how to find a new puppy?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Sheesh, this is harder than it looks.

Okay, long story short, kids are 15, 10 and 10 and now old enough and mature enough to take on a puppy. Also there was a heroic story where one twin saved the other one for a potentially really bad fall off of the neighbors porch roof last week when I was on a biz trip to Orlando. And on return from that trip, I had 4 females in the house giving me a hard court press, but I digress. a

Like any SDMB savvy dude, I got on the interwebs. China Wife is allergic to dog so we investigate hypo allergenic dogs (although that is likely an oxymoron). I hate poodles and little yap dogs. If we’re going to have a dog, dammit, needs to be one I at least tolerate. Well there is Bo, the portugese water dog. Sucker’s go for about $2200 in this neck of the woods for a purebred, and aren’t even the cute ones with white spots, and these are supposed to be a bargain compared with their east coast brethren.

We’ve been around big old golden labs. They are so patient and loveable but dumb as a rock and BIG.

Then we say the Samoyeds. Hairy yes, but mid sized dogs. Woah, who knew, there were raindeer in Siberia? So, I did some searches and found some show dog breeders for around $1500, then a nice grandmother that just wanted to put hers in a good home for $300. We traded some texts and I filled out the application form, and whaddya know? Perfect fit, by the way would you like both of the female puppies, and I can ship them to you today? Huh? We want to pick out the puppies and it’s only a 2 hour drive. Next it was opps, sorry, I’m on a boat out at sea (although I am at least 60 from the dog photos) and left your puppy with the shipper who wants to adopt it if you don’t want it…

Sheesh, I was just introduced to the dark side of the interwebs. I’m surprised she didn’t want to get paid off in bit coins. I may be slow but I haven’t fallen off a turnip truck lately. But, who knew, puppies are the new Nigerian scam?

So, now I have 3 girls that are heartbroken because “their” puppy was just a scam. We had been texting if we could come tomorrow and pick our puppy. :mad:

Fast Forward to today. I’m pinging AKC sites, and there’s only a couple within a few hour drive of Seattle, to see if they have any puppies and no one has replied. I’ll start smiling and dialing tomorrow.

Any advice? Especially regarding on getting a “deal” on a pure bred? when dealing with breeders? We want a pet. I could care less about a show dog, nor a breeding dog. In fact, I’d be more than happy with a dog that ends up on the below “breed standard” size. It really does not matter to me if the tail curves in a certain show dog approved fashion although I’d prefer not to see the big brown starfish each time it turns its back.

I honestly don’t want to be insulting to those folks that really place a lot of importance on showing their dogs, champions, having great lines and all that. At the same time, I’d like to get maybe a smaller than average female at an equitable price. And I really want my kids to be happy while knowing I’m going to have to be the alpha as far as potty training, scooping up dog poop and all the other mundane parts.

Also, we’re not 100% set on a Samoyed although it’s a leading contender. We’re looking for a medium sized dog, and one that is really patient with children. My youngest twin is on the autism spectrum and needs a dog with patience although she’s been interacting with dogs appropriately for a few years now. We have a decent sized back yard (1/3 acre) that is fenced in. The dog also needs to tolerate chickens in a fenced in coop.

Are there any reputable sites out there to find puppies? I’m a lot leary of mixes because my perception is you have no real idea of what you’re getting. And my kids are set on a puppy instead of taking on a grown dog.

Anyhoo, open to thoughts and suggestions from the teeming.

2

I am surprised to hear that Samoyeds are hypoallergenic. If you’re sure, then go for it.

Look for rescue groups is my advice. Also, widen your search a bit. Poodles come in a wide range of sizes, and the big ones are not small or yippy. They are very smart dogs.

Don’t insist on a puppy. Adult rescue dogs make a great choice. You know what you’re getting and a lot of the hard work is done. Puppies are cute and fun and destructive and just like having a baby in the house again. Is everything baby proofed? All the cords up? Everything out of reach? No toxic plants? Who’s getting up in the middle of the night while you’re house breaking? Adult dogs might need a little obedience training, but their personalities are known. Something to consider.

3

If you’re pretty sure you want a Samoyed, contact the Samoyed Club of America – they can put you in touch with reputable breeders in your area who might have a litter.

You should also strongly consider National Samoyed Rescue ( samoyedrescue.org) – yes, purebred animals, even puppies, frequently end up needing new homes. While I’m not seeing a Samoyed rescue group in the Pacific Northwest, if you can get plugged into the rescue network, frequently somebody knows somebody who knows where some pups are needing a home, and even if it’s not really close to you, the rescue groups have their own methods of transporting animals hundreds of miles to a good home.

The same goes for pretty much any breed–the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, e.g., has a rescue component and a breeder referral service. I will also second ddsun’s advice about a dog who’s a little past the teething and not-yet-housebroken puppy stage. Particularly since you have a child on the autism spectrum, a dog with a known and established personality might be a better choice.

You might also look at sites such as petfinder.com, which lists animals in rescues, humane shelters, etc., and lets you search by location, age, and breed.

4

I would recommend a rescue group as well, one that places dogs with foster homes while they are waiting to be adopted out. They end up getting very good training and socialization and you have a move-in-ready pet.

To be honest you don’t strike me as the type of family that has the time and patience to properly train a puppy. It is a LOT of work.

As for mutts…they are no more predictable than purebred. My golden could not be more different than the golden I grew up with, and both could not be more different than my childhood friend’s golden. IMHO dogs are a huge percent nurture over nature, at least when it comes to obedience.

5

Another vote for petfinder.com. When I was browsing it five years ago, most of the dogs were available for around $200 or so - basically, reimbursement for initial shots and such and nothing more.

As for breeds, we are very happy with our Bichon Frise. Totally hypoallergenic (the GF is highly allergic, and this pup doesn’t bother her one bit), cute as all fuck, very affectionate and good with kids, and not in the least bit yappy.

6

Thanks for the replies so far. I have in fact looked at Samoyed rescue in the Pacific Northwest, but so far that’s been a bust. Not a lot of Samoyed’s to rescue and the waitlist is long.

I’ve looked through the dog rescue sites for WA state. None that stand out as an adoptable dog for us.

I get the whole puppy part. My family not so much as they have never had a puppy…

7

If the women in your house are like the ones in mine - they and a puppy will bond over shoes - but for different reasons :slight_smile:

8

I found my two cats (then kittens) on petfinder.com.

I’m the same with Bichons. I’m allergic to dogs, but never have a reaction when I’m visiting my friend with two Bichons. They can climb on me, lick me, and so on, and nada.

The boy dog is adorable and a big dog in a little dog’s body.

I also love large poodles, which I second as not yippy or nervous. They’re smart. If you keep the adult in a puppy clip, grooming isn’t major. You don’t have to do the ridiculous poufs and puffs that are the norm with show dogs. Puppy clip is fine.

9

Just out of curiosity I did a quick search and this was the first thing that popped up. So probably not definitive but it does have some relevance. In intelligence it ranks Labrador Retriever (7), Samoyed (33) and Bichon Frise (45).

Like you say though, there are additional factors in your consideration beyond intelligence.

10

There’s a lot here, but I’ll start with this: Samoyeds are not hypo-allergenic dogs. The Northern spitz breeds shed a lot. That’s actually a comical understatement. They “blow coat” twice a year - meaning their entire undercoat exits their body in giant puffy clumps that never seem to stop coming.

Secondly, they are stubborn and independent. Not a good ‘first dog’, IMO.

I’d strongly recommend more breed research (an online tool can help narrow it down: http://www.animalplanet.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html) before you make your final selection. A rescue group is always my first recommendation, and they sometimes have puppies, you just may need to be patient.

This is a really, really important 10-15 year decision. Please don’t make it lightly.

11

My husband had a Samoyed years before we married. It was several years after before we stopped finding white dog hairs among his stuff. That alone made me never want a Sammy.

When I was a young teen, we had a miniature poodle - that’s the medium size of the breed - not the yappy toy, but not the standard. She was a great dog - smart, no shedding, and not at all prissy. We kept her trimmed short all over except for her topknot and ears, just because.

I’ll chime in to recommend rescue organizations. Over the years, two of our dogs and three of our cats came from rescue groups. Have you visited PetCo or PetSmart on the weekend when the rescue groups are there for adoptions? Might be worth a look…

12

Some guide dog schools are beginning to offer Labradoodles (standard poodle/ Labrador retriever crossbreed) for their hypoallergenic qualities. ALL guide dog schools need puppy raisers to raise and socialize their puppies for up to a year before they head out for training and eventual issue to a blind partner.

DOWNSIDE: heartbreak on the day the school takes the dog away for training. Double heartbreak the day the dog graduates with a partner (if the puppy raising family attends the ceremony).

UPSIDE: When a dog washes out of the program for behavioral or health reasons, the raising family gets the first right to adopt him (or her)

POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE: Not every dog that washes out of the program is able to go to the family that raised him (or her). Consider seeing if you can get on a wait list for one.

13

I had a Samoyed boy for 13 years. He was loving, loyal and endlessly patient with his immediate family, but not at all good with my childrens’ friends. He never bit, but was very grouchy and didn’t like people he didn’t know touching him. We adopted him from a shelter when he was 8 months old. He had been relinquished by a family with small children who were allergic to him. Sammies aren’t hypo-allergenic at all!

And oh boy do they shed. I could have constructed another dog each week from the amount of hair he shed. I combed him twice daily, but the hair just kept coming. I agree with the poster above who said that the hair outlived the dog.

Also, be prepared to defend your yard. Sammies are cold weather dogs and they LOVE to tunnel. Mostly they’ll do it in the snow, but they are more than capable of digging prodigiously in the yard as well. We were able to train ours out of that particular habit, but it wasn’t easy.

Sammies are beautiful dogs and I had a very deep bond with mine. I was his person and he would have protected me to the limit of his abilities. For the right owner, they are a treasure. But I’m not sure I’d recommend them for a house with children coming and going, at least based on our experience.

14

One thing I’ll add: if you are looking for a purebred but not from the breeders who are going for the show ring (or, where relevant, field trials and the like), you’re looking mostly at backyard breeders. In my part of the world, that pretty much translates to puppy mills. Even when they’re not an outright scam, those are bad news.

There just aren’t that many legitimate breeders who are deliberately trying for “pet quality” dogs, as opposed to show ring specimens. You’ll find some show breeders who end up with dogs that didn’t quite make the grade for one reason or another, and many breed clubs require member breeders to take back animals that didn’t work out (which can mean anything from behavioral problems to somebody died), so you should definitely ask the show breeders for recommendations or leads even if you’re not looking for a show dog.

I’ll third (or fourth) that the larger sizes of poodles are not at all yappy. There’s one in the obedience class I and my new friend (from petfinder) are enrolled in, and that standard poodle is definitely one of the stars of the class. (My boy is a chow–he’s the one who’s going to get a certificate of participation rather than of graduation from the class :slight_smile: . I love chows, but would not recommend them for you.)

For what it’s worth, my boy is AKC-registered, and I got his papers from the shelter where he was an owner-surrender (Cute-Puppy-Grew-Up Syndrome, I believe).

15

Another vote for rescues and petfinder.com.

I found my dog (as a puppy) on Petfinder in 2008, and she was from a local rescue (shameless plug for Lost Dog & Cat).

16

My friend is a samoyed breeder and shower, and is a foster for Buckeye Samoyed Rescue. While samoyeds are still pretty cute as adults they are off-the-charts cute as puppies. Like little polar bears! I am pretty sure all but one of the samoyeds she’s fostered this year were from “we got our kid the cutest puppy!” homes. The way these dogs ended up getting treated once they stopped being cute babies was horrifying.

I got one of my rescue dogs for $50 from a rescue group, if you’re worried about money. He’s a black dog and black dogs are harder to adopt out than other colors. I got him on discount (his tan foster sister was $250!) and it was a great deal!!

17

I also suggest checking out petfinder and local rescues or your local shelter. The good part of petfinder is you can ‘shop’ for a dog without having to go into a shelter and deal with all those pleading eyes and sad faces.

Puppies are super cute at 8 weeks old, but after about 3 months old, they’re just obnoxious young dogs and I can’t wait for them to grow a brain.

A rescue dog will bond with your family as tightly as any pup you raise yourself. The dogs I’ve fostered bonded very quickly with me, and then again with their new families. Once you get a dog, it’s hard not to fall in love. Don’t get too hung up on breed or purebred vs mixed breed, though do be aware of the characteristics and original use of whatever breed or mix you get and what that will mean as far as exercise requirements and coat care and maintenance. A dog bred to run for miles is not going to be happy hanging out in your backyard, and grooming costs can add up.

Bargain basement, purebred without papers, back yard bred dogs may or may not be a bargain. You might win the genetic card deal and get a healthy pup, or you might end up with a lot of health problems that will cost in vet bills and heartache for the rest of the dog’s life. Part of what you pay for in a good purebred pup is health testing of the parent dogs by the breeder, as well as support after you get the pup home.

18

Eh, mine was 3 months old when I got her and she didn’t hit obnoxious until about 6-7 months. :wink:

19

My current dog is a mid-size Poodle mix and I am totally Pudl4Lyfe now. He doesn’t shed. He’s super smart and easy to live with. HE picks up commands just by talking to him regularly. He’s playful and kind to children. I would heartily recommend one of the larger poodle breeds or a Bichon for the smaller sizes.

Sammies … are nice dogs, but a lot of work. They need serious exercise. In fact, I would recommend getting two so that they can wear each other out. They’re working dogs and they’re bred to keep up with reindeer. Unless someone in your house is a runner, then adopting a sled dog is probably more exercise than you’re used to getting. A bored Sammie is a destructive Sammie. And - oh yes! the digging!

As for where to find dogs, I also like Petfinder.com. For purebreds, I would suggest contacting the AKC about dog events in your area. There you can meet breeders and get to know the breeds a little better. Every reputable show breeder will have “pet quality” animals that they’re looking to place. They’ll be familiar with the dogs in your area and who’s having puppies atm.

The AKC website has a nice pet finder feature for giving dog recommendations, too. Scroll down until it asks about your zip code, that’s where it starts.

20

It sounds like you dodged a bullet on multiple level with the Samoyed. I was going to 3rd or 4th the Bichon Frise suggestion. Very smart dogs but they DO require interaction with people to be good companions.