Excuse my dog he had to post twice because of his ego.
Gooble goble gooble goble one of us one of us. t(-_-)t
A Friend whose husband died recently, asked me to help her look for a dog. She had one as a child, but has never had one as an adult. She is 70yo. I happily agreed to help and when I asked her what kind of dog she was looking for, she gave me this list:
female
pointy nose, but not too pointy
various shades of beige/brown, some white patches are acceptable
triangle shaped ears, but not too big and no erect ears
no black on the face, small black spots on other parts of the body are acceptable
no little dogs (chihuahuas, toy poodles, etc)
not too close to the ground
no long-torso dogs
no snub-nose
How would you respond?
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
Ok, I'm not trying to be an ass, but that is super specific for someone who doesn't just say they want a (fill in the blank) type of dog.
I had a lady give me a numbered list last week, stating how she expected her dog to act (like step by step) in certain situations, and that any deviation was unacceptable. Needless to say we didn't adopt to her.
I think some people forget (or don't realize in the first place) that dogs aren't made to order for people.
If I'm being honest, I would tell her to look in the local shelters. In person. That way she will see and interact with all of the different dogs and she will fall in love with one and have to have it.
I don't recommend Aussie Shepherd unless she's in to long and speedy walks 20 times per day.
I just feel like people will always find their perfect match at a shelter, but that they're hesitant to go to one. But once they do, they're happy that they did.
LOL, I was thinking that too after I posted. There is a meme about people calling a rescue and giving a list of specifics they want in a dog and asking which type of dog would fit them best, and they suggest a stuffed dog from Walmart.
KT, if your friend doesn't want to go to the shelter, and isn't sure about the breed she wants, she might be able to go to like a Petsmart adoption day or something like that and see multiple dogs in a non-shelter environment. Has this lady thought about a cat?
Even the best shelter isn't a great environment for the dogs or potential adopters, and some of them are downright devastating to visit. I have spent quite a bit of time in them pulling dogs and I still always leave a little shell-shocked. I can't imagine how the dogs in them feel.
I would try to find a local adoption event KT, and just let her window shop at first to try to narrow down what she is looking for. She might surprise herself and fall in love with a dog that defies every single one of her requirements.
Thank you. I really just posted this for validation. I thought I was being too hard on my Friend.
I personally don't think she should own a dog. She knows nothing about them, she certainly doesn't understand them, and I'll go so far as to say she doesn't really LIKE them. I showed her several dogs that I thought would be suitable and she dismissed them as "ugly." Seriously you guise, who could call a dog (SEVERAL dogs) ugly?!?!
Also, she has considerable health issues and is unable to exercise the dog, yet she's looking at big dogs. Like I said, she's totally clueless about the needs of a dog.
I'm glad to see that a rescue (RBW) wouldn't adopt to someone like her. I told her she needs a stuffed animal, not a dog, and that I would not help her find an unsuitable dog that will have to be rehomed in less than a year. She doesn't like my attitude.
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
I need to find this meme and send it to her.
I suggested a cat and she says she's allergic to them. She doesn't like them anyway, they are "sneaky."
Like I said, she really doesn't understand animals at all and has no appreciation for what sharing your life with one entails. I pity the poor dog she adopts.
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
It was a HUGE red flag for me and she thinks I'm being ridiculous about that - which is ANOTHER red flag. I've known her for 31 years, and I've never seen her admire a dog, pet a dog, or even comment on one, so I was surprised when she said she wanted a dog. Don't get me wrong, she is a wonderful person in a million other ways, but I don't think she's the right person for any dog. Maybe a cat or a guinea pig or a bird, but not a dog.
She says she's allergic to cats. Didn't know about that, either.
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
I wonder if shes lonely. It doesnt sound like a dog or cat would be right for her, so Im thinking a bird maybe? Just not an exotic type (most places wont let you get an exotic bird without experience so thats good.)
She is very lonely. She lost the love of her life, they had an amazing relationship. He fell and suffered a brain bleed and overnight, their lives changed forever. She cared for him at home for 5 years (neglecting her own health in the process). My heart breaks for her.
I wish her mind was opened to trying out a less demanding pet first. She really needs to work up to the responsibility of a dog. But when I mention birds or guinea pigs or fish, she thinks they're gross. This tells me she's not cut out to share her living space with anything other than homosapiens.
We stopped discussing this. I told her I will not help her find a dog that I know she is going to end up rehoming. She is not pleased with my attitude and thinks I'm being ridiculous and a bit of a bitch. Maybe so, but I feel like the night watch on the Titanic, "Iceberg straight ahead!" Lately she has started sending me pictures of dogs again, asking what I think of them. That's what prompted the post last night. I thought perhaps I was being too hard on her, but I don't think I am.
Thanks all!
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
Even though it's awkward, you did the right thing. Dogs need exercise and lots of care and attention. It sounds like she's just lonely and wants another living thing around her, but that's not the sole purpose of dogs or cats or any animal. Sure, they're companions, but they require attention and care and can be a lot of work. It wouldn't be fair to any animal to be expected to just sit there and look pretty.
I feel bad that she's lonely though.
You are talking to a woman who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe.
...Collector of Chairs. Reader of Books. Hater of Nutmeg...
KT, by "Getting the dogs situated", that means getting them their "passport". Since Ireland doesn't have Rabies, we're going to have to show proof of vaccination within 2 months of travel, paperwork and other vaccinations etc to ensure that they don't need to be in quarantine.
They actually have Vets on duty in the airport to examine the dogs and paperwork before clearing them. Fun stuff lol.
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