Another newbie question for the old timers

[Sumac3890]

Chris your and Dr. Shelli's stories brought tears to my eyes. I was searching for a puppy to give Maggie a new friend after us loosing our Katie to cancer. I kept looking at puppy pictures and would think "no- does not have Katie's face, she had lots of brown on her face like Maggie. I had emailed a breeder and she finally had a litter coming- the day came that she sent pics of the litter. They all had dark faces-darn. Well we went to see them at 5 weeks and I fell in love with all those black faces. Then waited for her to decide which ones she wanted for show. Week 8 arrived and I had my heart set on the middle boy but he was to be grown out for show, so it was between the big boy and the little boy. We sat for hours watching them.I knew I love them more on the big side, so we went with the big one.
That day he was so busy playing with his siblings and did not pay much attention to me- well looking back at our videos...he did as did his brother.
Well from almost the moment we got home Zak has been my boy and I could not of picked any better of a choice for Maggie. He is so good with her and she adores him. On a visit to the breeder a few weeks later she still had the one I really liked the looks of and he was more wild than Zak and would not of been a good match for Maggie. May not of gotten the one I was "looking" for but got the best one. Plus a great friendship with his breeder.

[Internette]

IN the 80's I was a military dependent. My siamese had died and it was time for me to get another one. My then husband and I drove out of town to a breeder, we spent a couple hours playing with kittens talking and so on. I let my husband pick because I just didnt feel it. Then after we choose she took me to her basement where she had her cattery set up. There in a room in a corner all alone and afraid was the sweetest cat and I just looked and knew. The breeder said she wasnt for sale, she was bought for breeding from another breeder far away. She was afraid of the other cats, overly shy and the 6 hour plane ride was too much for her and never got over it. Anyway I just felt she was the one and I of course cried the whole ways home to my husband. That night the breeder called me at 11pm and said I cant sleep I want you to have her, My heart keeps telling me she belongs to you. She even let me drive back that late at night and get her, I couldnt afford 2 so I took the little 8 week old back and I took home the 6 months old crossed eyed cat. She spent 16 years , 2 weeks shy of her 17th birthday being my soul mate cat. I never loved anything as deeply as I loved her. She was an angel on earth. Everyone who met her knew she was so special. She was smart, very very loving, kind, she could only peep as she had no real voice, she could walk on a leash or beside me without one. I dont say her name, all my animals were buried, she is cremated and in an oriental vase. I cant part with her 12 years later, I still cant talk about her without crying, if only I could hold her one more time, I pray she is in heaven waiting for me. I awoke on my 39th birthday and she had died that morning. I even considered at one time doing cloning that is how heartbroken I was.
I now have Liza she is funny, pushy, smart, cuddly, bossy but I love her, but I down inside miss my previous baby girl still, the hole will never fill I guess. I knew the minute I saw her we were to be together, I knew we belonged to one another. She didnt have the nicest smoothest coat, she was partially crossed eye, she didnt land on her feet when she fell off beds and sofas and she fell off a lot. To me she was the definition of unconditional love and beauty.

[sable]

I have a male and a female. I love both of their personalities. Yes Lucky is clingy, and Lil' Lady is more independent, but she is a people sheltie too.

I bought both shelties from my state. Lucky I got to see mom, dad, and his litter mates. I bought Lil' Lady from a picture because of her face, I knew what I was getting. When we met my thoughts on her were all true. My vet likes people to see the litter, but he just loved Lil' Lady. He had a fit over her.

What is so interesting to me, I could tell on each one of the shelties how they were in the hands who bred them when I brought them home.
I laugh at Lil' Lady to this day, because when I picked her up she came flying out of this x-pen from other pups, peed on the floor, and looked at me as much to say get me out of here. She is something in a little package.

Lucky was the sweetest, his sire came over gave him lots of kisses as much to say, go with her. I had tears in my eyes on that one.

Boys are more lap dogs, and Lil' Lady thinks she is show and a Royal Highness, but that is what I love about her.

Traveling I quess you would say is a choice, and there are buyers who fly dogs to their new homes, if weather permits.

Its like so many have said, its love at first sight.

[mellie]

I didn't have to hunt for a breeder, or try to deciede which puppy to pick. The dog of my dreams walked into the veterinary hospital where I work. One of our clients had seen her advertised on Craig's list and "rescued" her and brought her in to get checked out. She said " If you know anyone who wants a shelty let me know." Now my husband had always said he only wanted a female shelty -one that was free and he would always laugh like it would never happen and what do ya know...she has the sweetest personality and is very tuned in to us, not clingy, just watches over us. Listens to our phone conversations, oversees us getting dressed, waits for the hairdrying to be over, ever hopeful for a game of fetch or tug and very willing to share a meal. And mainly, keeps Pumpkin the cat , in line. We think Sally is perfect for us and we love her looks even though we didn't have any input, and I guess I' m saying the same thing Tofu Pup said. We were blessed by a tiny sheltie pup that needed a home and i know you can be too.

[Sackett]

We migrate to smaller dogs and the "runts" Everett was the runt and we were thrilled to have him still available when we went to pick out our dog; and have been so gifted with this mellow little boy.

Just last week I relocated his breeder; i had not been to the place sence we got Everett 11.5 years ago. I was thrilled to see all the dogs (14) in clean dry pens and 2 litters of puppies. (pictures soon)

I asked him what does he do with the dogs when he is done with the breeding, you cant keep them all. he told me that they find good free homes for them and this thrilled me. While I LOVE the puppy stage; there is no big Sheltie rescue program in Oregon, as there isn't near the breeders and numbers you might see in other states. So When Everett is gone I know where my next one will come from (then i can work on a puppy form the wife)

[BarbV]

Originally Posted by Justicemom

Sorry my question wasn't clear.

Barb said there should be a distinction between intact and altered females and males so that one should look beyond the comments. Just wondering what comments she thought were not accurate.

Sorry way behind on the thread and only caught this tonight.

I thought my comment was obvious - intact dogs of either sex generally behave differently from spayed/neuteured. A neutured male is less likely to spray, act aggressive, etc. A spayed female tends to mellow out and becomes less introverted and protective.

So when I said "look beyond those comments" I meant comments regarding intact males and females. They just don't necessarily applied to "fixed" pups.

p.s. I apologize for any confusion.

[Bella's Mom]

i have only had 2 and both female. Miley was wild, energetic, ridiculously friendly. Ball fetcher and frisbee catcher. GREAT with my kids. She would cuddle but would sleep on the floor by your bed when she was done. She was my heart and soul. Smart beyond belief. Everyone I know wished they had a dog as smart and fun as Miley.
Bella is VERY reserved. She is on me like white on rice. She literally will sleep with her paws wrapped around my ankle. The minute my feet hit the floor she is on them. Not at all interested in playing with my kids or fetching a ball as of yet (she is 9months old). I love her dearly but she is NOTHING like my Miley was. They couldn't be more diffent.

[Bella's Mom]

And as a side note, I did not "get Miley" she got me. My MIL got her from someone she works with who does Sheltie rescue. Miley was born from a rescued pregnant Sheltie from a mill. MIL brought her home and her 2 Huskies attacked her while I was there. I got the dogs off of her, took her to the emergency vet, and took her home forever. I NEVER wanted a dog. 100% cat lover. Until......