Why did you choose the breed/dog you did?

[mruffruff]

My first dog was an Australian Terrier, Rusty. He looked like a bigger version of a yorkie, with shorter hair. That began my love affair with dogs. He went to the Rainbow Bridge two years later.

Ted E. Bear was being sold at the flea market. (13 years ago I wasn't as smart as I am now). He was a black ball of fur that didn't seem to be concerned about anything that was going on around him. He's a Shih Tsu/Poodle mix and is now 13 1/2 years old.

Scruffy was a 3 month old white fluff ball that was left at the shelter. I decided to foster him until his broken pelvis healed. Twelve years later, he's still here--minus one leg. He looks like a shrunken Bearded Collie.

Samson was also left at the shelter. He was extremely thin, had no hair on his lower back, broken teeth, a fatty tumor on his back and scared of everything. Today he's got hair, no tumor, and is only slightly afraid of other people. He weighs about 55# and is part Hound, part shepherd and looks just like Duke. He's been here 5 years.

Bella was a new mom who was wandering a rural area. She and her pups were rescued and the pups adopted. Bella was deemed 'mean' when she grumbled at a man at the shelter. She's a black Chow/Lab mix so she looks mean but is a Lab inside. Another foster failure since she's been here 3 years.

Mary

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Justin and I wanted a dog first thing when we got married, but we were going to live with his parents for an unknown amount of time until we found a house. They said we could get a dog, but it had to be a small one. That was fine with me because I was in love with poms. They are such a fun breed, and so pretty. I love their fluffy fur. 2 days before our wedding Justin surprised me by finding a pomeranian breeder and took me to pick out a puppy. All the puppies were so precious, but Bitsy was the one to come right over to me and climb up into my lap.

We only lived with Justin's parents for 3 months before getting our own house. When we moved Bitsy seemed to miss Freckles, Justin's sisters dog. We took her all the time to their house to play with him, but it wasn't the same. 4 months after we got our house we decided to get a second dog. All we knew was that we wanted someone close to Bitsy's size. My friend knew a lady who needed to find a home for her daughters 2 year old min pin (Charlie). We took Bitsy to meet him and they got along great, so we took him home.

4 months after we got Charlie we got Buster. We weren't looking to get a third dog, but he needed us. A lady I met had 2 chihuahuas that were being abused by her adult grandson. The lady was going to live with her daughter in New Jersey (to get away from her grandson) and couldn't take the dogs. Her son took one, but she didn't have a place for Buster. So Justin and I decided to take him. I had never been interested in chihuahuas before then.

We had the 3 of them for 3 years before Nacey came into our lives. I did not like pugs at all before I met NayNay. They are all so bull-headed, I was just never into them. It's a long story, but basically we were fostering her until she found a home. Well, we had her a few weeks and she found a home. We missed that crazy little girl so much once she was gone. A couple months went by and we got a phone call saying that she wasn't working out at her new home. We said that we wanted her back, for good. So now she is our bull-headed crazy little girl, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

[Tina]

Well I was looking for a small dog at first actually a Chihuahua I believe. I was searching everywhere for one when I finally found a ad in the paper for Chihuhua/ Miniature Pinscher mix puppies. Yes I know bad, bad thing! Of course I didn't really know about BRB until I came here. When I seen Ginger I knew she had to be mine.

I wasn't really looking for another dog when I found Reggie. A private rescue here had some dachshund mix pups looking for homes. I decided to go and at least go see them. Well of course I fell in love with Reggie and brought her home.

[LorraineO]

I have always LOVED the doberman breed and when I saw there were some available,, away we went ,,,,,,, but I have to admit,, Lucy picked out my son....... She wouldnt stop licking his socks,,,,,,, i know,,, weird,, but she loved his socks,,,

As for Merlin,, I saw his lil face on the Net on a rescue site and fell in love,,,,,

[Scooby4]

Well as the mother of 4 dogs and a cat the stories run the gammit. The last 2 dogs adopted were at God's whimsy!
The cat is the oldest. She was adopted 10 years ago when a boss's cat had Kittens. Trying to kiss up for a raise I adopted one! That job is gone but my Cat is still here!!!
Scooby-Doo-Doo was Love at First Sight!!! I spent 2-3 MONTHS going to the local shelter for a dog. I had decided the size, the breed, and the sex I wanted. However, I could NOT find a dog. One day, I stopped in and me and Scooby met eyes across the bars!!! I was hooked! He is a Jack Russell/Beagle mix. He is short, fat, and a ball of energy. (He recently had a stroke but is still the same way!!!)
Shaggy was adopted to be Scooby's pet! I found Shaggy at the local Pet Store adoption day. He was shy and timid. We almost wrecked on the way home and he hit the dashboard! THEN he had to get fixed the NEXT day. I thought this dog would HATE me forever!!! He's as playful and wonderful!!!
Dirtnap was given to me. I had wanted a 3rd dog and was looking. My co-worker was having his mother move in with him and could not keep the dog. It is an Eskimo Spitz about 10 years older, mostly deaf, and has cataracts. He was a mess! It took a weekend to clean out his ears alone. Now he is playful and funny! He makes me smile just to look at him!!! Call him "Smiley Boy"!
Benji/Pooch is the recent adoptee. She is a Border Collie. My dad had rescued her. He found her wondering around homeless. He tried to find the owners but the number was disconnected. She had too much energy for my dad and the yard wasn't fenced.
My plans were to keep her until my brother could get her after he came back from Iraq. However, that did not happen. He couldn't keep her. Now I am fully adopting her.
Over the years, it seems like the animals find me. I wish I could open up a shelter of my own. Our city's shelter is too small. However, I now have a mentally disturbed neighbor threatening to remove my dogs. They ain't going nowhere!!!