Please, please think seriously about getting another dog at the moment.

I had dogs when I was growing up and really wanted another all my adult life but it has taken me 20 years from when I left home to feel that I was finally in a position to give a dog a proper home.

Getting an older dog from a rescue doesn't guarantee anything. I have two rescue dogs - yes the first was perfect from the start, but the 2nd has needed a lot of love time and attention...she is still not there yet, but is improving. I think if you will ask most rescue-dog owners they will tell you that they will all have problems that you have to overcome.

with two young children (who will have to come first), please think about what will happen if the rescue dog doesn't turn out to be perfect from the start. What will you do - return it to the shelter?

I know this is not what you want to hear, but from what you have said, it just seems that you are not in the right position to offer a dog a permanent home at the moment. Of course this is only my thoughts from the little I have read and I could be wrong, so I will just say again, please think it about it seriously, think of what happens to the dog if it doesn't end up being the perfect pet you expect.


Dogs in rescue have had a bad enough time of it as it is and if they end up going back after just a few/days/weeks/months, this is even worse for them, so whilst your intentions are great, if things don't work out you could end up making the dog even more miserable.

If you are moving abroad - i'm not sure all rescues would *let* you take the dog, as they like to have contact incase anything else goes wrong

A lot of dogs in rescue are there because their owners hadn't trained their dogs adequately and then couldn't cope with the behaviour this lack of training produced.

If you think about it your own dogs went into rescue as you could no longer cope with their behaviour so it stands to reason that other dogs in rescue will be in the same predicament.

Not all dogs go into rescue for those reasons but I would hazard a guess and say that the majority of them are there due to owners not realising the commitment and amount of effort that has to be put in in order to have a well adjusted dog with good manners.

Even a fairly well behaved dog can give it's owners days when they think "why on earth am I doing this" - I have one that sends that thought through my head from time to time.

It may be best for you to wait until your children are a little bit older and you have loads of time to give the right amount of attention to your dog - not always easy with little ones around.

Wishing you good luck with your move

I have grew up with rottweilers, and they arent too. It was because i bought two lab bitches from the same litter, that i had problems. I should have only bought one puppy. I thought that the two would have occupied eachother and not chew up as much, and been there for eachother when i had to go out and do things like shopping.
As i said before i was looking at an adult dog which would not be as bad as a puppy.
I know its a fashion thing with the tail docking, but i prefer rottweilers that are docked, i think they look better. I know it sounds a bit nasty, but its only once that they go through that pain. I suppose its because ive only ever known rottweilers without a tail. I had difficult with the labs because they ate their muzzles, and i couldnt find a cheap crate at the time to put them in. It would have cost me £200.00 for them both to be crated. This is only one dog im talking about, much cheaper than two, and easier.
As i am moving to Germany though, i will buy a puppy. Im not too good at German, so it will be confusing for me to get a rescue dog, and give him/her commands.

(arent too bad) that was supposed to be sorry.

Why do dogs end up in rescue centres? Because we as a human race mess their heads up. Then they are shipped off to a rescue centre, because they can't control them. Then they wonder why the dog was naughty!
An older rescue dog would need alot of patience. Puppies chew....... common knowledge. I would put my LIFE before my dogs. NOTHING could seperate us. They ate my sofa, carpet, new garden table & chairs, past cars etc. When they were young. Its got nothing to do with being a Labrador.
I really think you should wait until you have moved settled & financially supported. A greyhound would be your perfect dog They sleep all day, don't need much exercise.
Rotties need to have a knowledgable handler and experience.

Apologies for sounding harsh. I'm talking from my heart. Think of the reasons why you rehomed Jade & Sky.
It would be a shame if another dog was rehomed!

What happens if you get landed with a big vet bill for what ever reason. Are you able to afford it? What if the next dog chews? Or if it takes awhile to toilet train or is boisterous with the kids...???
I think you should heed ur husbands advice and wait at least 6 mths before considering a dog again.. Just my opinion.

My labs were not put in a rescue place, they were rehomed to people that already own labs. My labs gave me problems because there were two of them...maybe if i bought only 1 things would have been different. They have still put me off that breed.
Ive never known, or know anyone that has known a dog to do what they did. They never destroyed my house when i went out, it was while i was in bed.
Not all dogs are in the pound because they werent trained properly..some have been neglected by being left in a house because people cant move them with them, or because they want to go away for a while i.e holiday.
I tried my best with the labs, but i wish i had of never mentioned it because everyone seems to throw it back in my face.
You have to make sure the dog at the rescue is the one for you before taking him/her home, however know one really knows until they get the dog home, as it is a completely different environment to the dog.
My husky never chewed anything up, just her toys. She didnt even touch my kids toys. She were really good. Same as a border collie we had before i moved out.
I understand your concern with a dog being adopted but i only asked how long the adoption took.
As i said before, im not bothering with a dog on this end..im going to wait until i am set up and think i am able to offer a suitable home for one.
My aunt had a rotty from a pup and she didnt experience anything like what these labs were like.
Unfortunatly i dont like Grey Hounds, Great Danes are just the same, but my husband says they are too big.
Also i spoke to a rescue place before coming on here, and they said they wouldnt have a problem with me adopting, if i had a letter to say i was taking the dog with me and not dumping him/her..which is what sometimes happens with people in the forces. I have always had my dogs ready to leave the country. Even both labs had rabies vaccination and passports ready.
Thanks anyway for all your advice, i know it doesnt sound like it but it is appreciated.
There was a guy on a site advertising for a rottweiler to breed with his bitch at 1 year old, im sure they have to be at least 18 months before being ready to have pups. Am i wrong??

What makes you interested in Rotties. Was it your choice of your husbands. Did you not ever consider rehoming either Jade or Sky. You could of kept one of them.
I just feel like you pick & choose when you feel like you want a dog. I would be prepared to serve a life sentence if anybody hurt mine. My dogs seem to come before my family

Did you tell the rescue what happened to Jade & Sky. Any reputable rescue centre would not consider yourself as a secured adoption home.

Sorry.... speaking from my very heart again.

Hi Lisa

I have read this whole thread and I also read the stuff about the problems you had with Jade& Sky and the subsequent adoption, and to be honest I am agreeing with many others here in that I dont think now or even after you move is the correct time for a new dog.

Firstly you have come on for advice and that is what we give on Dogsey when it is asked for.

Regarding the rehoming of your first dogs, you obviously had your reasons and felt that was the best alternative however, I dont think that you should be considering another dog - especially not a Rott puppy in one instance and then an adult rescue in another - you dont sound as if you know what you want to be honest.

Rescue dogs are hard work - for the very reasons that you gave yours up - some have been neglected, some have been cruelly treated, some are just badly trained and some are just old and people have had enough - many reasons none of them particularly appealing, and if you arent prepared for a dog to destroy, to play up and to run amok - then you shouldnt even entertain it.

Regarding the adoption of dogs - rescues have the best interests of the dog in mind - nothing else - so if they feel you arent suitable- you should respect that decision.

Personally I wouldnt be happy to rehome to someone who only just recently gave up her dogs. And the fact they wont rehome before Xmas is sensible and correct.

I also think its very disruptive for a dog to be rehomed and then then have to travel and get used to moving etc and a new house again in such a short period of time and would think that most rescues would probably feel the same.

Why do you want a dog ??
Regarding the comment re a rescue in Germany - I dont see why it would be a problem if you were prepared to put the time in on training - dogs dont speak English -its all in the tone- so training a dog to respond to a command does not just need to be done through vocal only.

I just get the impression that you havent thought about it all other than your own needs and not that of a dogs needs - and that shouldnt be the way you go into it.

With all due respect I think thats all that people are trying to get across - and its advice - whether you take it or not is entirely up to you.