Looking for a new (puppy) friend... (nicest, shelters, place)

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by TigerLily24

Sorry, I have to disagree. As long as the shelters and rescues do their due diligence, I think that Christmas is the perfect time to welcome a new life into your family. I rescued my latest dog a year ago this Christmas-time, and he will forever hold the most special place in my heart because he is my 'Christmas puppy.'

I am not saying for every adopted dog it is a bad experience. But for some it is. Why take the chance?

Believe me, our rescue did "due diligence" as did the other rescues in the Kansas City area that had a "no Christmas adoptions" policy.

Believe me, regardless of your experience, it is not always "the perfect time to welcome a new life into your family."

I have seen some horrible examples of this. For instance, there was the really sweet and loving young couple who truly convinced us they wanted to adopt two of our dogs. All the paper work and references and home visits and bonding went so well we were all very pleased. The dogs were a Christmas gift for the wife from the husband. After they got the dogs, they were invited out of town for Christmas, and all the boarding kennels were already booked up. So they left the dogs in the back yard for a week. When the weather got brutally cold, one of the dogs froze to death and the other was close to death when anyone discovered it. He was returned to our organization...complete with the accompanying terrible baggage that some rescues have.

It is easy to sit there and say we didn't exercise "due diligence" in the adoption. Or to say it could have happened at any time of the year and not just as Christmas. But...it did happen at Christmas because they wanted to go out of town for the holidays and all the kennels were full.

That is only one example. More frequently the problem is a family who wants a dog for their children ... and in the excitement of Christmas, the dog gets stresssed and bites one of the children, or gets neglected...and the family decides to return the dog.

Believe me I have seen this happen .... and more frequently that I would have liked. Hence our policy a few years after I began working with this organization.

[songinthewind7]

This gets me to the point of tears.

Originally Posted by Towanda

I am not saying for every adopted dog it is a bad experience. But for some it is. Why take the chance?

Believe me, our rescue did "due diligence" as did the other rescues in the Kansas City area that had a "no Christmas adoptions" policy.

Believe me, regardless of your experience, it is not always "the perfect time to welcome a new life into your family."

I have seen some horrible examples of this. For instance, there was the really sweet and loving young couple who truly convinced us they wanted to adopt two of our dogs. All the paper work and references and home visits and bonding went so well we were all very pleased. The dogs were a Christmas gift for the wife from the husband. After they got the dogs, they were invited out of town for Christmas, and all the boarding kennels were already booked up. So they left the dogs in the back yard for a week. When the weather got brutally cold, one of the dogs froze to death and the other was close to death when anyone discovered it. He was returned to our organization...complete with the accompanying terrible baggage that some rescues have.

It is easy to sit there and say we didn't exercise "due diligence" in the adoption. Or to say it could have happened at any time of the year and not just as Christmas. But...it did happen at Christmas because they wanted to go out of town for the holidays and all the kennels were full.

That is only one example. More frequently the problem is a family who wants a dog for their children ... and in the excitement of Christmas, the dog gets stresssed and bites one of the children, or gets neglected...and the family decides to return the dog.

Believe me I have seen this happen .... and more frequently that I would have liked. Hence our policy a few years after I began working with this organization.

[lisdol]

^^^^that is so sad.

We had been hoping to attend the home for the holidays event but so far we have only priced out 300' of field fencing (to improve our back fencing of our lot) and gates for our driveway. It is not installed nor purchased and I said no dog til I can open the door and let him/her run around the yard.

My dd is enamored with Giddy Adopt a Labrador Retriever: giddy: Petfinder at WMR but she loves all dogs.

I like Winslow Adopt a Treeing Walker Coonhound: Winslow: Petfinder and Shylo Adopt a Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler: shylo: Petfinder but Winslow appears old and since we have to move, probably overseas, in a couple of years, I'd hate to put an elderly dog through the stress of a transpacific flight. Shylo is just adorable but dh and I agreed no heelers since we have 4 kids and heelers are so high energy - at least any of the heelers I have met. And Shylo looks pretty high energy. She would probably herd my kids all over the house!

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by lisdol

and shylo looks pretty high energy. She would probably herd my kids all over the house!

lol!

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by Towanda

I am not saying for every adopted dog it is a bad experience. But for some it is. Why take the chance?

Believe me, our rescue did "due diligence" as did the other rescues in the Kansas City area that had a "no Christmas adoptions" policy.

Believe me, regardless of your experience, it is not always "the perfect time to welcome a new life into your family."

I have seen some horrible examples of this. For instance, there was the really sweet and loving young couple who truly convinced us they wanted to adopt two of our dogs. All the paper work and references and home visits and bonding went so well we were all very pleased. The dogs were a Christmas gift for the wife from the husband. After they got the dogs, they were invited out of town for Christmas, and all the boarding kennels were already booked up. So they left the dogs in the back yard for a week. When the weather got brutally cold, one of the dogs froze to death and the other was close to death when anyone discovered it. He was returned to our organization...complete with the accompanying terrible baggage that some rescues have.

It is easy to sit there and say we didn't exercise "due diligence" in the adoption. Or to say it could have happened at any time of the year and not just as Christmas. But...it did happen at Christmas because they wanted to go out of town for the holidays and all the kennels were full.

That is only one example. More frequently the problem is a family who wants a dog for their children ... and in the excitement of Christmas, the dog gets stresssed and bites one of the children, or gets neglected...and the family decides to return the dog.

Believe me I have seen this happen .... and more frequently that I would have liked. Hence our policy a few years after I began working with this organization.

That is indeed a horrible experience and I am very sorry for all concerned. However, I think it is really unfair to project that experience on every single family, or single person for that matter, who would like to reach out and (re)home a deserving animal, particularly if, like me, you live in a city that euthanizes upwards of 12,000 animals EVERY YEAR.
Just saying...

[WasSoggyInSeattle]

"I think the wisest thing to do if a child wants a puppy for Christmas is to get him/her a stuffed dog, a crate, leash, eating dishes and food and a list of responsibilities that come along with having a dog, especially a puppy that needs to go outside every couple of hours to do his business and then get the real dog after the holidays. Some kids and adults too don't realize the responsibility and should do some research." I think that should be done no matter WHAT time of year that the decision is made to get a child a pet. But I think we are diverting from Amber's original request... the name of reputable breeders/organizations for her to look for a puppy....

[Pintada Kid]

I agree that dogs shouldnt be adopted till after the Holidays. I also dont believe that Big dogs should be kept in the House and if you start them in the house when they are puppies they will always be inside dogs. Also its very important to have a fence for your dog. el pintada kid

[songinthewind7]

Why not keep large dogs in the house?
My dogs are inside and outside. Too cold to leave dogs out all the time.
I think if someone lives in a city or town, a fence is a good thing to have but living in the mountains, it's not necessary and I think it also depends on the breeds of dogs.
Mine are homebodies (lab mixes) but some dogs like huskys and bassets will wander off and do need a fence.

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

Why not keep large dogs in the house?
My dogs are inside and outside. Too cold to leave dogs out all the time.
I think if someone lives in a city or town, a fence is a good thing to have but living in the mountains, it's not necessary and I think it also depends on the breeds of dogs.
Mine are homebodies (lab mixes) but some dogs like huskys and bassets will wander off and do need a fence.

I agree with letting big dogs in the house. Mine would die in the hot Texas summers as you, song, are familiar with. Besides, they're my sweet family. I have a Yellow Lab and her daughter, part Lab and the other part, Catahoula. I would never leave them outside all the time as they're the greatest of companions.

The stories I hear about dogs like the one stated above just totally breaks my heart.

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

Why not keep large dogs in the house?
My dogs are inside and outside. Too cold to leave dogs out all the time.
I think if someone lives in a city or town, a fence is a good thing to have but living in the mountains, it's not necessary and I think it also depends on the breeds of dogs.
Mine are homebodies (lab mixes) but some dogs like huskys and bassets will wander off and do need a fence.

My three (husky, husky/pointer mix and pom/sheltie mix) are always in the house - only time they are in the yard is with me or another family member.
My yard is completely fenced, but as you note, the 'grass is always greener' somewhere else for a husky

Just had to share this:
Biden's Puppy: A Post-Election Gift From Jill (PHOTOS)

To the OP, here is another resource:
Golden Retriever Rescue NM

There are, of course, lots of great Golden breeders (my daughter and son-in-law know of one in CO, if you want to DM me), and puppies are wonderful but, a youngish, already house-trained dog is a beautiful thing.
Good luck whatever you decide.