reputable shelters on good dog
If you are looking to get a dog from a shelter, rescue center or even a breeder, the reputable shelters on Good Dog have been through a screening process. Good Dog was launched in 2019 to help people find puppies and dogs that are healthy and are from reputable sources. The “barrier to entry” for pet breeders, shelters and rescues has decreased as technology allows for global exposure with websites and phone Apps. Unfortunately, that makes it hard to know that you are working with a reliable/reputable company. Good Dog has the mission of being a centralized source for responsible, trusted shelters, breeders and rescue centers. Find out more about their trusted community as well as some factors to consider in making sure you are ready to be a dog parent.
the screening process
- Environment: The physical and mental health of puppies and dogs can be negatively impacted by environments that are dirty, hostile and volatile. The Good Dog system screens to make sure breeders maintain safe, clean and engaging environments
- Physical Health: Good Dog categorizes breeders into catefories of "Good", "Great" and "Excellent". Screening tests and evaluation for heritable health conditions are factors used to see if breeders qualify for these categories
- Breeding Process: The best approach to breeding follows a proven system of considering the parents health and pedigrees, possible heritable heath conditions as well as a breeder's experience and intuition
- Mental Health: Responsible breeders make sure puppies are not removed from their mothers and siblings until they are about eight weeks old and able to manage that transition. They take care to foster the mental health of puppies by providing plenty of social interaction and interactions with a wide range of people and other dogs
good dog - trusted sources
are you ready for a dog ?
On the surface it seems like a simple question, but are you REALLY ready for a dog ? My wife and I thought we were when we were first married. We had no children yet and felt a puppy would be perfect to add some positive energy and distraction to our busy corporate lives. We had always loved Labs so we got an adorable yellow Lab puppy and started on a road of learning what it’s like to be a pet parent. We should have been prepared ahead of our decision to bring the puppy to our lives.
Of course puppies are cute and fun to play with and loving and snuggly and … on and on. However, there are challenges and demands on your time. Back to our story, we were both working fulltime and gone from about 7:45 am to 5:45 pm. This does NOT work for being an owner of a puppy. Puppies need attention, time to run and play and frequent times to pee and poop. We were not responsible pet owners due to our hectic (but fairly typical) schedule. Fortunately we realized this and made the hard decision to find another family to adopt the puppy. He went to a great family with kids and another yellow Lab in the family already.
Years later, after we had kids and the kids were home around 2:30 and my wife had “mother’s hours”, we got Max, our current Cavalier King Charles. Max has been great for our family and I’m happy to say our family has been great for Max. Our kids have time to spend with him. My wife and I alternate between walking him before and after work. And, he is showered with attention and love. But, our first attempt at being pet owners was a big mistake because we were not prepared and were not aware of how our lives should be structured to support a puppy.
PLEASE consider these items BEFORE you just jump into getting a puppy:
- Do you have the TIME ? Dogs require alot of time for walks, play and attention. Puppies require 2 or 3 times as much time
- Is the BREED you are considering a good match for you ? Some breeds are VERY active, some shed alot of hair, some bark more than others, some require large amounts of food
- Can your budget support a dog ? Beyond the initial costs of getting a puppy, there is a 8-15 year commitment to paying for food, grooming, medicine, possibly dog walkers or overnight boarding and Vet treatments
- Your home/car/life may get a little "messy". Some dogs shed (some alot). They will likely put wear and tear on your home flooring. they may put wear and tear on your car seats and you home sofa/chair seats. They may dig holes in your yard