Searching For A New Furry Family Member

A couple of months ago, I read a Facebook post that questioned whether Labrador Retriever breeders should sell young puppies to individuals 70 years and over.

It depends!

Should a Labrador breeder sell to a 40-year-old? It depends!

The decision should be made on a case-by-case decision, no matter the prospective buyer’s age. The puppy and the prospective new owners need to be a good match for each other. Reputable breeders understand this.

Some 40-year-olds are couch potatoes and some 70-plus individuals are very active and can easily meet the needs of an energetic puppy. Of course, it’s easier for a breeder to predict the compatibility if he/she is familiar with the prospective buyer.

Fortunately, my husband and I didn’t encounter any adverse consideration when we searched for a companion for Betty. But we didn’t know the adventure we’d have in finding our next family member. I’m sharing our thought process and search in hopes of helping others evaluate whether they are ready for a new four-footed family member. The post may also raise some questions for breeders to ask prospective clients.

For months, Dave and I discussed whether we wanted and were ready for a Betty companion after we lost Ranger last spring. And if so, would an eight-week-old puppy, an older puppy, or a young adult work for all of us including Betty?  Dave’s preference was for a yellow male. That was fine with me although I wondered if that was a good idea because we’d never find another dog as special as our yellow boy Ranger.

On January 2, 2021, Ranger was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Dave and I were shell-shocked. How could this happen to our nine-plus-year-old boy who’d climbed 48 mountains? Nothing could save him. We looked for answers but received none from his cardiologist or our vets. Ranger lived only four-plus months after his diagnosis.

His passing left Betty as our sole canine family member. She fell into a depression. She’d always lived with a group of dogs before she joined our family three years ago after Ranger’s Auntie Layla died.

When Betty first arrived, she’d looked to Ranger to see what was acceptable and what was not. He taught her much about which furniture was comfy and not to chase deer, elk, and marmots. He also introduced her to the delicacy of marmot poop! She enjoyed retrieving and swimming with him in alpine lakes and decided a pack on her back was okay for backpacking. But sleeping on our sleeping bags was more comfortable than the blue foam pad Dave carried for both dogs!

A month after Ranger’s passing, friends at a Labrador Retriever Club of Greater Denver match show also thought Betty was depressed. I entered her in novice obedience and she acted as if she knew nothing about heeling even with lots of cajoling. Her heart wasn’t into performing, with or without treats. At our local training sessions, she’d perked up a bit when she mingled with some of the other dogs but right before the match, she seemed to forget the meaning of “come.”

By July, the rainy weather and smoke from the California wildfires had dissipated, so Dave and I knew we had to hit the trail with Betty even though those hikes would remind us of Ranger. Betty needed more attention. But did she need a friend? I thought so and had quietly told a couple of breeder friends at the June match to keep an eye out for us for a young yellow male Lab, just in case.

A breeder called in July- she had a young black female available and maybe a four-year-old yellow male that she just couldn’t handle anymore. I thanked her but advised we weren’t ready for another furry family member.

Betty enjoyed our summer hikes and backpacks but we didn’t see a bounce in her step or ours. At the end of the summer, Dave agreed we’d start looking for a companion for Betty after our eastern trip. In October, we planned to drive to Maryland to the Bare Bones Specialty of the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac. I entered Betty in three rally intermediate (RI) classes and one conformation veterans class. Afterward, we visited friends and Dave’s family in New England. Traveling with one dog was certainly easier than two.

At the Potomac, I focused on showing Betty to her RI title and a JAM in conformation and sold some books!

As we continued our 5,000-mile trip, we had plenty of time to consider whether we wanted a yellow male eight-week-old pup, an older pup, or a young dog- up to three or four years of age.

Two breeders, one of whom knew us fairly well, reached out to us. The four-year-old male that we’d previously been told about was available. I wrote back inquiring how about his size as we didn’t want a big boy because of our aging backs. A response never came.

The second breeder contacted us about her boy- on the smaller size but not as small as Ranger. He was three going on four. We carefully considered him but realized we just weren’t ready to commit.

Weeks later, I posted our search for a young yellow male on several Labrador Facebook pages and contacted a couple of breeders about our hunt.

None of the responses met our needs.

During an interview for my blog, a breeder recommended a three-year-old dog of her kennel line. I was excited about the prospect of finding a yellow boy but had to remind myself not to ignore my advice in my book, Heartbreak Kennel: The True Story of Max and His Breeder. I needed to check his health clearances and ask his owner appropriate probing questions.

His owner graciously talked at length to us. Dave and I conferred. The yellow boy, a grand champion, sounded great but we thought his size- 85 pounds- was just too heavy for Dave to lift should the need arise. We asked the owner to send pictures. I hoped the dog was fat but he looked trim. If he’d lived in Colorado, I’d have suggested that we at least meet him but he lived in the Midwest, a two- and half-day drive at best.

I was beginning to realize that we’d have to look for a female or an eight-week-old yellow male pup. A young puppy had its drawbacks. My temperamental back might not like me lifting a wee pup or bending over to train him as a little pup. If the pup was just eight-week-old or a few months old, he’d be too young for summer hikes. With more hikes behind us than in front of us, this was important. Of course, a pup or adult under two years old wouldn’t have orthopedic clearances.

Then Lisa Nordstog, Ranger and Layla’s breeder, called. She was going to rehome an older yellow female pup who’d lived in Georgia. The pup was a Layla great-granddaughter!!

Callie had a bubbly, outgoing personality and loved other dogs and people- important traits for a hiking dog! She was on the smaller side and probably wouldn’t be as large as our girl Layla. She was a chewer, and active. I could call her former Georgia owners to learn more- this was huge as oftentimes new owners never know much about a rehomed dog’s background.

A flurry of calls ensued. I checked the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals website to learn more about both the sire and the dam and their clearances.

Lisa only asked one question: “Is Dave ready for another dog?” She knew how close Dave had been with Ranger.

“He told our vet the other night he was when asked that same question.”

Dave and I chatted again. He was okay with a yellow female older pup with an outgoing personality. We didn’t think Betty with her unflappable personality would prefer a male to a female or a puppy to an adult. She definitely would be happier with a canine companion.

But Lisa now lived 700 miles away in Missouri near Kansas City. That was a definite negative. Were we crazy to drive all that way in the middle of winter to see if we three liked Callie?

Then I remembered we had friends in Kansas City- a close former colleague of Dave’s and his wife. That might convince Dave that the trip would be an adventure and fun.

“Do you think Tom and Jane would like to see us again?” I asked Dave. They’d LOVED Betty when we’d driven east to the Potomac in the fall and stayed with them. They weren’t dog people but Betty had won them over.

Dave called his buddy Tom. We, including the pup if we decided she was the right fit for all three of us, were invited to spend the night at his home! They lived less than an hour from Lisa’s.

We planned a four-day trip- one night each way in a motel and the middle night with our friends. I thought Dave and Tom would talk the night away.

The weather forecast changed. We rescheduled for a few days later- we’d have four clear days, or so we thought.

We set out in our 2007 Four Runner with 153,000 miles because it was our only vehicle that would carry two crates in winter. Dave wasn’t sure Betty enjoy riding in a crate after her fall cross country trip in the back seat of a cushier car, but she adjusted! We stopped at dusk in Russell, KS, best known as the birthplace of the late Senators Robert Dole (R-KS) and Arlen Specter (D-PA) Specter. In the morning, I realized our motel was opposite a feedlot!

The next day we drove straight to Lisa’s. Callie, the pup, who was ten months old, and her mother Claire bounded out of the house into the enclosed yard. Betty emerged from her crate and greeted both. So far so good! Callie grabbed a stick to show to Betty who wasn’t impressed and snooped around. We went into the house and Callie picked up one boot and then another. The three dogs then went into the fenced-in backyard. A short time later I saw Betty initiate play with the girls! Yes, this was going to work!

We walked to the kennel building. Suddenly, Callie was at our sides. She’s scaled the low backyard fence. The four of us went into the kennel building to meet four other Layla prodigies. Afterward, we opened the kennel door only to be greeted by Betty! We’d never known her to be a jumper but she was determined not to be left behind.

After more visiting, we loaded up Callie and Betty and drove to our friends. Betty trotted into their house. Callie followed on a leash and only managed to later knock over, with her tail, a beer mug left on a low table. The pottery on the same table escaped harm.

The next morning, we headed out to Burlington, CO where we’d reserved a motel room. The forecast changed again with snow and ice predicted for the next day. We opted to drive nearly 11 ½ hours all the way home.

The next morning, I noticed some blood on our kitchen floor. Gads who was hurt? Then I realized, Callie was in heat! Phew, we’d dodged a bullet on our trip.

Since then, Betty and Callie have played with bones and stuffed toys and chased each other around. Betty has already taught our Georgia peach girl to roll and romp in the snow and to pay less attention to our frequent deer visitors. Callie is becoming a mountain dog and already has acquired the taste for yummy morsels that wild creatures leave behind on our walks! We think she’ll make an excellent trail dog this summer!

So before you rule out a prospective puppy or canine owner because of their age, find something out about them and their thought process. We carefully weighed our options and thought Callie would be a great fit for us and Betty. Time will tell!

Related Posts:

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/some-questions-dog-breeders-may-ask/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/researching-a-litter/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/choosing-a-reputable-dog-breeder/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/older-puppy-adult-sales-and-stud-dog-contracts-reputable-breeders-share-their-approaches/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/puppy-contracts-five-reputable-share-views-breeders-share-their-views/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/finding-a-new-furry-family-member/