A little off topic, but... Dogs.
I’ve been looking to adopt a dog for months, with no luck. Because I live in a small apartment I’m looking for a beagle mix, or something about the same size. I’m flexible about age, although ideally I’d like a dog on the younger size. All the shelters I’ve visited (throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, including…
I’ve been looking to adopt a dog for months, with no luck.
Because I live in a small apartment I’m looking for a beagle mix, or something about the same size. I’m flexible about age, although ideally I’d like a dog on the younger size.
All the shelters I’ve visited (throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, including BARC, Humane Society, Bideawee, Animal Care & Control, ASPCA, Petco, various adoption vans, etc.) are filled with dogs that are either too large for my apartment or have special needs that I’m not equipped to deal with.
Any advice or leads? Many of you must have dogs. How’d you find them?
Petfinder.com is a great site. It’s used by both individuals and rescue groups to list available dogs. I, too have been disappointed when I checked on a dog shown and it’s already gone, but checking daily will help. My ex-husband in Phoenix listed six kittens one day and by the next day had found homes for four of them.
Schnauzers are great for indoors and small spaces. They don’t shed. They can be energetic, but I have one that’s as quiet and peaceful as can be, and the most loyal dog I’ve ever seen. She’s a ‘lay on your grave’ kind of dog.
Good luck.
Thanks all for the advice, and special thanks to PitbullNYC for a promising lead! I’ll let you know if it works out…
(P.S. A note for future adopters about Petfinder.com: It’s a great starting point, but it’s been my experience that the dogs listed are a “representative sample” of what’s at a shelter, meaning each shelter has lots of pets that aren’t posted, and almost all that are posted are actually no longer up for adoption.)
“Just saying that it’s important to keep everyone’s emotions, the rescuers and yours, in check when adopting a dog, for everyone’s sake, especially the dog’s.”
Very good advice.
On the street. But I never picked up a beagle.
Petfinder is a good source. Most of the large and small shelters post there.
Working with one or a few specific breed rescues is good, because you can foster a dog or two first and get to know a specific breed. It’s a little like dating before you get married.
I know that this is not going to be a popular opinion, but having a dog is an inherently selfish thing to do. Not a bad thing, but a selfish thing–it’s for you, not the dog. It has to be like this if it’s going to work out, because the dog is dependent on you, and that dependency is a lot of work, and rehoming a dog is really awful for them.
In my experience, some dog rescuers can confuse this and make it all about the dog and the act of rescuing in a way that is totally well-intentioned, but can do more harm than good. They are passionate and persuasive folks, and can draw people in, and the next thing you know someone who really can’t own a strong dog winds up owning a pit bull. Or someone forgets to disclose that the dog came here because the dog bites. Eventually the dog goes back where the dog came from–a lose-lose situation.
Either that or the opposite happens and you wind up having to fill out more paperwork than you would if you adopted a child, and get scrutinized in a strange way… it’s just an emotional minefield.
I am definitely not saying that dogs shouldn’t be adopted or that rescue organizations are bad. Just saying that it’s important to keep everyone’s emotions, the rescuers and yours, in check when adopting a dog, for everyone’s sake, especially the dog’s.
Agree strongly about beagles being loud. They tend to bark and howl a lot, day and night. I used to live next to a couple of them, it was a nightmare for all their neighbors. The owners had to choose between moving and getting rid of the dogs, which is a really lousy position to be in.
I was going to say what PHer said — beagles are barky. It’s so sad to have to get rid of a dog because you get complaints. Research breeds carefully first.
I also suggest you stop in at Monster Mutt–we adopted our dog from there just a couple months ago! They are usually fostering a couple of dogs for other rescue organizations, and even if they don’t currently have a suitable dog for you I bet they could offer some advice. They are super nice and helpful there.
Try also checking out http://www.strayfromtheheart.org–when we were looking, they seemed to have a varied selection of pooches, and responded pretty quickly to our inquiries. Several other local rescue organizations are listed here: http://ny.urbanhound.com/houndFinder/stray.asp (and this website has lots of other useful info).
Finally, I also second zgori’s comment above that apartment size shouldn’t necessarily dictate dog size. Our dog is also a shepherd mix, 45ish pounds, and super mellow in the apartment. In any case, be open and just keep looking–your perfect dog will find you!!
If you’re concerned about the size of the apartment, energy level is more important than size or even breed. I’ve seen very large dogs, even great danes, that are totally happy in small apartments as long as they get out a few times a day. And tiny dogs that go crazy and annoy all the neighbors because they have too much energy to be pent up. Consider that most dogs aren’t all that aware of their own size, and many actually seek out small places because they feel cozy and safe. Our middle aged 50-pound shepherd mix (from the ASPCA) has been a wonderful city dog — she spends most of her indoor time curled up under a table or desk or even under our bed, where she just barely fits.