New dog??

[warpig1]

Help, I would like to get a dog, lots of questions though as I have never had one............

i will be working from home so I will be there all day, would never get one before as did not want to leave him/her alone

Can any one recommend some good 'dog books'

would like a 'certain' type of dog but am torn as think I should get dog from RSPCA and give him/her a loving home.

All advice gratefully apprecicated

warpig1

[beryllium]

Hi there warpig1,
Firstly, Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas :-)
I put these guys up often as I can, as we drove 300 miles each way to rescue our super dooper gorgeous Doggy from them and we now sponser a dog.
There are so many rescues and each dog needs a loving forever person.
I only have 1 extra note to add to all the amazing advice and that is your holidays lol we go only to doggy friendly places and if we need to go out for longer than 2 hours I drop him off at my brothers to be walked with their dogs.... so, here is Many Tears and they work very very hard with their site.... They will do home checks thoroughly, and if they don't have someone to see you then, like us, we had to give 2 references and send lots of pics of the garden, to show them it was secure.

http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/dogslo okingforhomes.htm

Best of Luck with your new pooch :-) I think you sound like a lovely future parent

B. :-)

[leelapops]

Hi warpig1 I am very excited for you and your potential new member of the family! Like a few others here I would recommend a rescue dog, they do deserve a forever home, I would much rather get a rescue than buy from a breeder. Jack is my first dog, and he is so special!
He is a Collie, and to be honest if I'd done my research I might have had doubts about how well-matched we are. But he gets a lot of love and attention, food, runs on the beach and in the wood etc. He has made me so happy! It's just a question of doing your homework; I didn't and I do regret it but I wouldn't change my boy for the world!

I know it isn't advice as such, more of a slightly biased opinion, but if you feel you are ready to let a dog inro your life then you will find it such an exciting and rewarding experience :)
Good luck and let us all know how you got on.
Lisa x

[warpig1]

Shaneystar2, thanks for the pic, what a cutie!!!

Hope you & Shaney had a merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year too.

[shaneystar2]

You too ....all the best for 2007 ...Shaney is getting on now ,losing his sight and a bit arthritic but he's a loving old chap and sends a woof and a wag !!

[warpig1]

beryllium & leelapops, thank you for your advice, I didn't realise there were so many replies and forgot to look at the next 20, apologies, but I do intend to get at least one dog but he has got to be the right one and I dont mean a pedigree or anything just on that we can fit in with and vice versa, only porblem is with holidays, we don't normally take big ones but if we went away for longer than a week then there is the problem of who will take care of him, although there is the 'pets passport' now so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[beryllium]

Hiya warpig1 :-)
Doggy passports are a fantastic idea and also consider a house sitter too if you fancy flying off to hotter climates lol..... our vets have quite a few homely people advertising that they will house sit and doggy walk. Mostly retired, and come with references bless....
I rather have my eye on a staffy as a companion dog for our Dobe..... I shall be going back to Wales next year me thinks lol.......