Scotties!
So I've been thinking about getting a dog for about a year now, and I've done the online 'tests' where you can put in traits you're looking for in a dog and it gives you a list of dogs that it thinks would fit your needs. And through those lists (doing it on various websites) I looked at these breeds, their needs, their strengths, and weaknesses and decided that I wanted a Scottish Terrier.
I have always loved scotties, ever since I saw 'Lady and the Tramp' as a little kid. I also used to have a cute red and white sweater & skirt set with them patterned on it. We've had dogs and cats as I was growing up so I've got experience with taking care of animals, and I love them. :)
But my mother has a home daycare business and so I can't get a dog until I've moved out (hopefully within the next 6-12 months) and I thought a lot about how I would make my dream a reality. Unfortunately here in good old MI there are not a lot of scottie breeders, and I've been turned off of buying from a petstore because of the bad rap they have of buying from puppy mills. So I thought I'd look into adopting a scottie from a humane society or rescue group. Here's where my problem comes in.
Scottie Rescue groups are CRAZY. Most of the dogs they rescue are from puppy mills and have spent their lives in small cages having puppies or impregnating other dogs to have puppies. Others have been put up because of finances or they're moving, or whatever. But the problem with them is they have this ultra stringent rules and an application process. I don't mind them having an application but they want to know a lot of stuff.
Some things I've seen are:
do you have/have you had pets before?
If so what kind?
If they are dead how did they die?
If they are alive are they up to date on all their shots?
What is your vet's name and phone #?
List of references with name & #
Do you have kids?
How old are they? <-- this i understand 'cause scotties don't like small kids
Are you married?
And other conditions such as:
- Home visits both before and after you adopt the dog.
- Signing an agreement with the organizaton that basically makes it seem like you are LEASING the dog from them, that if the dog gets sick/lost/stolen you have to report it to them within the first 24 hours. Telling them if you move, etc.
- And I've discrimination against people who live in apartments! This is a small/medium small dog not a Great Dane. Also things like if you have a house you must have an adequately sized yard, and it must be fenced, etc.
- Refusal to ship dogs on airplanes, or refusal to let people adopt if they live outside of the state where the rescue group is located.
Some of this process I can understand and even agree with, I think you should meet the dog and spend time with it before you adopt, I can see them asking questions in an interview setting to help them find a dog that will 'mesh' with you and your lifestyle. But I guess my biggest gripes with this would be the assumption that everybody who comes to them is a bad person and must have references to prove they are capable of owning a dog, and having the vet contacted to ask if they keep their pets up to date on shots like they are a bad owner. And the apartment thing really gets me, I mean... you can't help where you live you know? Especially if you live in a big city or something like that.
And as there are no rescue groups in MI I don't want to have to drive out to say Missouri or Kansas to pick up the dog because they won't put it on a plane for me. I would like to meet the dog and see if we like each other yes, but I'd rather fly down than drive, and then fly back with the dog. Explain to me why breeders will ship puppies but rescue groups won't? And if it doesn't work out with the dog (genetic disorder, temperment problem, etc), they won't give you back the $200+ 'donation' fee either. The groups also tell you not to buy from petshops or 'backyard' breeders because of how they treat the dogs (I agree with this btw) but with such strict restrictions on adopting one of these adorable guys I bet a lot of people get discouraged and do just that. Or they get turned down from the group for one reason or another and get a puppy from one of those places anyway.
So I'm not sure if, when the time comes, I should try to adopt from a rescue group anyway and take my chances, or if I should just try and find a breeder and get a puppy. Pros and cons with each, puppies come each with different personalities of course but they don't have bad behaviors and responses learned from previous owners, but on the other hand with the rescue dog you know just what you are getting, you meet them & you know their personality, if they are shy, arrogant, dominant, etc. And with puppies you have to wait until they grow up to know that stuff. So I dunno...
I have always loved scotties, ever since I saw 'Lady and the Tramp' as a little kid. I also used to have a cute red and white sweater & skirt set with them patterned on it. We've had dogs and cats as I was growing up so I've got experience with taking care of animals, and I love them. :)
But my mother has a home daycare business and so I can't get a dog until I've moved out (hopefully within the next 6-12 months) and I thought a lot about how I would make my dream a reality. Unfortunately here in good old MI there are not a lot of scottie breeders, and I've been turned off of buying from a petstore because of the bad rap they have of buying from puppy mills. So I thought I'd look into adopting a scottie from a humane society or rescue group. Here's where my problem comes in.
Scottie Rescue groups are CRAZY. Most of the dogs they rescue are from puppy mills and have spent their lives in small cages having puppies or impregnating other dogs to have puppies. Others have been put up because of finances or they're moving, or whatever. But the problem with them is they have this ultra stringent rules and an application process. I don't mind them having an application but they want to know a lot of stuff.
Some things I've seen are:
do you have/have you had pets before?
If so what kind?
If they are dead how did they die?
If they are alive are they up to date on all their shots?
What is your vet's name and phone #?
List of references with name & #
Do you have kids?
How old are they? <-- this i understand 'cause scotties don't like small kids
Are you married?
And other conditions such as:
- Home visits both before and after you adopt the dog.
- Signing an agreement with the organizaton that basically makes it seem like you are LEASING the dog from them, that if the dog gets sick/lost/stolen you have to report it to them within the first 24 hours. Telling them if you move, etc.
- And I've discrimination against people who live in apartments! This is a small/medium small dog not a Great Dane. Also things like if you have a house you must have an adequately sized yard, and it must be fenced, etc.
- Refusal to ship dogs on airplanes, or refusal to let people adopt if they live outside of the state where the rescue group is located.
Some of this process I can understand and even agree with, I think you should meet the dog and spend time with it before you adopt, I can see them asking questions in an interview setting to help them find a dog that will 'mesh' with you and your lifestyle. But I guess my biggest gripes with this would be the assumption that everybody who comes to them is a bad person and must have references to prove they are capable of owning a dog, and having the vet contacted to ask if they keep their pets up to date on shots like they are a bad owner. And the apartment thing really gets me, I mean... you can't help where you live you know? Especially if you live in a big city or something like that.
And as there are no rescue groups in MI I don't want to have to drive out to say Missouri or Kansas to pick up the dog because they won't put it on a plane for me. I would like to meet the dog and see if we like each other yes, but I'd rather fly down than drive, and then fly back with the dog. Explain to me why breeders will ship puppies but rescue groups won't? And if it doesn't work out with the dog (genetic disorder, temperment problem, etc), they won't give you back the $200+ 'donation' fee either. The groups also tell you not to buy from petshops or 'backyard' breeders because of how they treat the dogs (I agree with this btw) but with such strict restrictions on adopting one of these adorable guys I bet a lot of people get discouraged and do just that. Or they get turned down from the group for one reason or another and get a puppy from one of those places anyway.
So I'm not sure if, when the time comes, I should try to adopt from a rescue group anyway and take my chances, or if I should just try and find a breeder and get a puppy. Pros and cons with each, puppies come each with different personalities of course but they don't have bad behaviors and responses learned from previous owners, but on the other hand with the rescue dog you know just what you are getting, you meet them & you know their personality, if they are shy, arrogant, dominant, etc. And with puppies you have to wait until they grow up to know that stuff. So I dunno...