Might be getting a rescue dog. Tips?

[Tiki2000]

cbelt3 wrote:
An elderly rescue dog may be about your speed. I adopted an old little girl some years ago… her human had to go into a nursing home and she was so lonely and miserable. Once I spent a month bonding with her (which included sleeping on the floor with her) she was a cuddle baby and a real napping professional.

A low energy elderly pup will be the right choice for you. Good luck !

I have SO been there....
One of my most fulfilling relationships

[special]

May I recommend a foster kid, in particular a teenager?

I hear many people trying to adopt a kid want a small child, and very few teenagers get adopted.

I did not discuss this with my wife yet, but I plan to slowly plant her idea in her head over the next few years. Once our kids leave home and we are empty nesters, I think it would be awesome to adopt a foster kid, a teenager, ideally a minority to bring more diversity into our lives and provide love and support to a hard-working kid and help them go through high school and then college. I may not be able to pay them full tuition since I am close to retirement, but I can help somewhat and especially provide a home for them to come home once they go to college.

[mattkime]

Gosh, cats sound so much easier

[vision63]

davemchine wrote:
I had back surgery in my 40's and was stuck sitting on the couch for much of the day. This lasted quite awhile. Our first pug kept me company during that time and she was a source of great comfort. Now that she is 12 and struggling physically I'm fairly emotional about helping her as much as possible.

from a "few" years ago

sucha cutie

[wurm]

mattkime wrote:
Gosh, cats sound so much easier

Maybe...but they're cats.

[lost in space]

We have one picked out and sent an application. It got to be quite a job finding one that woud meet our needs, and at the same time meeting the needs of our pet-to-be. We need small/medium size dog due to the size of our house and my space needs for walking with crutches. We also needed a non-allergenic dog, a couch potato with personality, which this one seems to be—she's well trained and well behaved, responding to many commands. Our daughter, who has animal allergies, needs one with a certain type of fur and this dog has it. She goes out walking a lot—the dog loves walks. She likes classical music, like me. I play classical guitar, so it will be interesting to see if she takes to that. There are other checked boxes. It all seems like a nice give and take. The shelter looks like a well-run operation.

We hope to have a meet and greet next week. Wish us luck, and thanks for your support!

[graylocks]

lost in space wrote:
We have one picked out and sent an application. It got to be quite a job finding one that woud meet our needs, and at the same time meeting the needs of our pet-to-be. We need small/medium size dog due to the size of our house and my space needs for walking with crutches. We also needed a non-allergenic dog, a couch potato with personality, which this one seems to be—she's well trained and well behaved, responding to many commands. Our daughter, who has animal allergies, needs one with a certain type of fur and this dog has it. She goes out walking a lot—the dog loves walks. She likes classical music, like me. I play classical guitar, so it will be interesting to see if she takes to that. There are other checked boxes. It all seems like a nice give and take. The shelter looks like a well-run operation.

We hope to have a meet and greet next week. Wish us luck, and thanks for your support!

congrats! hope it works out. my 22lb schnoodle is a hypo dog and it's worked out for my allergic son. we looked for weeks for a hypo rescue but none were available so we did get Cooper from a breeder.

[mrbigstuff]

wurm wrote:
[quote=mattkime]
Gosh, cats sound so much easier

Maybe...but they're cats.
+1

[RAMd®d]

I admire the concept of adopting a rescue animal.

I don't know that I could do it.

The problem would be leaving with only one animal and leaving all the others behind.

I've had two experiences having to rescue pets and a friend's escape artist dogs from the pound.

Walking out, with practically every don't saying 'Save me!' in one way or another was heartbreaking.

Not just heartbreaking, but especially heartbreaking because the two places were not no-kill facilities.

I realize adopting from a no-kill place obviates that worry but still, I can't take 'em all.

[mrbigstuff]

Yeah all of those doggies need homes! Although the problem is less acute today than years ago, apparently, mostly because of spaying and neutering.

One day when I'm rich and wealthy (!), I'm going to adopt all the doggies and take them to my farm for a good life.