Rare breed purebred dog, or craigslist puppy?

[catriona23]

I don't think it's as bad as the title suggests.

My very, very elderly Aussie x something like malamute x maybe GSD - is heading towards the end. Last visit, the Vet kindly had a talk with us about planning euthanasia. There is nothing wrong with him that would be terminal, but he's on 4 different drugs for pain management of arthritis and he's having a hard time in multiple ways.

I have been looking for, and actively putting in a few puppy applications for a Chinook puppy. (link for those curious: http://www.chinook.org/ ). There are not that many Chinooks in the universe, so it could take a while.

However, I was browsing this week through the local craigslist, searching for 'Australian Shepherd' and not expecting to find anything, when I found a litter of Australian Shepherd X Husky puppies. I have always thought Harley (my dog) is a stunning critter, and has the *best* softest plushy coat. This cross, advertised on craigslist has a good probability of having a similar coat / look at adulthood, which is why it's tempting for me.

Tell me I should *wait*, having an old dog and a puppy at the same time, with my other middle aged dog will be crazy. Tell me that the next dog should be NOTHING like my current. Tell me that a well bred puppy from an experienced and responsible breeder is hands down better....

Photos of my old dog closer to his prime:

HarleyBeach1.jpg (82.32 KiB) Viewed 11664 times

and a link to another:

http://s74.photobucket.com/user/catrion ... 9.jpg.html

ScreenCap of the craigslist ad:

AussieXHuskey.jpg (87.28 KiB) Viewed 11664 times

[Astral]

As someone originally from NH, I of course support your interest in Chinooks

I wonder (and maybe others can comment on this more coherently), if that's a natural reaction - to seek out an animal (dog, horse, etc) similar to the one that we just lost (or feel that we'll be replacing). On the other hand, if there are certain characteristics you're attracted to, that's just what you're going to tend to lean towards.

As for talking you down - sometimes getting a younger dog when you have an older dog works fine, sometimes it doesn't. I would NOT, however, recommend getting a puppy from a breeder on craigslist! Step away from the craigslist! I'm an advocate of shelters/rescues over breeders, generally speaking (having worked at shelters and pretty much run a full-scale breeding kennel), but would recommend a responsible breeder over someone on craigslist any day!

Personally (and everyone's different about this stuff, I know), I would just want to focus on my older dog in the time he has left, and give him all my attention rather than splitting it with a puppy. There will be plenty of time for puppies in the years to come, but only limited time with your older dog.

[piedmontfields]

Do not get a puppy when you still have your older dog. Wait. It will be hard on the oldest dog.

And think about the source of your next dog. Absolutely stay away from craigslist "breeders". Either go to a legit rescue org or shelter, or do the research for the carefully-bred purebred of your choice.

I'm a purebred dog person of a certain type/line/history/quality. I'm not ashamed of it---I know what I like and what risks I'm willing to take. I'm actually a lot more flexible about horses (hence I have a mutt: a Lusitano x Trakehner).

[Quelah]

Do not get a puppy when you still have your older dog. Wait. It will be hard on the oldest dog.

And think about the source of your next dog. Absolutely stay away from craigslist "breeders". Either go to a legit rescue org or shelter, or do the research for the carefully-bred purebred of your choice.

I'm a purebred dog person of a certain type/line/history/quality. I'm not ashamed of it---I know what I like and what risks I'm willing to take. I'm actually a lot more flexible about horses (hence I have a mutt: a Lusitano x Trakehner).

All of this. Good advice, every bit.

[catriona23]

Would it make any difference, if I told you that more than a month ago I said in my out loud voice: I am targeting August, for letting him (Harley) go? And there's no reason for that, other than it lets me pretend to face it, without facing it *now*. He's been a euthanasia candidate for nearly a year. I just have a *very* hard time wrapping my head around euthanizing for 'quality of life' without also adding 'terminal illness'.

I've had, as personal dogs, nothing but mixed breed dogs (except for one senior Aussie Shepherd) usually acquired as young adults or teenagers, who were sometimes politely referred to as 'heathen', or 'barracuda'? (that was Harley and Lady respectively) And all of them had issues, so issues in dogs aren't really foreign to me. In my immediate family we've also had a few purebred cast offs, always as second hand adult or young adult dogs. I've *never* had a puppy. I want a puppy this time. I want a puppy to raise myself just once in my life.

The responsible breeder path is just frustrating, I know that individually, none of the folks involved mean it to be, but it is.

I wrote a bunch more stuff about a dearth of puppies in shelters, and a dearth of the right kind of adult dog, and going to shows and researching breeds, but it's not really relevant. I can't imagine life without my big red fluffy dog, and I'm hoping that either having a fuzzy demanding puppy, or at least the promise of a fuzzy demanding puppy, will provide something to focus on or look forward to focusing on, and make it less bad.

if I could get a responsible breeder to just say: Yes, we got the application and we think we'll likely have one for you next litter which is planned for xx/xx/xx, i could live with that, but that doesn't seem to be how it works.

[Hayburner]

I would wait until you let your old dog go. Let him live his final days in peace, and that will give you quality time with him before he goes.

As for a pure breed over a craigslist or pound up, I'd go for the mixed bred.

My first dog was a pound pup, lived to 19 with very few health issue, next dog, pure bred lived to almost 17, every health issue and then some. I held onto him with many meds and vet trips. Finally, I had to let him go for him.

When I retire, I will hit the up the pound and get a nice older dog that needs me.

[piedmontfields]

if I could get a responsible breeder to just say: Yes, we got the application and we think we'll likely have one for you next litter which is planned for xx/xx/xx, i could live with that, but that doesn't seem to be how it works.

Thoughtful breeders do know when they will next breed, to whom and why. However, they don't know if they will likely have one for you.

As in horses, there are few sure things in dog breedings. Litters can be smaller or larger than expected; they can be all boys or all girls; there can be health problems in a promised puppy; the breeder might lose the dam, etc. etc. The pup could have a disqualifying coat characteristic, which some would-be owners would find unacceptable. A littermate of one of our pointers had a damaged tail and needed to have it docked. I would not have taken that dog, although otherwise she was fine.

That said, I have found it very possible over the years to communicate with breeders well in advance of being ready to bring a new pup home. It is okay to be on the list of more than one breeder, as long as you are up front about it and let everyone know (and it is possible to higher on one list than the other). The longest period was maybe 6-7 months until the pup was ready to come to us.

Rescues can sometimes take just as long, depending on your requirements. Or it can be very quick if that is more your speed.

[Chisamba]

While I like a particular breed,. I also like getting dogs from shelters. All three of my current dogs are pound dogs. And, as it happens, my breed of choice.

I think, by the way, that arthritis is a terminal disease. Many the skeletal remains of early humans died from being crippled by arthritis, which happened to be why the skeleton was preserved. The fusing of joints kept the skeleton relatively intact. I'm not sure if that makes you feel better or worse.

Anyway,. Let your senior go,. You will not be able to avoid the grief. It will come if you have the puppy not.
I am sorry that you are faced with losing your wonderful, beautiful old treasure. Sending hugs.

[catriona23]

Thank you, Chisamba.

If my dog belonged to someone else, I would say very much the same thing. My other old pets, it was easier, they politely got very very sick fairly suddenly and the decision was simple.

[Chisamba]

I did not mean to suggest you need to let him go too soon, I just meant that when it's time , you will grieve, puppy out not. And again, my sympathies

[Flight]

I had to put my older dog down a few months ago, she did have a terminal condition but it was sooooo hard to decide on doing it. I really feel for you, that is such a crappy decision and process to have to go through.
I tend to get another one fairly quickly, I like the distraction.

I've got pomeranians, and long story short, I ended up with one from a rescue site. I contacted breeders but I agree, you try and do the right thing and buy from a proper breeder, but not all make it easy! Most just didn't reply to me.
But please try and avoid the backyard breeder types! That's how the shelters end up full of dogs.

[piedmontfields]

BTW, if it is possible OP to have a vet come to you for euthanasia, that is a really kind option. I did that for my last two that I had to lose and I really appreciated that possibility. It was a lot less stressful for my dogs and for me. And it made it easy for the living dogs to make sense of it all.

FYI, this was not my primary vet but another vet that was willing to do this.

[amygdala]

[quote="piedmontfields"]BTW, if it is possible OP to have a vet come to you for euthanasia, that is a really kind option. I did that for my last two that I had to lose and I really appreciated that possibility. It was a lot less stressful for my dogs and for me. And it made it easy for the living dogs to make sense of it all.

i did this for my elderly cat. it was SO MUCH BETTER than brining the cat to the vet clinic. also more expensive-- worth it.

[Kitty]

I understand what everyone is saying about a puppy being hard on your older dog, but my feeling is that if you really want a puppy, go for it. Just because these puppies are on Craigslist doesn't always mean they are to be avoided. I'm sure you could tell if this was the direction you wanted to go once you get there.