Thinking about adopting a rescue here pretty soon. I had dogs when I was a kid, but not as an adult. Aside from spaying/neutering, heartworm treatment, how are your vet bills? Any advice on training? (doubt I can afford pro training) Do you crate your dogs when you're not there? It feels really cruel. Let me hear from you puppy dog pros.

Yearlies with 6 month supply of heart guard and flea preventative usually run around $300. Crates seem cruel but until you and your dog get to know each other it sure beats cleaning up poop or finding torn up shoes or furniture. I got my dog from lab rescue and he was already house broken so I didn't bother with professional training. He adapted really quickly but requires a ton of attention and exercise. I love that bastard.

I've never done crating or paid for training and I'm not a good trainer. But I bought one thing that made my life much better.

I bought a pet gate that fits into a sliding patio door so those sumbitches can go outside to doo-doo whenever they feel like it. I was able to convince my puppydogs to go out that thing and it improved my life greatly.

The house we just bought actually has 2 doggy doors in it (one really small one built into the wall, the other is larger and on the door) so that is a big bonus, just training it to actually use it on the other hand...

We had a doggy door installed three months back and it took our boxer about a week to get it down. She didn't poop inside, she just waited for us to open the door.

Those dogs are fucked.

Is that rat dog still around?

The pleading eyes of Thunder express an understanding of the brevity of his life and my prayers are with him.

Katie is in a real pickle for sure but until she learns to ham it up for the camera and relax those ears, she has no real hope for finding a home.

yes. she asks about you two all the time.

Clicker training is easy to learn and use and it works pretty well. I think Petsmart training class is 5-6 weeks and it's $100 bucks.

Crates aren't cruel, one of my dogs love his crate. You just can't use it as punishment.

Finally you may want to check with the local rescues about adopting, you are going to pay more then if you went to the pound but with a rescue dog they have most likely been in a foster home and learning the basics. The foster family will be able to give you a insight into personality etc of dog.

what kind of dog do you want? big or small?

when you visit the pound a lot of times those dogs are stressed out and you won't see their real personalities until they get home and can decompress.

More than likely we'll be adopting. May visit a few PetsMarts/PetCos tomorrow to see if they're having adoption events. It'll have to be a small dog. I'd love a lab but we have a really small back yard.

chihuahua's are awesome. ask some and fruitdog

They can be kinda gamey. Bump the spices up by 30%.

Whatever you do don't get a Vincie.

just because he has had problems in Nashville, don't turn on him.

or a Vinnie.

Brought him home from the pound today. 6 weeks old. He was named Max but the wife and sister-in-law have already renamed him Dobby.

Cute puppy dog!

Very cute puppy. And a good prep for having a kid.

Good choice

Meh

Looks like he has Danny White eye but is cute none the less. I'm sure he'll be loved. Thanks for saving a good puppy dog.

Danny White eye...*snickershit*

awwwwww. That puppy dog is cute as all get out.

Walk Dobby alone and he will bring untold riches to your spank bank as previously unapproachable hots will flock to you and your puppy.

It looks like that in that particular picture, but it doesn't look like that otherwise. Nevertheless, I've taken to calling him "Dobby White" much to my wife's confusion.

Congrats! You both must be so proud.

the rock is on the tip of his

The "rock" is a 150+ year old family heirloom and is currently at the jewelery repair shop.

Another bonus, it was free.

Buying jewelry for the slit crotch is such a strong beating.
Especially when she wants involvement from the haver of weenar and wallet.

scoreboard

Fake

You have to wake up pretty early in the morning to fool cap.