Looking for a home for our 2 year old Labradoodle

[Andy Caldwell]

We have a two year old Labradoodle with some special needs and we feel like we are unable to meet her needs. We are looking for a good home for her in the Las Vegas area. She is full-sized and white. She has an allergy to wheat. We feed her twice a day and she is still to thin. She is full of energy and plays with our other dog but when she gets into anything she is allergic to her ears flame up and she starts scratching.  We feed her an antihistamine every night that seems to help but it also makes her energy level go up.  If you are interested please feel free to call me at 702-767-9616 or email me at [e-mail] I can send pictures if you are interested.  We are not looking for money just want to make sure she will get the care and love she deserves.       

[Andy Caldwell]

Adina,

 

Thank you for not going down the attack road.  I am just trying to do what is best here.  I am not comfortable not meeting her new family, maybe out of guilt, I don’t know, but I would like to meet them and make sure she has a nice yard to play in.  Right now she has a fenced quarter acre yard with trees and toys to play in.  My experience with a rescue was 10+ dogs in kennels in a yard that was too small.  I know something will work out and I will be able to find her a home that will provide better care than I am willing to. 

 

Andy  

[Adina P]

Oh yeah...that is NOT what IDOG and Doodle Rescue Inc is about.  The foster homes take care of their fosters like they belonged to them, lots of love, good food, play, live indoors, etc as needed.  NOTHING like your experience with the rescue.  And they ALMOST ALWAYS require a fenced yard and have so many parameters families have to meet...they are MORE picky than you would be :)  They have huge waiting lists typically.  Just look at our front page and scroll down to their listings of dogs that currently need homes.  They really take time to do things right.  And whenever possible they do home checks...oh they are THOROUGH :)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Ugh. Today, my foster is playing all over a 1/2 acre of land with her foster brother. She has new toys just meant for her to play with because this is what she needs. The bad food she arrived with has all been changed, she has gained weight, and thrives on her new diet. She has a new bed and sleeps right next to me on the floor. in the evening, she cuddles with me on the couch to get all the belly and chin rubs I can give out.
My husband and I spend all our free time training her so when she moves on she can be better prepared for a new life. I am Only one foster home. Believe me, homes like mine are in the thousands across the country. Certainly, many or most are much better than mine.
My thoughts are that you have Rescues, who utilize foster homes confused with county SHELTERS!
Possibly, your thoughts about rescue and foster homes is witnessing only one example. Honestly, it sounds old school.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here is one of many videos of a DRC foster dog at her foster home (she's the red doodle):

This is the kind of life DRC foster doodles have in their foster homes.

[Andy Caldwell]

Yes, I have a Goldendoodle as well and also a Chihuahua.  We bought them both from breeders.  Our Labradoodle is the only one we bought from the vet.  I know feel I am going to be attacked for this but Lucy, (the Labradoodle) is our youngest and our kids have not bonded with her; I believe this is in part because of her diet and us telling the kids not to give her what they give the other dogs.  The other two clearly get more attention and that is not what I want to see.  She is not always outside but there are times (not often) when the kids bring in the other dogs to play and leave her outside alone.  

[Adina P]

Every time you give us new info I just want to say 'But...but...you could try this...or this...or' and help you find easy ways to keep her.   It is actually OK for kids not to bond equally to each dog.  It's really about whether YOU want to keep the labradoodle...whether the kids are equally enthuses about it is a diff issue and can be worked on and addressed in many ways if it bothers you.  I, personally, wouldn't let that bother me.  They are kids.

[Andy Caldwell]

And I really do appreciate that.  I have not come to this decision lightly but weighing our options and given our situation this is the path we have decided on.  Your concern seems genuine and I am grateful for that. 

 

Andy

[Andy Caldwell]

Thank you

[Donna K & Quincy]

I've been reading your discussion and I am sensing that none of you are really bonded or commited to this doodle so I think finding a good home for her is your best decision. The two organizations that Adina gave you are your best options and the people that run them are loving and committed people. Make sure you use one of these organizations and you will not have to worry about finding a good home, it will be guaranteed. Good luck.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

whatever you decide to do (be it continue to search DK for a home that you feel is fit to take care of your dog or contact one of the 2 great doodle rescues) please, please, please (I beg you) be 100% honest about every issue that this dog has.  My doodle, Ollie, was a rehome and we were told by his former family that one of their young children did not like the dog and also that they wanted to find a home where someone could give him the time that he needs.  We don't have kids so I wasn't worried about any issues there, but after having Ollie for about 9 months now, I am positive that we did NOT get the full history on this dog.  He has a chronic ear infection that we are having difficulty clearing up and he is very afraid of men and scared of sudden movements and loud noises.  We love him very much and our heart hurts every time that we think about how he may have spent the first year and a half of his life.  We are very happy that he has come into our lives, but really wish that we knew the full story.  Knowing his past wouldn't change how we feel about him but it might give us some insist into this ear infection and it would without a doubt help us to know how to deal with some of his fear issues. 

So please, just do your dog one favor and give any potential adopter (or rescue organization) as much information as you can possibly give them.  If you are choosing not to keep this dog and say that you really want what is best for her, you can't go wrong with providing honest information.  If you are worried that too much information will scare away a potential adopter, then that isn't the kind of person you want adopting your dog anyway.  The right person will love that dog for who they are, flaws and all. 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks for this post, Amy. people often overlook the impact that adopting a dog with health issues has on the adoptive family. As one who adopted a doodle with multiple health issues, I can tell you I would be very very angry to learn that the original owner was aware of any of these issues and did not disclose them. Caring for JD is extremely expensive and time-consuming, and many people would not be willing or able to care for him. He could very easily have been relinquished again if someone else had adopted him. It's easy to say "find another home", but how many people would be willing to take this on, or could afford it? To me, it's a no brainer. I love him. But if I had known what lay ahead before I adopted him and bonded with him...

Regarding rescue, it's also easy to recommend that the dog be relinquished. But there has to be a foster available who is able to deal with the health issues, and the rescue has to fund them. If we are talking about Atopic Dermatitis, that just isn't feasible. The testing and induction phase of immunotherapy require a very committed and dedicated owner, not to mention the financial aspect.

There are people who willingly adopt dogs with special needs every day. But there has to be transparency and there has to be a plan in place that will allow the dog to receive the vetting needed and minimize the trauma of being moved around. Just some things that I hope everyone will consider when this kind of situation comes up.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Karen, I just read your response after I posted mine. I recommended relinquishing her to rescue, because I don't see any other options for this dog. It is clear they do not want the dog because the solutions seem so easy to me, if the information is correct, and I so want the dog to have a chance. Are you saying that if the dog has Atopic Dermatitis a rescue organization cannot afford to take her on? What can the rest of us do to help?