Title says it all. My 3yo male is intact. He is a competing, AKC Titled agility dog. I do intend to neuter him–eventually. I am afraid to do it but I know it’s what’s best for him–eventually. As in, months from now, perhaps years. I don’t know.
My elderly female dog (spayed) is dying. She is on hospice care. When the time comes, my male will be alone. I live alone and work outside the home. I am afraid to leave him alone. Even a few days is giving me anxiety. I will need a female puppy as soon as possible after my female’s passing. I am set up for a puppy. I am not set up, nor do I think it is a safe option, to adopt an older female. It’s puppy for sure, and young, as in 8-12 weeks young.
Is it even worth trying to find a female puppy to adopt through a rescue? I have no intention of breeding dogs. There are no “oops”. I am willing to neuter the male but I am scheduled for an AKC trial in July so it won’t be before then. I do not think there is any chance of my female retaining any kind of quality of life until then. She may be gone tomorrow at this point. I have to let her go when her quality of life is no more.
It would be best to adopt but I don’t think there is a rescue group that will even look at my application for a female puppy with an intact dog in the home and me working outside the home.
My other option is to comb the FB ads for an appropriate puppy. Option C is the pet store and that’s a sure thing. I am not in a position to be an advocate or save the world right now. My family is in crisis.
If a rescue would adopt to me I would do that. But I do not think that they will. When the time comes I will not have much time to dicker or hem and haw. Not getting a puppy is not an option. Does anyone have any insight?
I would go to a quality breeder if adoption is not an option. I wouldn’t adopt from a random facebook ad and I would never buy from a pet store unless they are through a rescue. Support rescues and the breeders who do the right thing… not puppy mills and backyard yahoos who breed non-quality dogs for a little extra cash.
As far as rescues adopting to you… most likely won’t, but some might. I’d call around to your local rescues & shelters and ask.
A rescue might adopt an already spayed female to you. It’s really going to depend upon the group. Most reputable breeders are going to have a waitlist, so going through rescue may be quicker
Reputable breeder is a fluid term as well. How many health tests does the breeder have to do to be reputable? I found a purebred litter near me that will be ready in a month, eyes certified CERF, but they are breeding 4 breeds of dog as well as breeding horses, standing stallions and showing. Mostly AKC barn hunt and CGC Titles, CKC registrations. I don’t know if they count as reputable. Breeder commented on a FB ISO puppy ad. I’m not even sure it’s the breed I want and the asking price is over $1000. I could get a farm dog puppy for 250 but of course nothing is certified.
I also really don’t want to have to get a pediatric neutered puppy. It would be best if puppy could train agility as I am already involved there. I don’t think that would be fair to do agility with a dog neutered so young.
Eta, I think I’m screwed. I think I’m asking for the world and all the stars to align and I’m going to have to compromise on something in reality. I knew this was coming, I just sort of hoped I could put it off longer and my old dog would live another year or two. She has filled such a roll in my family that the void she is going to leave looks like a giant black hole right now.
They need to be doing ALL of the health testing recommended by the parent club of the breed. How much is recommended depends upon the breed (Boxers and Goldens having some of the longest list of recommended testing I know of off the top of my head). CKC registration is a colossal red flag unless you’re near the border and mean Canadian Kennel Club. The true CKC actually won a lawsuit against the Continental Kennel Club for inappropriately using CKC.
Some breeds are more readily available; a Collie from health tested and titled parents can often be found more easily than Shelties. Less popular breeds with larger litter sizes can be sometimes be had without a long wait.
A reputable breeder performs all necessary health tests on every dog they breed. What tests are required varies by breed; full lists of tests recommended for each breed can be found on the OFA website here: https://www.ofa.org/browse-by-breed
A reputable breeder takes the time to socialize and give appropriate stimulation and experience to puppies before their new owners bring them home. My older dog’s breeder has a litter on the ground now, and it’s been really fun to watch on Facebook all the cool experiences they’ve gotten in their 5 weeks of life. They’ve had multiple nail trims, they’re started on crate training, they had early neurological stimulation to boost stress tolerance and adaptability. They’ve met children, played with friendly adult dogs, eaten kibble out of a baby pool full of ball pit balls, walked on lots of different types of surfaces, played in agility tunnels, and climbed on surfaces that swing or wobble. To be clear: it is highly, highly unlikely that someone with a “whoops” litter, or even any rescue, is doing as much early work with a litter as a responsible breeder.
A reputable breeder isn’t trying to make money, they’re trying to improve their breed. They compete at a high level in a breed-appropriate sport (IMO barn hunt doesn’t qualify - even for a terrier, I’d have more respect for Earthdog titles), and in an ideal world have dogs that are champions in both conformation and performance events. Their dogs are structurally and mentally sound.
Reputable breeders are also there for their puppy buyers for the life of their dog. They know their lines well, and are well equipped to advise puppy buyers on a broad range of issues… I text or Facebook message my younger dog’s breeder probably once a month, and she’s always happy to reply. If I ever couldn’t keep either of my dogs, for any reason, I know their breeders would take them back without any questions asked.
You aren’t going to get a puppy from a reputable breeder for under $1000 - not because they’re out to fleece you and make money, but because it costs a ton to raise a high quality bitch, train and put meaningful titles on her, breed her, whelp a litter, and pour your heart and soul into them for eight weeks. For some breeds you might start to find pet quality puppies in the ~$1200 range, but for many breeds even a pet quality puppy will run closer to $1500-2500 (or even higher for rare breeds).
If you’re willing to consider a young adult, you might find a breeder that has had a pup returned for one reason or another that they’re looking to rehome. My older dog’s breeder recently had a lovely 13 month old she was looking to place in a pet home after his original owner suffered a stroke and could no longer care for him.
I also really don’t want to have to get a pediatric neutered puppy. It would be best if puppy could train agility as I am already involved there. I don’t think that would be fair to do agility with a dog neutered so young.
A valid concern, IMO. I understand why rescues do pediatric neuters, but as a fellow agility competitor I’m also acutely aware of the problems that it can cause down the line.
Eta, I think I’m screwed. I think I’m asking for the world and all the stars to align and I’m going to have to compromise on something in reality.
I do think it might take a step back to realistically evaluate what you’re looking for. I think you could probably get an adult re-home from a good breeder in the price range you’re looking for. IMO the very worst thing you could do would be to purchase a puppy (purebred or intentional mix) from a poor quality breeder (which includes pet stores and anyone selling their dogs on Facebook or in the newspaper)… a dog from that circumstance has a higher-than-average chance of being structurally unsound or having a weak temperamentally, simply due to genetics and a less-than-ideal upbringing during those first critical eight weeks.
Getting a Heinz 57 puppy could be an option; most regional shelters and/or animal control type facilities have more lax adoption requirements than private rescues, and I would imagine you could adopt from one without your intact dog being too much of an issue. Many will even adopt out young dogs with the requirement their new owner get them sterilized at a later date.
The challenge with either of those options (IMO) are (a) that it’s very hard to predict adult structure in a young mixed breed dog, so you may end up with an adult dog who is lacking in either the structure necessary an agility career, and (b) with an unknown breed history and without the early stimulation/socialization I described above, you may end up with a dog temperamentally unsuited to competitive agility. (ALTERNATELY: the puppy could grow up to be incredible! it’s impossible to say!)
As a fellow agility competitor, I can tell you that my preference is a well-bred puppy from a responsible breeder. I can have confidence that the dog will have a specific structure that I’m looking for, that he has been well handled and socialized, and that he isn’t going to succumb to a random preventable hereditary health issue at a young age. I can have confidence that my breeder had an outside expert out to get a second opinion on her evaluations of each puppy’s temperament and structure, and that she picked out a puppy for me from the litter that is going to be most suitable for what I’m looking for in a dog.
This isn’t necessarily the right decision for everyone, but IMO there is good reason that many agility folks go to reputable purebred dog breeders for their agility prospects.
I knew this was coming, I just sort of hoped I could put it off longer and my old dog would live another year or two. She has filled such a roll in my family that the void she is going to leave looks like a giant black hole right now.
I’m really sorry your old girl isn’t doing well. It’s always so hard to see them age and know that “their time” is getting close, even when they’ve had a long and loved life. <3
Id start networking with your fellow agility competitors and see whats out there. You may get lucky with a last one left from a larger than expected litter. I dont think you will have any luck with a rescue. Plus a pediatric neuter wouldnt be good for an agility dog anyway.
You’re going to be hard pressed, I think, to find a rescue that will adopt out an unaltered puppy, especially on a “need asap/right now” kind of timeline. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a good breeder with availability on that timeline, too. Last time I bought a puppy, I was on a waitlist for a YEAR. That is not unusual.
But FOSTERING might be a great option, and allow a good rescue to get to know you. After some fostering, you might be able to get that female puppy on a “spay when she’s mature” sort of contract. Or you can have a foster, or a series of fosters, to keep your other dog company until you’re able to get a dog from a breeder.
Also worth noting: some dogs do FINE as only dogs. Some do not. Before you move heaven and earth to get another dog right now, consider what kind of dog your male is. You may not get a clear picture until after your girl dies, but that’s where fostering can really aid.
Are you open to having a vasectomy done now on the current young dog? Might be a way to not have a full neuter done but be an acceptable home to more rescues.
Some good thoughts here, I thank everyone. Some things I hadn’t considered. He may do ok as an only dog for a little while. I do not think a year but a month, perhaps.
OP- Where are you located? I have a friend who just posted a FB post for her friend that has an older GSD female puppy available. I am thinking born in March from the FB page. Already housebroken. Raised with kids and horses. No idea on price.
The puppy is the granddaughter of my friend’s dog. Another friend has a female from the same breeder. Really nice tempered dog.
I also met a puppy at the local supermarket parking lot yesterday that is likely from this puppy’s litter. She is from the same breeder since I asked the owner. I could see the similarity to the puppy in the FB post. No surprise that they were the same breeder. Based on age I am thinking same litter. He told me 17 weeks. She was a very sweet, polite, chill puppy. It looked like she was going to be pretty big.
I am guessing that a large GSD may not be a great candidate for agility.
FWIW, I’ve found that dogs that are not okay alone are not okay alone from the beginning and may or may not improve with time. I had one that was managed with medication, but really wasn’t happy again until we got that puppy. I wish I’d pursued fostering for her, but we just didn’t expect that it would be a year before the puppy came.
But dogs that are okay alone are just okay alone. It’s not like they become LESS able to be alone as time goes on. I have one now, and she’s fine. Yeah, she likes it a lot when she gets to say hello and play around with the farrier’s dog, but she’s quite content as an only dog. And I think she likes the 1:1 time she gets with the peoples.
So if your boy is okay alone for a month, he’ll probably be okay alone for as long as you need to get another dog. If he’s not okay, fostering could be a great bridge.
Personally, I would begin contacting rescues and shelters now. Explain your situation.
They may be able to do a chemical sterilization of the female puppy prior to adopting it to you. It is worth checking into.
I adopted a puppy from SPCA that I fostered for. He was to be neutered at 8 weeks, prior to the adoption becoming final. However, my personal vet was VERY adamant to not neuter before 14 months due to him being a giant breed, I was able to convince them to finalize the adoption. They are not all difficult to deal with
And we are alone. She is gone. I sent her across the bridge. Thanks everyone for comments and advice, thoughts etc. No plans for anything. We will just move forward for now.
It’s always so hard to see them age and know that “their time” is getting close, even when they’ve had a long and loved life. <3