Need a dog! General Chat

Defensive or overly defensive, it doesnt matter, she obviously has felt the need to be like that, and I can't blame her I would probably be the same.

look at my post brake fast bowl i started yesterday before i asked about dog dens in here.

i must say if this had been me as a newbie i wouldnt have bothered coming back! ther ehave been a few posts throughout this thread that have seemed pernickity on little details...i think overall melzy may be frustrated but i think she has a right to be defensive

Exactly and I think this is where it stems from, as I certainly wasn't having a go and I didn't see Malady as having a go either (again JMO) and I could have easily gotten annoyed and defensive at the comment aimed at myself and other members for mentioning how far we travelled to collect pets (and I stated by train as I do not drive either) but as you say, on the internet you can't determine the intention behind a lot of posts and they can easily be taken the wrong way, which I think has happened here on both Melzy's side and that of the members trying to help her. And this is another reason to phone a breeder rather than email them (says she still plucking up the courage to do it herself! )

I'm not picking on your grammar here Melzy (god ask some members here i've had a right ruckus over that in the past ) but if your emails to breeders are not really very well written then this could put them off replying too, and if writing in perfect English is not your strong point then it would probably be in your best interests to phone them so as they can find out what you are really like. Again, JMO.

BIt late coming to this..BUT

My tuppence worth..

Go to shows or club events etc and see the type of collie you want..Talk to the owners and find out their breeding.. Ask for contact details of the breeders of the ones you like and email them with a brief description of who you are where you are what you want a pup for etc etc.. And then follow that up with a phone call 2 or 3 days later.. This gives the breeder a chance to read about you and think about it.. Then discuss things with you on the phone..

Most breeders will want to meet you before they even put you on a puppy list.. You could maybe meet them at a local show etc so you don't have to travel too far..BUT you will have to travel..If you want a puppy that much then it won't matter that you might have to sit on a train etc for hours..

Then once you have met the breeder and they are happy with you and you are happy with them.. then you just have to wait for your puppy..

This is pretty much what I did.and I waited 18years (yes EIGHTEEN years!! for a Malamute).Met the breeder at a show in Edinburgh (after talking on the phone and emailing) Then kept in touch.. When the pups were born I was kept up to date with pics and then met them at 9wks to choose my boy..We travelled from Edinburgh to Lincolnshire (8hrs 291 miles one way) picked our boy and came home (another 8hrs and 291 miles)..

Then 3wks later we did the same trip again and brought him home..

AND I would do it again tomorrow in a heartbeat..BECAUSE he was worth waiting on and worth all the heartache and stress and travelling and waiting..

And I think there is less of a waiting list for collies than there is for Mals

She wasn't given the spanish inquesition at all She was given advice that she continually found a reason to object to ;-)

No offence taken, but my response, "It depends what your intentions are"....... meant just that, or I couldn't recommend a size etc and I got abuse for my trouble.

Anyhow, does it really matter, Melzy has had the same advice from everyone, it's now up to her if she takes it or not

I agree with you Ramble. I see Melzy as someone who has been doing the research, and has made enquiries to breeders from which has`nt been getting responses, so is frustrated about the whole thing.

Many breeders do have websites asking people to email in the first instance, and lets face it in this day and age more and more people are wary of putting phone numbers up. By asking people to email, breeders can then respond giving their phone number and importantly, times which are convenient for them to be called, as well as if they have pups available at the moment or when their next litter is planned so that people will know what`s what on that side of planning ahead.

Transport : Knowing what its like to not be near a good easy, [ and inexpensive ], public transport network, while any good breeder would probably like to meet a prospective owner before any pups are even born, when transport is an issue then the buyer would need something tangible, [ like a chance of being accepted to buy from a breeder they like the sound of ], before going on a trek to meet them.

Yes it may seem that Melzy is putting blocks in the way of suggestions, but I truly think this is just out of frustration more than anything, but instincts suggest that if there was a sniff of the right pup in any direction she would probably move heaven and Earth to meet the breeders requirements on meeting beforehand etc.

I see someone here who is trying to do all the things which we as a community wish everyone would do first, even though it can indeed be a slow process, but she has been hanging in there and getting what comes across as flack for it even though people don`t mean it that way :?

I brought up rescue as an option and mentioned Wiccaweys in particular because they do often have litters coming in, [ often with the mum ], so the age side of things could likely fit in with the sort of pup Melzy would love to have, and as many of them do come from farm / worky environments, the possibility of an activities orientated pup would be pretty high plus she would have life time back up, help, training tips etc available to her and pup throughout pups life time.

So Melzy you can blame me for `pushing` the rescue angle, because if distance were not such a problem I know you would find the `one` there sooner or later, [ as fate has a way of bringing the right match of human and dog together whether rescue or breeder source ;-) ].
Besides, I`m pro-rescue through and through so I had to drop hints, [ breeze block style ], in the hopes that a rescue may have been a possibility for you ;-)

Of everyone who has responded on this thread, how many of us have been frustrated about something or other to which friends, family or whoever have suggested a solution and we`ve gone `yes but...` to the point that whoever is trying to help is tearing their hair out at negative response to everything they suggest - come on, hands up - there won`t be many of us who have`nt created obstacles just because we were blinded by frustration, feeling a bit bombarded, and ending up snappy about it

So how about we just be there to lean on when she feels she is`nt getting anywhere and needs to blow off some steam in between Melzy being able to go through the posts more positively to find solutions among the great advice given to things she may not feel are so easy to overcome at the moment plus following up any details which have been pm`d to her - and Melzy, give them time to respond ;-)

Lets all please give credit where its due - it would be the easiest thing in the world for Melzy to just go `s*d it, where`s the free ads section in the paper` - but she is`nt doing that, she is planning ahead, asking questions, and looking at all option`s as best she can, [ including things she feels are insurmountable in the moment because they are not things she has had need to deal with before, I would guess ? ], - would we as a community want any potential owner to do it any other way ?

Brilliiant post Patch.

I just wanted to add about the travelling thing. WE were limited on travelling because of our son. I found the most wonderful litter of pups with a lovely, lovely breeder, but it would have taken us 5 hours to get there and 5 hours back and we wouldn't have been able to stay over because of dog commitments. The 5 hours was regardless of how we travelled, I researched flying, train etc. I decided that was too far to ask my son to go as he gets travel sick. Leaving him home wasn't an option as this was supposed ot be his puppy.
WE were lucky though as the breeder totally understood but pointed us in the direction of her best doggy friend and bingo! 2 hours away.
Had we been getting the dog to show or do soemthing specific with then yes, we may have travelled further afield, but as it was we wanted a dog for my son so...
We actually ended up with a pup from a breeder I had spotted but didn't think would be breeding anymore!

Great post

i think they are defensive post tbh, Defensive & frustrated.

fabby post patch!!!! thats exactly how i see Melzy,

Hi Guys, as this thread is going around in circles, perhaps it would be better if Melzy can give us a breakdown of what she has taken on board from it, what she has done to date, and what she is planning on doing from now - before anyone else replies.

Once she does that you may continue to post your opinions.

Thanks.

Melzy, remember people are just posting their opinions based on their own experiences and what they themselves have learnt. Of course you are free to pick and choose which opinions you take on board (if any) - but it would be interesting to know what you are planning on doing next before the thread proceeds, otherwise people may be replying to an outdated scenario.

Please also check out these guides:

Dog Ownership

The difference between 'good' and 'bad' Dog Breeders

And the rest of our guides: http://www.dogsey.com/quick-start-guides.htm

Well once bitten twice shy.you can close this thread.thanks for all the advice but i dont want people to fall out just cause of me. sorry for the trouble:-(

I am still confused that you are putting up your own barriers..

You asked me if dogs are allowed on trains..I said yes..and that if you were bringing a puppy up you could crate it..

Then you replied saying "and what about toileting"..

All these things would just be worked out if I wanted a puppy so badly..

You are confusing me with your want/need for a pup and then putting barriers up at every solution

Its not a barrier its a question

i askd a question and you answerd it by pm, Then you post this,im confused now.And if people didnt ask questions they wouldnt be able to work things out.

I am sure Melzy is taking on board the good advice that is being given. By asking questions is the way to learn. I don't class that as putting up barriers. Melzy is asking questions so that she has it right when she gets her pup, after all melzy could be like many people getting a pup, just go out and buy one without any thought. I think Melzy is putting a lot of thought into it and trying to learn more by asking questions. What else is she supposed to do?

Do some research on the Internet (there are thousands of sites for puppy toileting, behaviour, training etc etc)
Buy some books to read (Either on the above or the chosen breed)
Call breeders

I could list lots more, but I have no doubt there will be problems with those too !

There are tonnes of resources to gain info from, and although asking questions on 'a' forum is a good way to gain opinions, most people would rather do their own research too, read up on certain things, and try to cover the basics.

Maybe Melzy didn't toilet train her previous dog, maybe someone else did, we don't know, but I personally would like to have certain things to hand in writing, like info printed off the internet or books, so that you can refer back to things too

Oh my god!! i ment what happens if your dog needs a pee on the train,how dare you think i didnt toilet train my dog and some one else mite have shock: i know how to look after a dog,ive been doing it for 21 years ive just never got a peddigree from a breeder or travled a long distance with a dog.

But isn't that what Melzy is doing by asking questions on dogsey. I have learned a lot through this site and I have owned dogs for 30+ years. It is nice to find out peoples personal experiences and problems with their dogs. And just see how people sort out their dog problems. This is a great site for learning. It seems with some people whatever Melzy does is wrong, well that's the way it comes across to me anyway.