i had to give up my pet goat (she was my baby) and i would like to get a puppy that will stay small but i don't have the money to buy one. is anyone giving one away? example: chiuaua, yorkie, pocket puggle, maltese
2006-07-25 04:11:44 · 6 answers · asked by Emily W 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Toy dogs are VERY popular right now - you'er not likely to find anyone giving one away unless it has major health or behavior problems!
Even "free" dogs cost money to take care of. If the dog isn't properly trained, it can chew up your house and your stuff. If it's not housebroken, it can ruin your floors and your furniture. How "free" is a dog that does $1000 in damage to your house? Many "free" dogs turn out to be sick - how "free" is a dog that costs you $800 at the vet because he has Parvo or distemper or heartworm?
Quality dogs are expensive to buy and take care of. An adopted dog may cost as little as $35 - a good purebred pup can cost $1000 or more. Puppy shots are another $200, then $100 a year for boosters. Annual Heartworm test and preventative medication $100. Professional trainer $600 and up. Going on vacation? Boarding kennel $40/day. Spaying? $250.
Dogs are terrific companions but they require training and discipline and exercise. You can't hang out and party all night with your friends, because you have to be home to walk the dog. The smaller the dog, the more often they have to go out. What happens if you go away to college?
You could get a rabbit or a guinea pig - they're friendly, easy to keep, live in a cage, don't have to be walked or trained.
BEFORE you get any dog you should read some great books on training, so you'll know what to do. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the AKC site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.
Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.
2006-07-25 08:54:04 · answer #1 · answered by Danger, Will Robinson! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi there. I have a Jack Russell Terrier named Dende. He will be two years old next month. He weights a little over 20 pounds. I am looking for a home for him. Are you in the NY area?
2006-07-25 11:24:22 · answer #2 · answered by mad167_99 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you don't have the money to buy a dog, how will you have the money to care for it? What will you do the first time it gets sick and you have to take it to the vet?
2006-07-25 11:29:05 · answer #3 · answered by k 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
www.craigslist.org and select your closest location. many times there are free animals. just have to search.
2006-07-25 11:14:57 · answer #4 · answered by Rachelina 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
craigslist.org or domesticsale.com type free in search box
2006-07-25 11:20:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
check your local pound, vet office, newspaper.
2006-07-25 11:16:20 · answer #6 · answered by cowgirl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋