I feel so unwanted...why wont any rescues email or call us back??

[JLStorm]

Ok so the wife and I have compromised and submitted applications to Newf rescue, Pyr rescue and GSD rescue, its been over a week for all of them (other than the one pyr rescue which has been 1 day) and no one has emailed or called, not even to set up a home inspection.

Ive explained our lifestyle and home pretty well.

• No kids, no plans to have any
• 5 cats
• 3000 sq ft centrally air conditioned house on a dirt road
• We have 8 acres of land with an electric fence around all 8 acres which came with the house, but we do not have plans to use it unles it is suggested otherwise
• We have 4 foot high fencing around approximately 60 x 40 sq foot area
• We are having 6 foot fencing installed in the spring that will bring the fenced area up to .25 acres
• We have a 2.5 Acre Pond less than 400 Feet from our Front door
• We have an In ground pool that any dogs we will own can use
• We have plans to purchase a Newf puppy within the next year (or so) So the Newf/Pyr/GSD wouldnt be an only dog for long
• There are 3 lakes/ponds within 4 miles that total over 1000 acres of water and all of which allows dogs
• We have over 1500 acres of trails and woods within walking distance including 1000 acres of state parks that are lined with water fountains and dog friendly
• I have explained that even with the fence we wouldnt leave any dogs out alone due to the population of bear, coyote, beaver, and etc. and they would either be supervised in the fenced in area or going on walks with my wife and I
• I work from home a lot and my wife is home every day for lunch so there wouldnt be any periods of abscence greater than 4 hours in a row. At a minimum I am home from Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and most of Monday ALL day.
• The dog will be an in door dog and sleep wherever he wants once we are comfortable that he can be trusted alone or outside of a crate
• We dont like to travel so we are home most of the time
• Our references include our vet (who LOVES us) and our future Newf breeder
• If we go away our next door neighbor is a vet tech at our vet and will house/pet sit and if she isnt available another vet tech will pet sit and stay at the house.
• My wife and I have had lots of experience with dogs and both her parents and my parents are fosters for rescue dogs so we have additional experience from them as well.

Our only requirements for a rescue dog are:

• it be male
• He either likes or at least doesnt hate our cats
• He be betwen 18 months a 4 years
• He be on the larger side so he can play with an adult male Newf who will most probably be on the larger side.

What do I not have to offer that any dog or rescue could want??? Why arent they contacting me!!?? Is it the fence? Someone tell me! :grrr:


P.S.

I have even included this satellite photo of our house and land with outlines around our property, the pond, our existing fence and the area of the new fence! (I didnt want to post the photo here, since it is so big, but click on the link to view)

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q275/jlstorm/House Photos/c329963f.jpg

P.P.S

On the applications I said it was a 5 foot fence..I just found out today from my fishing buddy (who is also my fence buider) that its a 4 foot that is higher in certain places due to uneven ground. I can have the fence brought up to 5 ft, very easily, but like I mentioned in this post...I dont plan on leaving any of our dogs alone unattended...ever.

 

[Lisa@Caeles Hills]

Perhaps you should contact some breeders near you for a retired Champion or a breeder "take back". Just 2 weeks ago at a dog show I was told about 3 of these that were available in my area. Would you be willing to pay to ship or are you looking just close by? I know there are some rep. breeders near you that you could email if you havent done so already.

 

[eckybay]

Some times the wait can be a killer, but try to keep in mind that the majority of rescues are volunteer ran and they have jobs, families, go on vacation, start back to school, etc. too and it may take some time. This seems especially true of the breed specific and smaller rescues as compared to county dog pounds and human societies.

I ran into the same thing when I got my Marley last year from an all breed group. Submitted an application, waited a few weeks after I didn't hear anything, emailed the contact I had, who basically told me to be more patient. A few days later, I got the phone number of the foster home, who was also the rescue director. Had a 20 minute conversation with her which ended with us setting up a time for me to drive and get him. I think the whole thing was sealed when I told her that was glad he was a drooler and already knew when the next obedience class was starting up. The whole thing did take a couple of weeks, which I was told was fast for this group. I'm sure its probably just the same sort of issue here

 

[estacey]

Remember, you live on a dirt road. Patience.

 

[Erika]

from past experience we have found rescues can be very busy,they take awhile to get back to you.Greta took 3 weeks totalled.......give them a call or still e mail a just checking to see note......its worth the wait.

 

[JLStorm]

Perhaps you should contact some breeders near you for a retired Champion or a breeder "take back". Just 2 weeks ago at a dog show I was told about 3 of these that were available in my area. Would you be willing to pay to ship or are you looking just close by? I know there are some rep. breeders near you that you could email if you havent done so already.

Im looking nationwide. I have lots of frequent flyer miles so Im willing to fly out to get the dog and then ship him back on the same flight that would take back home, Im also willing to drive up to 10 hours each way to pick up the dog. I have contacted a few breeders within driving distance, but only one had a dog (it was a Newf) but it was female and I want a male.

I did speak to another breeder, but their price for a returned dog was about 4 - 5 times more than any of the rescue group dogs and I just was not prepared to pay that amount of money (granted the dog did come with the original health guarantee from the breeder). Besides, I really want to rescue a dog, if the dog has been returned to a breeder, Im sure he/she will have a wonderful life regardless of whether it stays at the breeder or not.

Remember, you live on a dirt road. Patience.

lol...touche

 

[KatieB]

Typically in breed rescue the people screening applications are also the people driving to pick up new rescues, doing home checks, taking dogs to the vet, taking care of their own dogs plus others and checking in with all those who are fostering for them. I know when we picked up Bernie today the woman who's in charge was heading to pick up an owner surrender and then had to check in with 4 other foster families...in addition to all of her own dogs, her own job and her family and children.

Screening applications takes time and I know usually the applications go through more than one person before a decision is made and the applicants are contacted. I know the wait is hard, but the process does take time. You will hear from them one way or another with a yes or a no. The no fence or not very large fenced issue could hurt you...all the rescues we've worked with have had a really strict fencing policy and it had to be a fairly decent sized area for your dog to be able to get enough exercise in.

Anytime you put restrictions on the type of dog it may mean a longer wait since you are specifying gender, and even size. I wouldn't specify size...all the breeds you're discussing are large enough to play together regardless of what part of the standard they are in. Chances are your dog is being fostered by a family and after the rescue organization approves your application it will be passed on to the foster home, who typically has a large say in things. We have always been given the opportunity to say yes or no to a final home for a dog we've fostered and have sometimes taken quite a bit of time to think about the application and have called with many questions for potential homes.

It's not a quick process and really it shouldn't be. It takes time for these dogs to be evaluated, time for the applications to be matched to the right dogs and time for the application to pass through enough hands to be comfortable with the final placement of the dog. Just be a bit patient!!

 

[Shel]

He be on the larger side so he can play with an adult male Newf who will most probably be on the larger side.

It sounds like you would be ideal adoptive guardians... but I was a bit confused about your requirement for a dog "on the larger side so he can play with an adult male Newf..." My Newfs have played with dogs of any size, from Boston Terriers and Westies all the way up to Saints and Danes... some of their best friends have been under 50 lbs, so any small to average size GSD, Pyr or Newf would be more than "big enough" to be a playmate.

Best wishes on your search for a new addition.

 

[Liisa]

That stinks. I've been involved in Tibetan Rescue and I know the woman who heads that can often move verrrrrrrry slowly. But I will cross my fingers that the right situation finds you soon.

If my memory serves right, the New England Rescue club requires you to attend an open house and complete a registration at the open house to be considered for adoption.... They have not scheduled their next open house day.

Don't you just wish you could get face to face with the decision makes so you could convince them just how great a home you are!!! My fingers are crossed for you.

If I can help out at all (even with transportation if you find one in the Mass / CT / Rhode Island area), I'd be more than happy to help. If you want a TM, I could definitely help.... though I'm not entirely certain I'd recommend that breed.... :uhoh2:

 

[JLStorm]

It sounds like you would be ideal adoptive guardians... but I was a bit confused about your requirement for a dog "on the larger side so he can play with an adult male Newf..." My Newfs have played with dogs of any size, from Boston Terriers and Westies all the way up to Saints and Danes... some of their best friends have been under 50 lbs, so any small to average size GSD, Pyr or Newf would be more than "big enough" to be a playmate.

Best wishes on your search for a new addition.

Oh, I mentioned size mostly to the GSD rescues and Pyr rescues who had a lot of smaller mixes and I was afraid that when the Newf puppy would get large and play would get rough a mix that was smaller than a typical GSD or pyr might get hurt simply due to the weight/size difference.

 

[Shel]

Oh, I mentioned size mostly to the GSD rescues and Pyr rescues who had a lot of smaller mixes and I was afraid that when the Newf puppy would get large and play would get rough a mix that was smaller than a typical GSD or pyr might get hurt simply due to the weight/size difference.

Ahhh... but the smaller dogs are generally much faster and more agile than a Newf puppy. My mother-in-laws senior Westie had no troubles outmaneuvering our Newf pups - and when cornered she resorted to attitude... they'd stop dead in their tracks, turn tail and :run:

 

[JLStorm]

The no fence or not very large fenced issue could hurt you...all the rescues we've worked with have had a really strict fencing policy and it had to be a fairly decent sized area for your dog to be able to get enough exercise in.

Yes, thats what Im afraid of. Originally I was planning on just using the electric fence since that is what I had been using the last 10 years with pretty good success in all but the most stubborn breeds, but once I decided on a Newf which looks so much like the black bear around here (which has a 3 day hunting season) I decided on the 6 foot fence, but the price of materials has sky rocketted so we must wait until the spring to build due to budgetary issues. So until spring the 4 foot (which I thought was 5 foot when I bought the house...I still think its 5 foot in certain places due to the hills lol) will have to do...but honestly there is SOOO much land surrounding us that even with the 6 foot I wouldnt leave a dog out unattended..if it manged to jump the fence or escape under it, it could be days until anyone sees it...thats if no other wild animals managed to kill it first. I guess that doesnt help either


Oh, I forgot though, I did talk to my fence builder today (he is my fishing buddy) and he did say that he could make the 4 foot fence into a 5 foot fence in about 2 days, so that would be easy enough to do for the time being if it would make a difference to the home evaluators.

 

[jane]

Oh, I mentioned size mostly to the GSD rescues and Pyr rescues who had a lot of smaller mixes and I was afraid that when the Newf puppy would get large and play would get rough a mix that was smaller than a typical GSD or pyr might get hurt simply due to the weight/size difference.

My bichon frise Sassy, 12lbs, plays all the time w/Roger & Merlin.

 

[JLStorm]

My bichon frise Sassy, 12lbs, plays all the time w/Roger & Merlin.

LOL...really...I guess size doesnt matter then...its too late though the applications are all already submitted, but at least I know in case I see a mix I really like

 

[Mrs Beblo]

If you had come by MONTHS ago(like I asked!!) , you could have watched Buford while we're in Canada...
Are you coming to Puddles house tomorrow??

 

[JLStorm]

If you had come by MONTHS ago(like I asked!!) , you could have watched Buford while we're in Canada...
Are you coming to Puddles house tomorrow??

I dont want to watch one...I want to keep one and I know that would be a problem for you lol.

Yup, Im coming tomorrow...Im just trying to decide whether to wear hiking boots or wading boots and trying to find a water proof jacket that I dont like very much..

 

[kagricola]

You need to be patient even though it is hard. I heard from some rescues I applied to months after I had already adopted Sundance. I could tell they were just very strapped for time and were doing the best they could.

 

[noblenewf]

Good luck in your search. I think Katie B is right on...
Rescue is a long process. Be patient and the right dog will come along at the right time. Just remember to stay open minded. Sometimes the best things in life are not planned (i.e. perhaps a female Newf instead of a male...). Try to look more at the personality of the dog and whether or not he/she is a good fit for your family and your home versus things like gender or size. A Newf is going to be big no matter how you look at it. Especially when it's actually in your home...living in your space. Also, the playing with smaller dog thing- My Newf is gentle with all animals. Including my parrots, my cats and smaller dogs. He plays fine with my Golden Retriever and my parents' Labrador. They are very adaptable and learn to be gentle and what "play" behavior is acceptable and what's not. They will be fine with any dog you get, especially if the pup is raised around the other dog.
Good luck with your search!

 

[BLCOLE]

Perhaps you should contact some breeders near you for a retired Champion or a breeder "take back". Just 2 weeks ago at a dog show I was told about 3 of these that were available in my area.

PLEASE give these people my information! My Zeus is a retired Champion that I rehomed! He is 11 1/2 and I don't know how much longer he will be around. I would LOVE to have ANOTHER retired Champion when Zeus crosses the Bridge.

I can provide references...

 

[blackberry6]

I waited almost 3 weeks for someone from my club to come to my house for a inspection for doing rescue. They will get in contact with you. Your house and property are great I think. I don't think you'll have a problem at all. It takes a little bit of time. You'll probably have all these rescue groups contacting you all at once!!!