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If you want a purebred dog, there are other options besides rescues. As a matter of fact, I suggest you try other venues BESIDES rescues. Many reputable breeders are willing to ship puppies/dogs by air. Just because a breeder is willing to ship does NOT mean they are not reputable. Don't buy into the "you must always get a rescue dog" guilt trip. If you get a dog from a rescue, the dog will likely have a history of illness or abuse, and you may not even be aware of what that is. The dog will also likely be more of a behavioral and/or emotional challenge to keep than a dog you purchase from a breeder. The national breed club of the breed you are interested in can be a veritable treasure trove of information both about the breed you might want in general, and they can also give you a list of reputable breeders in your area.
As for shipping, United's Petsafe program is a good way to have a dog shipped. I and other Great Dane people have used United to fly puppies and adults, and they are very safe and reliable. Overall, it is safer to transport dogs by air than to ship them ground and it is also inexpensive to fly dogs, even across the country. Rates are the same no matter what the distance across the lower 48. To ship by air, the dogs need to be at least 8 weeks old, vaccinated, and have a health certificate by a licensed vet. Good luck!
As I'm on my third rescue dog (all pure breds) and know many, many other people who have rescue dogs, I disagree with your assessment. The purebred rescues, at least here in the Great Lakes/Northeast area, are very particular about placing dogs. They want to be sure that you, your family, your home, and your life-style fit their breed so that the dog they place with you has a forever home. The breed rescues also have their adoptable dogs in foster home situations not in kennels so that they can be evaluated for suitability and also learn to be family members.
General rescues around here tend to be less strict but still most around here are decent. Our local animal shelter is a no-kill shelter that only puts down animals that are dangerous or that seriously ill/injured. It's not hard to adopt out of them if you are a responsible person.
Personally, I would never have someone adopt a dog for me, or have it shipped sight-unseen. Both the dog and the human need to feel right for each other. I have seen time after time at the shelter where I volunteer, that some dogs just don't seem to like some humans. It would be terrible to get a long distance dog and he/she and your mother not be a good match for each other.
While usually I choose a dog I click with when I meet it, the two I have now were dogs I had not met prior to getting. Dazzle was from an out of State breeder ( WA). I had met a breeder that had half siblings to his litter but hers were all sold ( same Dad) and she put me in touch with his breeder. So I looked at photos of the pups that she sent me and talked to her then I picked out my top 3 and then told her what I wanted in a dog and what I hoped to do with it ( agility etc) she then said that my #1 choice would be the best one for me She drove part way down with 3 puppies and we met at the other breeders home and the minute I met the puppies I knew we were both right Dazzle was the right one and now that we have been together for over 6 yrs I have no regrets he is great for me. She had brought two others just in case I did not like Daz.
Chaos I saw on facebook she was in a high kill shelter in Texas ( I am in CA) and despite her being a young puppy and me claiming I would never get a puppy again the minute I saw her photo I knew she was mine. I adopted her via the Phone had someone I knew from CD pull her for me and boarded her at her vets until I could fly there a week later and yes it was instant love when puppy Chaos and I met. When the vet brought her out and put her down there were other people around but she came right to me like she knew I was her person. It has almost been 4 yrs and once again no regrets.
So it is possible to get the perfect pet that you do click with even without meeting it first, maybe something in my soul saw something it connected with in photos of the dogs. Anyway I have done it booth ways and never been unhappy. I did have one difficult puppy but she became my once in a life time dog as sometimes happens when you have a challenging dog.
I know the shelter in Texas has a volunteer group that will even help find transportation as I was going to do that but it was taking too long to get ahold of people so I decided to fly there and fly home with the puppy.
Another cool thing to do it you have time and can afford it would be to take a vacation to Best Friends and volunteer for a few days with your mom and meet a great dog that way as they do have some great dogs there.
My mom and her sister got my grandma and her twin a kitten for company and the three of them lived happily ever after until age started claiming them one by one.
I don't disagree with a lot of you guys about the dog not being a match for her. I've forwarded her some links (Petfinder etc) I've found in her local area for her to look at herself, but she hasn't even responded to my messages about it, I assume because she's still really bummed about it. :/
So it is possible to get the perfect pet that you do click with even without meeting it first
I didn't mean to imply that a long distance adoption won't work. I would guess that most of the time it will work out fine. However, for those cases where it doesn't, the dog is now many miles from where he came. What do you with him now?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dashdog
Another cool thing to do it you have time and can afford it would be to take a vacation to Best Friends and volunteer for a few days with your mom and meet a great dog that way as they do have some great dogs there.
I have been twice and am going back later this year. I always have a great time. One thing to remember - they get some of the dogs because no one else will take them. Many times, they are able to find them homes (eg Vicktory Dogs), but there are some there that can never be adopted.
I have been twice and am going back later this year. I always have a great time. One thing to remember - they get some of the dogs because no one else will take them. Many times, they are able to find them homes (eg Vicktory Dogs), but there are some there that can never be adopted.
Finally spoke with my mother actually, and related to this, she did go back to a rescue yesterday where she thought she may have found the perfect dog. Was older, medium sized, extremely calm...
...And then she found out it was quarantined because it killed a cat.
Good news is that she does not mind me forwarding her links of more local available pets, problem is the ones I forwarded her were already spoken for, despite still being on Petfinder.
She did apparently also consult with a breeder, but was very unwilling to spend $700.
I think at this point she'll probably find one herself before I can, but I was glad that she's feeling better about the whole thing.
Personally, I would never have someone adopt a dog for me, or have it shipped sight-unseen. Both the dog and the human need to feel right for each other. I have seen time after time at the shelter where I volunteer, that some dogs just don't seem to like some humans. It would be terrible to get a long distance dog and he/she and your mother not be a good match for each other.
Agree^^^. You should figure out a few appropriate breeds that your mom likes and research local breeders in her area and set up an appointment for her to make a visit and make her own arrangements to get a puppy. Keep in mind that good reputable breeders never advertise on Craigslist, usually have waiting lists and normally won't have a puppy ready to go home the next day or even next month. $700 is very cheap for a good healthy puppy with all their vaccinations and health clearances.
In spite of what others have said on here, very few truly reputable breeders will ship a puppy to someone without having ever met them in person; if a reputable breeder is shipping a puppy its to someone they've met and dealt with previously. Good breeders care who gets their dogs and will want to meet new owners in person at least once. Pretty-much every single place online that will ship you a puppy without meeting you is a puppy mill.
It's an extremely bad idea to buy a puppy from a breeder without visiting their facilities and a worse idea to work with a breeder who is willing to let a dog go to you without having ever met you.
Agree^^^.
In spite of what others have said on here, very few truly reputable breeders will ship a puppy to someone without having ever met them in person; if a reputable breeder is shipping a puppy its to someone they've met and dealt with previously. Good breeders care who gets their dogs and will want to meet new owners in person at least once. Pretty-much every single place online that will ship you a puppy without meeting you is a puppy mill.
It's an extremely bad idea to buy a puppy from a breeder without visiting their facilities and a worse idea to work with a breeder who is willing to let a dog go to you without having ever met you.
Dazzle's breeder was very concerned as she had not met me and he would be going out of state. But she was good friends with another breeder who I had met at a Silken Windhound event and because that breeder really clicked with me she was willing to let him go to me and when we did meet in Redwood city CA at the other breeders house I had a very good friend with me and Daz's breeder sort of pulled her aside while I was playing with all the dogs and asked her lots of questions about me and my dogs. Later the breeder told me that one of the real reasons she decided to let me have him was the fact that one of my dogs, Dash had cancer and when she heard I had done palliative IMRT on him she knew I was a person that really loved my dogs and took great care of them. We also talked a lot by phone before she let me have him.And I had to fill out a long application that asked tons of questions.
I on the other hand did not get to meet the parents of Dazzle but the other breeder had assured me he was a well bred dog and I did meet his half siblings which were her litter and loved them so figured Daz would not be that different . Daz is a great dog and he is well bred. A year later when I took him to an event so his breeder could see him other breeders were curious if I was planning to breed him but the answer was no as he is a pet and was neutered around 1 yr. ( he had a retained testicle that made him pet quality which is what I wanted as I am not into showing dogs).
But yes I too would be careful if some one is willing to ship a puppy while not really knowing anything about
you.
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