Most of my cats have been rescued from off of the streets, though not all of them.

The thing I don't like about trying to adopt from a shelter is the screening process. Who are they to tell me whether my home is a good fit or not for the cat they are trying to adopt out? Yes, I need to know if the cat has special needs and I would know whether or not I can handle those needs. Other than that, there's nothing they need to ask about. An older person in the home that might trip over the cat? Yes, same as the younger ones might.

I'm sure if I went in to the shelter and wanted to adopt a litter of kittens to live in my barn, I would be completely rejected. I have several hundred dollars worth of barn cats because they are all spayed and neutered. They get plenty of food, water and as much loving as I have time for. They are sleek and beautiful and the picture of health because I provide them with the best of care. I have no mice or rats and they are a great asset. But they live in my hayloft with about 200 bales of old hay which stays there just for them and I'm sure that would not be acceptable.

Hey! I saw beagles moved up to the number 3 spot. Wow, you know, a lot of people get a dog knowing squat about the breed, then get upset when the dog doesn't "fit" into their lifestyle. Like keeping a sporting breed in a small apartment while they're at work all day--wrong!

I have 9 dogs: 4 beagles and 5 pointers. I have three acres for them to run nuts on. They were meant to run and hunt. (I don't hunt, they do). It's like their own dog park.

Some are rescues, some were just mismatched owners, one belongs to my neighbor and just moved in!

I had one of those once!He was a Great Pyrenees that they bought at six weeks and had no idea he was going to be big, Duh! THey left him out day and night so I just took out a couple pickets and let him come over. He would "knock" on the patio door to come in.

Now that's totally not doing your homework! Isn't the Great Pyrenees the largest breed, or is it the Irish wolfhound?

My nephew got a Great Dane puppy because he thought being large he'd be a fierce watchdog. I told him Danes are nothing more than overgrown lapdogs. He was so mad ! Forunately he gave it away to someone who really like Danes. Then he got a mastiff, but didn't realize how much they slobbered. I told him to call me next time he wanted to get a dog, but I doubt he will.

I am torn between rescue and reputable breeders. Some of us really Love a particular breed as to looks, character etc. What many people don't know is the more popular the breed, ours is now number 16, the more people are going to breed them to make money. Because of this I wouldn't dare to rescue one as they can have some serious temperament problems. So, for our Siberian Husky, we found a very reputable breeder and paid the price. We have a beautiful, balanced and sweet girl as a result. Feeling somewhat guilty, we rescued an Australian Kelpie a couple of years later and lived through two nightmarish years of her peeing gallons throughout the house...she could go from the front door clear to the back door, not to mention the bed or couch. This behavior would occur if we looked at her or called her to us. Several times I thought I couldn't stand it anymore but then couldn't bring myself to have a young and healthy dog euthanized. The Sibe is almost nine and the Kelpie is seven. Both are doing well and the hell was worth going through and we love both of them dearly. So there you have it, an upside and a downside....that finally went up! I do wish there were much stricter rules for breeders as that would cut down on much of the indiscriminate breeding that goes on. Just my two cents....

I used to have two Great Danes and they slobbered as good as anything going, believe me !!

They certainly were good "guard" dogs though ....

Yes, they were friendly to anyone we were friendly towards - but woe betide any burglars who ventured onto our property.
They might get in but they certainly wouldn't get out

Our neighbors have kept Great Danes for years, Mad, and they are definitely good watch dogs, so good that they don't know the boundaries and have threatened us on many occasions on our own property, lol!

And then there are Goldens, so friendly they'll help the burglar carry the family silver home with him.

Jk, Goldens...Ouch, down!

Gil.

I finally got permission from my neighbors to take their pointer who moved in with me to the vet. Good news, he's heartworm negative! I was worried about that.

Funny, he was totally calm at the vet, so I'm sure he's never been to one, even though he's 9. They're breeders, so they almost never use the vet, including for vaccines. They always doctored the dogs themselves. I don't know if that's usual practice...

It is a common practice for breeders to give the puppies their vaccinations. They still need a vet, but for routine vaccines that do not require a pre-test, you may most certainly do that.

That was very nice of you to take the dog in.

Ana

In our state, only vets can give rabies vaccine. At least that's what my vet told me. Do you know if that varies from state to state?

Rabies is different because you need a tag in most states for the dog to show he got it. Therefore that is one vaccine that you cannot do yourself.

You can see a list here of those you can do yourself.

Ana

Thank you, princess.

I haven't been called that since my first husband.