houndzrus Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 i feel bad for saying it but yes i am sure. i will be the main carer and i just could not cope with a big dog. Greyhounds are small dogs in disguise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Are you on freecycle in your area? I've got a crate from them (I don't use it but keep it incase I have emergency vistors as has been known ) I'd certainly not close your mind to a type of dog...I'm a big scruffy dog lover and that was all I was having...see my signature to see that I've only yet managed to get 1 big scruffy dog!! When you see the dog you'll just know that its the one for you. (Oh and I do have to say this being a staffy cross addict...staffies make the bestest bestest family members...you'll never need a hot water bottle again and most of them are perfectly happy to sleep all day and only go for a walk when you are ready!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_angel Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 this is the thing i am not sure we are ready, i don't even own a food bowl! I wouldnt panic we didnt have anything ready when we were homechecked for Louie but we had a list of things we would get, knew which vet we would use and had made sure the house was as puppyproof as possible. It did help having a housebunny who it already had been proofed for. good luck in finding your doglet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 i feel bad for saying it but yes i am sure. i will be the main carer and i just could not cope with a big dog.i was thinking of ordering online so i don't have to go out and get it (praise be the net) Don't feel bad - there is nothing wrong with deciding what you want and can handle, and sticking to it. I just meant that of course you do need to be fairly sure what size of dog you are going for before you start buying stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 please don't take this the wrong way but you don't sound ready for a dog yet. If I was you I would settle in to my new house first,get that sorted and wait till everything calms down and you get into a routine, get the floor sorted and find out where you want the dog to sleep and then find your dog.I hope this doesn't sound rude but I wouldn't let one of mine go to a home where they hadn't settled in properly and were completely ready. As wa said before, bowls etc can be bought on the day you pick up your dog but you need to have a stable,calm home ready. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 We had absolutely nothing when we got our first. We didn't expect to bring her home that day, and she came back with us on a baler twine lead and had an old sofa cushion for a bed. Mind you, she didn't come from a rescue, she had been rescued by some friends. It's an idea to look out for a crate in advance as there are usually special offers around. Other than that, wait until you are settled into the new house. You can't tell how a house will work for you and how you need to arrange things until you have been living in it for a bit. I wouldn't rule out a medium dog. There are some nice steady ones around, you never know, you might be smitten with something a tad bigger than a cav. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zico's mum Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Don't worry too much about what items you need to buy,once you've found the right dog then think about picking up things. When homechecking I don't look too closely at the type of bed provided,what's far more important is that the dog has a space to call it's own (if it's needed,not all dogs do) so live in your home for a bit,find a cosy corner where a bed/crate will fit in and you can live round because they do take up space. Everything else you can get later.Home checks are nearly always done for a specific dog as well (fostering being an obvious exception) so that will usually happen after you've found a potential newcomer. I'm another who needs a small dog - cannot control a large dog because of neck problems so I don't find that odd. (Border Terriers are a good size ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciren Posted April 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 i do feel happier this morning. i appreciate all the help. i think i am just winding myself up because this mean so much to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misty3202 Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Some cavs are energetic too you know ;). Mind you, they are very adaptable. I adore them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 There's no reason in the world why you should listen to me but my two pennies This is your first dog and you have obviously put a lot of thought and planning and patience into the decision. It sounds like you have looked at different breeds and and made a breed choice based on the typical characteristics/size. All I would say to you is please do not be blinded by breed. If you want a small size for ease of control then don't close your mind to larger sized dogs who are actually generally calm and easy to handle. If you want a small dog for ease of living space/personal preference then fine Don't just look for a particular breed though. THE most important factors, especially for a first dog, have got to be temperament and suitability to your lifestyle and needs. That dog may not be any particular breed but would be overlooked if you narrowed your search before even beginning. There aren't that many cav's in rescue and they may have characteristics/issues beyond the typical standard (as with all dogs). Just be more open minded is all I'm saying and do stick to your guns about temperament and needs, just not necessarily the wrapping they come in. I really hope that reads as it was meant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoopyLurcher Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 You can pick up really good dog bedding from jumble sales (quilts, blankets, towels etc) altho my 3 generally occupy the sofa but I should wait until you've settled in and have found 'your' dog before you rush out and start spending as you may find what you've bought is unsuitable. Altho I expect the rescue you find your doglet in won't mind if you end up donating it to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciren Posted April 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 its alright i do understand. its what i came on the site for. i need to ehar the view from lots of dog owners to make sure i do the right thing for them the first time. its not just temperament i want a cav for, its the size. i think greyhounds are lovely but they do need alot of exersice and i am not sure i would be able to give enough on a regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Some small breeds need more exercise than some larger breeds. Don't be fooled by the size of a dog. What kind of temperament do you want? Also some small dogs can pull like a train onlead and can be very strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoopyLurcher Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Greyhounds & Lurchers really don't need a lot of exercise and mine are happy with about an hour a day or 2 at the weekends when I have more time. If they have their walk offlead they chase around at Mach 5 and then spend the next 23 hours asleep! They can also curl up very small Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciren Posted April 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 ok i hate stero typing but don't lurchers and greyhounds have a thing about small furries? everywhere i read seems to say that. temperament likes cuddles but playful i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts