On Saturday, we decided we were finally going to adopt a new dog. The requirements are a young female that is good with kids and cats. We went to the local Humane Society and we found two dogs we wanted to meet and play with.
Lily is a smallish Labby Mix, 12 months old and already fixed. She was calm but energetic, good on the leash and friendly with the kids. She was supposed to be good with cats but not dogs. She seemed like the right dog for us.
I filled out the application and the girl in the office said we could check back Monday. I called at 9am and I was told she went home. I am sad and little miffed that the girl on Saturday did not tell us that there was already an application on her ahead of us. We had time to visit another shelter that day.
So now, I will start looking for a dog on Pet Finder and in the other local shelters. I can get to the Popcorn Zoo at lunch. They are run by the humane society and we adopted our first dog from them 12 years ago.
So send some good thoughts my way and let me know if there are any organizations in the Central Jersey area, I should check into.
Well I thought I would update this despite the 0 responses. We are trying for another dog today. She is another Labby mix and appears to be about 2 years old, maybe a little younger. She already sometimes sits on command, does paws, is calm but energetic and up to date on shots and is fixed. http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7098779
Good luck! When will you know? Whenever I’ve adopted a dog, the local shelter lets you take them as soon as they’re spayed or neutered. They do check with your vet to make sure all your other animals have been vaccinated for rabies, and if you rent they require a letter from your landlord saying it’s okay for you to have a pet, or they call and talk to them while you wait. Basically, though, as soon as you plunk your money down, no one else can have the animal.
Hope this one works out for you! When we adopted our labby girl Maya a couple of years ago, we had to wait until she had been at the shelter for seven days, as she had been brought in as a stray. If her owners had come in and claimed her we would have had to start all over. Best of luck, and keep us posted.
Jim - you wouldn’t believe what we went through to adopt our beast - let me know if you’d like me to email you the entire saga. Best of luck - Becky’s bee-yoo-tee-ful!!!
The Ocean County Shelter wants the whole family (including others dogs) to meet the prospective adoptee. I think this is a great idea. I noticed they are lot more organized and professional then the other shelters I visited in the last week. The pup is clean and very healthy looking.
I visited Becky yesterday and talked to the very nice animal handler. My wife is picking up the kids a little early and meeting me at the shelter at about 5:30pm tonight. If all goes well, the shelter approves of us, and the Family approves of Becky, she will go home with us tonight. My daughter and I picked up a Leash and collars for her last night. We already have a dog pen, which we cleaned out Saturday. In Fact Hal’s dog used it during the Jersey Dopefest. I plan to put a fence back up this weekend and we might eventually run an invisible fence. I have to see how much of a digger she is. The standard fence might not work. We lost our first dog 10 years ago when she dug out of the corral at our old house and got hit by a car in the road. My kids have never really had a dog, just cats so far.
Thanks everyone for the good thoughts,
Jim {added bonus, the adoption fee is only $60, if everything works out, I will have to add thus shelter to my list of annual charities.}
On Preview: Missy2U, I would love to hear your story, feel free to either post it in this thread or Email me, it is public. Of course you should include pictures.
Jim, I know that pup is going to a good home and that the rest of my post is a waste of band-width.
Sadly, I’m a worst-case scenario guy and I can’t shake the need to try to help people who don’t need help. In Central NJ, the first place that came to mind re: adopting dogs was the Rt 18 flea market. Yes, its still there (behind the Sam’s Club); the section with the puppies is on the far right hand row next to the food-court.
I’m tempted to list some other places too, but they’d be a futher drive for you. Regardless, any puppy that finds itself in your home should count itself lucky.
I hope I get her, but as a believer in Murphy’s law, I appreciate the advice. I did not know the Rt 18 Flea Market was still open, I thought it closed. I might need to ride up there someday soon just for a visit, even if we get Becky.
If we do not get to adopt Becky, I will probably go on Sunday.
Are the dogs all from non-Puppy farms or are they Puppy Farm dogs?
We were looking to find the right dog Mutt for us.
Gosh I wish you were in Florida. I have a 12 month old beagle lab mix who is a darling. Unfortunately, I am going to list my house soon and move into an apartment which won’t take her. We also have a schnoodle which we will have no trouble adopting out because she is so little and cute. Ironically, I would take ten of the beagle/lab (Pearl) over the nasty little schnoodle who has accidents on the floor and growls at Pearly whenever she tried to eat.
Gosh I am going to miss that mutt.
He was initially a german shepherd rescue dog and they sent him to the shelter. There, he was adopted as a puppy, and then those people brought him back – they didn’t train him or anything – they left this puppy alone all day and couldn’t understand why he’d chew. He stayed at the shelter for months, then another couple adopted him. That lasted 7 days (again – no supervision, left him alone all day) he chewed a couch so back to the “big house” it was. We saw him on an ad on TV and decided we wanted him. But we had no fenced yard, so these people who obviously couldn’t place Baby with a family before successfully decided we couldn’t have him. We had the room, we had the desire, we had the dog bed, we have plenty of time to spend with him, we have a huge area for him to run n and we had the time - but no fenced yard. :rolleyes: It took over a month and a half and the help of a good friend who works at the shelter and the director of the shelter to finally adopt him - it would have been easier to adopt a child I think.
Finally, we brought him home. He looked a lot smaller in the shelter, I tell ya. While he was skittish at first (he would cower any time a voice was raised because he associated it with being in trouble and having to go back to the shelter) now he’s another member of the family and is doing absolutely fine. He didn’t trust us at first, but now he knows he’s at his forever home and there’s no way he’s goign anywhere. He’s finally secure and I’m tellin you, the most loyal animal I’ve ever seen. He didn’t know what a Milk Bone treat was when we brought him home, or what to do with a rawhide chew – he didn’t understand that we just wanted to love him but he gets it now. He was 87 pounds when we adopted him, he’s now over 100 and a happy fool.
Yeah! She’s a beautiful dog. She looks, in the picture, like she can’t believe how lucky she is to go home with your family, and is hoping she’ll be allowed to stay. Many happy, goofy years with Becky!
YAYYYYY! She looks like a real sweety. A couple years ago I decided it was time for another dog and went to the pound intending to adopt a St. Bernard and something cross. I thought the dog might be hard to find a home for since it would be a big dog, and being used to big dogs I thought I should have her. When I got there, they told me one of the shelter workers had adopted her. I was crushed and glad at the same time. I’m sure her new home is about as good as could be, but I wanted her, ya know? And then I saw Hannah.
She’s just a joy to be with. Even when she eats my shoes.
I went to 4 shelters and searched through petfinder thoroughly. The on-line picture of Becky did not do her justice and I think that helped us. I was basically looking for a Labby or collie mix. We are very happy with her already. She was well behaved last night and had no accidents. My boss already likes her without even meeting her as Becky woke me up when my Wifes alarm went off at 5:30am. Even with walking her twice and feeding her, I was at work 20 minutes early.
I expect and accident when I get home tonight, but I expected one last night and we got surprised. I guess I will see when I get home.
** I am tempted to take a half day and go home early. **
Does this sound like a good idea?
Should I just let her get used to 9 hours without humans and just the scary 6 pound cat?
Thanks everyone for the positive thoughts and feedback,
Jim
Heck, I usually take a whole week off when I get a new dog! (I’ll use any excuse I can think of to not work) I think it would be really nice for her to have you around more often while she gets used to her new home.
Best of luck - Becky’s bee-yoo-tee-ful!!!
While he was skittish at first (he would cower any time a voice was raised because he associated it with being in trouble and having to go back to the shelter) now he’s another member of the family and is doing absolutely fine. He didn’t trust us at first, but now he knows he’s at his forever home and there’s no way he’s goign anywhere. He’s finally secure and I’m tellin you, the most loyal animal I’ve ever seen. He didn’t know what a Milk Bone treat was when we brought him home, or what to do with a rawhide chew – he didn’t understand that we just wanted to love him but he gets it now. He was 87 pounds when we adopted him, he’s now over 100 and a happy fool.
