I did a home visit yesterday. Single guy, renting with two roomies, no
prior dog experience. Took the dogs with me. The guy didn't acknowledge
them, didn't pet them, didn't ask about them, nothing. Basically pretended
they didn't exist. The roommate who opened the door was scared of Pan (but
was okay later), and both roommates basically said that as long as the dog
was quiet, didn't smell and didn't get into their room, they were okay.
Ditto dog hair - didn't mind as long as it wasn't in their room.

He was proactive in getting a crate (too small for an adult GSD) and dog
bed. He has read about Shepherds, had a family dog that was one (he thinks
given away by his mom when he was a kid), has read about training and thinks
he can do it himself, works as a bartender, so flex schedules no longer than
8 hours (usually 4 - 5 hours), doesn't take vacations but if he has to go
somewhere, will choose ones where he can take the dog, etc. He has read
about crate training and has basic understanding of how it works. No help
from the roomies on anything. Dog will get sufficient exercise, they have a
good sized backyard with a LOW fence.

Although I had told him that my HVs usually take 45 minutes, he was taking
phone calls in the middle of the visit, and had clearly scheduled to go play
tennis with a friend. I just have never met anyone that was so nonchalant
about a visit, was clearly not even trying to make a good impression, and
did not appear in the least bit interested in the dogs.

He wants a puppy, but has no plans to have someone come and let the pup out
when he's at work, and IMO, seriously underestimating the amount of work
that goes into raising one.

What say you? He said all the right things, but the attitude is just not
sitting well with me. I hate to turn down someone that could offer a good
home to a dog, but my gut says that something is not quite right. FWIW,
another volunteer who has never done this before was tagging along, and her
reaction was much like mine.

Suja

Suja wrote:

What say you? He said all the right things, but the attitude is just not
sitting well with me. I hate to turn down someone that could offer a good
home to a dog, but my gut says that something is not quite right. FWIW,
another volunteer who has never done this before was tagging along, and her
reaction was much like mine.


Can you place a dog with him on a one week trial basis?
Then, if they seem to be bonding, give him another 2 weeks?


Something's not right, but I can't figure out what it is. Did he say
WHY he wants a dog?


He said he wants a puppy. Did he say WHY he wants a puppy?


--Lia

"Suja" wrote:
What say you? He said all the right things, but the attitude is just
not sitting well with me. I hate to turn down someone that could
offer a good home to a dog, but my gut says that something is not
quite right. FWIW, another volunteer who has never done this before
was tagging along, and her reaction was much like mine.

If he can't set aside 45 minutes to do a pre-arranged interview, is he
*really* going to make the time to properly attend to a puppy? Or a dog,
for that matter? He might be an adequate owner when things go according to
plan, but nothing EVER goes to plan. Since he hasn't had a dog before, he
has no real idea of how bloody inconvenient they can be.

I'd also be concerned that he didn't seem interested in your dogs, and that
the roomies aren't truly on board. The first time the dog pees on the
sofa, or barfs on someone's sneakers, or takes advantage of a momentary
lapse in attention to eat the remote/the soap/someone's wallet, that dog is
soooooo outta there.

--
Mary H. and the restored Ames National Zoo:
The Right Reverand Sir Edgar "Lucky" Pan-Waffles;
U-CD ANZ Babylon Ranger, CD, RA; ANZ Pas de Duke; and rotund Rhia

"Suja" spoke these words of wisdom in
:

I did a home visit yesterday. Single guy, renting with two roomies, no
prior dog experience. Took the dogs with me. The guy didn't
acknowledge them, didn't pet them, didn't ask about them, nothing.
Basically pretended they didn't exist. The roommate who opened the door
was scared of Pan (but was okay later), and both roommates basically
said that as long as the dog was quiet, didn't smell and didn't get into
their room, they were okay. Ditto dog hair - didn't mind as long as it
wasn't in their room.

He was proactive in getting a crate (too small for an adult GSD) and dog
bed. He has read about Shepherds, had a family dog that was one (he
thinks given away by his mom when he was a kid), has read about training
and thinks he can do it himself, works as a bartender, so flex schedules
no longer than 8 hours (usually 4 - 5 hours), doesn't take vacations but
if he has to go somewhere, will choose ones where he can take the dog,
etc. He has read about crate training and has basic understanding of
how it works. No help from the roomies on anything. Dog will get
sufficient exercise, they have a good sized backyard with a LOW fence.

Although I had told him that my HVs usually take 45 minutes, he was
taking phone calls in the middle of the visit, and had clearly scheduled
to go play tennis with a friend. I just have never met anyone that was
so nonchalant about a visit, was clearly not even trying to make a good
impression, and did not appear in the least bit interested in the dogs.

He wants a puppy, but has no plans to have someone come and let the pup
out when he's at work, and IMO, seriously underestimating the amount of
work that goes into raising one.

What say you? He said all the right things, but the attitude is just
not sitting well with me. I hate to turn down someone that could offer
a good home to a dog, but my gut says that something is not quite right.
FWIW, another volunteer who has never done this before was tagging
along, and her reaction was much like mine.

Suja





No

"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message:

Can you place a dog with him on a one week trial basis?
Then, if they seem to be bonding, give him another 2 weeks?

He wants a puppy. We've got puppies (4 or 5 weeks old now). I don't think
it's in their best interest to get bounced around, so I don't know how
likely it is that they'll do it.

Something's not right, but I can't figure out what it is. Did he say
WHY he wants a dog?

He wants a GSD because he had one when he was a kid and liked having one.
He wants a smart, trainable dog, one that will be ball crazy.

He said he wants a puppy. Did he say WHY he wants a puppy?

Because it's easier to train them. Yes, I did try to talk to him about the
advantages of having an older dog with an attention span.

Suja

On 2008-09-05 10:21:35 -0400, "Suja" said:

What say you?

If this guy really wants a pup and can't get one from your group, he'll
find one elsewhere. You have to live within your own comfort level.

In article ,
Julia Altshuler wrote:
Something's not right, but I can't figure out what it is.

Ummm, not interested in the dogs?
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

In article ,
Suja wrote:
I just have never met anyone that was so nonchalant
about a visit, was clearly not even trying to make a good impression, and
did not appear in the least bit interested in the dogs.

That would be a show-stopper for me. You want an owner
who's going to be involved with the dog. He doesn't have to
make it the #1 priority in his life but it *is* going to
take some shifting around and effort on his part.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"montana wildhack" wrote in message:

If this guy really wants a pup and can't get one from your group, he'll
find one elsewhere.

No doubt. He has already tried shelters in the area, and they pointed him
to us.

You have to live within your own comfort level.

That's the crux of it. I usualy ask myself if I would be comfortable having
this family or individual take care of my own dogs. In this case, the
answer is No. If I won't entrust my own dogs to him, how can I ask that he
be entrusted with any other dog?

Suja

On 2008-09-05 11:11:11 -0400, "Suja" said:

If I won't entrust my own dogs to him, how can I ask that he
be entrusted with any other dog?

Free or nearly free puppies are always available. So far, he hasn't
taken that step, but has been attempting to "do the right thing" by
going to shelters. That's a very good sign.

Before you tell him "no", which I would expect you to do, I'd be honest
with him about why he's being turned down - full disclosure about all
the things that made you uneasy.