?

Should we get the dog?

  1. Yes

    2 vote(s)
    50.0%
  2. No, buy another JRT

    2 vote(s)
    50.0%
  1. Kratos

    Kratos New Member

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    Dog Help

    Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by Kratos, Sep 11, 2008.

    My family has never owned a dog before, but on the way home from school, we noticed a sign selling Jack Russell Terrier puppies (13-weeks old) for $300. Today we went in and looked at them and met their owners, who seemed very experienced with dogs and very caring. We saw one in particular that we liked. However, my father doesn't really want to get a JRT, and printed out a list of reasons not to get one. My family knows that it will require a lot of hard work and discipline, and we think we can handle it. We will exercise the dog often, and my mom doesn't work, so it won't be alone. We have "held" the dog until we bring my dad to meet the family and the dog tomorrow evening. I've read a lot about how JRTs are bad for first time owners.

    So, what are your opinions on this. Should we get the dog or not?

    Thanks
    -Kratos
     
  2. NaCl

    NaCl Contributor Contributor

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    JRT's are high maintenance dogs. They require lots of attention and become destructive if ignored. Go to the local dog pound and "rescue" a mixed breed mutt. It will be much better for both you and the dog.
     
  3. Kratos

    Kratos New Member

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    I meant to add another option to the poll, "don't get a JRT."
     
  4. lordofhats

    lordofhats New Member

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    I'm gonna agree with NaCl. I don't know much about dogs (cat person) but I do know that my friends had a JRT and it was indeed a very high maintainance dog. Didn't strike me as one for beginners. Plus, the puppies aren't going to have a problem finding a home. Puppies are easy to get homes for, even for $300.

    My family has always taken in strays or gotten our animals from a pound. Its much harder for these animals to get a home and if they aren't adopted in a certain amount of time, some shelters put them down.
     
  5. Solaris

    Solaris Active Member

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    Hm.
    Well it is up to you and your family when it comes down to it of course.
    But my ex-best friend had a couple of JRT's and I have to say they wouldn't be my first choice. Very yappy and like the others said - high maintenance.
    It just depends on your lifestyle and the type of dog that fits into it.
     
  6. ValianceInEnd

    ValianceInEnd Active Member

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    My recommendation: Don't buy a dog.

    Go to the pound or local rescue shelter and look for a dog there. Most of them are sweet animals who just weren't given a chance. My family has always only owned rescue animals or strays that wound up on our street. Mutts especially are some of the healthiest and most fun dogs I've ever had. I would try and avoid those expensive pure breeds at all costs.
     
  7. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    I'd say if it's a question for you, the answer is probably no.

    Dogs require attention to be healthy and happy. Cats do well with independence, but dogs need someone who will commit to be their companion.

    I love dogs, but I won't own one simply because it would be alone too much of the time due to my work schedule. It wouldn't be fair to the dog.
     
  8. Scarecrow28

    Scarecrow28 New Member

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    I agree with the idea of going to the pound and rescuing one.
     
  9. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    if your dad is against the idea, i say DON'T!... everyone needs to be on board for this dog to have a decent life with you... and the cost is considerable, so if the major breadwinner isn't happy with it, why guarantee failure?
     
  10. ILTBY

    ILTBY Contributor Contributor

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    No, but not for the reasons everyone else gave. The people selling these dogs are backyard breeders (BYBs), or people who have had an accidental litter and are trying to make a quick buck from it. It is incredibly unlikely the dogs have been health tested or scored and there's no way to know what their pedigree is like. Aside from your dad not wanting one being a problem, you may end up with a very unhealthy dog or one with a lot of behavioural issues or one that's not even pure - the list of potential problems goes on.

    So my reason for saying no is that the less people that support BYBs and puppy mills, the better :)

    ETA: Valiance's idea is brilliant, rather than helping out some greedy, careless people, help out one of the thousands of dogs that are dumped each year :) There's nothing quite like rescuing a dog!
     
  11. EyezForYou

    EyezForYou Active Member

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    I think the best thing for you to do is watch the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic.

    You will know everything about dogs and what they need to be stable companions.
     
  12. Kratos

    Kratos New Member

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    Well, I misinterpreted my dad. He is for it, but wanted us to know would it would take. And this is the dog's parent's four litter, so the people know what they're doing. We are going to get the dog vaccinated, and we've been following the advice of our vet friends. However wary I may be about the whole thing, it seems I'm outnumbered...
     
  13. ILTBY

    ILTBY Contributor Contributor

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    People selling their dogs via a hand-made sign on a street corner for $300 do not know what they are doing. As I said in my earlier post, these people are backyard breeders, they most likely do not care about their dogs and they aren't doing the right thing by them. There is so, so much more to breeding than simply having had more than one litter - you need to understand genetics, you need to understand health testing, you need to understand what's right for your dogs, you need to understand why they should be pedigreed. Backyard breeders do not health test, they do not paper their dogs, they do not understand their dogs' pedigree, very few care about the homes they send them to.

    Please, please consider what I'm saying and think about learning a little more about dogs and/or breeding and maybe getting one from a pound or rescue.

    In buying from a backyard breeder or puppymill, you're simply contributing to the amount of dogs that are in pounds and being put to sleep each year because homes can't be found for them.

    ETA: Please check out this link, too- http://www.saynotoanimalsinpetshops.com/

    Backyard breeders supply all pet store cats and dogs.
     
  14. Banzai

    Banzai One-time Mod, but on the road to recovery Contributor

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    ILTBY knows what she's talking about. And just because someone has done something before, doesn't mean they know what they are talking about.
     
  15. lordofhats

    lordofhats New Member

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    This is why people need to fix their pets (Unless you want them to have babies for the purposes of breeding). You know the stereotypical old cat lady? Well thats because the lady doesn't get her cats fixed so they multiple just shy of a pair of frisky bunnies.

    If you don't want any surprises, I suggest you fix your animal if it hasn't been already. There's few things more baffling in the pet world than having your dog spring forth four or five more seemingly from no where (And its quite common for pet owners not to know their pet is carrying until the litter is born).
     
  16. Banzai

    Banzai One-time Mod, but on the road to recovery Contributor

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    That's why schools teach biology, to avoid nasty surprises like that.
     
  17. lordofhats

    lordofhats New Member

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    lol XD
     
  18. Kratos

    Kratos New Member

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    Well, we're getting it. Our friends, who are millionaire vets (yeah, its fun to go to their house) talked to the family, and say they definetly know what they are doing. They're not selling them to make a quick buck, but because they actually care about their dogs. These people live for dogs. We will be giving the dog all its shots and other stuff, and we've talked to friends who have JRTs. We're not going into this blindly, and we reasearched and the family seems to love dogs and wants a happy home for each. They have a site where they frequently check up on the dogs they sell, and they have taken back a dog that was sold to a family that didn't treat it well. They even told us how they refuse to sell dogs until they are 10 weeks old, because any younger is actually against the law where I live.

    Thanks for the feedback.
     
  19. ILTBY

    ILTBY Contributor Contributor

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    Okay. Good luck with it.
     
  20. ciavyn

    ciavyn New Member

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    Good luck with your new puppy. Contrary to the "avoid the JRT" opinions, ;) I think you'll find there is a lot to love about the little rascals. They are a handful, but they have lots of personality, and can be very sweet if trained properly. Just remember: 2 year old ADHD child hyped up on too much chocolate and soda - that's the Jack!
     

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