SearchRescuing a three year old...
We are still tentatively waiting for the right time to adopt our Doberman! Now, I have felt that it is pretty important to adopt a puppy from a good and reputable breeder, mainly so we'd have a history, health records, temperment expectations, and most of all, so we could control how it grew up. Our dog requirements are relately specific, as we have a Dachshund, family, and friends with smaller children that visit (We also have chickens and a rabbit, but they can easily be kept seperate). However, I've always entertained the thought of rescuing in the back of my head, that is, if the conditions were right. I've recently been haunting many rescue websites in our area! During my searches, I came across a three year old red male (I've wanted a male) rescue. Here is the link to his petfinder page... http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20516571-Stockton-Doberman%20Pinscher-Dog-Red%20Bluff-CA
From what the rescue says, he is a well mannered, relatively balanced dog, not to mention elegant. Another pro is that he is three years old (so they think), so that would mean he is matured, and any significant problems he has would have emerged. At this age, he is still highly trainable, yes?
I am not entirely sure how the rest of the household will feel about it, and I definitely want to meet him and evaluate him for myself before making a final decision, plus talk to the rescue. I'd like to ask what you guys think about it, and if you have any insight you could give! Thanks for reading.
What a handsome goof he is! Although I have no advice on him I will say that one the Dobes I see regularly also came form No. Ca. Doberman rescue and, from what I was told, they are a good organization. Some day, years down the road and if the stars align I'll be looking at them too.
He looks wonderful.
I'm looking for a rescue dobe too, but I'm way up North in Canada, I looked at this doberboy too...I've contacted them in Cali to see if they would adopt all the way to Canada and they will but I have to travel their first! So I'm hopefully going to work with Linn Benton doberman rescue in Oregon which is a little closer to BC....
I would do exactly what you have planned, go and meet him, see if you can take him for a "weekend pass" to see if he will be a good fit with your family. Do some research on how to intro a rescue dog to animals, family, etc...
I hope you can rescue a dobe...there are so many out there that need a good home...wishing you luck...
Congrats on considering a rescue. I would wonder since he should not be around cats - small dogs, rabbits and/or chickens are small animals and dogs that will go after cats will sometimes see other small animals as prey. Cats, Rabbits, Chickens, Dachunds etc. are all about the same size, I would ask the foster parent how he does with small dogs for certain. He looks very handsome!! Sounds like he has good manners always a plus. Get on a good rapport with the foster parent and learn all you can about him - I think rescuing is a great idea, Ben the rottie I adopted 4 months ago at age 7 years would agree :)) I felt extremely comfortable adopting him because of the info his foster was able to provide me.
Good luck and I can't wait to see what you decide, keeping my fingers crossed it works out.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and advice everyone. Talisin, that is certainly a major concern. I hope the cats issue is just the fact that they tend to run and inspire a chase, or something along those lines..I can tell you, Annie hates going anywhere fast ;)
One more thing is, I can't really broach the idea of actually adopting him until at least a week into January, because our schedule between now and then is jam packed. Do you think it might be too late then? I want to get in contact with the foster parents/rescue agency, talk about specifics, everything you mentioned, and adoption fees, etc., so everything should be fine...we'll see.
He looks an awesome dog, and yes i think 3 is still a trainable age. Best of luck that things work out well :)
I don't think a week into January is too late. You have to figure the volunteers will be busy with the holidays.
Good luck with everything! We're on our second rescue, and they've both been wonderful pets.
He's a beautiful boy.. There are of course, a lot of concerns and issues you will face. Being able to anticipate them before they happen, might help.
Rescues are a breed unto themselves. I've posted this before, but I feel in your case it bears repeating.
It took over six months before Sofia began to settle in and feel at home.
Not knowing health history or how and when they were socialized is one of the most difficult hurdles.
I am not sure a 'weekend pass' would give you a true idea on what to expect. ( We're all on our best behavior when visiting)
As far as not being cat friendly, I can almost guarantee you he would find chicken and bunny to be one of his favorite 'toys' if not meals.
About your Doxie, how old is it? Male or Female? Same sex aggression is nothing you want to witness and Doxies tend to 'rule the roost' so to speak.
Thank you so very much for posting and joining this forum. Your idea to rescue is wonderful, bless you for that. But if for any reason it didn't work out, and I can see some strong problems here, you would feel so bad if you had to rehome the boy once again.
Good luck and please stay in touch
Merry Christmas from
Kate and Sofia
Kate, I've absolutely eaten up your stories of The Diva! Yes, I'm not entirely sure how much a weekend pass would cut it. The cats/chickens/bunny issue is a problem, but the creatures (besides Annie) are in fenced, unaccessible areas. Of course, the doberman "could" get to them if he was left outside by himself, but that will never happen..I do have some experience with high prey drive animals, and training them to ignore that and tolerate the small creatures. Our Dachshund herself killed my first hamster when we got her, now she wanders about with our chickens and pays them no mind at all.
With regards to the dachshund, she is a female, and roughly 6 years old, as far as we know. One of the reasons I decided to go for a male was because of Annie, and the dogs we most commonly interact with are females. We kind of struck home with her, actually. She is a rescue, so to speak. We got her from our aunt's neighbor when she was about a year old, and boy, she was SUCH a brat. However, in our house, rules are rules, and she is now a wonderful, submissive, mellow little girl. Absolutely un-dachshundish :D
Thank YOU for all your advice. You are right, the problems could be there. I just hope they are not, or if there are some, that they can be managed.
Oh Abilgail... thank you so much for all the kind words regarding our golden girl.. She is absolutely amazing and the fact that you're so aware of the possible issues you might face with your new boy makes me think that you would make the perfect Mom for him.
Although Sofia has an incredibly strong prey drive, her maternal instincts are stronger. Once when she did manage to catch a baby bunny, she trotted him right into the house and tucked him between her huge paws and gave him a full bath!! Albeit a little soggy, " Lazarus" survived the bath and lived to tell his brothers and sisters about his experience.
About four months ago, one of our dear forum members posted a video with the brand new litter her darling Bella just had.. oh those sweet little Doberballs.... upon hearing their squalls and mews Sofia became so distressed I had to turn the sound off. She has nightmares at times, and I can only imagine what she's dreaming about.. She was overbred and abandoned.. No one knows what happened to the last litter she had just whelped before she was dumped at the guard gate at our community.
There's no doubt in my mind that you would provide the perfect 'fur-ever' home for this elegant and dashing young man. Just look in his eyes.. You will know...
P.S. I think four is the PERFECT age.. that's about how old Sofia was when we got her..
Well, I just got an email back from the rescue group. The lady doesn't use foster homes, so I won't be getting any detailed information that way. She said that he seems reasonably friendly with females that are not aggressive towards him (no specific information on small ones though), and that he has the notorious doberman prey drive. There is a couple that have an appointment to see him, so maybe he isn't meant for our family. (I am happy for them though, if they adopt him!!)
The lady also said that they have a number of Dobermans available that are not on petfinder...so maybe we'll submit an application. I don't know, we'll see...
I'm wondering what "reasonably" means .. aren't you? Don't like 'reasonably' . We need 100% trust in both ourselves and our dogs.. You will find the perfect dog and she will find you.. It's karma!
Merry Christmas!
Yes, I am wondering what that means, and she has just seen his interaction with the other dobermans, not little dogs. Oh well, we will find the right dog, eventually. I'll keep you guys updated if we find him through this rescue or otherwise. Thanks so much for the support!
Alright so it's been a little while. "Stockton" didn't work out, nor have some other dogs I have inquired about. I stopped looking for a bit because Dad and I started a job (he got comissioned to make some friends HUGE bookshelves! He is a woodworker, I'm his apprentice, so we have been working together) Hopefully, we will have reached a huge milestone by Saturday! So, anyway, I found this:
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21947903
Oh gosh...is it just me, or does he not seem perfect? He is huge (115 lbs) which will be a negative for Mom ;) BUT..."Howie loves people, kids, dogs and was even raised with cats. Howie is house trained and responds to commands such as sit, shake, socialize, heel, check in, chill, lay down, enough and bang. He will drop food or a bone for me on command and has never shown aggression if I pull food from him. "
Just a $200 adoption fee, and they are closer to us than most rescues. I'm sure with the amount of exercise I plan on giving the dog, he will be even more mellow than what they describe. Training will continue, of course, and I'll need to find out why the rescue has him, where he came from...Talisin, you can understand my dilema! I have wanted a doberman for so long, but I've prayed that, if the right dog comes along, Doberman or not, I would investigate. I DO love rotties...
Please pray for me, if you can. I'll talk to the other household members after our bookshelves are done. Dad wants to pay me, or give me compensation, so maybe paying gas money could be it.
Oh wow Abigail, what a handsome fellow Howie is, I knew the second I saw his face he was rottie/dobe he looks like a great dog. Sounds as if he has had the hard work already "installed" in him, hahahaha, if I wasn't concerned about a male/male issue I would want him myself, hahahaha. I have been considering a big dog friend for Ben since Ben was supposed to be the collie's big dog friend and then he died, so now the big dog friend is alone, and he is losing some of his calm demeanor with other dogs, he gets way to excited when he sees other dogs now and being a rottie that upsets the other dogs owners. We still have the neighbor dog come over, and take him out and about but he needs interaction regularly with another big dog so we are considering another collie, :)) makes me happy but I am really getting used to one big dog and like it, but for his sake I may have to suck it up and get a collie fast. I can't wait till October for my dober girl Ben will be out of control with other dogs by then. I think when the threat of snow is gone I will enroll him in obedience again just to socialize with other dogs. I do not want him to lose his self control that he mastered in his previous home.
But I digress, Howie looks and sounds great. Just remember to keep him refreshed on all those great traits he has, that's how I digressed and got caught up with Ben losing his doggie manners with other dogs. (all he does is rush towards them wagging all over but it scares them). He's pretty big boy that Howie at 115lbs. but if he is that well mannered 115 won't show. I would rather have a well mannered 115 lb. dog than an unruly 75 lb. one, ;))
Keep me posted I can't wait to hear about your new addition - will you keep the name Howie???
Haha! I hope you find a good dog friend for Uncle Ben :D
Yes, I personally don't care about the size (when it comes to animals, the bigger the better!) Now, it's not set in stone that we are going to be able to adopt him...yet I am in contact with his owner, and everything sounds good so far. We are discussing his diet, as he is supposedly "allergic to breads and chips" which says wheat and corn to me...that would mean I probably have to go grain free. No problem, if that is just it.
The rest of the family still needs convincing...we have been super busy so I'm waiting a few more days to ask them. On a side note, if we do adopt him, I don't know what I'll do with his name! I had several names picked out for the doberman we would get, but some just don't seem to fit. I like the names Titus and Jax for a rotti, but it will depend on what he is really like..
Good luck and let us know
He looks like a very handsome boy, sounds like he is well trained and mannered. I love the big guys and his face is so cute
Oh how exciting! I hope it works out, but keep us updated. Looks like GentleBen might have another Rottie friend on GD!
wonderful news...good luck
Ben says yayayayayayaya and he also says watch out for that food issue, ben is now up to 115lbs. no thanks to my husband sneaking him treats. He has got to lose some weight!!! Hope Howie is in good form, you will let us know when you get him. I know I am trying to come to terms with getting another collie, it's just hard right now to jump in, I love them all and cannot pick one so I just don't pick at all.
Ben has gotten a little barky lately, when he wants on the sofa, when he wants food, when he doesn't like people walking by the fence etc. I am not liking this at all. He really hates the kids that walk the yorkie that led to Goofy's death, boy he really goes off like a cannon when he sees them. I put him out at night to patrol the yard and he does exactly that.
Howie looks like a great dog and one that will keep you entertained like Ben does me; can't wait to hear about all the stuff he does......
He is such a gorgeous boy... hope all works out!!!
Well, turns out that there is an "adoption pending" for Howie...the owner's vet also misdiagnosed eye entropion as allergies. Is entropion something I should be very concerned about? Also, he has been eating Purina (gag).
This is so disappointing. I guess, since I've posted two dogs that haven't turned out, I'll just let you guys know when/if we do adopt a dog. :/ Thanks for the advice and encouragement.
Keep posting the candidates... we love to see them!
Oh I agree, let us "drool" with you hahahahaha, here is alittle info I found - I volunteer for a rottweiler rescue and we have a female currently needing a home that has this condition but it has been corrected.
Entropion and Ectropion by Margaret Holowinski
Both entropion and ectropion are conditions of the eyelid. They're exceedingly uncomfortable and often require surgery to correct them. Both are also disqualifying faults in the show ring.
Entropion is a hereditary condition in which the eyelid turns inward into the eye, causing the eyelashes and fur to rub against the eyeball. It is obviously irritating to the dog and usually requires surgery to correct it.
Ectropion shows itself in drooping of the lower eyelid, exposing its interior. In mild cases, your veterinarian may prescribe eye drops and antibiotic and corticosteroid ophthalmic ointment. In severe cases, surgery may be required.
Entropion and Ectropion
Sometimes eye irritation is caused by a congenital defect of the eyelid. If the eyelid rolls inward, causing the eyelashes to aggravate the eye, the condition is called entropion. When the eyelid rolls outward, the condition is known as ectropion. Dogs with ectropion have exposed eyelid tissue that's particularly prone to damage and infection. Entropion and ectropion are both common congenital defects that require surgical repair.
Blepharoplasty-
Entropion surgery is known as blepharoplasty, and it is considered a form of plastic or cosmetic surgery. Surgery involves removing excessive folds of skin from around the eye area to make the skin area tighter. Surgery is commonly delayed until a dog's head area has mature features, around six months of age.
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After a dog undergoes entropion surgery, he is sent home with an Elizabethan collar around his neck. This collar will prevent him from scratching the surgical stitches. This collar is worn at all times until the stitches are removed. Also, topical antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent infection around the surgery site. A vet will schedule appointments to recheck the eyes and make sure they are healing properly.
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The success rate of entropion surgery varies based on breed, age, and case specifics. In general, entropion surgery is successful 90 to 95 percent of the time, and recurrence is very uncommon, unless the surgery involves extensive skin removal, such as in breeds like the Shar Pei. In this instance, several follow-up surgeries may be needed to completely correct the condition.
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If your dog is a candidate for entropion surgery make sure that you research the vet who will perform the surgery. If the surgery is not done correctly, or the entropion is corrected too much, then the eyelid may roll outward, or not close completely. This can cause further irritation of the cornea which will require more surgery to fix. Consulting a vet who has successfully completed many entropion surgeries will help you avoid more serious problems.
Read more: Entropion Surgery for Dogs | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6525759_entropion-surgery-dogs.html#ixzz1js8tDyBRI hope some of this helps you understand this better, I agree that the number one thing to be concerned about to make sure he heals properly is making sure you have a vet VERY familiar with the surgery required. After all these are the eyes.
Keeping up hope for Howie!!
not sure what's up with all the scripting details but I tried everything to get rid of it but the info was good so I opted to post anyway. I even tried pasting to notepad to get rid of formatting but that didn't work either.
Well, it's been a while. I just wanted to let you guys know that I submitted my first adoption application today!!! Nothing is final, of course, we have met the dog yet or talked to the rescue. Take a look: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22243061
You all know that I have really wanted a full doberman, but I think that Rocky just might be a fit for us. He is younger than I had hoped, but he sounds like he is good-natured. The bio says that he is good with small dogs and children, which are both huge plus's! He is so young, I think that with careful and slow work, he will blossom into a happy, trusting, confident dog. That is what I would like to think, and what I wish to accomplish. Setting him up for success will be the key, and positive reinforcement.
I'm a bit excited, to say the least. If you could send prayers, good vibes, and advice my way, it would be much appreciated!
Oh what a cute boy!!!! I like him!!! I hope it works out for you, you have my sympathies on finding the right dog for certain. I will put that good vibe stuff out there for you and Rocky!!! Can't wait to hear when he comes home......
Thank you so much, I hope you succeed in your search!! You will make another collie so happy one day!
He's adorable! Good luck!
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Oh how exciting! I don't know anything about rescues, but they certainly presented a very positive summary on him! I will be interested to see what other think!