h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Beauty is a rescue dog isn't she? How come the rescue centre was happy to home a dog with you - when I approached a number of different ones I was told that there was no way they would home a dog with anyone that worked. Being out of the house for more than two hours was seen as a massive no-no and was practically abuse , so I wondered if you had to persuade them, and how you did it?

Yes, she is a rescue dog, but I wasn't working at the time I got her - I'd been made redundant in April, and although the Beeb was gracious enough to take me back it was only a few days here and there at the time. I wouldn't have taken a rescue dog if I'd been working daily because you just don't know what problems you're going to get and how you're going to need to work through them. It seemed the timing for everything was right - I had nearly three months at home with her, which I think she really needed.

The centre also knew that the dogs would spend my working days at my mum's house. 'Doggy Day Care', they met her a couple of times, and her dogs.

Two hours seems a bit short - I prefer to leave them for only that time if I have to go out, but I have been out four hours sometimes. I just make sure they have a good walk before I go out - they just sleep all day after that anyway!

I think rescue centres are more strict than breeders because they don't make any money out of the dogs like breeders do, and they know the dogs have already had a crap life. If a breeder was that strict, you'd have just found another breeder, so they don't always have the luxury to wait for the perfect owner who'll stay home every day. Not that I'm saying that the breeders don't care, but they'd probably rather sell you their puppy than you go off and get one from someone operating a puppy farm who won't care if you're home or not!

My friend has a jack russell, and she goes out about 8.45 and gets home at 2.30. Admittedly it's longer than I'd like to leave a dog on its own, but her 11 year old son isn't as good with dogs as my son (who has grown up with dogs), and she's got a 9 year old daughter as well so the poor dog probably needs a rest!

I think you've done the ideal - got two so they've company while you're out.

Sorry to ramble on, but dogs are one of my favourite subjects.

Just hope I didn't annoy you with my comments about breeders.

Ooops, no you didn't - I just didn't see the thread. Must've got lost in -1 postings hell.

Actually not got time to read it now as just on my way to work and shouldn't be at this PC at all

Right, actually had time to read you first reply this time

We didn't get them from a breeder as such - just someone who's dog had had and ilicit encounter Didn't like any of the breeders I came across as I got the impression, at least from two of them, that they were puppy farms

I hope my two are ok and happy, they are lovely and I wouldn't be without them! We are having a bit of a problem with one of them - Eddie. She has always been the more nervous and less outgoing of the two even though they were equally socialised with other dogs. She wants to play with other dogs but after a while you can see it is getting a bit much for her and she comes back to me with her tail down. Anyway, she got into a fight with another dog - she growled at him and he was much bigger and stronger than her and didn't stop when she rolled over so she got bitten. Had to have an operation and was quite poorly for a week or so. She is really nervous about strange dogs now - not really sure what we can do to sort it out though. Might see if I can find an adult equivalent to puppy school and start socialising her again - she just needs to get her confidence back.

*sigh* just as much of a worry as kids...!

Buster came from an illicit encouter too - and my friend's Jack Russell I mentioned earlier.

Puppy farms are horrid - to any lurkers if the breeder wants to 'meet you halfway' to deliver the puppy, say no. They do that so you can't see the dogs kept in hovels. They do that so that you don't know where they live so you can't cause them trouble later. The puppy might be cheaper to buy, but many of them don't grow up to be adults, and those that do often need expensive veterinary treatment. One of my mum's dogs was rescued from a puppy farm and she was ill for months when we got her. She's also no idea of how to act around other dogs and people and she can be so agressive with other dogs that she killed another of my mum's dogs.

If you find a good training school they have socialisation as part of the class. We used to have to walk up the lines of other people with their dogs weaving in and out. I am 'lucky' enough that I live nearly next door to the Essex Dog Display team and training school. I don't really like obedience classes, but they are really good with all the other aspects of dog ownership as well, so I pop over occassionally. They are one of the only schools in the country which allows known agressive dogs to come (on a seperate evening of course!)

One of the things I keep seeing on tv is that they feed the dog to distract them when another dog comes by - but I'm not sure that would work if she's anxious and scared because she might think she was being rewarded for it! If you can't find a school, there are some dog behaviour people around who might be able to help - but buy a dog magazine and get one out of there, not the Yellow Pages. You might even be able to write in for advice.