Rehoming a dog - seemingly impossible
Discussion
I spotted Marley (photo upside down above) when looking at adverts for dogs for sale.
By that pont I had given up on finding a rescue, due to the unrealistic demands they made.
We had had border collies before, and my daughter has a black lab, who conicidentally is staying with us today, so he fitted with the breed types we like and understand. He was 2 years old in 2023 when we got him, so was effectively a lockdown puppy.
I phoned and discussed the dog, his home environment, our home environment, our circumstances (we had just lost our last collie to a stroke) and dog experience.
They breathed an audible sigh of relief that we weren't yet more tossers, and we arranged to go the 150 miles to Gloucestershire to meet them and introduce him to our spaniel, first at their local park and then at their home. He turned out to be the kind of happy go lucky idiot of a dog that I love, and we came home with him.
We had taken the £200 that the advert requested with us in cash - they flatly refused to take it, having only put a price on the advert on the advice of friends, to avoid the worst possible respondents, just after a free dog.
So my advice is keep looking and don't restrict yourself to rescues, even though it would be nice to give a dog down on its luck a home. Ours needed a new home just as much. Just be selective and take your time. He/she will be with you for the rest of his/her life.
By that pont I had given up on finding a rescue, due to the unrealistic demands they made.
We had had border collies before, and my daughter has a black lab, who conicidentally is staying with us today, so he fitted with the breed types we like and understand. He was 2 years old in 2023 when we got him, so was effectively a lockdown puppy.
I phoned and discussed the dog, his home environment, our home environment, our circumstances (we had just lost our last collie to a stroke) and dog experience.
They breathed an audible sigh of relief that we weren't yet more tossers, and we arranged to go the 150 miles to Gloucestershire to meet them and introduce him to our spaniel, first at their local park and then at their home. He turned out to be the kind of happy go lucky idiot of a dog that I love, and we came home with him.
We had taken the £200 that the advert requested with us in cash - they flatly refused to take it, having only put a price on the advert on the advice of friends, to avoid the worst possible respondents, just after a free dog.
So my advice is keep looking and don't restrict yourself to rescues, even though it would be nice to give a dog down on its luck a home. Ours needed a new home just as much. Just be selective and take your time. He/she will be with you for the rest of his/her life.
trails said:
pinchmeimdreamin said:
trails said:
Sadly "getting your kittens from the mad cat lady" makes you part of the problem, not part of the solution and perpetuates breeding animals for money when there are thousands of recues that need a home. Obviously if she was giving them away, you can discount that statement 
How is he part of the problem if he tried to rescue them but wasn’t allowed ?AstonZagato said:
I remember, after responding to a "crisis appeal" from a cats' rehoming place, being refused a cat because
We tried another rescue place. They needed the whole family there. We all trooped over at a weekend and selected a couple of kittens. "Oh they won't be available till Tuesday." My wife said she'd pop over (45 min drive) on Tuesday to pick them up. "No, you all have to come".
It was a spectacular waste of time. We got our kittens free from a mad cat lady.
We had similar issues trying to get another cat from a rescue after our previous one died at 17 years old.- "Your house is on a road". Every house in the UK is on a road. Furthermore, we are 100m from the nearest road - further than 99.999% of houses, I'd wager; and
- "You have children" Our children had grown up with cats. Apparently they might "sit on the cat" (something they had never managed to do up until that point and never subsequently did ether.
We tried another rescue place. They needed the whole family there. We all trooped over at a weekend and selected a couple of kittens. "Oh they won't be available till Tuesday." My wife said she'd pop over (45 min drive) on Tuesday to pick them up. "No, you all have to come".
It was a spectacular waste of time. We got our kittens free from a mad cat lady.
Because we had a toddler one outright refused us, despite the fact she adored our old cat and had never had a single issue with it.
Another one refued us because we live on an estate near a road, not really an issue as we were looking for a house cat.
Finally we found a lovely family run rescue who didnt have these stupid rules and we now have two cats from them .
I'm sure some of these rescues run as an ego trip for the owner.
pinchmeimdreamin said:
But have you tried clipping his claws yet ? 
We have tried every gadget we can find and Ella just curls into a ball and cries if we try to cut hers.
The only tool I found able to cut our little cavalier's claws was a pair of electricians snips. Got them out of the tool stores at work. Not sure where they are now. We have tried every gadget we can find and Ella just curls into a ball and cries if we try to cut hers.
Poor Alfie had to be put down in 2019, followed by our last cat in 2020.
Neither of us feel inclined to have another of either, although occassionally I think maybe.
Teddy is still a happy boy, living out his retirement following Tiki and Kiri about.
He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
We still feel incredibly lucky to have such a lovely polite boy. He's so gentle when taking a treat, always comes when called (better than Tiki the Springer!) and is so protective of us all, without being aggressive.
I don't think there's an aggressive bone in his body.
Brilliant, and he's obviously loving his new life. I don't think there's an aggressive bone in his body.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Teddy is still a happy boy, living out his retirement following Tiki and Kiri about.
He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
If you go to Europe regularly with him it would be worth getting him a French passport. We take ours a couple of times a year and it saves the nonsense of the export paperwork you have to complete each time you travel at £170 a time. You just need to be there for 2-3 weeks to slow time for it to process, a French address (we used the airbnb we were staying at) and €80 and she can come and go as she pleases. Our French vet had been encouraging us to do this for the past couple of visits and it was dead easy. He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Teddy is still a happy boy, living out his retirement following Tiki and Kiri about.
He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
This update gave me a genuine physical warm glow. Such an amazing story, and I'm beyond pleased that it turned out how it did.He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
4Q said:
If you go to Europe regularly with him it would be worth getting him a French passport. We take ours a couple of times a year and it saves the nonsense of the export paperwork you have to complete each time you travel at £170 a time. You just need to be there for 2-3 weeks to slow time for it to process, a French address (we used the airbnb we were staying at) and €80 and she can come and go as she pleases. Our French vet had been encouraging us to do this for the past couple of visits and it was dead easy.
If you do manage to get an EU passport for your pet, under no circumstances allow a UK vet to enter anything in itJordie Barretts sock said:
About 6kg. He was 58kg when we got him, 52kg two weeks ago.
He's loving life though. Running about everywhere. Not quite as quick as Tiki and Kiri.
Weight reduction? Typical PH mods. Bet you've had him chipped too He's loving life though. Running about everywhere. Not quite as quick as Tiki and Kiri.
Seriously, really enjoying Teddy's progress, what a great life you've given him. Kudos.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Teddy is still a happy boy, living out his retirement following Tiki and Kiri about.
He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
Love the way he's protecting the telescope that's viewing the neighbour's bedroom. He's settled incredibly well, friends with all the cats. Or perhaps despite his size, very respectful towards them.
Current position...
He's fully jabbed up with his doggy jabs at the vet. We also got him inoculated against Rabies because Teds is off to France on holiday with his girls at the end of July.
Obviously Teddy in a beret might be a step too far, but we'll give at go.
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