1 year ago...
2011-11-12 13:32
...I decided to purchase a puppy.
I have been at the RSPCA shelter too, but there was nothing for me. Around 50 % American Staffordshire Terrier (or AmStaff cross): beautiful dogs if they are the solely animal at home - I know what I'm talking about. Because of the chooks and the horses next door I couldn't risk to take a terrier. Similar with the other breeds available: 25 % Kelpies and Heeler (absolute working dogs - I'm too old for entertaining a bored dog) and the rest lap dogs (and there mostly Tenterfield/ Jack Russel Terrier). But I needed a guard dog. The only larger breed: Labrador and Retriever: again hunting dogs, nothing for me. [I remember a guest dog, black Labrador 'Cloe' who chased and killed one of my hens. The comment of the owner: "She never ever did this before!" This didn't help.] The other difficulty: you never know what you get if you choose an adult dog. In the beginning they may be okay, but as soon as they settle in they may show their real character (there always is a reason for ending up in a shelter). Okay, I have kind of a bad conscience not to 'rescue' a dog from a shelter but I can be sure that the average stay for them is not too long. The real problem dogs do not find their way to a shelter anyway - they end up ... in nirvana.
I have been at the RSPCA shelter too, but there was nothing for me. Around 50 % American Staffordshire Terrier (or AmStaff cross): beautiful dogs if they are the solely animal at home - I know what I'm talking about. Because of the chooks and the horses next door I couldn't risk to take a terrier. Similar with the other breeds available: 25 % Kelpies and Heeler (absolute working dogs - I'm too old for entertaining a bored dog) and the rest lap dogs (and there mostly Tenterfield/ Jack Russel Terrier). But I needed a guard dog. The only larger breed: Labrador and Retriever: again hunting dogs, nothing for me. [I remember a guest dog, black Labrador 'Cloe' who chased and killed one of my hens. The comment of the owner: "She never ever did this before!" This didn't help.] The other difficulty: you never know what you get if you choose an adult dog. In the beginning they may be okay, but as soon as they settle in they may show their real character (there always is a reason for ending up in a shelter). Okay, I have kind of a bad conscience not to 'rescue' a dog from a shelter but I can be sure that the average stay for them is not too long. The real problem dogs do not find their way to a shelter anyway - they end up ... in nirvana.
