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Old 01-21-2011, 04:50 AM
 
461 posts, read 909,808 times
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I am thinking of getting a dog this Spring/Summer and trying to decide between a small poodle or yorkie. Does anyone know a good breeder in the area, so I can go visit and discuss the pros/cons of each breed. I would like a dog that is good with children, and I want a small one of a hypoallergenic breed.
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Old 01-21-2011, 05:08 AM
 
Location: Central Maine
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We have a miniature (not toy) poodle we adopted 2 years ago this month from HART--Homeless Animal Rescue Team. And we have been delighted with her. She's great with kids (our kids are grown, but she's great with the kids in the neighborhood and the kids we see on our walks). And she's very smart and takes well to training.

The next dog adoptions are tomorrow (the 22nd) at both the Petco and Petsmart in Chantilly - see the website.

For breed comparison, the HART people are fairly knowledgeable since they deal with just about every breed under the sun, and are almost always dog owners themselves.

Our previous dog was a German Shepherd we bought as a puppy from a breeder. She was beautiful and she was very smart, but as she grew older she developed some serious physical and behavioral problems. We loved her dearly, but we decided that future dogs (1) wouldn't be puppies, and (2) would be rescue animals.
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Old 01-21-2011, 05:52 AM
 
Location: Manassas, VA
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You can go on www.petfinder.com and check out the different dogs that are listed in the area. Also, check out your local petsmart or look up the different leagues online. You'd be surprised at how many great dogs they get so you don't have to go to a breeder.

I do volunteer with a local rescue....and we actually have worked with breeders who have usually either overbred, retiring, etc.

So, it is possible to get a 'pure bred' from a rescue if that's what you're looking for! Good luck in your search.
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Old 01-21-2011, 06:04 AM
 
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Do you know if you can adopt a rescue dog without fencing in your yard? We have a very large yard that would cost a fortune to fence, and we don't really want a fence anyway.
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Old 01-21-2011, 06:10 AM
 
Location: Manassas, VA
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It should not be a dealbreaker. Everyone's situation is different, some people live in condos where they couldn't possibly have a fence. Just be honest and explain your situation. You're not looking for a large breed, you are looking for a small breed which is a whole different scenario.
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Old 01-21-2011, 08:55 AM
 
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Sometimes rescues dont want to adopt small breeds out to people with children since a lot of small breeds are snippy and may bite - but I would give it a try. If you cant get one from a rescue be very careful when you select a breeder - a legitimate breeder will take the puppy back if there is a problem, they will let you inspect their breeding facilities, and they will only breed a dog when it is mature and only breed that dog once or twice a year - please beware of puppy mill and backyard breeders - you can end up with a dog with many problems not to mention keeping these types of people in business. Never buy from a pet shop. And a dog having AKC papers means nothing - many puppymills have AKC certification - the AKC is very corrupt. I know all this since I had been in dog rescue for many years.
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Old 01-21-2011, 09:40 AM
 
Location: Virginia
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Havanese is also a great breed - small, hypoallergenic, don't shed. Quite lovable. We have 2 and I wouldn't want anything else.
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Old 01-21-2011, 09:59 AM
 
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Here's a list of supposed hypoallergenic breeds (could be relevant even if you get a mix from a local rescue group - in addition to HART, there is also www.aforeverhome.org in Chantilly):

Dogs Good For Allergy Suffers, Hypo-allergenic dogs

Do you know a lot about Yorkies already? Cute little dogs, but some of them are seriously yappy.
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Old 01-21-2011, 12:26 PM
 
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Also, if you go with a breeder, make sure you ask about seeing the parents as well. Most puppymills won't show you the parents. When we purchased our lab, that was one of my requirements.

There are tons of rescues in the area, and they get all sorts of dogs in. Our first dog (16 months now) is from the Fairfax Humane Society, and he's been great.
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Old 01-21-2011, 12:44 PM
 
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Another large rescue group in the area is www.lostdogrescue.org They have several adoption events each weekend in Northern Virginia. My daughter and I use to volunteer with them - great group of folks! It's possible you might find that special dog you are looking for that would great with your kids!
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