♥ x Mrs x David x Tennant x ♥ asked:
im finally allowed a dog – but just a rescue dog. we live in hemel hempstead, and we will be visiting a friend in barnet who can drive us to london if we need to. what shelter is the best in london? we were thinking batterseas but i checked their website and all of their dogs dont appeal to us and the ones we would consider need experenced owners and we are first time owners.
im finally allowed a dog – but just a rescue dog. we live in hemel hempstead, and we will be visiting a friend in barnet who can drive us to london if we need to. what shelter is the best in london? we were thinking batterseas but i checked their website and all of their dogs dont appeal to us and the ones we would consider need experenced owners and we are first time owners.
we have a 11 year old (who is a dog fanatic and knows most things about dogs, including potty training and everything) and a rabbit and hamster. so this might mean not all the dogs are suitable for our home. we also have a very large garden and live a 50 second walk to a park. we live in a generally quiet village and we realy want to rescue.
how can we find the perfect dog? are all the dogs on the site or will there be more in the shelter when we visit? we dont want to adopt a puppy, nor do we want to adopt a older dog. only aged between 1 – 5 years old. size doesnt really matter. what dog stuff should we buy?
look in your local paper for one about now all those poor little Christmas puppy’s will be needing homes as the novelty will have now worn off.A dog is for life.
You will need a comfy bed,water dish food dish,collar, lead , brush ,dog disc,Insurance ,vet.
might be glad to hear from you. A Labrador would be the perfect ‘first’ dog and a loving and faithful companion.
Good luck!
Visit your local shelter. They will be happy to pick out a dog that should fit well with your family and if they don’t have one at that time they will soon.
When I was ten we went to the pound to get this terrier we brought in and instead we came home with a miniature poodle. He was the best dog I have ever owned. The workers picked him out just for us.
They will also give you a list of what to feed, what shots to get, and a suggestion for local vet. They love to help their dogs find good homes and it sounds as if you child is ready to have a companion.
Well I think that’s lovely!! We got 2 rescue mutts a few months back and they are wonderful – absolutely part of our family now
I’ts great you’re looking into things BEFORE you get your dog, some people just grab a dog and think about it later.
An adult dog (say 1-3 years) is generally SO much less work than a puppy but still able to be trained. I trained a 6 year old dog once and he learned very quickly. They tend to have a longer attention span! And you shouldn’t have too many house training dramas.
Usually there are more dogs in the shelter than on the web – dogs are coming in all the time and sometimes it takes awhile to update the website. I’m not sure about specific shelters, we’re in Australia. I’m guessing the RSPCA has one too?
As to type of dog…well, given the size of your yard and proximity to the park you can probably get any size you like, if you’re prepared to exercise it. Labrador crosses are usually energetic and lovely, german shep crosses can be very intelligent and small dogs have their own charms too. We got maltese x poodles and they virtually don’t shed and my daughter, who is allergic to most dogs, isn’t allergic to these two. Be warned though, smaller dogs are prone to barking and if they have long or poodle type coats they need a lot of grooming. Short hair dogs can shed a lot but don’t need much maintenance.
As you have an 11 year old in the house don’t get a dog that is too much for her to manage or she will lose interest. The shelter will want all your details and will try to find a good match for you. Be prepared, they may give you the third degree! You are wise to say as a first time dog owner you don’t want a difficult dog. Best left to the experts, you just want a friendly family pet to love.
As for what to buy, you’ll need a collar and lead, dog bed, bowls, brushes, shampoo, flea treatment (we use Advantage or Frontline), worming tablets, towels, blankets etc. Make sure all bedding is washable! I’d suggest you take your dog to the vet soon after you get it to get a good check up and you can ask any questions you have. Try to keep the dog on the same diet as at the shelter, at least initially, and be prepared that the dog might be shy or over excited in the beginning. They do settle down and shelter dogs become VERY attached to their owners!! It’s almost like they are grateful
Oh, and as a new dog owner, just be warned that dogs can be VERY expensive. Ours have cost $1,500 in a few months on vet bills. So have a bit set aside. And see if you can book it into obedience classes, or at least read up on obedience training. It really helps with the settling, and bonding process as well as promoting better behaviour.
Enjoy your new dog, you are doing a wonderful thing!
Is there a Dogs Trust near you ? They could help you.
There is no such thing as the perfect dog! They all come with naughtiness and their own character! You might like to contact Dogs Trust or the Cinnamon trust. Just tell people you are inexperienced first time owner and do not want a problem dog who needs experienced owners. You could try phoning your local dog warden, the number will be on the council website somewhere! Ask around, you might find someone who needs to re home their dog due to moving abroad, change of circumstances etc. Try looking in local paper. Or website… Where I live there is the trade it and they have a dogs for sale bit, but you do get adverts for re homing etc. My advice is to not be too hasty! Take your time, and wait until you find the dog that is right for YOU.
Link for the London Dogs trust local centre.
And the cinnamon trust, they re home elderly peoples pets. No its the owner who’s elderly not the dog!! You can email them and they will put you in touch with your local contact. If you state what you are looking for (age of dog etc) they may possibly have something suitable.
I REALLY don’t understand why someone has told you to look on the petfinder website when that’s AMERICAN!! LOL did they not read the question saying you live in UK in London? Some people seem to leap in with answers having not bothered to read the question!
Sometimes, the dog finds you instead. Sounds like you already have some specifics about what you’re looking for. Try – you can select location/breed/age/etc. Keep looking – I found my 1st fur kid by that web site – and will forever remember the story I read about a dog listed there entitled In Loving Memory. (Very sad, but it was like fate to find the dog I adopted.) You can also check local veterinarians – many times they have bulletin boards with animals (mostly dogs cats) that need a loving home.
ANYWAYS…. make sure you have a crate/cage (I call it a room), Stainless Steel food water bowls (others can have lead paint plastic bowls can give off toxins), Kong toys are awesome too come in different sizes strengths (puppy, medium chewer to aggressive chewers), AT LEAST 2 leashes – I personally like the double-ply 1 width nylon, (you never know when you’ll need a spare), training treats, flea tick prevention is VERY important as well!
Now that you’ve put it out in the universe that you’re looking for a dog one – the right one, will come by sooner or later and you’ll know it when you see it. Those things just happen! By all means look at pounds, newspaper ads, talk to your friends who have dogs.
It’s not much use getting a collar for a 100lb dog if you end up with a 20lb one. I’d say leash, food/water bowl, check out which type of dog food you’d like to feed your dog(takes more research than I ever believed to find the right one), maybe a variety of squeaky toys, balls, chew toys, and a nice designated dog blanket for your sofa/car. You can also go to local vets who often know of dogs needing a home! Plus it’s good to touch base with a vet in your area so you know where you’ll be taking your new dog.
Chilterns Dog Rescue Society
Hog Lane, Ashley Green
HP5 3NX
Chesham
What rescues display on their web sites may not be what they have in stock. The Dogs Trust is very good and have lots of dogs across the country,
if you put in a serch engine about rescue shelters around your areas it should come up with some, i know one foal farm but it is kent, good on you for wanting a rescue
I live in Hemel Hempstead to and I adopted a dog 2yrs ago from the RSPCA, Southridge Centre, London Colney ( near BARNET and St Albans)
There are plenty of rescue centres locally that you can visit try this link, lists rescue centres in the Herts, Beds, Bucks area’s.
Good Luck
Just what I was searching for, regards for posting