Having the worst time with finding Juno a friend

[Juno]

I'm starting to get disgruntled these days. I want to get Juno a friend, but no more puppies. I'm done with that stage, the peeing in the house, destroying stuff and the teething, but I kind of wanted a show dog. I've given that up though... since I really don't need a show dog... and since I'm a student I don't think I'll have time.

So despite the fact that I didn't want to adopt, I've been looking on petfinder for adoptable dogs.

I hate the idea of adopting from a kennel, because they barely know anything about those dogs. I don't want to bring home a dog and have it completely destroy the house and kill the cat. I know some huskies tend to be rough with cats, because Juno is, but I can't take viscous cat killers. I want a dog that is house trained and potty trained, but they don't always know if they are at the kennel, and I don't like to take chances. They also don't know if there are certain triggers that set them off, because they don't spend any time with them. But I decided to call up the Doc Williams SPCA and ask them about a beautiful husky they had in the kennel. I wanted to know if she was still available, and if she could tell me anything about her.

What did the lady say? "I don't know if we still have her, I'm in the office right now. You will have to come look for yourself."

The drive to the SPCA is 35 minutes. In like 3 minutes, she could have checked herself to see if the dog was even there so I don't waste my time. This isn't a car lot from some sleazy salesmen. I'm not going to go there and end up adopting some dog I wasn't really even interested in, so forget them.

So I found the southern Siberian husky rescue on petfinder, and I fell in love with one dog that is absolutely perfect. She's about Juno's age, and beautiful.

She's perfect. Everything I've been looking for. She's potty trained and house broken. She's young--around Juno's age, and has Juno's look. Her energy level is medium, same as Juno, and she's a small female, about 45lbs. She's good with dogs, but never been tested with cats, but that's fine, since our cat is outside anyway. The rescue is 4 hours away, but she's worth traveling for.

So I tried calling them, and they didn't answer. I left a message and so far I've heard nothing. That was 9-10 hours ago. I emailed them, and no reply. I even went so far as to fill out an adoption application, and so far nothing. I fear she's already been adopted, and if so, I'm going to be heartbroken. The issue I've been running into with rescues is that they're too picky!

A nearby rescue has a beautiful emaciated husky that I would love to adopt, but when it came to agreeing on a place for me to meet him, they only wanted to meet me at an adoptathon, and that was only if I filled out an application. They're supposedly located in my town, but the adoptahon was 45 minutes away from me, as is the foster mom! They would much rather adopt out an animal to a random stranger on the street than to actually meet me at a dog park or something to see if my dogs get along with it. This dog has been with them for almost a year, and now I see why.

I'm just so fed up right now.

[LittleLuka]

No offense but it takes rescues more than a day to get back to someone. You have to understand that these are normal people with jobs usually doing this for the love of animals.

If you're really interested they will give you a call back. It took over a week for our local husky rescue to contact me.

[LittleLuka]

And you also have to understand that they have every reason to be picky and require an application. They've sank teir time, money, and love into these animals. I'm friends with a few local dog rescues and their main concern is that the dog doesn't end up back in the condition that they found it or worse back in a shelter.

Not saying you would just trying to explain it to you before you jump the gun.

Obviously you're interested in a companion but I hope you've taken the time and planned what it will mean to add a second dog. You can't expect it to be roses from day one... Realistically it can take weeks or months for both dogs to develop a healthy relationship. Ask anyone on here who has adopted.

Sorry if I sound harsh, don't mean to, just my opinion.

[ponder85]

Take a step back, and don't try to rush it. I honestly feel like I made that mistake with my gsd. Don't get me wrong, she's great, but if I had it to do over again, I'd have taken some more time and been more selective.

when we got our third dog, Akira, I had been wanting a female sibe, and my wonderful lil girl basically fell into my lap. My OH's brother's ex had bought her, and realized that as a single twenty yr old living in an apt, she couldn't take care of Akira. Typical cute husky buyer that didn't know anything about the breed. We were able to even take her on a wk long "trial basis" to make sure she worked out with our other dogs. It's been great.

oh. Our first dog, Troy (older sibe) was a rescue from a local pound. Good with the cat, house trained, loving as he can be, loves to play. He came in as a stray, no tags, no chip. I'll forever never understand why someone wasn't busting their ass trying to find the little guy, but we are happy as hell he is part of our pack.

cliffs notes, don't rush it like I did in one case, and good dogs can be had from the pound.

[ponder85]

Oh. Have you tried Craigslist?

[Elyse]

I agree with the others; don't rush it! You'll find the right one in due time.

Suka was a rescue, and he's also my first dog and the BEST thing that could have happened to me. He's the perfect dog, so well behaved. He was given up both times because the owners had to move away, not because of anything he did.

I've also volunteered at shelters, I know what its like. A lot of people don't seem to understand that, at a shelter, the animals' needs come first before any adoptions. They are picky about their adoptees because, if the rescue is worth their salt, they care about the animals and don't want them to be back at the shelter a week later or find them dead somewhere.

If I would have adopted the first dog I fell in love with (Charlie, a white GSD), I wouldn't have gotten Suka. And that would have been a HUGE mistake for a first time dog owner - Suka is so calm, gentle, and laid back...a perfect introduction to the dog world. Couldn't have asked for a better first dog!

So, moral of the story: These things take time. Don't expect the first dog to work out; the right one will find you.

Anyways, I wish you luck in your search. Remember to give shelters some slack, almost all of them are non-profit...so this means the staff are mostly volunteers or they are paid very low wages, and given the amount of dogs and animals that come in to them on a daily basis, they have their hands full just keeping up with all of the daily jobs that are required.

[Emma]

I suspect this frustration is likely an accumulation of recent events building up and reaching breaking point now, rather than a true anger with the adoption centre. Remember it's Xmas time, the busiest time of year by miles for people chucking out unwanted pets. They will be very busy and offices will be closing down for a couple weeks. My advice is to log an interest with all centres that take your fancy and then sit back, do absolutely nothing, and enjoy your Christmas! put it out of your mind for a bit and have some fun! You can always call back in January if you are still interested, I doubt much adoption will take place over the next 2 weeks anyway, to be honest.

Have a great Xmas and new year! X x x

[Jossephine]

Have you contacted any breeders of huskys many of them will have ex breeding dogs or young dogs that was kept for show but later was fund to not be good for that purpose and some times when people that got a puppy changing ther mind the breeder will take it back and then be more and happy to eider sell or adopt that dog out to a good home good luck with you search