Thinking About Adopting an Old English Sheepdog Pup?
I just adopted a six yo Old English Sheepdog that was dropped off at a shelter by owners who no longer wanted him. To them and those who might be there in the future, I would beg you to think carefully. Old English Sheepdogs - all dogs- are a long term committment. In six years, someone decided that this one had overstayed his welcome. When you decide to take that puppy home, remember you will be his world for the next ten or twelve years - if you are very lucky. Keeping one for a year or two or six and then changing your mind is cruel, and dogs- like this one- deeply grieve the loss of their families. No puppy is cuter than an OES puppy but remember, he or she will soon grow into an OES adult dog. An OES adult often continues to act like a puppy throughout their lives, but now that puppy is in a very big body. He can be bouncing and joyful and break your chair or knock over your lamp! He can and will knock down small children or the elderly unless carefully trained and controlled and sometimes even then! Remember when you are holding that puppy that one day picking him up will be nearly impossible. See him not as he is now, but as he will be in a year and then make the decision. Fuzzy, furry ball of fluff. It makes you smile to look at him and touch him, but remember, he will grow and have more hair and that hair will be on your clothes, your furniture, sometimes in your food! He will have to be brushed and groomed on a regular basis or he will turn into a matted mess that you won't believe. Remember when you take him home with you, he will need so much more than your occasional attention and affection. On a daily basis, he will need more and more food, water, walks, brushes, toys, training, shots, surgeries. He will cost more money than you can imagine if you take care of him the way you should take care of him. He will track mud in your house, drool water on your best clothes, scatter a million Milk Bone pieces in a million directions. He can be obstinate and stubborn, sometimes he will mind and sometimes he won't, that's how they are. And every minute of every day of his life you will be responsible for making sure he is fed, he is watered, he is walked, he is sheltered he is well. Know that just as you want to shower him with love and attention and affection while he is a cute pup, he is a creature with a heart and feelings- he will expect and need that love and attention and affection from you all of his life. He will not understand when you are tired, irritated or have better things to do. He will want you and need you just the same, just as much. He will give you his whole heart without reservation and he will expect and deserve the same from you. Do not make the decision to take that puppy him quickly or without lots of thought. Think about the time, the money the effort that is required. If you have any doubts, if you have a tendency to change your mind often, if you have a habit of moving from hobby to hobby or friend to friend on a whim, I beg you to reconsider. Don't take that puppy home. If you accept all that comes with him, there is no greater joy, no more wonderful experience than sharing your life with one of these glorious, rowdy sheepies. I have never regretted a moment I have spent with any one of them, and I cannot even tell you - unless you have lived it- the pain of letting one go to the Rainbow Bridge. Old English Sheepdogs are the greatest dogs in the world- there is nothing like them. But please, make sure you know everything about them before you take one home. |
|
|
| Very well stated. |
jcc9797 wrote: Very well stated.
I agree. |
| "Keeping one for a year or two or six and then changing your mind is cruel, and dogs- like this one- deeply grieve the loss of their families."
it breaks my heart. i think of my own--she loves us so much. i think it boils down to love and commitment. |
| I agree too I also recently adopted one about a month ago. |
| The past 9 dogs have been retreads, used, throw away dogs, whatever you want to call them. The transitions to the new home are different for each dog, but when they learn they are here to stay and sense the devotion you have to them, they are truly wonderful. |
| Our basset rescue motto is similar:
Basset Buddies Rescue - 100% recycled bassets! |
| At the risk of being hated, I have to say that I can understand how and why someone might need to relinquish a pet.
Sometimes people are forced to move into a situation where they cannot have a pet, especially not a large one. Sometimes, people develop serious health issues for themselves or a member of their family. Actually, allergies do develop over time--someone can become allergic to animals and it can be more than an annoyance. My husband is deathly--and I mean deathly allergic to horses, which fortrunately, are easily avoidable. Sometimes people go through some extremely difficult times and in giving up their pet, they are truly trying to put their companion first. What if your spouse or your child were suddenly hospitalized for what might be weeks or months? You barely have time to shower, have no idea how you will manage to go to work enough hours to maintain your health insurance, much less pay your mortgage. How can you feed and walk and groom your dog? And I have a bad confession to make: I had serious doubts about whether we were the right home for Sophie. I loved her==I love her. But she had some behavioral problems that we had never seen before. I am working much longer hours than when we had last had puppies--something that I cannot change for the next several years. But my husband, who adores dogs and has high standards for how dogs should be treated, has a flexible schedule and much more time at home than I do. We had college age kids in and out of the house, as well, all experienced at raising pups, so I thought we would be set. It turns out that this wasn't really a good idea as I a much more of a disciplinarian than my husband or kids. And Sophie is the kind of dog who absolutely needs life to be NILF or she is unbearable. We have things working pretty well now, but it was really, really rough for 6 or 7 months. I believed (and still do) that Sophie would be happier as an only dog. I seriously contemplated giving her up--because I wanted what was best for her and I felt that we were not it. This despite raising other OES and dealing with special needs of our first as he became disabled. Dealing very well, I might add, during some extremely difficult times in other areas of our life. Not feeling up to the challenge of Sophie was quite a shock for me. I cannot begin to tell you how much of one. Sometimes, something in your life changes that you don't expect. Sometimes, you reach your limit and cannot handle even one more thing. I deplore how casually some people seem to acquire and discard animals as much as anyone. But if we are so judgemental and so unforgiving, how much extra courage will it take any one who finds this forum, looking to find a good home for the dog they must give up will it take? How much easier will it be for them to simply not do that but to take their OES to the nearest shelter--or worse. |
| On a similar note, here is a situation that happened early this morning. 5am this morning!
One of our foster homes in Mankato woke up to barking outside, and all her dogs started barking. The outside barking was coming from their front door. Cindy opened the door to find a basset hound TIED to her railing, with a dog food bag next to it! No note, no nothing, just the dog and his food. Kind of a crappy thing, but this person knew what they were doing. Cindy obviously loves dogs (she is a groomer) and bassets in particular. She fosters and has 3 dogs of her own (2 bassets and a beagle). So "Rocky" is our newest BBR member. He got the name, as he has had a rocky road to travel here lately. His owner tried to do the best they could for their dog. |
| Sometimes, things happen..... and it is very unforseeable. Then there are the ones that for one reason or another need to go to new homes..... Lord knows i have been in both situations...... and it doesn't make it any easier on the person having to find homes either..... i know i grieve each time i have had to rehome one of my kids.
When my ex husband and i decided to split the sheets, it was so very hard as i had literally had to start from scratch on everything.......and i had to think about the good of the dogs first....... as hard as it was on me to give them up i knew i could not take care of all of them. And i knew he wouldn't give them the time nor care this breed deserves. I also know that in today's world of HOA's, I have limits of 4 ANIMALS per house...... not just dogs......but ALL animals...... and we have one in our neighborhood that wil turn you in for anything... So I am limited in what i can have and keep to show and breed...... Then there are some that just decide they don't LIKE living in a multi dog home......which has happened to me twice now..... they were fine until they reached maturity and then they all want to be ALPHA and we all know this doesn't work. I have cried and agonized over each time i have to place a beloved member of my pack........ and there are those of you on this board that know me and have been through this with me...and i thank all of you. I think what i am trying to say is each situation needs to be taken into consideration......and not to blame anyone......until all the facts are known. Lord knows, I would love to have all my kids here forever, but with our HOA and the idiots in my neighborhood (he turned me in last year for having 14 dogs......... he was including the litter of puppies we had DUHHHHHHHHHHH like i was keeping them all!), all of the sudden being here by myself with a husband halfway around the world working for last 4 years, or dogs that just flat decide they don't LIKE living in multi dog homes........ take the time to consider all the facts before you judge someone on these situations! |
| I lost my beloved Savannah at 12 years I would have given anything to have her another 12. another 2 another 5. Sometimes folks have a valid reason for getting rid of a dog and it is indeed heartbreaking. I have worked through all kinds of behavior issues and medical needs. If someone has a child and they have behavior problems do you just re home them?. Or if the novelty wears off do you throw them out? (geeze my daughter just moved out at 28!) I do rescue work and we try to go over what a commitment a dog is and what problems may lie ahaed. Many folks cannot afford gas, medications and heat. Times are hard for a lot of people so many more animals will be surrendered probably with great sadness, but not enough time or just did not want anymore?? I have said my piece.................. |
| Just my two cents worth....
A few months back, I was contacted by a very reputable breeder needing to rehome one of her girls. I know it was very hard decision for this breeder, but in this situation, this sheepie girl wasn't happy in her multi sheepie home. My husband and I decided to have her come live with us. I'm sure this breeder cried buckets of tears on her way to our house. She just doesn't willy nilly give her sheepies away. She has put her whole heart and soul into all of her guys. We also have a 14 year old Cocker who suffers from seizures and can't take alot of extra stress, so having a 4 year old sheepie full of life and energy in the house was a change for us. It was actually a really nice change because we had lost our 10 and a half year old sheepie due to illness about 3 months prior to our new addition coming to live with us...so for years we only had 3 senior pets in the home. After a few months and without going into a whole lot of detail, it was clear that this was not a good fit for us. I take care of my elderly parents and as my dad's health has declined, my days at work were about to become 24 hours a day. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving this sheepie girl home all that time with not walks and trips to the park to play ball like we had gotten used to. My husband works very long hours too. Our old cocker didn't play with her which I also made me feel bad. So....to make a long story short...we called her breeder and told her that we could not keep her. Her breeder kept her word to us and within a few days, had found our sheepie another home that she knew would be a good fit. She was right!! We loved this sheepie with all of our hearts and it killed us to give her up....but under the circumstances, we knew we had to let her go so that she may be able to have the best chance at a wonderful long life. That was over 4 months ago and she couldn't be in a better home. She's got a whole family who love her deeply like we did/do. She is able to be alpha to her little sheepie brother...and I keep in contact with her new mommy via oes.org too so I get regular updates. I can tell you it was the best decision we made....she is truly where she needs to be. Sometimes we 'dont' have a choice in these things. Life just happens sometimes. We will have another sheepie family someday, but for now, we are going to let out senior cocker live out the rest of his life as an only child (spoiled rotten of course). 
tdelanoit (at work and not logged in) |
| Theresa, thank you for your message. Yes, Theresa took my one girl that decided she didn't like the othe girls in my home and wanted to be alpha....... I tried for over a year to work with her and it was just too much. I thought about what would be BEST for THIS girl...... and I am sorry it didn't work out with Theresa, but I know that Bella is in a great home with Wendy now..... and Nigel and all of her 2 legged family!
I will always have someone for your home Theresa when you decide your ready!! Sorry i havent been in touch..... Ali |
| I do not criticize those who have to rehome their animals for valid, beyond their control reasons. It is not those people to whom I wrote this message. It is those people- and all of you know one or two- who consider animals property, who let them go simply because they are bored or moving on to other things. It is to those people I say PLEASE think carefully about what you do.
In 2005 I went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to help with animal search and rescue. I arrived in New Orleans with two very specific beliefs: 1) all pitbulls are horrible vicious animals that I would not want to help and 2) every person that left a pet behind was beneath my contempt. In situations such as these, it is up to the universe or God to teach a lesson and show the light. And boy did that happen to me. As you might have guessed, the first dog I pulled out from under the wreckage was a pitbull. She is sweet, joyful, funny and affectionate. I fostered her through Best Friends and eventually adopted her. Her name is Nola and she is wonderful. My sheepdogs think she is their sister- a sheepie who has less hair! The second thing that happened was that I met some of the people who had left their animals behind. Many were forced by law enforcement - at gunpoint- to leave. Others thought they were coming back in a few days. I talked to many, many crying people, begging me to help find their beloved pet. Yes, there were callous individuals who left their animals behind without a thought - and I found those poor drowned animals still on their chains. But the majority were good decent people who loved their pets and were heartbroken about what had happened. My bottom line is this- I have learned never to generalize. Please know that to all of those people who have no choice, my heart goes out to you. I know that things happen beyond your control. But to the others who are not careful about their decisions, who do not weigh their actions or the consequences of their actions, I would say again. An Old English Sheepdog is the greatest dog in the world. Please think carefully - and take it seriously- before you bring that puppy home. He deserves that much from you. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|