Dog adoption opinion

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
I've been thinking about adopting a shelter dog for a while but I am conflicted; the dog would have to chill at the crib alone for 8-10 hrs a day during the week. When I get home we'll stroll the blvd and then I'm going to bed; in the AM we'll stroll before I go off to work. When I am not at work we'll be chillin' together all weekend with more outside time which would include camping, wheeling etc.

My conflict is that I understand that dogs can get bored/lonely because they're social type creatures so my situation is not ideal for dog ownership but on the other hand, is the dog better-off in the shelter than in my less than ideal home?

What say you all?
 

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
I feel that it depends on how you plan to keep the dog while your away at work. Indoors, outside, in a crate, in a kennel, etc.

Mine are alone during the day, but they have a large yard, and access to the garage in bad weather.

If we leave them in the house (have been lately due to new sod) they just lay around on the couch till we get home.

I dont think its fair to crate a dog for 8-10 hours. They need to move and stretch.
 

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
X2 on you might not have much of a house if a dog gets bored while you are gone.

Ever seen what a dog can do to a couch cushion in 10 hours?
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
I dont think its fair to crate a dog for 8-10 hours. They need to move and stretch.

X2!

I don't think it's right to put a dog in a kennel...even if it is just for the day or night. I also say get it. That dog isn't getting the attention it deserves or needs nor is it getting the exercise it needs being in a kennel. A properly trained dog won't tear up your house. Yes, all dogs get bored, but make sure they have chew toys and know that what toys are theirs and that the couch/furniture is off limits.
 

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
Chances are slim that he'll teach a woman how to either, since he's a huge flaming Communist homosexual. With a Liberte, powered by a diesel lawnmower engine with a "timing belt". :rolleyes:

:D
 

GOAT

Back from the beyond
Location
Roanoke, VA
X2!

I don't think it's right to put a dog in a kennel...even if it is just for the day or night. A properly trained dog won't tear up your house. Yes, all dogs get bored, but make sure they have chew toys and know that what toys are theirs and that the couch/furniture is off limits.


ever own a jack russell-_-
 

GOAT

Back from the beyond
Location
Roanoke, VA
I've been thinking about adopting a shelter dog for a while but I am conflicted; the dog would have to chill at the crib alone for 8-10 hrs a day during the week. When I get home we'll stroll the blvd and then I'm going to bed; in the AM we'll stroll before I go off to work. When I am not at work we'll be chillin' together all weekend with more outside time which would include camping, wheeling etc.

My conflict is that I understand that dogs can get bored/lonely because they're social type creatures so my situation is not ideal for dog ownership but on the other hand, is the dog better-off in the shelter than in my less than ideal home?

What say you all?


its a crapshoot. we've done both. its tough as adults are either too aggressive or timid due to their previous environment. we thought we found the perfect rescue dog only to find out he was MASSIVE digger and destroyed my back yard. there was no amount of training, precautions or physical force to keep him from doing it either. cool thing was the shelter took him right back.

recommend puppy. recommend miniature schnauzer
 

Badger

I am the Brute squad
Location
South Salt Lake
If you are going to get a dog get it from the shelter. Most times you will have less trouble with health issues when it's a mixed breed mutt. I tend to shy away from full breeds due to poor breeding and jacked up prices.

Every dog I have ever had has come from the pound and they were all good dogs. I used to work for the local shelter when I was a kid back home, training them the basics so they were easily adoptable. It was hard seeing them stuck in the shelter and knowing that if they didn't get adopted by a certain amount of time they would be put to sleep. If you get a puppy be ready for the punishment of having everything you own being torn apart. You might want to kill him at first but one look from a set of puppy eyes and it all melts away. Be prepared to spend a good amount of time training the dog if you want it to do what you want. Do not use any type of obedience school that isn't training you. If they are training the dog move on to the next place. You are the dogs master and you are the one that has to train it. If somebody else trains him it will only respect them and not you. Dogs are great to have around I miss mine right now. I had to leave him with a friend for the next month or so while I find a new place . It sucks not having him around right now. I miss things like him coming to the door to say hi when I get home. They are like 5 year olds that never grow up.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
I am not a communist... my expose in the Trib proves it.

I don't plan to crate the dog and staying outside is not an option since I live in an apartment. Due to rules and regs the dog can't be any bigger than 30lbs.
 

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
I would go for a breed that is mellow with less separation anxiety.

Our dogs are great, but you dont want to see what happens to a couch when a husky/malamute loses her ball in it!
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
we have adopted two dogs and they have both been great. there is something special about knowing you may have saved a life (cheesy i know). the first one we adopted was several years old and we didn't crate her at first and fireworks scared her one day and she tore some stuff up. she had never been crate trained but she took to it like a duck to water. she never had an issue after that, even with fireworks. our younger one ~2 yr was also never crate trained and/or cared for in general (it seems) and she has done extremely well. a lot of trainers say they feel much safer in a kennel, just make sure they have enough room to lay down but not too much room. my wife works from home a couple days a week now and all the dogs do is sleep all day anyways :D

better for the safety of your stuff and more importantly the dog's safety anyways.

as far as breed goes, don't pay too much attention to what books/online tell you about them because they aren't always right. all dogs are different, just spend some time with them at the shelter before making a decision.

also, i have no interest in ever getting a male. if you fix them at the right time they can be really good dogs but marking, scratching up the lawn etc frustrate me too much. bitches FTW :rofl:
 

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
I can tell you that it sucks living with a dog that was raised in a kennel. My wife's dog spent nearly everyday of it's first 3 years in a kennel when my wife wasn't home. The dog is now a house cat in the shape of a golden retriever. It's sad really. Once we got married I insisted that the dog be allowed at the very least a certain area that he can roam, stretch out. The idea of being in a kennel for 8hrs makes me sick to my stomach. There is something about being kennel trained that helps them learn that they don't pee inside though. Something about how my wife's dog was raised has left it with some seperation anxiety. Granted, it's not nearly as bad now than it was when we got married.

Our dog now has his own room, and the next move is to leave him out to roam the house while we're at work. My wife is nervous about letting him out while we're away, but really he'd just sleep all day because that's what he's used to doing anyways.

I say get the dog. I think you're still doing it a favor to get it out of the shelter.
 
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