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Great advice all and many thanks.
Initially my post was in regards to how do I know I'm ready to deal with a new puppy. Somewhere along the thread I determined a puppy probably isn't the right choice for now. I do prefer to adopt an older dog in need of a home. Maybe the Border Collie isn't the right choice either just by virtue of their herding tendency.
I'll know, I think, when the right one comes along. As with our last adoptee--he was so great!
Good luck with whatever decision you make....You'll know when the time is right. Just promise to post some pics!
We have 4 dogs. When we had three and got Billie our mini schnauzer she was a handful. She needed all the love and would never share her toys. We have an older doxie who at the time was the alpha and would show her teeth at Billie. We also at the time had a pom who just was laid back. Lucy the pom we had to put to sleep (She was very sick) We then moved to another state were we got our pap. Billie who is 11 mos older then our pap thought it was her job to be the protector of Amy and whenever Amy would get to near to our doxie billie would run between them. She always knew when Amy was in trouble. We have moved to another state and have gotten a pom. Amy and Billie are both 5years and 6 years old and Elkie our doxie is 12. The pom is a dellema to Billie who has the need to protect her but The pom gets into elkies bed and chews on her. Billie is watching all the time and Amy who has an attitude lets the pom go into her crate. All the dogs are getting along and our pom is 6 mos old. They all figured out their own place in the family except poor Billie who still has this need to protect. Billie the one who would never share when we first got her and who needed so much love is trying to give all the love we gave to her back to her Amy and sometimes the pom CoCo never to Elkie.
No matter what you decide to do, just make sure everyone in your family is on board, 100%. Last thing, commit to your new furkid for the rest of his/her natural life.
I wish you luck and hope you find the dog you're looking for. Save a life, adopt.
Sounds like you need to get a trainer in to show you how to put your pack back in order. You malti-poo seems to think he's running the show and that's got to stop before you think of adding to the family.
Once you've got that in line, I say visit some rescues and take the malti-poo with you. If you find one you are interested in, ask if they have a trial period. I do that with all the dogs I adopt out. Everyone that's interested in one of our dogs can take them home for a weekend or a week or ten days with no commitment needed. As long as they fill out the application and are approved to adopt, then I have no problem with that.
BTW - a person that actually thinks something like this through and takes their time is someone I want to adopt one of my dogs. I had a couple interested in one of my dogs and it took them over a month to go through with it. They knew this was a life time commitment, not something to decide on the spur of the moment, and that really hit home with me. I don't want someone that takes it lightly.
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