It's time..warning pics

[DoggyShogun]

Hello all,

My dog of 15 Years Mickey recently passed April of '09. She was a Rottweiller one of my most favored breeds although I do like all larger type dogs.. Currently I live in an apartment and it was more difficult having the dog there than in a house with a yard. However a recently installed dog run across the street and my recently installed roomate would help out tremendously. Additionally I have a property in the mountains, near lakes rivers and thousands of miles of trails that would be ideal for a dog and myself for vacations.

Ok wall of text short I would like to either rescue a dog from the shelter or to purchase a Golden Retriever from a breeder.

Without providing all of the details I know about dogs I was wondering how you all would go about figuring if the dog was the runt of the litter or the full grown size of a rescue ?

FYI here is a photo of my friends Wiemeraner on the property i mentioned. The house is fully done now though don't worry about loose nails! I don't live there year round but sans pooch it's tough to get motivated to go up alone.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v308/62/97/1302904143/n1302904143_66609_84.jpg

winter view of one of our neighbors from the porch
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v777/62/97/1302904143/n1302904143_173839_1424.jpg

My pooper..I know not the cutest nickname for a girl but it stuck and I only called her that in private...swearzz..
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs025.ash2/34620_1518973896627_1302904143_1457226_1426578_n.j pg

[Suki Wingy]

Aw I love rotties. We used to take care of one sometimes and we almost adopted her when the owner thought he's have to give her up. (He eventually found a place to live that allowed her.) Your property is beautiful too. :)

Basically I don't think there is a good way at telling how large a puppy will get when you don't know any of the breeding. I know quite a lot of people who were surprised at either how much or how little growing their puppy ended up doing.

[Karen]

Check petfinder.org for your area, and I bet you will find a pooch that's needing a home that calls to your heart.

Lover Weim, there and what did your Rottie think of the "neighbor" deer?

[DoggyShogun]

I have been stalking my local animal shelter. I am a bit gunshy as my rotty was with me for 15 years and I do understand the commitment.

Mickey, thought she was a human, she'd watch the deer or the other dogs at the run and stand next to me wondering what all the fuss is about.


Her best friend in the whole world was a tan cocker spaniel that lived upstairs they were inseperable. Like the odd couple, I'll see if i can't dig up one of those pictures.

Thanks for the posts.

I'm really leaning towards a retriever type for my outdoors activities, maybe a retriever/shephard mix.

[MoonandBean]

http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?N=21+32+27&Ne=5&Nf=coords%7CGCGT+40.7483%2C-73.9934+-1&Ns=coords%2840.7483%2C-73.9934%29%7C%7Cshelter_id%7C%7Canimal_type%7C%7Cp et_breed_1%7C%7Cpet_breed_2&Ntk=record_type%7Cstatus&Ntt=pet%7CA&animal_type&distance=0&lat=40.7483&location=10001&lon=-73.9934&pet_breed