When you got your dog or dogs, did you know what you were looking for, or just stumble upon them?

Yes and No When I got Amiga from the shelter, I was looking for a smaller dog, but my friend had suggested I consider a collie. As it turned out, Amiga was a collie/husky cross, so, of course, I was looking at her, but still more or less set on a smaller, less hairy dog. She pretty much chose me, tho', and it was obvious she was the one cos the smaller dogs I liked the looks of didn't have any real interest in me, so I went home with this big, hairy collie looking dog who turned out to be merely a husky in disguise.

I came close to taking her back to the shelter, I've got to admit, cos she was far more than I'd bargained on given the husky tendency to wander and want to run, run, run, not the mention the time she pulled me off the top of the third step and sent me flying out into the yard on my stomach. Ooofffff.....I didn't let go, tho', which I got a chuckle from later when mushers told me that's their creedo, don't let go of the sled, not matter what. I'm so glad I persevered with her, too, cos tho' she wasn't the dog I wanted, she was the dog I needed, and she became the dog of my heart, leading me to Alaska, but that's another story, another question.

She's been gone now nearly a year, leaving me peacefully in the wee hours of Labor Day morning last year, and I still miss her.... even if it would have been nice if she'd had just a hair more of that "Lassie Come Home" instinct in her that I thought I was getting. Foxy was picked from the same shelter cos she looked like a mini-Amiga, to be honest. I wanted company for Amiga, who was doing a wonderful job giving me a guilt trip for leaving her 'home alone,' so when I saw this sweet, shy little sheltie/spitz mix that looked like she could have been a puppy of Amiga, she was going home with me, no ifs, ands, or buts.

She's still with me, I might note, snoozing at my feet as I type. She didn't take to Alaska like Amiga, who took to it as if she'd been born her, but Foxy's become a tough Alaska fur-chick, too, even if the dirty looks she gives me every winter when it snows tell me she still hasn't forgiven me for ordering all that cold, wet, white stuff. The Alaskan Husky was neither wanted nor looked for, to be honest.

I originally took her as a favor, just intending to keep her while they looked for another home for her. She's a very shy, timid dog and scared of her own shadow, just the way she's always been cos I've talked to her original breeder, and didn't fit in at all with the other two, but her sad, 'I want to be loved but don't know how to let you love me' eyes just sucked me in and I doubt a week had passed before I was emailing her musher and telling him not to bother, she wasn't going anywhere. She's still shy and timid and I keep telling her she's going to give me a bad rep when she goes diving under the deck when company arrives, but she's found her niche, holding down her position of resident sled pet in all her glory, rearraning her doggie pillows with a style that would make you think she was born to that rather than running the trails in frigid temps.So, two outta three were looked for, Foxy the only one that was really love at first sight, but all three were meant to be.

Sources: me .

Most of my dogs found me Most of my dog friends have been rescues, so I'd say they really found me. My first dog when I was 5 was purely love at first sight; my folks took me to the shelter and there was this chubby black puppy lookin' at me and wagging her tail. It was mutual love at first sight, I didn't even look at any of the other dogs.

Several times the dog has been found, either a stray around town or (one of my current family members) Mosby was running down the street and I just pulled my car over and scooped him in. Ran ads on the radio & in the paper but noone ever claimed him. He definitely picked us!

Other times I've gone in search; I've always wanted a pug, and I sought my first one out. He was the light of my life. My little Chihuahua, ditto.

I would say in general that it's a good idea to know yourself and what your life is like, then do as much research as you can about the various breeds so you have a general idea of what would be a happy match for both of you. Pure-bred aficionados will say that is one of the problems with mixed-breed dogs, that you can't determine what their their personalities will be like, since you don't have a breed history & characteristics to fall back on. But I disagree to a point.

That's where the research is handy. If you know, for example, that Mosby is beagle/laborador/Jack Russell mix, you can probably generalize and take a fair guess. He loves the sound of his own voice (terrier), he's sweet and loving with kids (beagle and lab), he likes to swim and play in the water (lab).

On the other hand, he's very protective of my daughter. I would not necessarily have predicted that based on his mix. I have read dozens of dog books over the years, but for choosing a dog, this is my favorite: Sources: just me LarssenAbdo's Recommendations Right Dog For You Amazon List Price: $14.00 Used from: $0.01 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 48 reviews) It is an oldie but goodie, I've not read some of the newer ones listed..

A little bit of it all We knew we would get another German Shepherd or German Shepherd Mix when we got another dog. We love the intelligence and devotion the G.S. Dogs show their human mates. We have had really great G.S. Dogs and lost one in December of last year, after 15 years of having her in our lives.

The day we got our new G.S./Queensland puppy we weren't looking for a dog at all. It was Sunday March 18th in the middle of the day. My husband was online and I was watching foodnetwork.

He said, oh, look, this puppy is so cute, she is in Stockton, wanna go see her? We weren't even looking for a dog at all. We went and looked at her and got her and then had to deal with a Sunday night and a new dog.

We made do, and then a few days later she and I had an accident, surgery, another surgery, and here we are, another surgery pending. Why did I add that last part? Because she is so wonderful and special, even the accident and the surgery was made less painful with her company.

She is everything we could have hoped for and more. Sometimes random dog finding is exactly the right thing. All the planning in the world or pure breeding doesn't guarantee a great dog, or a compatible dog, or a special dog.

Sometimes it is about instinct, feeling, and a leap of faith.

We didn't really know what we wanted when we got Dodger. I was 23 and going through Chemo, so I wanted a small dog to keep me company. That was really all I knew.

I always had big dogs before, so I didn't know what to get. We looked at local animal shelters and there were a few chihuahuas who were cute, but I didn't immediately fall in love. There was a waiting list for them, so we signed up just in case the original people didn't show up on the day they were available.

Then the lady who worked there saw us trying to find a small dog. She took us back to a private area and showed us a new arrival, a border terrier mix. I didn't ever have I immediately was attached to Dodger's spunky, playful terrier personallity.

I am soooo glad we found him; he has so much personality and is very affectionate. I am now a terrier lover! .

Stumbled and planned, both. The first dog I got (Schatzie, a good German name for a sweet miniature French poodle . .. ) was an impulse purchase made while I was wandering around a shopping mall.

I even had to move because of her; my then-current apartment didn't allow pets! Do I recommend getting a dog this way? No, even though it definitely ended up changing my life much for the better.

Dogs are too important to be "impulse purchases," and mall pet stores tend to be of dubious quality when it comes to puppy care. None the less, that's what I did, and I have no regrets--Schatzie kept me feeling loved and sane when I was single. And she always made a point of squeezing in between my boyfriend (now my husband) and me when we'd sit on the couch--just reminding him, I'm sure, that he was a nice guy but that she was in my heart first!

Every dog that's been in my life has been wonderful, but one other--in addition to Schatzie--has had a very special impact. And that dog, Stormie, was very definitely obtained on purpose. At this time, I was recently married and had my husband's two children (ages 13 and 8) living with us.

We were getting along fairly well as a new step-family, but we decided that getting a dog together might be another step in the gradual solidification process. So, the four of us went to the animal shelter--and all four fell in love with the same adorable, very scrawny, energetic little dog that looked like a miniature poodle in build but with short silky black fur, a flat face, and a snaggle tooth. The people at the shelter indicated that other people had also expressed an interest in this dog, so they recommended that we literally spend the night in our car in their parking lot the night before she was due to become adoptable.

The shelter had a way we could sign a form on arrival, and, if we didn't leave, be considered first on the list for this wonderful dog. So that's what I did, and I was gratified during the hours before midnight to see two other people separately approach the sign-up person, then turn and leave. I don't know that they wanted Stormie, but that's what I always assumed.In the morning, I had to go to work, so my husband replace me before the shelter actually opened (with the sign-in man's approval).

A a result, Stormie always felt especially close to my husband--I'm sure she considered him her rescuer--but was a very, very loving dog who did indeed help cement our new family. Good memories. Thanks for asking the question!

Pam_I_Am's Recommendations Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays Amazon List Price: $15.95 Used from: $4.13 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 11 reviews) .

" "Who let the dogs out?" "I have a dog who is an outside dog. When growing up, we had dogs and they always stayed outside. " "Why do dogs......" "This is a question about acquiring a dog or dogs.

Dog barks at other dogs while walking" (10 answers).

I have a dog who is an outside dog. When growing up, we had dogs and they always stayed outside.

This is a question about acquiring a dog or dogs.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.