Thurs 27th Sept: Finding the perfect match

Moomin and Toto are a bit older now, but both puppies are still waiting for homes

I'm happy that we're getting back to the busy season in terms of adoption enquiries, and I'm spending a lot of my time replying to emails and questionnaires many of which are asking about small breed puppies.  We do have some but they are the Special Needs type, and even an otherwise perfect and tiny, but three-legged, pom puppy (Moomin) is still waiting.   These are physical issues, like Poppet the bichon puppy who is deaf and blind, although she does have four legs and is very sweet, so I can understand that it's too much of a challenge for families with children.

However many potential adopters ask for puppies who are quiet, calm and independent, and not one of those three words can be used to desribe any puppy.  That's like expecting a human baby or even a two year-old toddler to be any of those things.  They're just not, because they're babies or young children, dependent on their parents or other adults, and they don't know how to behave or use the toilet by themselves.  Why would a baby dog understand how to be what their humans want them to be, how to be independent or calm? If you want any of those things in a dog, then you need to adopt an adult, or at the very least an older puppy.

Carlo is a shiba inu cross, small, quiet and independent

Carlo is smaller sized, independent, very calm and quiet too, but he's not a cuddly dog and most families want that. So it's often very difficult to try to match the dog or puppy with human expectations and wants, and it's frustrating. We have other older puppies like Beano who is really sweet and kind, or siblings Nattie and Frisbee who are also smaller in size and very easy, but they are mixed breeds and therefore not considered to be desirable by most.

Beano is an incredibly sweet natured older puppy

Since posting his information again, many people have been asking about Tracker the beagle. There's no doubt that he's a lovely dog, both in character and looks, but he's a year-old beagle, a breed that requires a huge amount of exercise and patience. Also, as an ex-breeder dog he's not toilet trained, even if he's learning very quickly from the other dogs at the office where he's staying.

Tracker with Turpin when they first arrived

A dog shouldn't be judged on a breed name, rather on character and suitability for the adopter's home. Why ask about a giant-sized dog if you live in a small apartment, or an active young breed if you plan to walk once a day for thirty minutes, or even less?  That's why we are here, to offer guidance and advice, and to help both adopters and the dogs to find their perfect match. 

Nattie is small at 7 months