am in the same boat as you. My boyfriend and I have been searching for the “dog of our dreams” for quite awhile now. Every time we go to the SPCA, Humane Society or local shelter, none of them jump out at us. I really want to get a rescue dog.
Luck has it, today we are going to see two rescue dogs in our area. Both are a bit of a drive, but so cute none the less. I really hope they work out. One is a dachshund mix and the other is a dachshund. Both are cute beyond words and would be perfect for our house. Fingers crossed that one of them comes home with us today.
Best of luck in your dog search. I use craigslist, petfinder.com, google searches for the kind of dog you want in your local area, newspaper classifieds, ebay classifieds, etc.
Ooh, I hope today works out for you!!
Awwww, I’m so sorry to hear that you guys are having a tough time finding a little guy to be part of your home…but everything is meant to be, and you just haven’t found “the one” yet!
I’m totally proud of you guys for being responsible and not impulsive…it’s so hard to do with a cute little face like that staring at you!
I got my cat from a breeder online. He didn’t sell as a teeny tiny kitten, so he was on “sale” because he was older and therefore people were passing up on him. I loved him and got him and I haven’t regretted it for a day. He has the personality of a dog and my hubby and I treat him like he’s our child.
Good luck!!!
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Thanks, Gabbi! I just keep trying to remind myself that the search will make it even sweeter when we find the right one
We got our dog from Taiwan. We picked him up from the airport and had to teach him English commands and what stairs were. I found Pluto on Petfinder (I don’t think anyone suggested Petfinder which is odd cause I thought that is were EVERYONE went? I also thought that it frowned upon to sell puppies on Craigslist?) Anyway! I found Pluto on petfinder at 16 weeks and put in my application and sent pictures of my apartment and I was approved and I was told to meet them at the airport and pick him up. He had flown out of Taipei with his sister and some other dogs. Crazy huh?
He was $200, micro chipped, fixed and we got to keep his crate.
We are both gone about 10 hours a day. Sometimes we are gone at night as well. When Pluto was a puppy we let him hang out on our deck during the day with a litter box. In the morning I would walk him around 6:00 a.m. for 20 minutes and then Doug would walk him before work at around 8 a.m. for 20 minutes. Then he was walked about 40- 60 minutes at night. Now he doesn’t need that so his walks are about 40 minutes a day split into two 20/15 minute walks. Longer ones on the weekend.
When he was a puppy we put all of his food in Kongs and froze them so he would have to work at getting his food. This kept him mentally and physically occupied during the day so we had very minimal chewing damage.
Ian Dunbar was my resource for all things dogs. I like him because it is clear that he knows psychology and how animals learn. Also Temple Grandin helped me understand animals a bit more.
We followed Ian’s tips for potty training and he has never had a problem. Maybe 5 accidents his whole life and that was all before 1 year and it was our fault. (Ok it was Doug’s fault
..) He has full range of the house now and sleeps all day. The only time it sucks is when we can’t get home after work and we know he is waiting for us. I hate that feeling.
We would have done crate training for the full day when he was old enough but to be honest we didn’t think it was necessary since he wasn’t getting into things and he wasn’t having accidents.
Good luck! and get a rescue dog. You get extra karma points for it.
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That’s really interesting, thanks! Does Ian have a book, or did you just find info online?
He has books! This is the only one I read but it was VERY helpful for potty training, socializing and chewing:
http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Getting-Your-Puppy/dp/1577314557/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c
Courtney recently posted..Gallery Wall
Thanks! I found a few articles on his website too; really helpful stuff!
She is so cute! I was looking forward to increasing our family as soon as I can convince my husband to get a dog. Still convincing him.