I tend not to be scared of saying what I think, in real life or in intenet life but I do always try to say it in a calm, polite (ish) manner.
It's great that it's all working out for you now, partly due to the help and advise you've had from members of this forum and I'm sure we ALL hope that you and your new dog will have many happy years together.
But (and it's a pretty big but), it is true that the way you've gone about acquiring your new dog is far from ideal (in my opinion anyway) and it's a way that most members of the forum would probably steer others away from.
For example, you said you got your dog on impulse because your partner and son wanted one. It's never a good idea to get a dog (or other pet) on impulse. Why? Because (and I'm speaking generally now) it doesn't give time to make sure that it's the best thing for your family, that the dog is the most suitable one for your family, your circumstances and your experience. It doesn't give you time to make all your preparations (including financial) and to set everything up including working out which insurance you want to take up. It means that you have to shell out (financially) for everything all in one go (bed, collar, puppy food, wormers, vaccinations possibly, toys, treats, books to read and learn from etc etc etc).
Secondly, you got the pup from someone you don't know - fair enough. Many of us get dogs from people we've never met before, but, you didn't ask the questions you should have asked BEFORE you brought your pup home. It didn't ring any alarm bells with you that the 'breeder' didn't offer you information straight up regarding vaccinations and worming. It's so important that people choose where they get their dogs from sooooo carefully. There are very unscrupulous people around in the dog world (and the rest of the world too unfortunately).
Thirdly, this is a public forum so if you post asking questions or asking for advice or personal thoughts on something, it's not fair that you only accept the positives and not the negatives.
Fourthly (and finally), it really could have been a very dangerous situation that you put your pup in regarding not having the money available to take him to the vet. Luckily for you but more importantly - for him, speaking to the vet on the phone was enough. Nobody here or any other dog forum would be positive and jolly about someone taking on any dog without having the financial means available to provide emergency treatment.
I'm sure that you yourself would not want to encourage anyone else to get their dog in the way you have? I'm sure you'd like them to learn from your errors?
That's why its important that you accept the negative comments in this thread, as well as the positive ones.
Like I said at the start, I wish you and your pup all the best
Edited to sort out spelling of the word pup :- "
It's great that it's all working out for you now, partly due to the help and advise you've had from members of this forum and I'm sure we ALL hope that you and your new dog will have many happy years together.
But (and it's a pretty big but), it is true that the way you've gone about acquiring your new dog is far from ideal (in my opinion anyway) and it's a way that most members of the forum would probably steer others away from.
For example, you said you got your dog on impulse because your partner and son wanted one. It's never a good idea to get a dog (or other pet) on impulse. Why? Because (and I'm speaking generally now) it doesn't give time to make sure that it's the best thing for your family, that the dog is the most suitable one for your family, your circumstances and your experience. It doesn't give you time to make all your preparations (including financial) and to set everything up including working out which insurance you want to take up. It means that you have to shell out (financially) for everything all in one go (bed, collar, puppy food, wormers, vaccinations possibly, toys, treats, books to read and learn from etc etc etc).
Secondly, you got the pup from someone you don't know - fair enough. Many of us get dogs from people we've never met before, but, you didn't ask the questions you should have asked BEFORE you brought your pup home. It didn't ring any alarm bells with you that the 'breeder' didn't offer you information straight up regarding vaccinations and worming. It's so important that people choose where they get their dogs from sooooo carefully. There are very unscrupulous people around in the dog world (and the rest of the world too unfortunately).
Thirdly, this is a public forum so if you post asking questions or asking for advice or personal thoughts on something, it's not fair that you only accept the positives and not the negatives.
Fourthly (and finally), it really could have been a very dangerous situation that you put your pup in regarding not having the money available to take him to the vet. Luckily for you but more importantly - for him, speaking to the vet on the phone was enough. Nobody here or any other dog forum would be positive and jolly about someone taking on any dog without having the financial means available to provide emergency treatment.
I'm sure that you yourself would not want to encourage anyone else to get their dog in the way you have? I'm sure you'd like them to learn from your errors?
That's why its important that you accept the negative comments in this thread, as well as the positive ones.
Like I said at the start, I wish you and your pup all the best
Edited to sort out spelling of the word pup :- "
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