When my sons were 5 & 7yrs old we visited three big-named rescue centre within a 20 mile radius as I really wanted to give a dog a new beginning. However, at the time there were only two dogs that were classed as being safe to re-home with small children and they were huge! At that time we lived on an island where the only access was by boat. The two dogs were just too big (one was already reserved). I therefore ended up doing my homework and buying a puppy from a reputable breeder. I have two pups now but they will be my last puppies. Next time I will definitely re-home and probably an older dog/dogs as I will be older by then

Three of my current dogs are rescues and I have to say I have had a very nice reception in all three separate rescue centers. SSPCA in Glasgow, Dogs Trust Glasgow and BARK in Berwick.

I wanted to rescue a working springer or a working cocker. Some rescues did not reply to my enquiries at all; some refused to re-home to a working home.

1 rescue had a working section and I just found the person I spoke to over-powering!

She immediately launched into a rant about people wanting working cockers and informed me that my house would be trashed and my garden too and my life would be in turmoil! I know it's absolutley right that rescues give the whole picture about a breed: but this was just a 1-way rant. It wasn't what she said: more how she said it!

When I got a moment's pause, I dropped in the name of a gundog person I knew and she had a complete personailty change and decided I'd be a wonderful owner after all

I ended up being given a puppy by a friend whose bitch I had known since she was a puppy. The sire was also a dog I'd known all his life and I also knew his half brother and half sister since puppyhood as well as his sire. The man who bred the litter had a list of people who wanted a pup and actually kept 2 pups rather than just the bitch he was intending to keep to continue his line. He had offers for the other pup, but he was the runt and allways a bit 'behind' the others and the people who wanted him didn't seem quite 'right'.

All the pups went to working homes. Mine was given to me on the strength of what he's seen of my other dog and the rest went at 'mates rates' just to contribute towards the costs of rearing.

I've never regretted my decision. I found the attitude of the rescues quite pedantic and condescending.

A friend was adopting a dog from a rescue. His vet suggested they take a look at the dog before adoption.

The rescue point blank refused to let the vet see the dog, claimed my friend was being untrusting and became very abusive, while refusing to let them have the dog. All because they dared to ask if a vet could examine the dog, the vet was even willing to visit the rescue!

Eventually they went the puppy route again.

My own experience was walking around rescues that seemed disinterested in me being there, I felt I was in their way.

At one we arrived and were asked which dog we wanted. We explained we were looking for a smallish breed then explained our lifestyle and asked if they had any dogs they thought we would fit. We got a blank look, before a big sigh and 'you really should of checked thhe website,we can't show you allt he dogs!' we left at that point, i naively thought a rescue would help match us to a dog for the dogs sake as well as our own.

So puppy route here I'm afraid.

Years ago I decided I wanted a puppy but it had to be a rescue, we went to the dogs trust who decided I couldn't have a pup as I'd never had a dog before it didn't matter that my oh had been brought up with dogs. I took on an older dog who was absolutely gorgeous. The first couple of days were great but after that it all went down hill with him, he became aggressive to people when we were on walks, the last straw was when he walked up to my sister in our living room and pee'd all over her when she was sitting on the couch. I decided that I couldn't cope with him and unfortunately he was taken back. I'm another one that went down the pup from a breeder route. I now am able to get dogs from rescue and I no longer feel the urge to get pups, I much prefer to have a slightly older dog.

Lordy! I gotta stop reading Dogsey as I am getting ready to go out for a posh meal and in danger of having tears running down my legs reading some of the posts on here this evening lol!

I went to see a BC at an RSPCA rescue
I was told on the phone that he was friendly with people and other dogs & had no problems whatsoever
When I got there , he did nothing but go for Toffee and Teddy the entire time... the woman holding him said he was just playing but I know an aggressive dog when I see one
Then they told me he had zero recall , hated being on a lead and was only partially housetrained , oh and he hated cats
They suggested I came back two or three weekends with Toff and Teddy so the dogs could get to know each other better

All of these things I could have dealt with , but I wasnt about to put Toff and Teddy through meeting an aggressive dog every weekend , that just wouldnt have been fair on them

He was a beautiful border collie though so im sure he found a good family
I just wish the rescue hadnt lied to me on the phone & they had staff who actually knew the dog/breed because half of the questions I asked they hadnt a clue about

Our experience is somewhat different, we phoned a local rescue about a dog, a terrier cross. We chatted to the lovely man on the phone, told him we are new owners ( hubs had dogs in his family but ive never had one ) that we have 2 kids and that we live where there are lots of dogs and cats. We stated the dog had to be good with children and other dogs and cats if possible and he said that this little terrier chap was perfect! wow we thought, he ticks all the boxes ...lets meet him!. Great says the chap, I will bring him round and he can stay for the weekend! ( that should have rung some alarm bells....no home check ect) so he comes while Im at work but hubs is at home...the man has a 30 sec look round the garden...and leaves the dog with us! we assume settling in would be difficult....it was hell. While the little dog loved our kids he was a total nightmare and aggressive towards other adults and really bad towards other dogs! I phoned after 2 weeks of not hearing from the rescue....another 3 messages left....no reply call ( ok I know they are very busy but what the heck?) we were getting increasingly upset with the stress of this poor little dog...we tried so hard to help him but it was just too much when one walk lead to him actually attacking another dog! I phoned yet again and demanded a call back! which I got within a few hours that time.....I totally ranted at the man and he agreed that he was not the right dog for us and I had to make the hardest decision of my life, heart broken and emotionally and physically tired. He was collected the next day....it left me a wreck and I found it very hard to contemplate even trying again.....but we did .....this time it was totally different! much more professional and we have had our lad for a month now. I still worry about the poor little terrier who had taught us so much and with out him we would be a lot less knowledgeable. I just hope they find the right someone to give that poor little chap the love he deserves x .

The reasons I chose a breeder pup over a rescue with Lily were
A) I was very upset over the attitude of the rescue I got Bailey from and I don't believe they gave me his full history.
B) I don't agree with neutering / spaying so young, worse with male dogs, I think they should at least be given time to mature before being neutered, 7 months old for a giant breed is just too young.
C) I've always had rescues and for a change I just wanted a dog that I had brought up properly and not have to deal with the issues that a lot of rescue dogs have. Although Poppy and Kiara are ok now, it was a long road to make them so and they still have some quirks that I just can't get past luckily nothing major but still!
D) I got badly burnt with Bailey, as much as I loved him and did all I could if I had known his full issues to start with maybe things would have been better, maybe not but the thought is enough to put me off for now
E) there's no way I'd pass a home check with my garden the fencing is made up of cut down tree branches and although secure it doesn't look it! Lily has found a couple of holes which we blocked and if she can't get out, nothing can

On the other hand, the 2 different rescues I got Pop n Kiz from are brilliant and I know I wouldn't face the same issues from them as I did from Bailey's, they do still have strict re-homing policies which I think sometimes are too unbending and some dogs loose out on wonderful homes.