Good place to adopt a Doodle for low cost in Northern California?

[Mikol & Omni]

Hi there,

A good friend of mine after meeting Omni really wants to get a Doodle too.  But he's on Social Security and so can't afford to pay breeder prices.  Is there a Doodle Rescue program that has puppies or young dogs?  He's been looking in area animal shelters for a while now with not much luck.

If you can point me to another discussion if one already exists that would be great!

Thanks,
Mikol

[Mikol & Omni]

Thanks, Karen.

[Mikol & Omni]

I appreciate your response Karen. I understand all of what you set out below. I too paid several thousands of dollars for my last dog, both as a puppy when he destroyed things I had to replace, and as an older dog when he got cancerous tumors, not to mention just regular care which adds up. I understand the cost and so does my friend. He has a decent monthly income, but most people have trouble coming up with an extra 2K (that's what my breeder charged) for a pup at once. It was a stretch for my household to do that, and we both work. But yet Omni is eating top food, getting cared for, has toys, treats, etc. I can afford daily care but the initial fee was steep and that's what I am looking to avoid for my friend. But I do appreciate your response. It should definitely be considered for all thinking of getting a dog - it's a 15 yer commitment (hopefully) and expensive and worth every penny.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

But what both you and Joyce are missing is my point that it isn't just the cost of buying the dog or caring for the dog...it's the idea that the dog is being adopted as a consolation prize. If the unimaginable happened, and I had to rehome Jack, I don't want him going to someone who would really like a puppy from a breeder, but will settle for a rescue because they can't afford what they really want. I want someone who can afford to buy a puppy from a breeder, but would rather have Jack. Because that's how I felt when I adopted him, and that's what he deserves.

[Mikol & Omni]

But why does it have to be about the money? What I think you are missing about my point, is that a person really wants to have a dog and has time and love to share. It doesn't matter what they can afford and the choices they make in how they get the dog. I ideally would adopt all of my pets (and have adopted 4 out of the 6 I have had), because I think there are plenty of dogs and cats in the world already and we don't really need to pay people to create new ones for us - there are all kinds of awesome dogs and cats needing homes and love. But if you want a specific kind of dog, you generally look for a long time if you want to adopt, or you buy. Regardless, whether he can afford a breeder dog or not is not the point. Getting an animal from a shelter is AWESOME as long as you intend to provide that animal a loving life long home - no matter what your reasoning in getting that animal from a shelter. Each dog and cat deserves to be loved and cared for. It sounds like Jack found a great one in you. But whether you could afford to buy vs. adopt has nothing to do with anything, in my opinion.

[Mikol & Omni]

And, as my friend says, I would rather put the money into the dog, and making its life the best I can, than to give a bunch of money to the person who bred it. Not that this is anything against good breeders. I just got Omni from a lovely woman who breeds them. It's just about my initial post. Don't want to get in a discussion about the scary crappy things that happen in puppy mills and "bad" breeders.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Mikol, your whole discussion is only about money! You said "I have a friend who really wants a doodle, but he can't afford breeder prices. Is there a doodle rescue program?" That was the angle from which you approached this.
Why didn't you say "I have a friend who really wants a doodle, but he hates to buy a puppy from a breeder when there are so many dogs out there who need homes."?
Had you said that, my reply would have been entirely different. And since I am a director of the Doodle Rescue Collective, I certainly could have given you some information about doodle rescues.
But you made money and your friend's financial situation the single motivation and focus of your post, so that's what I focused on. If the real motivation was to give a homeless dog a home, money didn't need to be mentioned at all.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think I totally "get" what Karen is saying, because I've recently gone through my own personal, very emotional journey that led me to a decision that I really wanted to adopt a rescue dog. We actually are very lucky and could afford to pay for another Doodle from a good breeder. That would certainly be the "safer" route, but it would just not fulfill what is in my heart. I so much want to give a dog who really needs it a great home and a great life. I want to do it because in my heart I totally know it's exactly what I is the right thing for me and for my family. As I said in an earlier post this week, this is a very personal commitment. I understand there is a huge "risk" that a rescue dog could involve lots of time, financial resources, and incredible understanding and patience. That's all okay with me, because I've thought it all through, and I really WANT to make that kind of commitment. I want to make a difference. So, there is a difference in my motivation than saying I want a rescue because it's financially more viable. I'm not saying I'm right, and you are wrong. I'm just saying there is a difference, and it's important to understand that. Maybe your friend does have this same committed motivation in his heart, and that is just not being communicated. I'm not trying to judge, I'm just agreeing that there really is a difference. These dogs have been through so much already in their lives. Someone needs to be protecting them from future rehomes because the adopter doesn't have the internal or financial resources to make a good life for them. So, please don't think I'm being judgmental. I'm only trying to present a perspective (like Karen) that will help your friend to really think this through and consider the very best interests of these dogs who so desperately need rescuing.

[Mikol & Omni]

The only thing I have to add is maybe I wasn't clear - he didn't say "I love your dog - I want to get one from a breeder but can't afford it." "He said "I love your dog. I'm looking to adopt that same breed. Any ideas on where I can find that same breed and adopt one - I have been looking in shelters and haven't seen that mix much?"

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

That's a good clarification...so maybe his motivation is really about giving a great life to a Doodle in need. If that's the case, that is a whole different story in my mind.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wish you had worded your original post that way. It makes a big difference.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I agree that it is often the inital 'chunk of change' for a dog that is the expense one can't afford - when it is thousands. We were lucky and had some extra money when we got Ned (don't have a clue what extra money is nowadays!), but we couldn't come up with that initial outlay now. Somehow we do come up with the money to give our dogs the moon once we have them, but a prospective dog owner needs to seriously take Karen's cautions into account. Grooming costs can be HUGE, vet bills for an injury or illness can be HUGE.

[Leslie J]

I think that even though a person is adopting a rescue pet because they can't afford a pet from a breeder the pet can be loved and cherished as much as a decedent of royalty. I can also understand that one will pay to care for the dog even if it is hard to afford (perhaps a health insurance policy would be wise since vet bills can be enormous).

I have a friend who decided to adopt (a human baby!) after years of struggling with infertility. She shared a quote with me which I think could apply here- "second choice but definitely not second best". And trust me, when you bond with your dog and love it I am sure that you'll never even give a moment's thought as to where she came from. Whether one adopts from a shelter because it was their first choice or not won't matter much as the years go by.

Personally, I was concerned about bringing an adult dog home because I have young children and didn't want to risk adding a dog to our family, and then needing to rehome it because the high levels of noise and activity were too stressful for the dog. I also had concerns about medical conditions such as hip dysplasia which can be painful and difficult to treat. I think that over the life of the dog it might all balance out no matter where the dog originates. I think Karen has a good point that she may have adopted Jack for $300, but he is certainly not less expensive as far as vet bills, grooming, etc. Each dog deserves to be cherished and cared for, no matter where she was adopted from.