Adopting A Golden Retriever - A Complete Guide

There are so many reasons to adore the golden retriever. They are wonderful family dogs, loyal service dogs, competition champions, and the perfect hunting retrievers. Now the question is, do you buy or adopt? What are the advantages of golden retriever adoption?

Instead of buying from a pet store or a breeder, you could adopt a golden from a shelter or a rescue group. Goldens are one of the most popular breeds, so finding them up for adoption is fairly easy. In fact, about 25% of all dogs up for adoption in shelters are purebred. Even finding a golden puppy is not a difficult task. You can start your search at local humane societies, animal control organizations, rescue groups, and dog shelters. Your local SPCA is always a good place to start. If you want to widen your search, the internet, and sites like petfinder.com offer broad searching tools.

Another option is a breed rescue organization. Breed rescues focus their efforts on saving a specific breed of dog. There are golden retriever rescue groups all over the U.S. Dogs are abandoned for a variety of reasons: a tragedy, disaster, a breeder passes away, a divorce, a foreclosure, somebody moves or goes off to college, or for many other reasons. Most shelter dogs were not abandoned because they were bad animals.

What are the costs of adopting? Adopting a dog is usually not free. There is usually an adoption fee of $100-$350. Typically, adopting a younger dog is on the expensive side. Also, it may tend to cost more to adopt a purebred like a golden. The good news is that this fee is usually less expensive than buying a golden from a pet store, and is typically a lot cheaper than a breeder. Since rescue groups and shelters are non-profits, your fee will go towards the shelter, and saving other dogs or animals. Also consider medical and training expenses in the cost. Shelter dogs typically are already socialized, and have received a medical checkup.

There are many advantages to adopting a golden. Puppies from a pet store or a backyard breeder, are almost always from backyard breeders, or even worse: from puppy mills. In fact, most purebreds are mass produced for profit by backyard breeders. In goldens, this is a particular problem. A victim of their popularity, bad breeding and over-breeding has caused a number of health problems, all of which are related to genetics. The most common health problems for goldens are hip dysplasia, cancer, elbow dysplasia, and eye and heart problems. Many goldens suffer, often when they are older, because of these problems.

When you adopt a golden from a shelter, you are giving a dog a second chance at life. In addition, you are freeing up that limited and valuable space in the shelter to save another animal. About 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year because of pet overpopulation. You are also rewarding the efforts of the volunteers and workers who put their time and effort into saving and caring for these animals.

Goldens are active and large dogs. Make sure the golden retriever is the right breed for you before adopting or buying one. Another advantage to adopting, is that shelters will often provide counseling to prospective owners. You will typically be meeting people who spend years of their time working with dogs and animals, and who are interested in finding good homes for their rescued pets. Goldens are famously friendly dogs. They are great for families and active people looking to spend a lot of time with their dog. They also excel as service, hunting, and competition dogs. They require some grooming and are not good for people with sensitive allergies.

Laurence Burrows is a golden retriever lover, and trainer. For more great tips on adopting a golden retriever [http://www.loyalgoldenretriever.com/golden-retriever-adoption], visit [http://www.loyalgoldenretriever.com].

Adopting a Shelter Dog

For most people, adopting a dog is a matter of conscience. Animal shelters have thousands of dogs, which may be euthanized unless someone gives them a second chance. These dogs deserve loving human companionship as much, if not more than pups from a fancy breeder.

That said, it is important that your decision to adopt a dog is the right one, for you and your new companion. Think about the following points carefully, and be honest. If you feel you cannot meet the challenges of adopting a dog, the kindest course is to opt out, leaving dogs available for those who can.

You have to invest your time

First of all, you must be prepared to invest a lot of time, patience and affection in your adopted dog. Most dogs available for adoption have typically had a difficult start in life. They may have been abused, abandoned or left at the shelter by owners who found they could not give them adequate time and attention.

As a result, most adopted dogs have varying degrees of emotional and behavioural problems. For instance, they may lack basic training, be intimidated by a certain tone of voice, or frightened by sudden noises. Whatever their problems, it will be up to you to overcome them. Adopted dogs have to unlearn certain behaviours as well as learn new ones. Most of all, they need to learn trust.

On the positive side, adopted dogs who finally make a connection with loving owners are ultimately remarkably loyal and eager to please. To help you make this connection, pet shelters typically provide plenty of background information and guidance.

Help your dog adjust to children

If you have small children, you need to be sure that they will understand and follow some basic rules before adopting a dog. For instance, that must understand that pets are not toys and can (and often do) react badly to rough handling. Also, that your adopted dog needs gentle handling more than most. If a child is to be responsible for feeding and exercising your dog, you must be prepared to make sure these tasks are carried out.

A new pet is cause for excitement. We like to think our pet is excited too when we take it "home" for the first time. When adopting a dog, this is rarely the case. As a result of previous mistreatment and harsh rules, adopted dogs often expect to receive much the same treatment in their new home. Some will stay in one room, afraid to explore. Others may shy away when corrected, or hide if they hear a loud noise. From day one, new owners should be prepared for strange behaviour and accept that it will be some time before their adopted dog really does feel at home.

Even an older shelter dog may need house training

When contemplating adoption, be prepared for the fact that many dogs will need to be house trained. Many previous owners have been as irresponsible in this area as others, and in the shelter, dogs have continued to do their "business" right in the pen. However, this should not deter you from adopting a dog. Housebreaking is relatively straightforward, with plenty advice and proven methods to follow. Some owners use a cage to assist in this training, while others simply take their dog for a walk several times a day. Fenced yards and doggie doors are inexpensive options that pay dividends on cold or rainy days.

Although adopted dogs are subject to behavioural problems, most of these problems are fairly common among dogs, adopted or not. These include digging, jumping up on people, jumping fences, barking and nipping. Again, they should not deter you from adopting a dog. There are proven, easy-to-follow solutions to all of these "offences."

For instance, if your dog is prone to digging and tends to dig in one area, there are a number of effective repellent sprays that work well. If he digs under your fence, buried chicken wire works well to break the habit. A water-filled spray bottle is an excellent behavior modification aid. A quick spritz in the face during or immediately after an offence.

When adopting a dog you will of course need to visit an animal shelter. This is an emotional experience for any animal lover. If, like many, you feel that choosing from so many deserving dogs will be the hardest part of adoption, remember this. A remarkable number of people who have adopted say that their chosen dog stood out like a sore thumb.

If you are certain that adopting a dog is the right choice for you, go ahead. You will be doing your new pal a great kindness and that's a terrific way to start any relationship.

Best Wishes,

Colleen

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Looking for a New Pet - Check Your Local Shelter First and Help Save a Life

Are you thinking about adding a furry new member to your family, and you really have your heart set on a certain breed? Well, I encourage you to skip the mall and local breeder and make your first stop your local pet shelter.

Every year, millions (yes, millions) of unwanted cats and dogs are euthanized in pet shelters. The majority of those animals were fully acceptable for adoption, but because of space limitations, had to be put to death. It's such a sad situation and I'm hoping that more people would go out and save some of these loving animals from their impending death sentences.

I currently have two incredibly loving dogs and two fabulous cats and they have all been rescued from shelters. Not a day goes by where I don't remember picking them out from the hundreds of available pets all anxiously waiting for someone to pick them to go home. It just breaks my heart. And if you've never been to a pet shelter, I would strongly encourage you to visit one, or even volunteer at one. I guarantee that once you set foot in one of those places, you'll never buy a pet from a pet store or private breeder again.

A lot of people have the misconception that only mutts end up at the shelter. That's the furthest thing from the truth. There are many pure bred pets at shelters (some will even come with AKC papers) that need loving homes. And really, there's nothing wrong with a mutt. Both of my dogs are mutts, and they are truly the best companions I could ever ask for.

Sadly, "behavioral issues" is one of the most popular reasons for dumping an animal at a shelter. The truth is, the pet owner never realized how much time and effort it is to take care of a pet, especially a dog. The owner got caught up in the emotion of having a new puppy, and the "how cute is he?" syndrome and didn't place much thought into "how do I take care of this animal?" Typically, those "behavioral issues" would never have even become issues if the pet owner took the time to have obedience-trained the dog. It's just so sad.

One of the other popular reasons for surrendering a pet is "I'm moving and can't take it with me." This one makes me so upset, I can't even put it into words. I have had many animals for the last 15 years and have probably moved at least 10 to 12 times in that time period, and I never gave up my pets. I always made sure to look for places (when I was renting) where pets were allowed. If they weren't, I'd continue looking until I found one. Unfortunately, many people don't realize that pets are truly members of the family and should be treated as such. They add so much richness to daily life, and just live to love us unconditionally. It's so sad when they don't get the same treatment in return.

If you're not sure where to start looking for shelters, PetFinder.com is the perfect place to start. You can choose what breed, type of animal, sex and size pet you are looking for, and then put in your zip code and VOILA! It does all the legwork for you. Once you start seeing photos of all those poor, homeless animals, you will be wishing you could adopt them all (I know I do).

When you do find a potential animal, go visit it at the shelter to see if it will be compatible with your family members (including other pets). Find out if it's been trained as a lot of shelters train their pets in order for them to become more adoptable. Also, make sure to find out if it has any special health needs. If it does and you know you won't have the time to devote to the pet's needs, you will need to find a more acceptable pet to fit with your lifestyle and schedule. This will be hard to do once you fall in love with that fluff ball, but it's in the pet's best interest so it doesn't wind up back in the shelter.

If the dog does need to be trained, there are many places you can go for that training. Personally, I took both of my dogs to PetSmart® for 6-week obedience training classes which were well-worth both my money and my time. My dogs started out as the worst behaved dogs (thanks to previous owners) to "Top Dogs", which was super cool. I invested a lot of my time and energy training them and it showed - they are both very well behaved. Just like children, dogs want and need to have rules and boundaries.

And I must briefly touch upon the subject of puppy mills StopPuppyMills.org for disturbing facts about puppy mills). I never have, and refuse to, purchase a cat or dog at a pet shop. It's just so sad that the majority of these animals were bred in puppy or kitten mills and have been subjected to deplorable living conditions. I know you're probably thinking, "but why not save one of these animals and give it a good home?" Well, this is part of the vicious cycle involving pet shops as well as "backyard breeders."

Many people buy pets from these shops because of guilty feelings, the shop owners and mills make lots of money, and the purchase of the pet leaves space to accommodate yet another mill animal. To add insult to injury, many of these mill animals are so sick because of serious in-breeding, starvation, and other disgusting living situations. Sadly, many pet owners end up euthanizing their animals after a few months of purchasing them just because the animals are so sick. Will this disgusting cycle ever end?

My article was not meant to be a sad and depressing one. Rather, I just wanted to enlighten future pet owners of the miserable situations these animals are placed in every day and just hoping that more and more people will adopt loving pets from shelters and help end the vicious cycle of puppy and kitten mills once and for all.

So, if you are planning on getting a pet, please, please, please check your local shelter first. And please realize that whether these animals are pure or mixed breeds, they all have one thing in common: they just want to love and be loved. And that's all that really should matter.

7/19/07

Michelle Wood is a handbag designer and founder of Lil' Diva [http://www.lildivabags.com], an online retailer of unique and funky handbags

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What is a Pet Rescue?

In the United States, nearly every city and state has animal shelters. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the ASPCA, is the most well known animal shelter within the United States. However, each city and sometimes each county, may also have public animal shelters. These public shelters are generally supported by government funding and staffed by government employees, although there may be private funding and/or private animal shelters as well.

Within the animal shelter community, there are two types of shelters. The first type, called "Kill-Shelters," euthanize animals that are not adopted within a certain period of time, and/or that simply do not have a space to live within the shelter. The second type of animal shelter, called a No-Kill Shelter, has a policy not to euthanize adoptable animals. Unfortunately, there are many stray animals in America and it can become difficult if not impossible for shelters to provide temporary homes for all of the animals. This is especially true for senior animals, "bully breeds" (like pit bulls and Rottweiler's that are not considered to be highly adoptable) and certain other dogs and cats that are considered less desirable for various reasons.

Private and not-for-profit groups have been created by animal lovers to attempt to fill the gap left by animal shelters who are simply unable to provide homes for all the animals. Private and not-for-profit animal rescues are generally funded by private donations and run by individual animal lovers. They receive favorable not-for-profit tax breaks, but are otherwise unaided by the government.

The role of the rescue groups is to take animals from shelters that would otherwise be euthanized due to lack of space or health issues, and find permanent and loving homes for these animals. No one wants to see dogs euthanized alone, without loving owners to memorialize them with pet urns or pet head stones, so these rescues are highly valued within the pet community. Some rescues operate kennels, where they house the dogs until a permanent and loving home can be found. Other rescues use a system called a "foster" system which is similar to the idea of human foster care. Volunteers take a dog or cat into their home and feed and care for the dog or cat until a suitable permanent home can be needed. The amount of time a dog stays in "foster care" varies depending on the needs of the dog. Some dogs can spend a lifetime in foster care if they have behavioral problems that make them unattractive to adopters, or if they are unadoptable for whatever reason.

Most animal rescues charge a fee for adopting a rescued dog, in order to cover the expenses they have incurred on that dogs medical care or to aid in the care and rescue of other needy pets. However, this cost is generally less than the cost of purchasing a dog from a breeder, and the personal attention that comes with the fee is worthwhile. Foster dogs who have been living with rescuers are generally trained within the rescue environment to become a good house pet. Furthermore, their temperament and mannerisms are well known to the foster family, who can then make sure the dog is a good match with their new owners. This can be really important when a family with small children needs to ensure that the dog they want to adopt is "child-friendly".

Rescue organizations are important because they save the lives of many animals who would otherwise be euthanized. Many rescue dogs go on to live long lives in loving homes, and are memorialized in beautiful pet memorials by their owners when they ultimately pass. It has been speculated that rescue dogs bond even more strongly to their owners than puppies, because they are aware of life without a home and are thus all the more grateful for the love they receive from their owners.

Colleen Mihelich
Owner, Peternity . . . honoring your pet for eternity
http://www.peternity.com
colleen@peternity.com
877-PET-PEACE

Imagine that, Adopt a Cat! It's Easy, It's Fun And It's A Wonderful Way To Add A Cat To Your Family

Cats in shelters get a bad rap. People assume if they are there, it's because they are dirty, unloving, and don't make good pets. People bypass the cat and go for the tiny kittens. Although there's nothing wrong with getting a kitten from a shelter, there's something truly special about a cat that's lived a mile or two on this planet.

Fluffy is there for no other reason than someone else couldn't give her the love and justice she needed. Look at the big kitties. They are just begging you for a scratch behind the ears, a cuddle, and some lovin'. Just because they are older, doesn't mean they won't play either, bring a piece of string, you will find the playful one you are looking for.

Imagine Fluffy is a six year old cat that has obviously eaten well, but sits there month after month because she's a little more docile and is a little bit older. These older cats have much to offer. If you are looking for someone to give lots of love too and someone who will give lots of love in return, one of these older cats may be the right choice for you.

Shelters have been known to find homes for cats in their senior years too, although this is rare. A cat being older doesn't mean he or she isn't going to be a good cat. She may not leap and play any more, she may not even help catch mice, but she will give you all the loving days she has left without question.

What about a cat with a few minor health issues? What if fluffy didn't have four legs and was left with only three? Would she be any less loveable? Fluffy just wants to be loved, without reservation. She's already been through enough; she just wants to have a reason to purr.

You could go to your local pet store or to a neighbours home for a kitten, but what a joy it is to find a cat who will simply be content to cuddle. The big rambunctious play days may be gone, but that doesn't mean she's lost her spunk. Cats have a way of talking to you, let the cat choose you, they often do anyways, don't they? A cat's love is truly PURRFECT, with the right cat; you will have that purrfect friend you've been looking for.

Pet adoption is a great way to give these older cats a chance for love and life, next time you consider adding a feline to your home, consider adoption; it's a life you will be happy you saved.

Ruth is actively involved with the internet. Her passions are people and pet health. She is a wife, a stepmom a dog owner and a business person. She is married for almost 30 years. One of her dogs is a Certified Therapy Dog. Her passions are pet care, pet adoption, and dog training.
Her Home Page
Her Adopt A Dog Blog
And Her Pet Blog

Adopt A Rescue Dog And You Will Have A Friend For Life

With shelters filling up and stray canines on the rise, adopting a rescue dog is the conscious choice to make. Adopting a rescue dog gives the dog a new lease on life, as without adoption many dogs in shelters face a grim future. Finding local rescue organizations is easy, as dog shelters are numerous and allow adoptions and there are many groups that specialize in re-homing dogs. Ask anyone who has adopted a rescue dog and you will hear overwhelmingly how glad they are to have taken that step. Rescue canines seem to know you saved them from doom and they become loyal friends.

A common misconception is that rescue dogs are somehow broken and won't make good pets. In truth, rescue dogs end up being rescue dogs for a variety of reasons. Their owners may have moved, and the new home may be unsuitable for dogs. Perhaps their previous owners had a child, and were unsure if it was a good idea to keep a large dog around a newborn baby. Maybe their owners decided that dog ownership wasn't for them and decided to give up the dog or release it onto the street, or maybe their owners lost their jobs or found themselves unable to afford to care for their dog. In any case, you can't simply assume that rescue dogs would be unfit for adoption or have bad behavior, whether directed towards their owners or towards other animals. Rescue canines are capable of being just as much of a lovable family pet as a dog reared from puppyhood. For those still leery of adopting a rescue pup with an unknown past, there are often opportunities to adopt puppies as well.

There are many organizations that you can adopt rescue canines from. Shelters are always an option. Adopting a dog from a shelter means that you are potentially saving it from dying via lethal injection and are instead giving it a loving home. Other organizations exist, such as greyhound rescue organizations that specialize in re-homing greyhound racing dogs after they have become too old to race. In any case, adopting a rescue dog is a great alternative to purchasing a puppy in that you are giving a future to a dog that otherwise has none.

You should bring an adopted rescue canine to the veterinarian as soon as possible. You may have access to vaccination papers and the dog's medical history or you may not, depending on its previous owners. Many shelters vaccinate and spay or neuter all incoming dogs as a matter of course. A veterinarian will also likely want a fecal sample from the adopted dog in order to check for intestinal parasites, and may draw a blood sample to check for heartworms. A veterinarian can help you ascertain whether or not your adopted rescue dog has any outstanding health problems and can warn you about what problems are likely to occur in the future, depending on breed.

Kelly Marshall is a popular contributor at ohmydogsupplies.com - where you can find dog steps, unique dog costumes, pet ramps, and more unique dog gear that you'll never find at your local pet store.

Adopt a Dachshund From a Breeder

Dachshunds are called the wiener dogs. This breed of dog comes in three types which are: long-haired dachshunds, wirehaired and smooth haired. However, they all have the same variety. They just differ in their outer coat. It is very nice to have these types of dogs because they are silly and fun loving dogs. They are perfect to care for as a pet.

We can adopt a dachshund from a breeder rather than in shelters. This is when you want the exact breed. Below are the steps on how to adopt a Dachshund from a breeder:

1. Decide what type of dachshund dog you would like to adopt. It can be the smooth haired type which can be easiest to groom. If you like to groom your dog, you may like the wired haired and the long haired dachshund. You can choose for this before you go to the breeder and inquire if they have that type you are looking for.

2. Find a breeder of this type of dog in your locality. There can be some dog breeders in your place and you can ask them about the dachshund breed and if they have the type you like.

3. Go and visit some of your local pet stores. This breed of dog is very popular. Pet stores might carry this breed and sell them in their stores. But try to go to a place where they are set for adoption. Remember that it is always better to adopt than to just buy.

4. If you are shown to the area where the dachshund puppies stay, choose the one which will respond to you. That is the indication that it is the perfect pet for you to have. It is actually a trick for adopting a dachshund from a breeder. Sometimes, the animal will initially respond to you if you match personalities. That'll help you find that right pet.

5. Once you have chosen your new pup, register it to the local humane society so that you can have a license for your dog. After that, you can get a collar and have the name carved it in including your phone number. That will be a good help in case your dog gets lost.

6. Before you enjoy your new pup, make sure that you take him to the vet first. This will ensure his health and for you to find out if he has any diseases you should know about. If there are, ask the vet how to cure it and how you can take care of your new puppy.

7. Once you are home with your new pet, give him food and water to drink. He might have been very hungry from the pet store.

Now, you can start building your owner-pet relationship with your new dachshund puppy.

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