I'm getting a puppy! -update page 6

[icebrat001]

Please don't buy the dog from a pet store or back yard breeder.

Puppy Mills are bad, and they will continue to do horrible things to dogs unless we don't support them.

 

[doxdogy]

Here is the link for AKC. Go to their site and read about the different breeds.

http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/index.cfm?nav_area=future_dog_owners

 

[FayeW]

While I agree in principal, that you wouldn't want to support a puppy mill, no one here really knows about the origins of the particular dog you are interested in. The reality is, THAT puppy has to go somewhere. If nobody buys it, what do you suppose will happen?? My husband threatened me with a pomeranian, also from a pet store. I don't care for the breed, and said I was willing to agree to a Westhighland, or Cairn, terrier. The very next day, I started calling breeders and rescue organizations. I was one of the people who would NEVER, EVER buy a dog from a pet store. But guess what...there were 40 people ahead of me on the breeders list, which meant a wait of several years. Later that day, I found out that another pet store had ONE Westie. How could I think it was anything less than fate, when less than a day after committing to a breed, one miraculously appeared! We went to see her, and bought her immediately. I have absolutely NO regrets. She has been a part of our family for more than a year and a half, and I am thankful on a daily basis that I had the good sense to take her into our home. She is a delightful pet, with a perfect temperment.

Bottom line, that dog needs a home. Do what your heart tells you.

 

[MommyPoppins]

While I agree in principal, that you wouldn't want to support a puppy mill, no one here really knows about the origins of the particular dog you are interested in. The reality is, THAT puppy has to go somewhere. If nobody buys it, what do you suppose will happen?? My husband threatened me with a pomeranian, also from a pet store. I don't care for the breed, and said I was willing to agree to a Westhighland, or Cairn, terrier. The very next day, I started calling breeders and rescue organizations. I was one of the people who would NEVER, EVER buy a dog from a pet store. But guess what...there were 40 people ahead of me on the breeders list, which meant a wait of several years. Later that day, I found out that another pet store had ONE Westie. How could I think it was anything less than fate, when less than a day after committing to a breed, one miraculously appeared! We went to see her, and bought her immediately. I have absolutely NO regrets. She has been a part of our family for more than a year and a half, and I am thankful on a daily basis that I had the good sense to take her into our home. She is a delightful pet, with a perfect temperment.

Bottom line, that dog needs a home. Do what your heart tells you.

Thank you! I felt so dirty for even thinking about buying a dog from a pet store(after everyones responses)...I know they aren't as "good". But I felt like you, someone has to buy the dog.


I have been doing much research and for as many, "don't buy a pom with kids" I see I see as many, "my pom is great with my kids". It comes down to your kids, ANY dog can be bad with kids...if the kids are brats. Thankfully, mine are very well behaved and would no pose a problem with a dog. But, still I am being very careful and contacting different breeders I have found online. But when it comes down to it, you NEVER can be 100% sure when you buy a dog. Our boxer is wonderful and she's from a "backyard breeder"....oh the horrors.



Thanks everyone!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I'm going to get slammed here and will end up on the end of a firing squad but here goes.

We never intended to buy a dog from a Pet Store.

We were in there for other reasons when we saw him. Reilly. Our 6 yr old Apricot Poodle in the middle of a pile of Apricot Poodles. He had black tips all over his fur. DW Lauri was drawn to him instantly like there was some kind of connection.

We left the store and I went away on business the next day. Lauri couldn't stop thinking about that puppy. She went to her mom and scraped up enough money to pay the outrageous price and she had no idea why - there was this "connection" between her and that little dog with the mysterious black tips on his fur.

That dog - the supposed puppy mill dog (supposed since we do not know exactly what conditions he was bought under)- has saved my wife's life.

2 months later she became ill with AOSD. Several years later she became deathly ill and could have died. The only one that knew something was wrong was Reilly. If it wasn't for the way he acted with Lauri - the strange behavior, the way he wouldn't let me touch her - Lauri would have chalked up her recent symptoms as "just another thing to deal with to do with her disease" - not that fact that she was dangerously close dying.

To this day that dog continues to save her life. He anticipates flares, he comforts her, he warms her when she can't get enough body heat when her temperatures spike and does it with more love than you ever thought you would be able to buy for $700.

So just to let you know, that not all "pet store" dogs are substandard and not everyone that has bought a dog that way are bad people or don't care about animals. I can tell you for sure that if Lauri hadn't bought Reilly after that fateful trip, she wouldn't be with us today.

 

[MommyPoppins]

I'm going to get slammed here and will end up on the end of a firing squad but here goes.

We never intended to buy a dog from a Pet Store.

We were in there for other reasons when we saw him. Reilly. Our 6 yr old Apricot Poodle in the middle of a pile of Apricot Poodles. He had black tips all over his fur. DW Lauri was drawn to him instantly like there was some kind of connection.

We left the store and I went away on business the next day. Lauri couldn't stop thinking about that puppy. She went to her mom and scraped up enough money to pay the outrageous price and she had no idea why - there was this "connection" between her and that little dog with the mysterious black tips on his fur.

That dog - the supposed puppy mill dog (supposed since we do not know exactly what conditions he was bought under)- has saved my wife's life.

2 months later she became ill with AOSD. Several years later she became deathly ill and could have died. The only one that knew something was wrong was Reilly. If it wasn't for the way he acted with Lauri - the strange behavior, the way he wouldn't let me touch her - Lauri would have chalked up her recent symptoms as "just another thing to deal with to do with her disease" - not that fact that she was dangerously close dying.

To this day that dog continues to save her life. He anticipates flares, he comforts her, he warms her when she can't get enough body heat when her temperatures spike and does it with more love than you ever thought you would be able to buy for $700.

So just to let you know, that not all "pet store" dogs are substandard and not everyone that has bought a dog that way are bad people or don't care about animals. I can tell you for sure that if Lauri hadn't bought Reilly after that fateful trip, she wouldn't be with us today.

Thank you! for such encouraging words! I am so glad things worked out as they did for you and your wife!

 

[ilovepcot]

My daughter bought an adorable little pom from a pet store a few years ago and paid $1100 for him. Oh yes, he's AKC registered. He's now the size of a small chow! When you buy dogs from a pet store, you don't know *what* you're actually getting. Yes, they have papers on them....from where? They're "in the business" and can produce papers out of a hat! Any kind you want! Sometimes these things work out well if the buyer isn't particular as to how the dog turns out. Many have horrible behavior problems and don't actually resemble the breed they're *supposed* to be.

You can do a search for reputable pom breeders in FL. I did that for Toy Poodles and found a fantastic breeder right in my own town. Never knew she existed until I did the search. A "good breeder" will want to be assured the dog is going to a good home and will educate you along the way as far as choosing the right pet. Their prices are far more reasonable than the ones in a pet store, too. That is, unless you want "show quality" instead of "pet quality". You don't get a choice in a pet store!!!!

 

[AMcaptured]

If you really want a little dog for yourself and you have young children in the house, I would recommend you get a pug. They are the only small dog that is good with young kids.

We have two dogs, a pug and a Lhasa Apso and the pug is a dream with our little neices, the lhasa absoletely HATES kids and I put her in my bedroom and close the door when kids under 7 or so come over. She just can't tolerate them. The pug however just kisses everyone until she has licked the first layer of skin off of their face.....Gotta love a pug.

Also, you say you have another dog, a boxer, in the house? I am not familiar with boxers but having a second dog come into a family changes the personalities of BOTH dogs. And how to handle having two dogs is an entirely different conversation. Dogs are pack animals, you need to read up on how to handle that aspect of it too.

just my two cents. Good Luck!

 

[tekmom]

I also never intended on getting a pet store dog. We adopted our lab mix, Max, from a shelter and he's just great, but one day at the mall I made the impulse buy. Her name is Peaches and she's a 2 1/2 year old pomeranian. I know I will never buy from pet store again. We got very lucky with Peaches she is a wonderful loving little dog. She's sturdier ( 12 lbs.) than most poms, being a puppy mill dog. She is not an annoying barker and when she meets someone, her entire body wags. She's as healthy as a horse. My kids are 13 and 8 and Peaches is wonderful with them. My husband who always disliked small yippy dogs loves her as well. She's made the best difference for Max. He was 5 years old when we got Peaches at 9 weeks old and he really loves her. They play all the time and he's very gentle with her where as she thinks she's his size. I will always reget buying from a pet store but I don't regret Peaches. I've always believed that puppy mills are wrong and still do. To the OP, I don't know what puppy would be right for your family but if you decide on a Pom, yes, some are yippy and snappy. We were VERY fortunate to get one with an excellent personality. Because they're tiny dogs , they're a little harder to potty train. Crate training is the way to go. If you decide against a pet store, Petfinder.com usually has poms on their site. Good luck!

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

After my 2 yr old Chow bit my son's face after he accidentally stepped on her tail, I got rid of her 2 days later to a rancher, and asked my vet for the best choice for a small dog that was great with kids. He suggested a Bichon Frise, she was awesome with both boys, and loved them so much. She was hard to housebreak but got along with my children when they were young. The vet also told me their fur is hypoallergenic? or that people with allergies aren't affected by their fur? Housebreaking became a huge issue so we gave her away to a lady I knew and the dog became the little princess of the house! Anyways, that was many years ago, my boys are teens now and after a divorce and moving 2 states, we have a 7 month old buff colored golden retriever who is as sweet as can be! I agree with the fact of trying to find a breeder, I had given up hope and did yet another google search for retrievers and there was a breeder 2 hours from me, I drove out, saw the parents, the pups, the surroundings, and we agreed we were satisfied and picked out our new baby, named Belle, you knew she was going to be named after a Disney character!
Good luck in your search for your new "baby" whether it's a Pom or another kind, I hope it brings you much happiness!

 

[VSL]

Also, you say you have another dog, a boxer, in the house? I am not familiar with boxers but having a second dog come into a family changes the personalities of BOTH dogs. And how to handle having two dogs is an entirely different conversation. Dogs are pack animals, you need to read up on how to handle that aspect of it too.

just my two cents. Good Luck!

ITA!

 

[MommyPoppins]

Also, you say you have another dog, a boxer, in the house? I am not familiar with boxers but having a second dog come into a family changes the personalities of BOTH dogs. And how to handle having two dogs is an entirely different conversation. Dogs are pack animals, you need to read up on how to handle that aspect of it too.

just my two cents. Good Luck!

Our boxer is outside. She absolutely LOVES over dogs/kids/anyone in general. Plus she is DH's dog and she really only loves him most. She I know she would not have a problem with another dog. I have heard back from a breeder, who has 4 kids of her own and her Poms have been wonderful with her children. She's in our price range, but we'd have to have the pup shipped. I'm still waiting to hear back from 2 other breeders.

 

[castoff]

I will tell you our experience and hopefully it will help you. I planned 6 weeks for my Dante. He is pictured below. I talked with the breeder constantly. He happened to live in another state. I shipped a crate to her ahead of time so Dante would be used to it. My Dh flew down and brought him home to me. No problems at all.
We also have another dog. A bordie collie/black lab. I prepared for that also. I took Brewster to doggie day care for socialization classes so he would be o.k with the puppy. Did you know there is a certain way to introduce a new dog if you already have a dog? I know because I did my research. It was hard waiting 6 weeks. Now if you do get the pom..........good news. You can potty train him to go inside. Dante will not get bigger then 7 lbs. The breeder was already training him and calling him by his name before I got him at 12 weeks of age. It took 1 week to box train him. I use non-print newspaper and get it from a local newspaper plant. VERY inexpensive. Sorry so long, I don't want to get flamed, I feel strong about people being informed about making a decsion that will effect them for a long time to come. I hope I was helpful.

 

[jrmasm]

If you really want a little dog for yourself and you have young children in the house, I would recommend you get a pug. They are the only small dog that is good with young kids.

That is simply a ridiculous statement.

I would second the Petfinder route. I have 2 that we found that way and they are both fabulous. Including our 12lb Rat Terrier that hasn't managed to maul my 23 mth old DD yet.

To the OP, good luck with your decision.

 

[castoff]

That is simply a ridiculous statement.

I would second the Petfinder route. I have 2 that we found that way and they are both fabulous. Including our 12lb Rat Terrier that hasn't managed to maul my 23 mth old DD yet.

To the OP, good luck with your decision.

If you check google you can find out what is a good match with small children. Here are some just to name a few..........Corgi,Terrier,Papillion,Shih Tzu,Spaniel,Brichon Frise, Beagle.Basset Hound

 

[CathrynRose]

Generally Poms are not good with young childrenQUOTE]

This isnt quite true.

I had a pomeranian - for years - "Calvin".

Calvin was good with both the boys - from baby-hood, on.

Maybe _some_ arent, but Calvin sure was.

Congrats on your upcoming Pom-Purchase. Theyre adorable dogs, (who bark a bit too much, though) We always kept ours pretty much shaved....made hair maitenance a lot easier. And he was so *cute* with him all shaved, except for a tuft of hair on his tail, and a mane up around his face....like a mini-lion.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Thank you! I felt so dirty for even thinking about buying a dog from a pet store(after everyones responses)...I know they aren't as "good". But I felt like you, someone has to buy the dog.


I have been doing much research and for as many, "don't buy a pom with kids" I see I see as many, "my pom is great with my kids". It comes down to your kids, ANY dog can be bad with kids...if the kids are brats. Thankfully, mine are very well behaved and would no pose a problem with a dog. But, still I am being very careful and contacting different breeders I have found online. But when it comes down to it, you NEVER can be 100% sure when you buy a dog. Our boxer is wonderful and she's from a "backyard breeder"....oh the horrors.



Thanks everyone!

I have a toy poodle and she is fantastic with my kids. They have grown up together. She is 9 now. She is everything I wanted and more in a dog. My friend in Florida has a pom which is great with her kids, and she recently got a chia-pom which is chuiuaha and pom mix. She is a good dog too.

My brother has bought dogs in a pet shop and has had great luck with them. I think it is all in how they are raised. My brother probably bought puppy mill puppies but at least they got a good home and have a great life. I hate to think of the ones that don't sell, what happens to them.

 

[VSL]

My brother probably bought puppy mill puppies but at least they got a good home and have a great life. I hate to think of the ones that don't sell, what happens to them.

It's a viscious(sp?) circle - not wanting to support the puppy mills but also wanting to give the puppies a good home

 

[goofy!]

.....

 

[disneyaggie]

Please please reconsider buying on impulse from a pet store. Research breed thoroughly (if you haven't already). Also a lot of puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills. These dogs live in horrid conditions and do not have a good life. Housebreaking takes time and patience.

Absolutely -- I totally agree! I have three dogs who were rescued from these puppy mills and each one of them were sick.

Consider www.petfinder.com -- this will put you in touch with all types of animals, those who have been rescued or who have been released for a good home. Good luck!