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Adopting a dog... where to start

Discussion in 'General Chat Forum' started by typicalfamilyoffour, Dec 3, 2012.

  1. typicalfamilyoffour

    typicalfamilyoffour New Member

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    We are considering adding a new member to our family and overwhelmed by the choices. We had planned on visiting a local shelter and adopting a dog but have been told to check out rescue organizations as well.

    Our son was allergy tested and reacted to pet dander. Several friends have recommended various breeds which are less likely to cause allergic reactions. We assume these dogs shed less. We've read that this is innaccurate as each person's allergies can be unique and their reactions can vary with each individual animal. We are going to visit his allergist again to get some advice.

    Any advice from parents who've been through this would be greatly appreciated. Are there any local resources that are recommended? Recommendations re rescue groups, shelters etc would be helpful. It seems there are so many now.

    Thanks.
     
  2. afgm

    afgm Ashburn Farm Resident

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    I am allergic to dogs. With that said, I have two fantastic toy poodles who give me no issues with allergies. Hypo-allergenic dogs are legit. I would imagine you'd want to make sure they are pure bred.
     
  3. MikeK

    MikeK Member

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    We got out dog from FOHA http://www.foha.org/ they are a great organization in Aldie. You can go to their site and see the dogs they have available. The site will also let you know what dogs are good with kids. I'd check often as the dogs that are good with kids/family oriented/younger dogs tend to get adopted much faster.

    You can walk the dogs there and ask questions. If you do decide on one of their dogs there will be a home visit. I also volunteer there because I really liked the place. It is a true no kill shelter.

    Thanks

    Mike
     
  4. MikeK

    MikeK Member

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    Epic touch typing fail...."our dog"
     
  5. wahoogeek

    wahoogeek New Member

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    Second FOHA. Great organization. We checked the site weekly/daily until we found our perfect mutt.
     
  6. Audrey

    Audrey Member

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    Thirds for FOHA. We admired a neighbor's dog from there, so I went and volunteered there a few years and adopted two dogs from there. They are 100% about the dogs. They provide excellent care and lots of love, they try to get to know every dog and place it where it will have the best life.

    Some have been annoyed or offended by the rigorous hoops they make adopters jump through, but if you can be tolerant of the process they will help you find a forever pal.

    You also can look for breed specific rescues if you feel you need a poodle or some similar hypoallergenic dog.

    My husband really pushed for a dog past the puppy stage and I was glad, with kids, to have a dog whose personality was fully developed and who was pretty much trained when we got him. I vote for young adult dogs!
     
  7. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    another FOHA vote. I know Audrey's dogs and they are truly special, beautiful creatures!
     
  8. BellaRu

    BellaRu Member

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    And yet another vote for FOHA. I adopted my Bella from there almost 9 years ago. They saved her life and gave her a second chance when no other rescue would. They dont discriminate based on breed. They give every dog a chance for a loving home.
    Another organization is A Forever Home. I adopted my Wally from there almost 7 years ago. They saved him from hurricane Katrina after math, and brought him all the way here to find him a new home.
    There are quite a few rescues in this area that are fantastic organizations with lots of great people working for the animals.
    Dont forget our own Loudoun Animal shelter. They are a great group, and truly work hard to find loving homes for the animals in their care.
    Best advice - think about your lifestyle, and how a dog will fit into that. Tell whatever rescue group you decide to work with what activity level you have, kids, travel, etc - and they can help find the best fit for your family.
     
  9. LvBlands3

    LvBlands3 New Member

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    A Forever Home is another adoption program. We got our dog from them.
     
  10. Sasquatch519

    Sasquatch519 Member

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    One of my coworkers is heavily involved with A Forever Home, so I can recommend them: http://www.aforeverhome.org/

    She says FOHA is also a good organization and that A Forever Home has worked with them before.
     
  11. typicalfamilyoffour

    typicalfamilyoffour New Member

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    Everyone thanks for the very helpful advice. There are so many more options and organizations that it is daunting. Both FOHA and A Forever Home sound wonderful. Thanks also to those of you who volunteer.

    Neither my husband nor I know much about the specific breeds. Friends have mailed lists with hypoallergenic dogs, but I think we are going to start first with a new allergist. My son doesn't have asthma but the old allergist was pretty extreme and wanted us to get rid of our cat based on a skin test. We didn't. Son still doesn't have asthma.

    We are going to take our time and with hope, we'll have a new addition in a few months or so.
     
  12. msflynn

    msflynn New Member

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    I have severe allergies to dogs, cats, horses, you name it so I understand your concern and questions. What I have found it that the hypoallergenic animals are not any better or worse for me then a one that is not. I think what you need to determine is what exactly your son is allergic to (ie hair, saliva, sweat, etc). For me my allergies and asthma are triggered by the saliva and sweat so I need to watch being around animals that like to lick, are excessively sweaty, and/or often clean themselves.
    That said we have adopted 3 wonderful cats and all of whom I am able to spend time with and sit with. Plus my children ride horses - I just need to not help them once the animal has been working and is hot/sweaty.
    In my opinion the best thing to do for your son is expose him several times to an animal you are looking to adopt and see how he reacts. A single exposure may not allow you to see his allergies kicked up.

    Hope that helps
    Staci
     
  13. afgm

    afgm Ashburn Farm Resident

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    As a child I also was not allergic to cats; got a cat pet; then developed allergies to it; sad as I was very attached.

    I once had allergies explained to me this way. Everyone has a propensity for being allergic to things. Each person's DNA has a threshold for each item. Think of each item as a bucket, and everyone's bucket(s) are different sizes based on what you are allergic to. Over your life little by little your own specific allergy bucket gets filled up. We all have a different bucket size for different items.

    So for some people they never get their bucket filled up enough to hit a threshold to trigger an allergic reaction. For others the threshold is so low it takes hardly anything to trigger a specific allergic reaction. So that's what happened to me, eventually my exposure to cat dander jumped me over my threshold.

    Allergy shots, avoidance, and other medicines can bring down the allergies in the bucket, so reactions can come and go.

    With that said, and probably some wondering "huh", I have had no problems with me dog "bucket" from my two hypoallergenic poodles. Everyone will be different.
     
  14. Audrey

    Audrey Member

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  15. Suttonan

    Suttonan New Member

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    I couldn't agree more. I had allergies as a kid, took shots for several years and they got generally better, but my cat and dog "bucket size" really does depend on the situation and the breed. I can be in the house with cats and dogs, but I can't pet them and then touch my face or I'll start reacting. I love pets, so I couldn't stand to have a cat or dog I couldn't pet and play with. With that context you can imagine I was very pleased to discover that my wife's family Dachshund didn't bother me at all. After that positive experience we got a miniature short-haired Dachshund and I've never had a problem. That was 11 years ago. So I'd encourage you to seek out breeds with short hair and/or hypo-allergenic coats to see what works. There are plenty of rescue and even some breed specific meet-up events you could check out to see what happens. Google is your friend in that department as most have websites or post on forums. In terms of breed type there are plenty of considerations. I love our dachshund. He's got a big personality (despite his size) and is a clever, funny little dog that makes our lives a bit better every day. They aren't for everyone of course...but I would again suggest google and/or books on breed types to narrow the list. Dachshunds sometimes aren't recommended for children, but I would say that just means you have to watch them a bit around toddlers and very small children who may not know how to handle them. And by that I mean stopping the kids from doing something that will get a bad (but natural) reaction from the dog, not the dog doing something bad. After that, it is like any pet. If you treat them with love and respect you will get 10X in return.
     
  16. kmjtt

    kmjtt New Member

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    We LOVE our goldendoodle. Vet said the other day that he was one of the nicest dogs he has ever met. I'm not even a dog person, and I like him. Great personality, smart, loyal and no shedding!!! When we went to the breeder there was another family with an allergic child. They were "sampling" puppies, letting them lick him and play in the yard. We loved Old Mill Doodles because they were the only breeder that would let us pick the puppy. All others wanted to choose him for us. I fully support rescuing a dog when possible, but some family situations require you knowing better, what you are getting. We have referred several happy families.
    www.oldmilldoodles.com
     
  17. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    I personally believe finding a perfect fit by rescuing and/or adopting a homeless dog IS possible in most circumstances. Our animal shelters and animal rescue organizations are warehousing dogs waiting for the right family to love them. These rescues make it their mission to understand the unique personalities of their charges to better match them with a potential adopter. Every litter planned or accidental adds to the homeless population of discarded or abandoned animals. Just my .02
     

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