I have decided to get another dog. My last dog died of old age 6 months ago after a long illness. Before I go to the kennels to buy another, I wondered if any members had a young dog that they could no longer offer a good home. I am more than willing to purchase the right dog. I just think its easy to go to the kennels but better to ask here to prevent a dog going to the kennels in the first place.

Can't help with a dog but I know somewhere you'll be able to pick up a donkey pretty soon if you fancy something bigger.

Thanks for the offer PTID but if I wanted a donkey I would take one off Pools.

Try the Dog’s Trust at Sadbrge near Darlington, got both mine there and have no regrets whatsoever. We also sponsor two who can’t be adopted because they never got over their owners dying, so the Trust keeps them for life., they never put a dog down.

same here but there are other rescue centres also available. look on the net and if you are prepared to travel there will be one that will suit you somewhere. had to go to northampton and then near to kendal for my last two and flatly refuse to pay up to a grand for a puppy when there are so many dogs looking for a good home.

I wouldn’t buy a puppy off a breeder, I’d go for a rescue dog everytime, everyone wants a cute lapdog or expensive cross breed/ mongrel/ Heinz57 that looks like it’s off some BBC Programme offering a coiffure treatment for your pampered pooch!.

Get a mongrel that's you have no idea what breeds are in it from a rescue centre. It will last 12 plus years with no vets bills then drop down dead.

problem with that is that you are not sure what you are getting especially if its young. bit like car salesmen they do not tell you everything or the real reason why its there in the first place. think the smaller centres are a better bet as the dog will be at a foster home when you buy it, plus there are many private owners that have to re home due to their circumstances changing. got one in morecambe once and it was like a death of a child in the family when i put the dog in the car to go home. they actually refused the money we agreed on. will never forget it seeing 3 people totally distraught and in tears.

When I got Ratboy, we were told him and his sister had markers against them. Meaning they had shown signs of aggression against other dogs…..bearing in mind they were one year old and kept outside they had no social skills on the farm/ countryside and apparently treat like you’d treat a piece of equipment which is what they were….. it was little surprise.
Found out the keepers had precious yappy little lap dogs with a grander life style whom liked to wind them up, but tried it when they were ‘ working’ and scattered them….. hence they were disposed of……oddly enough, after actually socialising ours in weeks he was no bother at all …..providing you ain’t breaking in .

have owned german shepherds, rottweilers and crosses with one or the other and would have loved seeing them taking lumps out of the vermin who broke in. i,d only intervene if the dogs were not getting the best of the situation.