GSD for adoption

[Sudilar]

OK, now I'm talking to the foster Mom by e-mail and another case worker......I'm getting in deeper and deeper. Maybe it will snow Saturday and I won't be able to get to Berwyn????? What to tell hubby?

[Freckles]

Just tell hubby your PetTalk friends say YES!!

[Pam]

I vote for Sudilar as Willie's new mom!! You are definitely getting in deeper and deeper! What have you learned from the foster mom? Fill us in all about Willie.

Jackie...By the way, love your little puppy insert.

Karen (aka Wolflady)...Go take the plunge and get a dog! Have your cats ever lived with a dog before?

[This message has been edited by Pam (edited April 10, 2001).]

[Angels3]

Originally posted by Sudilar:
What to tell hubby?

Sudilar, tell him he can choose between a 3rd GSD or a 2nd husband in the family. That should simplify matters.

Cinder here ~

But of course, Sudilar, we wouldn't want you the think that enewun here is trying to put any *pressure* on you!

Oh, Heavens NO! We won't lean on you any harder than everbody dun when we wuz werkin on getting Smokey moved in as a permnent part of our ranch. And Dad sez it'll be reel easy ta get a new boyfriend if yer Hub wanders off - guyz like gurls wiffa *nice dog* (or three :eek .

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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Sudilar, just think of all the Aunts and Uncles from Petoftheday that Willie would have!!!!!!! In a sense, we would all be adopting her!
Thanks Pam!!!!

[RachelJ]

Sue, I hope your hubby is not a cranky, hard-hearted, "you're not going to turn this house into a kennel" type like someone I know.

[Karen]

Okay, I'll be serious for a moment. Only you know your home, your husband, your schedule and your dogs enough to know whether this would be a good idea. We all love the idea of another dog getting a good home, hence the overwhelming enthusiasm for the adoption. But you know, I hope, that even if the circumstances won't work, or Willie finds another home, you and your current pooches will still be valauble members of our community here.

P.S. Bring extra biscuits for the dogs if you do go!

[Logan]

Whew! If you wait a while to check in around here, you miss a lot!!! Sue, do you have pressure or what? Maybe you asked for by hinting that willie was irresistable. My thought is this...if you don't have human kids to worry about (and even if you do), but if you think you can make a home for this girl, and your husband won't leave you over it, go for her. You obviously are smitten!! I would "kill" for another Golden Retriever, but I know I absolutely don't have the time or room for another. Just go with your heart, and your husband's! LOL! And most of all, let us know what you decide!
Logan

[Sudilar]

I feel no pressure here. (LOL) You guys are a riot! Even though I would LOVE to adopt many many homeless GSDs that are out there, I have to weigh all the pros and cons. I am really seriously thinking about going to visit the Berwyn store and meeting Willie and then we'll see what happens!
Pam asked what the foster Mom had to say: She said that Willie would for sure get along with my male, but depending on the temperament of my female, she could possibly get along with her. She then asked questions about how Shiloh gets along with other females and if she is dominant or submissive.
Those are hard questions to answer. Shiloh is submissive to Killian, but if any outside dog challenges her, she won't tolerate it. She allows me to pay attention to Killian, but I must also pay attention to her. She also sleeps with me at night. I guess you might say she's attached to me. I wouldn't want any dominance problems, especially if one would get hurt.
So I guess I have a lot to consider. Anyone with 3 dogs have any advice? These are all dogs who weigh about as much as I do.
Thanks for all your help, guys. I really would LOVE to adopt Willie, but the question is should I?
Sue

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***Save a life, ADOPT***

[Angels3]

Originally posted by Sudilar:

Thanks for all your help, guys. I really would LOVE to adopt Willie, but the question is should I?
Sue

And with all our jokes & urging aside, you are the only one that can answer the question. As somebody else said, only you & your husband know your circumstances. Whatever you decide to do will be OK...because you are giving so much thought to it.

[Sudilar]

Would anyone with 3 dogs like to give me some insight into what it's like? Pros and cons? Thanks!

[Angels3]

Originally posted by Sudilar:
Would anyone with 3 dogs like to give me some insight into what it's like? Pros and cons? Thanks!

We own 3 dogs...a tibetan spaniel & 2 elderly shelties. We had just 2 dogs for a while & then got the 3rd. Frankly, there isn't much difference between owning 2 or 3. The main negative difference is that vet costs are triple instead of double. I can't think of other negatives.
A main positive is that we can always take 1 dog somewere...like to the vet or to do pet therapy...& the other 2 have each other for company. When we owned only 2 dogs, it broke their hearts ever to be parted...& the one left at home would tend to play up a bit.
I'd be interested to hear others' experiences.

[aly]

I think having three dogs would be good for the reasons Angels3 mentioned. I think you have to have the right dogs for this though. A dog behaviorist told me that most dogs do best in groups of even numbers. One example of this sticks out in my mind... We have playgroups at the shelter so dogs can run off energy with their doggy friends and be more content once they get back to their kennels. One time we had Danny (dalmatian) playing with Homer (pitbull). They often played together and got along great every session. There was another dog, Nadia (malamute) who had been in a playgroup with both Danny and Homer seperately and got along with each of them every time. We decided to bring Nadia and one other dog in so all four could play together. We brought Nadia in first and she jumped into the play with Danny and Homer. Before we could even get the fourth dog out, Danny had mounted Nadia and was being very dominant and mouthy. Nadia didn't want any part of it and snapped back toward Danny. A few of the volunteers had to yell so they would stop fighting and we took Danny back to his kennel. This group of three happened to bring out the dominant side of Danny. I think most dogs who get along with other dogs won't have a problem in a group of three but you sometimes have to be careful in these instances.

You know, I just realized.. what if that's the same thing that happened when I brought Reece home.. 3 animals and Harley got so dominant that it also released his chasing/nipping instinct Well, I actually did keep Reece at my sister's for three days once to see if Harley would behave around Shiloh again but that didn't work so maybe not..

[Gio]

I think you are half way there already Sudilar. One of the last times I said "Let's see what happens" is when I took a stray kitten home, we also added "until we find a home for him". Well my "provisional cat" is still with me after 18 years.

Since I live in an apartment I can only keep cats for the time being, but in my experience 3 is not much more work than 2. As for the vet, everytime I go to the surgery and he asks for the surname he says "Oh it's one of the mob" (between me and my sister we have a number of pets registered) and often gives me a family discount!

Please keep us posted!

[This message has been edited by Gio (edited April 11, 2001).]