dog pound - your experience

serenacat

Hi I'm looking to get a dog as love love love them! And someone will be home nearly always so its not cruel and available to walk.
Has anyone got a dog from Ashtown pound?

Can you get a dog for free from this pound? what is the procedure?
Do they vacinate the dogs? etc

thanks in advance!

EGAR

Here is there FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashton-Dog-Pound/134168209978223

I am sure the girls will be happy to answer your questions and they always update in the photo section so you can see what dogs are in.

suziwalsh

It is well worth going up to have a visit and walk some dogs. There is a small rehoming fee which includes dog licence etc....that is the general pound fees and also you will have to pay a reduced cost neutering fee upfront and they will have the dog neutered before you take him/her home with you.

The dogs are not vaccinated and I recommend you wait a couple of weeks after leaving the pound before you vaccinate.

Staff are lovely and will give you plenty of advice.

Another alternative is www.dogstrust.ie in case you are specifically looking for a pup. They take in dogs from pounds all over Ireland and their rehoming fee is €80 I think which includes everything except a dog licence.

One of my dogs came from Ashton pound one came from Slane pound

Rescue dogs are the best and well done for going this route

toadfly

serenacat wrote: »

Has anyone got a dog from Ashtown pound?

Can you get a dog for free from this pound? what is the procedure?
Do they vacinate the dogs? etc

Yes got Ozzie there a year ago on 17th February..you pay €35 which includes a dog licence valid for one year.

Procedure is you go to the pound, decide on dog you want, fill out forms, information about you, family, other pets etc. They even wanted a letter from our vet to say our other dog was neutered.

Then they let you know if you get the dog or not the day before its "out date".

portgirl123

suziwalsh wrote: »

The dogs are not vaccinated and I recommend you wait a couple of weeks after leaving the pound before you vaccinate.

Just out of curiosity, why is this?

EGAR

I take many dogs from Pounds and I always wait for at least 2 weeks before I have them vacc'd. Reason being that IF they could incubate a disease the vaccination can make it a lot worse.

portgirl123

EGAR wrote: »

I take many dogs from Pounds and I always wait for at least 2 weeks before I have them vacc'd. Reason being that IF they could incubate a disease the vaccination can make it a lot worse.

thanks for that was just wondering the reason. yeah i can see that makes perfect sence. thanks

serenacat

suziwalsh wrote: »

It is well worth going up to have a visit and walk some dogs. There is a small rehoming fee which includes dog licence etc....that is the general pound fees and also you will have to pay a reduced cost neutering fee upfront and they will have the dog neutered before you take him/her home with you.

The dogs are not vaccinated and I recommend you wait a couple of weeks after leaving the pound before you vaccinate.

Staff are lovely and will give you plenty of advice.

Another alternative is www.dogstrust.ie in case you are specifically looking for a pup. They take in dogs from pounds all over Ireland and their rehoming fee is €80 I think which includes everything except a dog licence.

One of my dogs came from Ashton pound one came from Slane pound

Rescue dogs are the best and well done for going this route

do you have to neuter the dog? thanks for all the responses!

portgirl123

serenacat wrote: »

do you have to neuter the dog? thanks for all the responses!

all good rescues choose to neuter/spay their dogs to stop more unwanted pups. def enough in this country

ISDW

serenacat wrote: »

do you have to neuter the dog? thanks for all the responses!

Do you not want to? Is there a reason for that? Not having a go, just asking:D

suziwalsh

Yes you have to neuter the dog...and it will be the same with the majority of rescues. It not only shows them that you are commited to being a reponsible dog owner but also prevents additional unwanted pups.....as well as many behavioural problems and some types of cancer in dogs.

serenacat

ISDW wrote: »

Do you not want to? Is there a reason for that? Not having a go, just asking:D

yes I'm against as it's not natural for the dog and feel it's unkind.
It won't be interacting with other dogs and if he/she says hello to a dog sniffing etc, I can pull them away before anything happens

ISDW

serenacat wrote: »

yes I'm against as it's not natural for the dog and feel it's unkind.
It won't be interacting with other dogs and if he/she says hello to a dog sniffing etc, I can pull them away before anything happens

Dogs are pack animals, so its not natural for them not to interact with other dogs, and I feel thats unkind. Would you be keeping up the vaccinations every year? Again, same point really.

Neutering can help to prevent certain types of cancers, so is very kind, in my opinion.

An unspayed bitch will have the local males trying to get to her, over your fence, under your fence, however they can. An unneutered male will do all he can to get out at a bitch in season, so there really is no guarantee that you can keep them from interacting with another dog, and possibly adding to the problem of unwanted dogs. Why do you think there are so many dogs in pounds around the country needing homes?

In my opinion, and of course you are free to have your own opinion, it is far kinder to neuter/spay dogs than have the thousands of unwanted puppies born every year that have a short life of misery and are then killed in pounds because there are no homes for them. A dog from a good home goes into the vet, is put to sleep for a short while to have an operation, has to be kept quiet for 10 days until the stitches come out, then thats an end to it. An unwanted puppy - well, I'm sure you can imagine what happens to them.:(

andreac

serenacat wrote: »

yes I'm against as it's not natural for the dog and feel it's unkind.
It won't be interacting with other dogs and if he/she says hello to a dog sniffing etc, I can pull them away before anything happens

Are you serious? The reason the dog is probably in the pound already is due to some eejit breeding irresponsibly.

Sorry, but the bit highlighted in bold is not as easy as you think and also very dangerous.
Have you ever seen a male dog trying to get at a bitch in heat? There is no way you could pull her away from him if he really wanted to mate her. You put both yourself and your dog at serious risk here if thats the attitude you have.
No rescue will rehome to you if you are not going to neuter the dog.

I cant believe you would want to rescue a dog from the pund then not have it neutered? Doesnt make sense

suziwalsh

Would rather my dogs get to run free and have a play in the park with other dogs then become an unsocialised frustrated dog that is not neutered.

My dogs are both neutered and both rescues. They most definately have a wonderful life.

It is important to get your dogs neutered, it is not unkind and you should do some research.

suziwalsh

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEUTERING!

WHAT IS NEUTERING?

The only way to be sure your dog doesn't produce unwanted puppies is to get your female dog spayed or your male dog neutered (castrated). Intact male dogs and bitches in heat have an uncanny way of finding each other, and breeding can occur in an instant.

Spaying involves the removal of both the uterus and the ovaries. Castration refers to the removal of a male dog's testicles. The term neutering is a general term to describe either spaying or castration.

BENEFITS OF NEUTERING

In addition to preventing unwanted puppies, neutering your dog has many benefits:

For Males:

Neutered dogs often are better behaved than their intact counterparts. Not only are they less likely to stray, they are also less likely to mark their territory by urinating in the house (testosterone is one of the major drives for this dominance-related activity). In addition, neutered male dogs are much less likely to be aggressive toward other male dogs. These behaviour benefits are particularly true if you castrate your dog between the ages of 9 and 12 months, before he becomes sexually mature and develops bad habits.
Neutering prevents the development of prostate problems often seen in older dogs. A neutered dog won't develop testicular cancer, a common cancer of older, intact male dogs. There are several health benefits to neutering. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog’s life. In age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, painful and the dog might find it difficult to urinate. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true. Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumours of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced by neutering.


For Females:

Female dogs that are spayed prior to their first heat cycle (which usually occurs between 6 and 9 months of age) have a significantly reduced chance of developing mammary (breast) cancer compared to dogs that have had even one heat cycle. Spayed females can't develop pyometra, an infection of the uterus that can be quite severe and can even result in death. Eliminates ‘spotting’ on the carpet and floor surfaces during the females heat, twice yearly. Spayed females tend to have more even temperaments and do not go through the hormone-induced mood swings that intact bitches sometimes have. If not pregnant, she may follow her seasons with false pregnancies. Many bitches will look as if they are pregnant and display obvious maternal behaviour, such as producing milk, nursing their toys or other objects such as shoes and making nests out of their bedding. They can show signs of increased panting and restlessness and be considerably distressed for periods of up to three months after the season has finished. As bitches may have seasons twice a year, they could be unwell and uncomfortable for up to half of their lives.

WILL MY DOG GET FAT?

Many people think their dogs will get fat if they are spayed or castrated, but this isn't the case. Neutered dogs frequently don't need as much food as their intact compatriots, but there is a simple solution: Don't feed them as much. You may need to reduce the amount of food that you give him/her or switch to a ‘diet’ food after neutering. Ask your vet for advice on this.
If your dog has enough exercise and you feed him/her correctly, he/she will not get fat or lazy.

WHAT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER NEUTER?

The only behaviour changes that are observed after neutering relate to behaviours influenced by male hormones. Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are not changed. The behaviours that change are far less desirable. The interest in roaming is eliminated in 90% of neutered dogs. Aggressive behaviour against other male dogs is eliminated in 60% of neutered dogs. Urine marking is eliminated in 50% of neutered male dogs. Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70% of neutered dogs. In fact if your dog is neutered at 6 months old he/she is likely to retain their playful puppy nature and carry it on into adulthood.

NEUTERING A MALE DOG – THE DETAILS:

When a male dog is after a fertile bitch, mating her is the only thing on his mind. He will do anything that he can think of to get at bitches. This includes scaling fences, breaking down doors, mating through fences, and physically harming and even killing other dogs, etc. Additionally, as the owner of the male dog, you are as responsible as the owner of the bitch, for any puppies that are born. This means you have an ethical responsibility for life to rescue any of those pups if they ever end up in the pound.

AT WHAT AGE CAN NEUTERING BE PERFORMED?
Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks provided both testicles have descended. The best age to get your dog neutered is at approximately 6 months old, when he reaches puberty. Dogs neutered before puberty tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in the causing bones to stop growing so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). The same behaviour and prostate health benefits can be realized no matter what age the dog is. (In other words, a dog does not become "too old" to obtain the same health and behavioural benefits of neutering.)

WILL HE STILL BE INTERESTED IN FEMALES?
His interest will be reduced but if he is around a female dog in heat, he will become aroused by her. Mounting behaviour often has roots in the expression of dominance and may be expressed by a neutered male in a variety of circumstances that are not motivated by sexuality.

WHAT IF A DOG HAS AN UNDESCENDED TESTICLE?
Un-descended testicles have an increased tendency to grow tumours. They may also twist on their stalks and cause life-threatening inflammation. For these reasons, neutering is recommended for dogs with un-descended testicles. This procedure is more complicated than a routine neuter; the missing testicle can be under the skin along the path it should have descended to the scrotum or it may be inside the abdomen. Some exploration may be needed to find it thus there is often an incision for each testicle. The retained testicle is sterile and under-developed. If there is one descended testicle, this one will be fertile but since retaining a testicle is a hereditary trait, it is important that the male dog not be bred from.

NEUTERING A FEMALE DOG – THE DETAILS:

It is not necessary to let your dog have a litter of puppies before neutering. This is an old wives tale which has no scientific basis. In fact, pregnancy can pose a significant health risk to your dog.

WHY ALL FEMALE DOGS SHOULD BE SPAYED?

Surgical sterilization of the female dog, commonly referred to as "spaying," is one of the most significant aspects of female dog care an owner can provide. The benefits to the dog FAR outweigh simply not having puppies, though as pet over-populations looms as a societal problem it is important to be "part of the solution" rather than "part of the problem." Spaying involves removal of the uterus and ovaries. It is a major surgery but a very commonly performed one, ideally performed while a female dog is still in puppy-hood, prior to her first heat cycle.

MAMMARY CANCER PREVENTION
A female dog spayed before her first heat will have a near zero chance of developing mammary cancer. After the first heat, this incidence climbs to 7% and after the second heat the risk is 25% (one in four). It is easy to see that an early spay can completely prevent what is frequently a very difficult and potentially fatal form of cancer.
But is it too late if a dog is already past her second heat? No, in fact spaying is important even in female dogs that already have obvious tumours. This is because many mammary tumours are stimulated by estrogens; removing the ovaries, the source of estrogens, will help retard tumour spread.
Spaying removes both the uterus and both ovaries and is crucial in the prevention as well as the treatment of mammary cancer.


PYOMETRA PREVENTION
"Pyometra" is the life-threatening infection of the uterus which generally occurs in middle-aged to older female dogs in the six weeks following heat. The hormone "progesterone," which primes the uterus for potential pregnancy, does so by causing proliferation of the blood-filled uterine lining and suppression of uterine immune function. It is thus easy during heat for bacteria in the vagina to ascend to the uterus to cause infection. The uterus with pyometra swells dramatically and is filled with pus, bacteria, dying tissue, and toxins. Without treatment, the pet is expected to die. Despite her serious medical state, she must be spayed quickly if her life is to be saved.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON DISEASE OF UNSPAYED FEMALE DOGS.
WITHOUT TREATMENT THE DOG WILL DIE. TREATMENT IS EXPENSIVE.
TREATMENT INVOLVES SURGERY IN A POTENTIALLY UNSTABLE PATIENT.
SPAYING PREVENTS THE WHOLE THING.

The older un-spayed female dog has an irregular heat cycle. There is no end of cycling comparable to human menopause. If you still decide against spaying, be very familiar with the signs of pyometra. (These include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, excessive thirst, marked vaginal discharge).

SIMPLE CONVENIENCE
The female dog comes into heat every 8 months or so. There is a bloody vaginal discharge and attraction of local male dogs. Often there is an offensive odour. All of this disappears with spaying.

WHAT ABOUT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES?

The female dog's reproductive tract is dormant for most of the year. It only activates for the three week period of heat. This means that from a behavioural stand point, the female dog acts spayed most of the time. This said, there has been a documented slowing of metabolism after spaying and it may be necessarily to use a reduced Calorie food in an adult dog. Check with your veterinarian about nutritional recommendations.

tesslab

haha Suzi quick fingers! Was just bout to post that up too! lol!:D

koneko

It isn't `natural' for a dog to get medicine, or wear a collar, or get microchipped, or pee on puppy pads, or.... whatever.. you get the idea.

It's the responsible thing to do and has health benefits.
If you have a bitch then you'll have to keep her in several weeks while she's in season.
If it's a male, don't rely on being able to pull him off her, you have no idea how determined a dog can be when he smells a female in heat

suziwalsh

tesslab wrote: »

haha Suzi quick fingers! Was just bout to post that up too! lol!:D

Well yeah....I wrote this one and always have it to hand ha ha ha took out the surgical part though.

serenacat

Basically I thought every dog/cat get neutered but my friends with dogs said they didn't neuter theirs and its really unnecessary. They keep male dogs together or female dogs together and when they walk them they just hold them back.
Thanks for the information I guess I didn't realise how important it is, will try to convince main decesion maker. The people in the pound will probably convince him otherwise.

suziwalsh

Great to hear that....and sure the dog that you opt for may already be neutered. I know in dogs trust they are neutered before they leave the premises and some of the dogs in pounds will already be neutered

Best of Luck and lovely to hear someone with an open mind

ISDW

serenacat wrote: »

Basically I thought every dog/cat get neutered but my friends with dogs said they didn't neuter theirs and its really unnecessary. They keep male dogs together or female dogs together and when they walk them they just hold them back.
Thanks for the information I guess I didn't realise how important it is, will try to convince main decesion maker. The people in the pound will probably convince him otherwise.

Best of luck to them keeping unneutered female dogs together when one of them is in season, there can be huge fights, some that end very badly.

Good luck in your search, is there a particular breed or type that you're looking for?

serenacat

ISDW wrote: »

Best of luck to them keeping unneutered female dogs together when one of them is in season, there can be huge fights, some that end very badly.

Good luck in your search, is there a particular breed or type that you're looking for?

No love all dogs really, medium to large sized is my preference and one who likes a lot of running and petting! and gets on with my cat. Mixed breed, that could scare a burglar too
I don't buy into pure breds I don't think it's right to breed dogs to be so tiny like paris hilton's dogs and defenseless. It's nuts!!

ISDW

serenacat wrote: »

No love all dogs really, medium to large sized is my preference and one who likes a lot of running and petting! and gets on with my cat. Mixed breed, that could scare a burglar too
I don't buy into pure breds I don't think it's right to breed dogs to be so tiny like paris hilton's dogs and defenseless. It's nuts!!

If you need a dog that will get on with your cat, can I suggest then that you go to a rescue, rather than a pound. They will have some idea of what dogs would suit a home with a cat in residence, the dog may have been in foster with a family with a cat.

tesslab

I saw a girl in the park the other day trying to pull her male dog away from a bitch in season. Dog got frustrated and gave her quite a bite. Poor girl was so upset. Said he is usually such a sweet dog. A bitch in heat can change the temperment of even the nicest dog.
Must be so frustrating for a dog having a pair that he's not allowed to use.

Suzi I have that printed off and show it to people in the park! Have managed to talk some people round to the idea. Have also found that informing them that their dog would be worth more to people who steal dogs if they are intact makes them think a bit more about it.

Op best of luck in your search for your new pal!:p

andreac

My female is in heat at the moment and my male is going crazy, poor dog. Hes going on his holidays to my mams tonight for a few days until shes coming out of her heat.
People dont actually realise exactly how dogd behave when there are bitches in season around.
SOme dogs go off their food and some have been known to stop drinking even their water as they are so stressed.

lorebringer

andreac wrote: »

My female is in heat at the moment and my male is going crazy, poor dog. Hes going on his holidays to my mams tonight for a few days until shes coming out of her heat.
People dont actually realise exactly how dogd behave when there are bitches in season around.
SOme dogs go off their food and some have been known to stop drinking even their water as they are so stressed.

Nightmare, really difficult situation to deal with. Hope they are both ok once he goes on his hols - will be best for everyone involved!

andreac

Yeah it is, and especially as he has been used for stud before too so he really knows what its all about:)
He was fine until day ten then he starting getting stressed and now he is really bad.