We took a rescue dog (aged around 12-18 months old) & he fit straight into our family. We had no house training to do, no real chewing/destruction & no sharp puppy teeth. On the negative side, he had not been well socialised or lead trained & although great with kids, iffy with dogs & still can be a bit temperamental at 14 yrs old. He's a great dog though, glad we took him but if I was doing it over I would book some training & socialisation classes straight away which I'm sure would have helped us in the beginning. Good luck with your search.

I don't think you're being silly at all, quite the contrary actually. You're being extremely responsible looking for a dog that fits into your lifestyle, and researching breeds and options that are open too you

Good luck with your search. I'm sure whatever breed, whether they're from a breeder or rescue, will have a very loving and happy life with you

The choice is totally yours! I know that if I didn't want to show my girls i'd have went for rescues, but as I do show it was wiser to get them from puppies.

My first dog Charlie was a rescue, I got him at 10 months old, but rescue dogs can have their problems too. Charlie wasn't housetrained as you may expect of an older pup.

If you find some breed you like contact the breed rescue and you can always rescue a dog of a specific breed, or even rescue a pup.

Good luck in your search, i'm sure you will make a great owner!

Hiya thanks for your replys!

Dobeygirl, they were saying get a older dog as i havent had one before.........? lol im just repeating what was said!

well we love so many breeds! siberian husky's, Alaskan Malamute's, and Doberman's, Northern Inuit's, british inuit's .... Golden Retriever, Springer Spaniel or a maybe a German Shepherd

i know some are not recomended for first time owners and i know some dont suit us so were kinda going for the golden and springer i think?

i have found a few rescue places so far, guess i have to just keep looking!?

Yup... and you'll know the right one when ya see him/her

Nah thats rubbish! If you have the time and Money for a puppy then I would go for it!

I did! and I dont regret it for a second (plus the rescue homes wouldn't let us have a dog )

I think you really have to think what you want in your heart. Pro's and con's lists dont work!! there was so many cons for us to get a pup, but im so glad we got one (however they seriously are a handful and expect strain on your personal relationship - the things they dont tell you in the books )

I hope you find the breed you are after, you have listed some very nice ones

You may even find a puppy in rescue!
Lots of rescues frequently have puppies in!

lol! how much of a strain! what does that include?! how comes they wouldnt let you have a res cuedog??

yeah i guess they must get pups in, i tihnk you prob have to put your name down for one!!

The rescue 'Many Tears' often have pups in, I know they have some at the moment, no homes yet.

You just have to keep looking and researching, and you will know when the time is right!

The strain comes from different ideas of training (make sure both you and your OH decided on how to reward, train and discipline the pup, he might have other ideas to you!), lack of sleep for first week or so, worrying, the pup never been a chewer but at 7 months has other ideas and demolishes you room , getting fustrated when you've taught your pup to wee outside but it decides to do it indoors anyway, then the arguments of why it always seems to be one of you clearing up the indoor 'messes' more than the other, how ill they can get and how expensive vets really are & dont forget the fustration of watching the pup in the park playing nicely and to then see it make a mad break for the main road, then to see your OH 'shrug' about it when you've been in blind panic for the past 20mins. Its all very testing, but it really is worth it

Rescue wouldn't let me have a dog becasue I dont have an enclosed garden.