Door Closed. Window Open
Drama King made two calls to the breeder, regarding our break-up. He left messages, but thus far they have not called us back. At this point, we've pretty much accepted that we won't be getting our dog from them. It would be nice if did get back to us, if only out of common courtesy, but I see no need to beat a dead horse.
There was mucho discussion about what to do next. We still want a Lab very much. We love the both the physical and behavioral characteristics of the breed. They seem so well suited to novice dog-owners, not to mention little kids. My heart is set.
But the discussion of rescue/shelter dogs intrigued us both. Our neighbour (owner of the "controversial" other lab), suggested a Lab-specific rescue organization might be an interesting alternative. I mentioned it to Drama King. He was instantly intrigued. We did some digging and found organization.
This morning, I saw my vet. I relayed our break-up tale. Turns out he knows our ex-breeder. He assured me they breed excellent dogs, but didn't support their decision to deny us a dog for the reasons cited. He explained that breeders are sometimes overprotective of their puppies to the point of being irrational. He offered to speak with them on our behalf, which I politely declined.
I told him of our thoughts about a rescue lab. He immediately lit up. He told me it was a fabulous idea, that generally speaking older labs are still imminently trainable. He suggested that a younger dog (1 or 2 years old) would be an ideal, energetic match for Drama Prince and a wonderful companion for the whole family. He encouraged us to contact the organization as soon
we felt ready.
So we submitted an application and we'll see what happens next. It's not over yet.
There was mucho discussion about what to do next. We still want a Lab very much. We love the both the physical and behavioral characteristics of the breed. They seem so well suited to novice dog-owners, not to mention little kids. My heart is set.
But the discussion of rescue/shelter dogs intrigued us both. Our neighbour (owner of the "controversial" other lab), suggested a Lab-specific rescue organization might be an interesting alternative. I mentioned it to Drama King. He was instantly intrigued. We did some digging and found organization.
This morning, I saw my vet. I relayed our break-up tale. Turns out he knows our ex-breeder. He assured me they breed excellent dogs, but didn't support their decision to deny us a dog for the reasons cited. He explained that breeders are sometimes overprotective of their puppies to the point of being irrational. He offered to speak with them on our behalf, which I politely declined.
I told him of our thoughts about a rescue lab. He immediately lit up. He told me it was a fabulous idea, that generally speaking older labs are still imminently trainable. He suggested that a younger dog (1 or 2 years old) would be an ideal, energetic match for Drama Prince and a wonderful companion for the whole family. He encouraged us to contact the organization as soon
we felt ready.
So we submitted an application and we'll see what happens next. It's not over yet.