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Border Collie "issues"?


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Hi all!

 

So, if you read my into you'll know that I don't have a BC yet :D , but am trying to find out as much as i can for when i do... which will hopefully be very soon!

 

My first hand knowledge of them is very limited, i've read a lot online and in breed books... but as we all know that doesn't really give you everything you want (and need) to know! Borders down here are very few and far between, i see more Huskies than BC's actually! :D I only really have constant contact with 2 Borders. Both who are very different! I am hoping you all can tell me if the "behaviors" they exhibit are common with Border Collies or if this is something that can be "prevented" with correct training, leadership, and stimulation.

 

The first one is a female about 6 years old. My boss acquired her from a lady who pulled her out of a bad situation, but was told to not bring the dog home. That was 5 years ago. In the beginning, she freaked out in the car and would literally try to rip your face off if you tried to pick her up. She's not that "severe" anymore but she does have a few quirks. She spends 12-13 hours a day, 5 days a week, at a "doggy daycare" (where my boss and I work.) She isn't in the group with the rest of the dogs because she becomes almost neurotic like. She will randomly chase after a dog and bark in it's face or she spends her time jumping the wooden fences. So she's allowed to hang out in the hallway and pretty much go where she pleases. Whenever her owner walks by her she becomes obsessed with being anywhere she is: outside, in the bathroom, at the front desk... ect. ect. she barks like crazy and jumps to try and see her. When we take the dogs outside in the yard she will be "ok" for maybe an hour or so. Then she starts the jumping at the door and will pick at a dog and nip them. She also becomes obsessed with cars in the parking lot. If they park near the fence, she'll run back and forth in front of the car frantically. When it's time to leave, we leash the dogs up at the front desk behind the counter. This is where she becomes most neurotic. She runs back and forth from one side of the counter to the other jumping up, getting down, running to the other side, jumping up, getting down ect. ect. barking the whole time and panting.

 

Could this be a result from not having very much physical and mental "work"? Or is it somewhat "normal" for BC's to develop these neurotic tendencies?

 

The second dog was raised since young puppyhood by the same guy who still owns him today. He's about 4-5. He spends his day at a mental institution that his owner owns. He's a registered Therapy dog and has free roam of the property. He brings the BC to the dog park about 4-5 times a week. He plays with the frisbee with him in the park and also plays fetch with him in the lake. He's a very calm dog and only rarely will break out of that and try to run down some wild dogs at the dog park. The only thing strange i notice is he doesn't interact with anyone (canine or human) besides his owner. Only when his owner tells him to say hello will he acknowledge anyone.

 

Is this a product of consistent training? or a strong bond between dog/handler? He's a nice enough dog, he just seems... empty.

 

Sorry this is long... :rolleyes:

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Border collies need lots of exercise so your boss' BC sounds like they need more exercise/mental stimulation.

 

The 2nd BC being a trained therapy dog could have been trained to only say hello when told to because being in a hospital, etc some people don't want to meet a strange dog. Also, BC's can be obsessive so the frisbee could be the only thing it wants to focus on.

 

There is an awesome Aussie at my dog park but she won't say hello because she is so ball obsessed.

 

Tim

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The second dog was raised since young puppyhood by the same guy who still owns him today. He's about 4-5. He spends his day at a mental institution that his owner owns. He's a registered Therapy dog and has free roam of the property. He brings the BC to the dog park about 4-5 times a week. He plays with the frisbee with him in the park and also plays fetch with him in the lake. He's a very calm dog and only rarely will break out of that and try to run down some wild dogs at the dog park. The only thing strange i notice is he doesn't interact with anyone (canine or human) besides his owner. Only when his owner tells him to say hello will he acknowledge anyone.

 

Is this a product of consistent training? or a strong bond between dog/handler? He's a nice enough dog, he just seems... empty.

 

BCs tend to be owner centered dogs. My dogs play with each other, but not really with other dogs. They all prefer playing frisbee of ball with me than playing with each other. Two of them are pretty aloof with people outside of the family, but they like people they know well.

 

My dogs follow me around the house and hang out where I am. When I'm ready to go, so are they, but otherwise they lay and chew a bone or snooze. They are quite active when it's time for it.

 

My 14 m/o loves, loves, loves everybody. I think she will always be a bit more friendly and outgoing than the other two, but I expect it will be tempered just a bit as she matures.

 

As to the first dog, It sounds like she is in a place of high stimulation all day with no real outlet for her physical/mental energy. Though her early experiences didn't help her at all, I would think with training and an outlet for her drive she may be a calmer, more content dog. As for following her owner around, it's a BC thing they tend to be velcro dogs. The barking/demanding attention is not normal.

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BCs tend to be owner centered dogs. My dogs play with each other, but not really with other dogs. They all prefer playing frisbee of ball with me than playing with each other. Two of them are pretty aloof with people outside of the family, but they like people they know well.

 

My dogs follow me around the house and hang out where I am. When I'm ready to go, so are they, but otherwise they lay and chew a bone or snooze. They are quite active when it's time for it.

 

My 14 m/o loves, loves, loves everybody. I think she will always be a bit more friendly and outgoing than the other two, but I expect it will be tempered just a bit as she matures.

 

I just wanted to say that being owner-centered may not be true of all BCs. My two (1 and a half years, and 2 and a half years) adore everyone they meet. If allowed ("Don't worry--I love dogs! Let them do whatever they want!"), they will sit (a tall sit, not a lie down) as close to the person as they can, staring worshippingly into the person's face.

 

If anything, I wish they would be a little more discriminating. Several of our friends are convinced they personally have a really special relationship with our dogs--I'd hate to see their disillusionment if they ever saw how our dogs do exactly the same thing to the guy who comes over for the first time to do the furnace estimate.

 

And our first border collie was not really different in this regard, even though she was a very shy dog. Once she overcame her shyness with anyone she worshipped them.

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Guest echoica

honestly, most of what you're describing could happen to any dog regardless of breed (especially in the case of the first dog you described). while some breeds do have certain quirks due to selective breeding for (hopefully) functional purpose, that does not determine how your dog will ultimately behave. even among dogs of the same breed there is a great variety of traits among each of those individual dogs in that grouping...and i hate to generalize. i think they are dogs first...and it is their experiences, not breed, that have led them to be what they are. leave the labeling to the kennel clubs! :rolleyes:

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My dog behaves pretty much as dog #2 in your example - only worrying about me and his ball/frisbee and pretty much ignoring all other people and dogs. But I wouldn't call him "empty" in a million years!. He's full of energy and presence. Just not involved with people or dogs around him. Unless there's a baby around and then he'd go straight towards the baby and wiggle his butt with love :D He did that again last Sunday on our walk, making the toddler squeal with joy at the sight of the "doggy" :rolleyes:

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Yes, it seems clear that my bosses dog really does need some sort of outlet. But it's not just normal "velcro" with her. It's literally like an obsession. If the bathroom door is closed while she's in there- and the dog is not- she freaks out and will try anything to get in.

 

I guess these things can happen to any breed... it just seems like with BC having such high energy, drive, and literal NEED to work attitude... it would be easier for them to wind up like dog #1. For example: Siberian Huskies need to be worked everyday or they become seriously destructive and can quickly begin showing signs of Sep. Anxiety. Most are given away for destroying walls, escaping, or mouthing. Just like i've seen a lot of BC's put through shelters for nipping, chasing, and "going crazy" (people have literally written that down on a LOT of owner surrender cards that passed through our shelter).

 

Why do I want a BC? On one side I would truly love to get involved in flyball or agility. I love how dedicated they can become to a sport. I do some rally with one of my Huskies, but it's a lot different to work with a dog who wants to listen to exactly what you're saying. I love the drive and the focus they have. No matter if the dog is a spaz or totally dedicated... watching them with their owners you can almost SEE the connection they have. I mean, my dogs love me to death, but what i've seen is something special. And honestly i'm ready for another challenge. I love my Huskies, but 3 stubborn fluff balls is all i need. I'm a good leader and a good owner and personally i think i'd be a great BC owner. And of course, they are quite beautiful. :rolleyes:

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It sounds like dog #1 needs some training and an appropriate outlet for her anxiety. Clearly that place is too much for her to handle. Teaching her to be calm would be a good place to start. Of course, I'm not a trainer or anything, but it seems pretty clear that anxiety is this one's problem.

 

Personally, I wouldn't assume your dog is going to turn out like either of them. If you are careful about where you get him/her from, you should be able to figure out what kind of dog she's going to be. If you go to a breeder, make sure it's a respectable one... do a search here and find out all about that, I won't get into it. If you go to a rescue, well, most of those dogs are in foster homes and if you get an older dog (8 months +) the foster home should be able to tell you what you're going to get and/or match you to the exact dog you are looking for.

 

I have two and they are literally night and day.

 

Daisy is reserved and very serious. She does have a goofy side, but that is saved only for my BF and I. She's fearful and reactive towards strangers and other dogs. Once she gets to know people, she usually likes them just fine, but she really only has eyes for my BF and I... and my mom when she has a bowl full of cereal! :rolleyes: When we are training there is no one else in the room except her and I. She is that focused on the task at hand that she forgets about the other dogs and strangers. She is 5 and is a bit of a couch potato. Happy to stay at home and watch t.v. with one of her humans.

 

Riley is her polar opposite. I've yet to find anything that scares him, he is friendly to every single person he meets and loves other dogs. His brain goes in 30 different directions at one time and he is a huge goofball. He's very hyper and has a lot of energy, but I will give him a break. He's just over a year old and has been on crate rest since November due to an injury. Prior to that, he was likely very close to a stray. Someone fed him, but beyond that he didn't receive much care or training. He loves everything about life and want's to see the world.

 

You can't really base your judgement on any breed according to stuff you "hear" or read. Whenever someone finds out I have border collies they ask me if I'm insane. I've never really put much thought into it. Every breed of dog will have one or two "horror stories", I'm sure! I think you've come to the right place to find appropriate information.

 

Good luck!

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I guess these things can happen to any breed

 

That's what I'd say. Sure, each breed may have different requirements, but each dog within the breed is different as well. My two BCs are as different as night & day--and neither are what you originally described.

 

For example: Siberian Huskies need to be worked everyday or they become seriously destructive and can quickly begin showing signs of Sep. Anxiety.

 

See, this is the same to me as generalizing that BCs must have a job 24/7. I have a Siberian Husky, too, and he is the exact opposite of this. He's never destroyed anything in his entire life (he's two now & we got him at 6 months) except stuffed squeaky toys and he likes nothing better than to lay at our feet, or across our laps, for as long as we'll let him. When we leave him at home as far as I can tell he lounges around waiting for us to come back. He also LOVES our cats and quite enjoys having them lick his face.

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I stopped working with rescues 3 years ago. They're great, but i don't agree with them on a lot of levels. I'd rather pull a dog from an animal control, save someone who watched too much "Babe", or go the breeder route.

 

DaisyDuke-

 

Thanks :D I know that I probably won't wind up with a dog like that. I'll probably end up with a good fit for my family. But every breed has it's horror stories! I'm sure i've accidentally scared off some would-be Husky owners myself! :rolleyes:

 

Mobams-

 

I would have you say you're quite lucky! And you definitely fall into the minority... Mine are also easy going couch potato bums, but it's either because they're tired from exercise... or they're waiting for it! Mine love the cats too, that's actually pretty common with Huskies that are raised with cats.

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3 years ago i lost my 18 year old Belgian Malinois. He was old (obviously) and led a good life, it was time. A few months after, i decided it was time to get another dog. I wasn't sure what i wanted, so i looked around at a lot of the local rescues. I found 3 really great dogs that would be good matches for me. I spent hours on the applications, sent them in, and waited. It took a while for any of them to get back to me. Sent me through hoops of home visits, work checks, personal references, vet references ect. ect. Finally about 3 months after i submitted the applications i was allowed to meet one of the dogs. We hit it off great and i really felt a connection. After a few days i received an email stating we wouldn't be a good match and they would keep the application "on file" until they found a dog they considered "suitable". I was upset, but had faith that i WOULD find the right dog. The other 2 rescues sent me though the same charade. This went on for about 6 months of up and down. By that time, the dogs i had interest in were gone and off to new homes.

 

I know that rescues want the best chances for their dogs to have the best possible homes, but i think it's honestly easier to adopt a child than it is to adopt from one of these places. I mean i live in a great quiet neighborhood, have a 6 foot shadowbox wood fence around the entire property, have a large swimming pool, a huge outdoor covered area, and the dogs wouldn't have been left alone for more than 3-4 hours a day. And it's not like the dogs would be outside dogs. I gave them as much information as i could possibly fit on the applications... So because of that i decided to adopt from a place where the dogs are in real danger. I went down to Animal control and adopted my first male Sibe that same day. No fuss, no crazy paperwork, and honestly cheap too. Rescues are great for perfect people, but i guess i'm just not one of them!

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Guest echoica
3 years ago i lost my 18 year old Belgian Malinois. He was old (obviously) and led a good life, it was time. A few months after, i decided it was time to get another dog. I wasn't sure what i wanted, so i looked around at a lot of the local rescues. I found 3 really great dogs that would be good matches for me. I spent hours on the applications, sent them in, and waited. It took a while for any of them to get back to me. Sent me through hoops of home visits, work checks, personal references, vet references ect. ect. Finally about 3 months after i submitted the applications i was allowed to meet one of the dogs. We hit it off great and i really felt a connection. After a few days i received an email stating we wouldn't be a good match and they would keep the application "on file" until they found a dog they considered "suitable". I was upset, but had faith that i WOULD find the right dog. The other 2 rescues sent me though the same charade. This went on for about 6 months of up and down. By that time, the dogs i had interest in were gone and off to new homes.

 

I know that rescues want the best chances for their dogs to have the best possible homes, but i think it's honestly easier to adopt a child than it is to adopt from one of these places. I mean i live in a great quiet neighborhood, have a 6 foot shadowbox wood fence around the entire property, have a large swimming pool, a huge outdoor covered area, and the dogs wouldn't have been left alone for more than 3-4 hours a day. And it's not like the dogs would be outside dogs. I gave them as much information as i could possibly fit on the applications... So because of that i decided to adopt from a place where the dogs are in real danger. I went down to Animal control and adopted my first male Sibe that same day. No fuss, no crazy paperwork, and honestly cheap too. Rescues are great for perfect people, but i guess i'm just not one of them!

 

I feel for you. Some rescues do go over the top. I was denied once - because I would "not be home all day with the puppy" - that was seriously the sole reason - they did not believe puppies should be left alone - crated or not - for the first 6 months. But don't let it deter you from ever trying again. Some rescues are completely reasonable. The SPCA, for example, here in Ontario and in Nova Scotia (where I have gotten animals in the past) were amazing. Picky of course, but not over the top. That said, animals found at the 'pound' are just as deserving of a home and you have done something great to have rescued from there :rolleyes:

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They are truly on high horses!

 

It really does vary from rescue to rescue.

 

I had none of the types of problems that you describe with the rescue that I adopted Dean from. We were allowed to choose the dogs that we wanted to meet from the ones listed on the website, and we were able to adopt very quickly after meeting the dogs, etc. We had to be approved before doing so, but the application process was quick. We were able to adopt even though I work a full time job. We didn't adopt a puppy, but we adopted quite a young dog. That was a Border Collie rescue - no high horses in sight.

 

I'm not saying this to try to negate your experience. Just pointing out that they aren't all the same. Since they are privately run entities, there is a lot of variation from rescue to rescue.

 

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, but many of us have had good experiences adopting from Border Collie rescue. Depends a lot on where you are, I suppose.

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I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, but many of us have had good experiences adopting from Border Collie rescue. Depends a lot on where you are, I suppose.

 

It has a lot to do with where we are... i'm pretty sure anyway. Not saying i haven't heard a lot of wonderful stories come out of rescues, but me personally, i wouldn't try again. It's too much work. In Miami dade there are around 400 dogs a day in the Animal Control. Most of which are put down after the mandatory 5 day hold. I would feel better inside taking a dog from certain death, rather than removing it from a comfy cozy foster home.

 

I thank you for all your answers, I can hardly wait to bring a new furbaby home.

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As someone who works with various rescues (one being a "main" rescue), I wanted to respond to explain somethings that we see day to day in our small rescue.

 

Our procedure is application (and it's a long one!), 2 personal references, 1 vet reference, an in home visit and then and only then do we (if the fit is right) allow the potential new owners to meet the dog. We watch that interaction quite carefully - and because our initial screening is so detailed we have only once in the past number of years had to say the fit wasn't there for the family with the dog. The reason we do this is because most of the BCs and such we get in rescue have been beaten, abused, neglected. And if someone really wants that dog they will go through the process and if that happens, we have a better chance at a great home that will stick it out for the long haul with these "damaged" dogs.

 

As well, most rescues are all volunteers. Our rescue has 4 of us working. One of us who handles all incoming communication, initial application screening, etc - another 2 ladies do the reference checks and in home visits, and the fourth lady does the final meeting and organizes our fosters. We all have our own lives - jobs, dogs, family, etc - and when we have dogs in our rescue they are NOT in immediate danger and alot of time are in experienced foster homes in hopes of working some of their issues out before placing them in their forever home. So that in mind we can't always get back to people in 24 or 48 hours. We do our best to keep in touch, but sometimes it's impossible and you cannot imagine the demands people put on us to respond and advise - those people are simply told too bad, go elsewhere. You can't imagine the people that expect a response in 1 to 2 HOURS upon sending an email or their application even AFTER explaining the process to them!! ARGH!

 

echoica - we have no problems with working people taking pups, however for our rescue - we have to know that someone is going to go let them out for a pee/play half way through the day. We've had people want to adopt our 8 to 10 week old puppies and work 8 hours per day with an hour commute for their jobs... well that's not at all fair to that little puppy to hold their pee/poop for 9 hours. We always work with people to find them dog walkers, or even one of our fosters has taken her own time to go over and do this for people for the first month.

 

Sorry for the rant about the rescue process (for some rescues) - but it's near and dear to my heart.

 

Good luck getting your pup kristinavb!!

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In Miami dade there are around 400 dogs a day in the Animal Control. Most of which are put down after the mandatory 5 day hold. I would feel better inside taking a dog from certain death, rather than removing it from a comfy cozy foster home.

 

I agree. Once in foster the dogs are safe. And being worked to make sure some of the issues are improving.

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In Miami dade there are around 400 dogs a day in the Animal Control. Most of which are put down after the mandatory 5 day hold. I would feel better inside taking a dog from certain death, rather than removing it from a comfy cozy foster home.

Given that the number of foster homes is a limited resource, every one that gets adopted potentially opens a new spot for the rescue to pull another dog in danger. The advantage of going through a breed specific rescue is that the dog has been evaluated and the rescue knows its pros and cons. The behaviour of a dog in the shelter may be quite different from when it has come home and settled.

I know that some rescues can be picky about matching people to dogs, but in most cases it is to ensure that the dog does get a good home for the rest of its life. The procedures are there to minimize the times a dog is returned because "it just didn't work out".

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3 years ago i lost my 18 year old Belgian Malinois. He was old (obviously) and led a good life, it was time. A few months after, i decided it was time to get another dog. I wasn't sure what i wanted, so i looked around at a lot of the local rescues. I found 3 really great dogs that would be good matches for me. I spent hours on the applications, sent them in, and waited. It took a while for any of them to get back to me. Sent me through hoops of home visits, work checks, personal references, vet references ect. ect. Finally about 3 months after i submitted the applications i was allowed to meet one of the dogs. We hit it off great and i really felt a connection. After a few days i received an email stating we wouldn't be a good match and they would keep the application "on file" until they found a dog they considered "suitable". I was upset, but had faith that i WOULD find the right dog. The other 2 rescues sent me though the same charade. This went on for about 6 months of up and down. By that time, the dogs i had interest in were gone and off to new homes.

 

I know that rescues want the best chances for their dogs to have the best possible homes, but i think it's honestly easier to adopt a child than it is to adopt from one of these places. I mean i live in a great quiet neighborhood, have a 6 foot shadowbox wood fence around the entire property, have a large swimming pool, a huge outdoor covered area, and the dogs wouldn't have been left alone for more than 3-4 hours a day. And it's not like the dogs would be outside dogs. I gave them as much information as i could possibly fit on the applications... So because of that i decided to adopt from a place where the dogs are in real danger. I went down to Animal control and adopted my first male Sibe that same day. No fuss, no crazy paperwork, and honestly cheap too. Rescues are great for perfect people, but i guess i'm just not one of them!

 

That is really too bad. Especially since it happened to you with 3 rescues, I don't blame you for having a bad taste in your mouth. I wouldn't hold that to all rescues though. I understand in the U.S. there are a lot more kill shelters and less rescues and you are right, once the dog is in a foster home it is safe. I'm not going to apologize for them, but since I am quite heavily involved in a rescue I will say that not all rescues are like that.

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That is really too bad. Especially since it happened to you with 3 rescues, I don't blame you for having a bad taste in your mouth. I wouldn't hold that to all rescues though. I understand in the U.S. there are a lot more kill shelters and less rescues and you are right, once the dog is in a foster home it is safe. I'm not going to apologize for them, but since I am quite heavily involved in a rescue I will say that not all rescues are like that.

 

And not to be a jerk... but we only "know" this poster by an internet forum. And I mean NO DISRESPECT but perhaps there are reasons these 3 rescues didn't follow through, and perhaps there isn't.

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Guest echoica
echoica - we have no problems with working people taking pups, however for our rescue - we have to know that someone is going to go let them out for a pee/play half way through the day. We've had people want to adopt our 8 to 10 week old puppies and work 8 hours per day with an hour commute for their jobs... well that's not at all fair to that little puppy to hold their pee/poop for 9 hours. We always work with people to find them dog walkers, or even one of our fosters has taken her own time to go over and do this for people for the first month.

 

that's the thing...not even THAT was acceptable...they told me they only adopt puppies out to people who will commit to being with the puppy (or at least one person in the household will be) 100% of the time up to 6 months. and they were up front with this and told me straight up this was the reason. this was a puppy, not a 'damaged' dog or anything. i was living in ontario and i lived literally like a 2 minute drive from where i worked. and a lot of flexibility in my job. so when i got casey from the spca - instead of the other group to which i was denied and which will not be named lol - i took him for a walk in the morning before i left for work. came home at lunch for a potty/play break and i was always home shortly after 4 again in the evening for lots of other stuff. and i am single...was a volunteer elsewhere at the time...with awesome references...you can't tell me this denial was not a little over the top and insulting! :rolleyes: but i say...they missed out on a GREAT doggy mama with me...i know that! their loss. even if it worked out in the end it doesn't matter because casey is the bestest mutt ever! ps; this was not a breed-specific rescue...they dealt mostly with cats...and were a very small organization. but i KNOW there are good rescues out there. and this was one of them...just overly picky. it's just they no doubt miss on many good homes because of it. and rescue is very dear to me as well :D

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that's the thing...not even THAT was acceptable...they told me they only adopt puppies out to people who will commit to being with the puppy (or at least one person in the household will be) 100% of the time up to 6 months.

 

That is simply crazy. I wonder how long they had those pups before they found the dream home?! That is over the top.

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