Help. Dog rescues

[candipooh]

I don't need any flamming because I already feel terrible about this.


I need some help. Almost 2 years ago we moved into our first home. My husband had been wanting this certain dog for a very long time. We never lived in a situation that would allow us to have a dog. We finally had a good dog situation. Our own home, and a large fenced in yard. My husband recycled copper and soda cans for months and months to save up for this dog. I didn't feel all too great about it because 1) I don't think we should spend lots of money of pure breed dogs when there is pets in shleters that need homes and 2) because i was nervous that I would be the one that ended up taking care of HIS pet, I have my hands full enough with 3 kids

He got his dog. A German Shorthaired Pointer. A beautiful dog! A dog with petagree. AKC the hole 9 yards. I ordred my dh a bunch of books about the breed so we could "do it right" I was right. I am the one taking care of the dog. (who dh named Copper after the copper he recycled to buy him) If you know anything about the breed then you will know that they are NOT easy to take care of. Hypper is too easy of a term to describe this breed.

Dh spent the first few weeks training and working with him but the newness wore off. He doesn't spend any time with him. Copper lives in the back yard. He is way too hypper to let the kids play with him for very long so he is so loanly. We got a freecycle dog to keep him company but the freecycle dog hates him because he is too hypper. Copper is sad. He is loanly. We can not let him in the house or he will distoy the place. The freecycle dog lives mostly indoors.

The short (too late) and long of it is that dh has finally decided that he is not a good dog owner and that Copper would be much happier if he had another home. At first he wanted to sell him. Sure the money would be nice but I do not want him in another sad home just because the ownder had a few hundred dollars to spend. I finally talked dh into a rescue. I know that they are very careful about who gets the dogs.

My problem is that I have no idea how to go about it. I am nervous about calling a rescue because I am so embarrised about what we have done. believe me. I am crying as I type this. Dog rescues are around because of people like me.

Most of the sites I have been too for GSP rescues are for "if you want to adopt" not "if you have a dog that needs to be rescued"

I don't know where to go or what to do. Please help me without making me feel worce than I already do. I am nervous about posting this but if I do nothing then this poor dog will remain unhappy and alone.

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

have you checked petfinder?

[Oh the Irony]

you are doing the right thing. if you do a search on the breed and rescue orgs, you might find something. i'll go check.

[polka123]

Well, Call all the GSP rescues you found & explain the situation.
yup, Hunting dogs can be a tad hyper :LOL - they gotta find their prey, gotta, go, gotta go.. :LOL
ummm, well, You will have to understand if you get a bad vibe & expect it from any rescue but I think it's your best bet.
you don't want the dog to end up in a kill shelter, I;m sure.
Can you offer a donation if a rescue takes in the dog?
we all need lots of dog food, donations for Vet bills, etc.

You sound really torn up about this ((hug)) & it's honorable & caring of you to realize that the sentenced to the backyard is not great either, the pup will just get more destructive left alone.
did you look on www.petfinder.com
or www.akc.org for other GSP clubs in your state/area?

[Oh the Irony]

http://www.gsprescue.org/

and i think doing this, rather than selling the dog shows your intentions are honorable. i would tell them exactly what you just posted.

[candipooh]

Originally Posted by wolfmama

you are doing the right thing. if you do a search on the breed and rescue orgs, you might find something. i'll go check.

I found lots of rescues in California but nothing was said about my situation. It looks like they rescus dogs from shelters and then help them find homes.




petfinder? I will check it out.

At one time dh said "just freecycle him" NO WAY!!!!!

[Oh the Irony]

candipooh, we might have cross posted. my quick read said of the link mentioned that if circumstances change they will take the dog out of a private home...worth asking.

[polka123]

as I said.... call the rescues & talk to them !!!
you might hit a few good contacts

[Celtain]

You are doing the right thing. You are putting the dog first. Hugs to you mama.

[candipooh]

Originally Posted by wolfmama

http://www.gsprescue.org/

and i think doing this, rather than selling the dog shows your intentions are honorable. i would tell them exactly what you just posted.

This looks like a great site. Thank you thank you!!!!!!

[Attila the Honey]

I've done alot of animal rescue work and I would never think poorly of someone like you. You wanted a dog but it isn't working out. That doesn't make you a bad person!

The people that would tick me off were the ones that would call and say, "I have this dog here that I can't keep..." and instead of doing anything to help me out a little (like wait until I place a dog before taking theirs) they would threaten to dump the dog someplace if I didn't take it immediately. It happened ALOT, and I got really sick of being emotionally blackmailed like that.

Anyhow, before immediately turning to a rescue org (most of which are overburdened as it is), couldn't YOU try to find a home? You could place an ad for a good home and then interview and check references. Make it a stipulation that you can visit the dog at any time. That's really all the ppl in our animal rescue org. did, it wasn't that hard! It sounds like even though you need to find another home for the dog it's not pressing that it's done ASAP, so you could take the time needed to really find the best home for Copper.

You could do it so much better than any rescue organization, because they won't know him like you do.

If you do decide to go with calling a rescue org. I agree that it's only fair to pony up some $$$ to help defray their costs.

Good luck! I know you feel badly about this, but try not to waste energy on guilt. There is a solution out there that will be good for your family, Copper AND for a new family.

[Dar]

IME, most breed rescues are willing to list your dog on their site while he stays with you... it's a lot easier for them if you're still taking care of the dog, so they don't have to worry about his care.

If you wanted to sell him, you could check out the home as carefully as you wanted - you can make the rules. I would think that someone willing to pay a few hundred dollars for a dog would be someone who would take good care of him, but maybe that's just me.

I wish we could take him... I love GSPs.

dar

[Dragonfly]

California GSP Rescue

They say they take dogs from any situation.


You might also contact the California Breed Club and see if someone there can help you:

http://pws.prserv.net/usinet.mtkress/Contacts.htm




I can understand feeling embarrassed. The important thing to remember is that you are trying to do what's right for him now. He deserves a second chance. Personally, I'd be hesitant to sell a dog like a GSP myself unless I had an excellent understanding of the breed and felt like I knew exactly what to look for in a person. I'd also only do it myself if I was prepared to demand that the new person bring him back to me if they couldn't keep him. I'd be worried about the next person passing him along to someone else or dropping him in a shelter.

[Black Orchid]

Don't be embarassed. The people who resuce breed-sepcifically are prepared to handle the dog. They want that type of dog and have a home that is ready for them. My ILs rescue Scottish Terriers. They have never, ever made someone feel bad for wanting to give theirs up! In fact, just the opposite- they are glad because they love the breed and want the dogs no matter what the age/situation.

[candipooh]

You ladies are the best! Keep the ideas comming.

I am feeling much better.

[Milky Way]

I second the idea of calling the rescue anyway. The other option which has also been mentioned is to ask to have the dog listed on their site. I am a foster home for a rescue and can tell you the folks in rescue are well versed on the traits of the breed no matter what they are and no matter what the dogs like. The rescue has seen it all from dogs who have had their own caretakers to dogs never been cared for, trust me. Don't be embaressed either. Some tips to help are: please be sure the dog is vetted and up to date on all of it's shots, make sure it's nails are trimmmed etc...

The other option if the dog is AKC, up to breeding standards and unneutered see if another breeder may be interested. Or go back to the original breeder you got the dog from maybe she/he knows someone interested.

Doing the right thing is not always the easiest. Thanks for looking for some advice please keep us updated and feel free to PM me if you need to.

[shannon0218]

I'll third the recomendation of calling the breed rescue and offering to foster the dog while they find him a new home. The reason I'd discourage looking for a home yourself for this dog is that you are bound to be contacted by people who like your dh just don't know what's involved in keeping a GSHP and it's going to be hard for you to decide whether they know enough to know what they are getting into. People contacting a GSHP rescue will hopefully have done some research first and the rescue workers know the questions to ask to give some insurance of a good home for him.

I think by fostering the dog yourself and offering a small donation to the rescue org. you are being responsible to this dog.
Good luck!

[elmh23]

When we had to get rid of our cat (dh was allergic to him and he needed a lot of attention I wouldn't be able to give him with the baby) I called a rescue group I found at www.petfinder.com I wanted to make sure he went to a no-kill place. I gave Whitman (the cat) up in August and he stayed in a foster home until September.

I think you are doing the right thing for Copper. Good luck!

[MamaAllNatural]

Can you post pictures of him and give a little more info.? Has he ever shown any signs of aggression (even food or toy aggression)? Does he get along with other dogs (does he play to rough or scare them)? How old is he exactly? Is he potty trained? Can he handle car rides (does he enjoy them)? Up to date on his shots? How much does he weigh?

We might be moving to a bigger house in the next month or two and I'd like to get another dog. I'm pretty confident in my ability to train dogs so I'm not too terribly worried about the other stuff. I don't think we're too far from you actually (a few hours I think).

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by Milky Way

The other option if the dog is AKC, up to breeding standards and unneutered see if another breeder may be interested. Or go back to the original breeder you got the dog from maybe she/he knows someone interested. [/b]

Please do not do this. If your dog wasn't sold on a limited registration or with the responsibility to be shown to his championship or titled for hunting, it's more likely than not that he should not be bred (because he definitely didn't come from a responsible breeder). And if he did come from a responsible breeder, your contract should have a clause that states you're obliged to give him back to his breeder if you can't keep him.