Instant Love, or "Eh, I'll take him and see what happens" - Page 1

As the title says, when you were looking for your dog, how did you decide that that was the dog for you? Did you click instantly or did your love develop over time? I'm talking past the bloodlines, workability, good looks, etc.

My old dog was the first dog I had looked at (well, second, technically, 'cause I saw her sister first). I just found that once she was in my arms, I couldn't put her down and didn't until we were home. She fell asleep in my arms in the car and that was that with that. :)

My cat was rescued as a kitten by one of our friends' rotties. The dog had brought her in, set her in her dog bed, and tried to nurse her. She was very sick, so as soon as our friend saw her they rushed her to the vet. A few days later, I met her and she laid down on my chest and looked in my eyes as if to say "You're going to take me home." or in her case, more like "Congrats, you are now under my spell shall be my personal slave." Her ears were too big for her head, and she looked so pitiful with her goopy eyes and nose, and was just skin and bones. My mom and her idiot tried to talk me out of it, but I took her anyway, and she is now 7 years old, healthy and happy, and the strangest, most psychotic, dog-like cat I've ever met and I wouldn't trade her for the world. <3

Our current dog was different though. A coworker was crying one day that they'd have to get rid of their dog because their apartment didn't allow him. She said he was a Shih Tzu/Yorkie, and completely talked him up, so we told her we'd take him for a couple of months while they could find a new place. The day we met him, we were expecting this cute little fluffball of a hockey puck to come prancing around the corner, but my God were we in for it. Out comes this 45 lb., shaved to his skin, curly pig tail and all, about 17 inches at the shoulder, 24 inches long monster snorting and snuffing over. I was tempted to ask if we were being Punk'd or what, as he was at LEAST 3 times the size of any shih tzu or yorkie I had ever seen, morbidly fat and UGLY. At any rate, he's still with us, what, 4-5 years later... he's dropped a few pounds, grew some hair, and isn't *quite* as ugly, but my dad is head-over-heels for him, the feeling mutual, and he's here to stay. I'm in no way attatched to him though. He's just... dad's dog. I mean, he's alright and everything, just not my kind of dog. Lazy, stubborn... never listens unless you've got food in your hand, and your screwed if someone else has a cheeseburger. Plus he's afraid of his own shadow.

Anyway, so how about you guys? Do you think it's right to wait for a "click" or to just pick one and see what happens?

I saw an ad for Star on the datatabase, with a pic of her at 8 weeks. Wow, I thought, a pup that actually has a straight topline! She also looked to have excellent bone for a female, and good pigment.  I clicked on the pedigree, and found it was loaded with VA dogs, and on the American side, several grand victors. Her maternal grandfather was Dallas (Kismet's Sight for Sore Eyes) and her paternal GF was none other than Ursus von Batu! I was too dumb to know that she wouldn't make it in the AKC/CKC show ring because she was a mixture of German and American lines, but boy, that was one kickass pedigree!

Anyway, I drove down to Ohio to see her. Her breeders were kind enough to let me do a temperament test on her, and the test turned out very well. She had good play drive, was gunsure (I banged some dog dishes together for that one!) confident and very friendly. Her pain tolerance and submission were just about right in the middle.

But what REALLY clinched it was when I sat down in a chair, and she crawled into my lap and gave me kisses!  Four years later, she STILL loves to to do that!

Some of the dogs here came to us as rescues - My old old GSD got here on Halloween, very pregnant and had been running stray in Detroit.  That was over 10 yrs ago and she is still here, she just fit in.  We have a Toy FoxTerrier who I picked up from an Amish breeder when I made a run to pick up some rescues, she was going to be killed because seh was too little - she is my pocket puppy LOL.  We also have an elderly JRT who also came to us from a shelter pregnant - she adopted my husband and is his shadow.  Quando my PP dog was picked out for me by his breeder and I could not be happier with him.  MY Mali female I imported from Croatia was picked out by my trainer who know exactly what I was looking for and the new GSD girl is a long story but I am ever so glad she is here. 

I put hours and hours and hours of research into looking for the right dog for me before I decided to go with Kreative and a puppy out of their dog Nino. I really had my heart set on a pure black dog but told them I would take the best pup regardless of the color. When the pictures came out I got some what attached to the big fat female pup that was straight black.

As time went on it appeared that the middle sized black puppy was showing most promise, I won't lie my heart was kinda set on the chubbster but I was looking for the craziest most forward, brave and asshole pup they had. At about 10 weeks I called and they told me that hands down the best pup was standing out above the others, and would you believe it was my chubby Mc-Chubberton! Not only did I get the black pup I was looking for it was the actual one I had (superficially I might add) fallen in love with.

She was impossible to deal with, with insane drive and dominance, everyone thought I was crazy because I was going to be a first time handler with "Too much dog" for me. I knew what I was getting into and knew that my whole house was going to be torn to shreds and I couldn't have been the happier. When I went to pick her up she was everything, and I mean everything I wanted, very bold completely without fear and driven to get what she wanted come hell or high water.

My Fang is amazing and as a team we are doing great, she did pretty much destroy the whole world and that was ok because she was MY Fang and I look forward to our many experiences together. Our wins, and yes our faliures and moments of utter glory and our ever somber moments of defeat, our times of pure unison and our times of miscomunication. We are both new but we are determined and a very good friend of mine Joel said "Enjoy the journey, it is all about the journey".

In case of my girl – it was a conscious decision. I was looking for a potential breeding bitch from the very particular female. All puppies were presold 2 years in advance so I was out of luck. I was offered puppies from other females, but I wasn’t sure. Then – few weeks later I got a phone call from the breeder: “if you are still interested I have one 5 month old female for you”. She send me some pictures – they didn’t really made me go WOW... I knew that there would be a downside to getting an older, kenneled puppy – but I decided to make a trip (6-7 hours one way) to meet the pup in person. I took her for a walk and 10 min later me and my hubby were sure, she’s the ONE.

My other pup – 4 months old now, somehow picked me... He was only 48 hrs old when I came into the whelping room to check on Mom and pups when he picked his head, loudly sniffed the air and moved towards me. From then on – he would do anything to be with me. I didn’t want to choose so early, but he just started to fulfill all my wishes. Looks, temperament and attitude – I just couldn’t say NO... My mentor told me to go with my ‘gut instinct’ and choose him. She said that it is usually how you pick the best dogs. Maybe other pup was better looking, but a total dog is what matters. The color and cute looks are really the last on the list of criteria. She always was choosing more masculine over ‘pretty’ male pups as in her experience they always grow up better looking in the end. Only future will tell - but I have to admit that I am totally in love - I have never had a pup like that before...

I was looking for a solid black female working line. Searched internet for about 6 month's or so. Getting ready to look at a pup in Michigan, 6 hours away. Did one more search and somehow stumbled across Vom Eisenherz Kennel. Can't understand how I never hit this site. Made contact with Jen who had just what we were looking for. Only a 40 minute drive. After getting Ezra, she was above and beyond anything we had hoped for. A month or so later we purchased another female bi-color from Jen. These GSD's are off the chart's. I've owned many GSD's over the years, but never of this caliber. There prey drive is over the top. Ezra's has nerves of steel. When they turn on, they turn "ON". The after sale support and advice is second to none. We have started training and they are doing great! Buying a GSD, even with the best of research, is still a bit of a crap shoot. I got darn lucky and feel very blessed to have found these GSD's and breeder.    Take Care      Pete

My first pup was a rescue.  After being turned down by two rescues for working over 5 hours a day, I called a certain training kennel.  Due to an illness in the family, a 3-4 month old female pup needed to be rehomed.  When I first met her, she incredibly stand-offish and found the rocks on the ground more interesting than me.  After 2.5 years, I think she finally likes me.

My second pup was purchased from a breeder.  I took into consideration my lifestyle and what I wanted in a 1) pet and 2) show prospect.  And I spent a little over a year researching and looking at breedings on-line.  With the help of a knowledgeable friend, I finally settled on three reputable breeders; two with pups on the ground and one with a fantastic confirmed breeding.  Of the two with pups on the ground...both had phenomenal pedigrees but one stood out more to me.  So, I talked with the breeder, narrowed my focus on two male pups, saw pictures and videos, settled on a pup, went to visit the pups and came home with his brother.     

I am one of those people who goes with a gut feeling, instant reaction - love at first sight..and 99% of the time its a no regrets decision....i have never bought a dog from a breeder...I will one day...but for now it all been adoptees from shelters...
my male dog "Dozer" who is my "butt dog" because he is always under my butt was adopted...in 2007.
In spring of 2007  we had 1 cat and 1 GSD (trained, tattooed, and shelter stressed Misty...who ever dumped her was an idiot..she is a great dog) Anyways..at that time we had no plans to add any dogs I just started a new job and barely had time for current pets..but around my birthday i just hit me to get another dog...i went to shelter everyday for 10 days and even my family was like..if u want one get one, why are you torchering yourself...but all the dogs they had were not it...i thought maybe it's just me, because i did not even know what i was looking for...on 11th day i was driving from work, i remember i had linen white pants and 5 inch heals and silk shirt..I even thought i need to skip shelter today..yet i ended up at the shelter...and to be honest no intentions to adopt at all..but when i walked by 2nd to last cage and saw the only dog who was not barking but was standing and starring at me...he had the most piercings eye contact..even when you turn away you can feel it..
Dozer was 7 months, he was picked up as a stray, his weight was 28 pounds, you can see outline on his hip bones and his spine, sagy neck, dark color, patchy fur, i called my husband and said i found a dog..want to see him?..i waited 15 min. while talking to the worker..who told me that this dog was picked up on a day of my birthday, and had been under quarantine for 10 days....weird was all i said..because 1st time i stopped by shelter was on my birthday..i stood there looking at him and he stared at me, eventually he laid down and stayed down till my husband stopped by...when he saw him first words were "this is the ugliest dog i had ever seen, he looks sick, honey...did you see those lab puppies? they are chubby energetic little things" while he pointed to the cage down the line...i said: "nope i did not see any labs" (i must have walked by them a dozen times in last 10 days..LOL ..I said "i am taking him".... and it was love at first site...
Our journey had not been easy, he was a poop eater, he had food allergies, he chewed all 400+ deck posts within a week...he ate my brand new spring planted trees, he was a roamer, he did not like leash, he did not like cats, he chased everything that moved, he was a barker....i poured sweat, blood and tears into getting this dog in line....and when others said 'get rid of him" it was not an option...4 years later...he is the best dog i have...he gets a little too excited at times before we leave the yard but he is my running partner, he is my "human reader" he has no ball drive and if he ever steals a ball from others he pees on it...but..he reads me like a book..him and i get each other...if i ever need a back up..he is my right wing man..LOOOL..