Planning on getting a puppy — dang PawPatrol!

[UglyBear]

Just thinking aloud, and looking for advice: i got myself into a bit of a bind, and appreciate any input.

So, I ran my big fat mouth and promised one of my kids a puppy.

It’s ok — I really wanted a dog myself, except ... the kid is fanatical about Marshall on PawPatrol, who is a Dalmatian, and will accept nothing else.

No way am I getting a purebred one — mostly out of principle, don’t want to encourage factory breeding when there’s so many dogs for adoption, secondary don’t want to have all the health problems that come with inbred purebreds.

Has to be a freshly weaned puppy — my house is all kinds of busy and crazy, so the dog has to grow up and adopt to our dynamic, plus the kids really want a puppy.

Recently we realized that kids are stupid, and it turns out that for my kid, basically any black and white dog is a “Marshal” — when @wharf rat had puppies, one of them was a “Marshal”. Sadly, back then we couldn’t get a dog, otherwise we would have gotten one from the litter .

so my three requirements are: 1) small puppy — freshly weaned, it needs to fit into my crazy home; 2) black and white — “Marshal”; 3) adoption around April-May 2021.

Would anyone know where to start looking?

@wharf rat , you would not be fostering any puppies come spring, would you?

p.s. we love our pets, and provide the best care for them — I just don’t really want to drag the kids through a shelter application process that I heard could be very excruciating and unpleasant, where they parade dogs that really don’t fit your needs but the shelter wants to get rid of

 

[Sneakers]

Would anyone know where to start looking?

Contact @frequentflier

 

[glhs837]

Just thinking aloud, and looking for advice: i got myself into a bit of a bind, and appreciate any input.

So, I ran my big fat mouth and promised one of my kids a puppy.

It’s ok — I really wanted a dog myself, except ... the kid is fanatical about Marshall on PawPatrol, who is a Dalmatian, and will accept nothing else.

No way am I getting a purebred one — mostly out of principle, don’t want to encourage factory breeding when there’s so many dogs for adoption, secondary don’t want to have all the health problems that come with inbred purebreds.

Has to be a freshly weaned puppy — my house is all kinds of busy and crazy, so the dog has to grow up and adopt to our dynamic, plus the kids really want a puppy.

Recently we realized that kids are stupid, and it turns out that for my kid, basically any black and white dog is a “Marshal” — when @wharf rat had puppies, one of them was a “Marshal”. Sadly, back then we couldn’t get a dog, otherwise we would have gotten one from the litter .

so my three requirements are: 1) small puppy — freshly weaned, it needs to fit into my crazy home; 2) black and white — “Marshal”; 3) adoption around April-May 2021.

Would anyone know where to start looking?

@wharf rat , you would not be fostering any puppies come spring, would you?

p.s. we love our pets, and provide the best care for them — I just don’t really want to drag the kids through a shelter application process that I heard could be very excruciating and unpleasant, where they parade dogs that really don’t fit your needs but the shelter wants to get rid of

Shelter applications usually not too arduous, compared to say the breed rescue organizations. Those guys usually insist on home visits by a group member, etc.

 

[Monello]

Good thing your kids don't care for marmaduke.

 

[kom526]

Our GSD is a rescue and she’s one of the best dogs I’ve ever had in my life. That being said, we did go through the breed rescue process and it was not as bad some can be from what I have heard. The volunteer that came down for the home visit wanted us to adopt her. I’ll never buy from another breeder.

 

[UglyBear]

Shelter applications usually not too arduous, compared to say the breed rescue organizations. Those guys usually insist on home visits by a group member, etc.

Thank you, I’m reading reviews from shelters and breed rescues and all the horror stories from all of them — traumatic home visits, volunteers yelling and putting down prospective adopting families, etc. Maybe I should take those with a pound of salt — only bad experiences get written up, etc.
In your experience, it’s not too bad?

 

[UglyBear]

Good thing your kids don't care for marmaduke.

I myself really want a Newfie or a Great Perinese — and LW even agreed to let me have one. Compared to those, a Dalmatian is not too bad

 

[Bare-ya-cuda]

I myself really want a Newfie or a Great Perinese — and LW even agreed to let me have one. Compared to those, a Dalmatian is not too bad

We rescued a Great Pyrenees from Appalachian Great Pyrenees rescue which is over in Virginia not to far from here. Filled out the application in website, they called my reference and then called me to set up an appointment. Went over and visited with the dog we were interested in and decided the personality wouldn’t work with our GSD. They showed us another and she was perfect. https://agprescue.org/

highly recommend them as a rescue.

 

[vraiblonde]

Recently we realized that kids are stupid

Good luck with your puppy search!

 

[UglyBear]

Good luck with your puppy search!

Kid 10 mins ago: “I want only a Marshal”
Kid looking over my shoulder browsing PetFinder: “That’s a Marshal! I want that one!” (Puppy looks nothing like a Dalmatian — a cute Great Pyrenees and GS mix)
me: “sure kid, whatever makes my life easier”

Funny, before having kids, me and LW had such lofty ideals — no TV, never lying to a kid, etc.
Now, all that out the window — by the time the kid realizes the puppy we will eventually get is not a Dalmatian, it will be his best friend in the world that he will remember for the rest of his life, and it will not matter that we lied through our teeth.

 

[wharf rat]

wharf rat[/USER] had puppies, one of them was a “Marshal”.

Some pictures of the "Marshall" a few months later.
Apparently she loves pretending to be a mountain goat and is doing well.

I don't think we ever planned on fostering puppies. Was just fate.

 

[UglyBear]

@wharf rat , that is a beautiful dog — so happy she’s doing well!!! I really regret that we could not get her in spring.
you and Mrs. Wharf Rat did an amazing job with them puppies!!!

 

[my-thyme]

Had a Great Pyrenees/St Bernard mix. Best dog I ever had.

Got her as a 6 month old, and she was always very shy, wasn't comfortable having new people around. And there are ALWAYS people around in our crazy life. She would just lay in her corner, hoping no one would see her. Yeah, 115 lb dog, right.

But she loved me. 115 lbs of lap dog.

 

[my-thyme]

 

[luvmygdaughters]

I adopted a GS mix from Tri-County when she was 8 weeks old. She was beautiful and the best dog I have ever owned. She lived to be 18 years old and helped raised my two granddaughters. The shelter adoption process was fairly easy. Good luck in finding your new pup!

 

[lucky_bee]

@UglyBear this shouldn't apply to you too much as you said you're looking for a freshly weaned pup, but if you end up at any of the local shelters, please be extra cautious. Their application process is super simple, but because of Covid, they're trying to avoid too much contact with viewings and meet and greets. My friend went in looking to adopt a young adult dog explaining to them she had kids 8+ and another older dog. They really rushed her thru looking at any of the dogs and pointed her towards only one or two. She really did like one of them but wasn't allowed to bring her older dog or kids in to meet her (personally, a red flag to me) and they figured she's remain the sweet calm gentle dog she was at the shelter. She still is for the most part but quickly showed some aggressive attachment issues when another dog gets between her and my friend. She's willing to work with the poor dog, but a thorough meet and greet really should've been had.

 

[frequentflier]

After Christmas, the shelters will have a lot of "Christmas presents" that didn't work out.

 

[UglyBear]

Dang, was just browsing PetFinder, and Last Chance Rescue in Waldorf has not one, not two, but three!!! perfect puppies that match my needs!!! Sadly we need to wait until April-May to adopt.
Anyone had any dealing with Last Chance? Good, bad, anything?

 

[UglyBear]

@UglyBear this shouldn't apply to you too much as you said you're looking for a freshly weaned pup, but if you end up at any of the local shelters, please be extra cautious. Their application process is super simple, but because of Covid, they're trying to avoid too much contact with viewings and meet and greets. My friend went in looking to adopt a young adult dog explaining to them she had kids 8+ and another older dog. They really rushed her thru looking at any of the dogs and pointed her towards only one or two. She really did like one of them but wasn't allowed to bring her older dog or kids in to meet her (personally, a red flag to me) and they figured she's remain the sweet calm gentle dog she was at the shelter. She still is for the most part but quickly showed some aggressive attachment issues when another dog gets between her and my friend. She's willing to work with the poor dog, but a thorough meet and greet really should've been had.

That’s why wife and I decided to only adopt baby animals.
We had a very traumatic attempt to adopt a second cat, and even after a month and a half of working with her she still tried to kill our older cat the moment she was let out of her room. We had to give her back. The saddest thing I had to do in my life.
Our primary responsibility is to the pets we already have — any new ones have to adapt to them, and it’s easier to do with baby ones.

 

[frequentflier]

Dang, was just browsing PetFinder, and Last Chance Rescue in Waldorf has not one, not two, but three!!! perfect puppies that match my needs!!! Sadly we need to wait until April-May to adopt.
Anyone had any dealing with Last Chance? Good, bad, anything?

PLease DO NOT buy a puppy from them. DO NOT!