IW still at petstore

[AC]

For the longest time we only had 3 or 4 pet stores in and around St. John's and I cannot remember ever seeing a puppy for sale at any of them, kittens yes but never puppies. Now a larger (national chain I believe called Pets Unlimited) pet store has opened it's doors here and I was there last week and they had 9 puppies there for sale!! All small breeds in thier plexiglass "display cases". More than likely they will be bought.

[brigid67]

In Vegas it is the same thing every dog is a pit/lab/shepard mix..

[Moni]

 I have to laugh though (Moni isn't it freaky that everything we talk about on the phone ends up on BPO?) because the other day we were talking about how some shelter staff know nothing about breeds and it causes issues often.

OMG  this is so funny!  I would be so scared if any of my guys got lost.  I can just imagine what they'd be labeled as.  Tenchi would probably be a dalmation x, Mojo would be a collie/ chocolate lab x, Zeo would probably be a collie/dalmation X, Kida would probably be a pomeranian X,  and Faust hopefully would be recongnised as a GSD, but who knows?  He doesn't walk on his hocks, so he'd probably be considered a mix.     And Gyrl?  Well, we're guessing that she's a lab/beagle, but who knows what she really is???  lol 

I think that all shelters should have photo references for all breeds, in and out of their show clips, they're allowed and unallowed colors and sizes.  maybe that would help them out a bit???   

[smohr]

   That IW mix is SO cute.

[Anky]

wonder more then sometimes about who is classifying the dogs...not sure but sometimes I think someone needs glasses

I agree.  I guess I'm just naive in thinking that people who work with animals on a daily basis would actually know something about them.

My pet peeve too.  I've heard of SO many cases where a lost dog ends up being put down because the shelter had it listed as "X" breed, and everytime the owner called they asked for "Y".  We had a situation a while ago.  A meddling neighbor consistently called the cops saying we were neglecting our Dalmation mix, that she was starving/emaciated ect.  Well a cop came to take Araby away.  Araby is a field type English Setter.  NOTHING LIKE A DALMATION!  She doesn't even have real spots!  She has ticking, which is totally different.  I'm trying to tell this guy this and he looks at me and says "A dalmation is supposed to weigh 80 pounds and this dog isn't even half of that!"  He kept arguing with me, telling me I made up the breed, but for some strange reason I kept my cool because I knew if I didn't they'd arrest me, and Matt was in Tennesee so Araby would have no chance of getting back home.  So as soon as the cop left I called my vet and my trainer and my dog breeder and had them all come down with me.  Vet said dog is at decent weight and that she has a liver condition so she can't process things right and it goes right through her, so even though she's a little thin, it's not from neglect.  Trainer talks about how she's an agility dog, in awesome shape, great relationship with the owners.  Breeder brings Araby's papers, her parents papers, and a breed book all about the Setter.  My baby came home within 10 minutes.

It floors (ie sickens) me that these people know so little about dogs.  They don't even know what breeds look like, much less temperament for prospective adopters!  It's why I fully support breed rescue.  I know that not all dogs are purebreds, but those that are deserve to be recognized as such, and to be sent to a home that can care for them the way that they need to be.  I'm on a bit of a tirade because a friend of mine came across a shelter that REFUSES to turn dogs over to breed specific rescues.  If that dog is adopted they'll come back 3 or 4 times, each time getting more insecure, and then they'll be put down.  Sometimes I hate shelters.


Ang

[ZooCrew]

I hear ya there, Ang.

Another thing about mislabeling breeds is that (someone else mentioned this on another thread) if they say a dog is one breed or even a mix of breeds, the adoptive owner (provided they are somewhat clueless as well) is expecting the dog to act and behave per that breed standard.

I know of alot of shelters that aren't honest about having pit mixes.  They might label them as lab mixes.  An adopter will expect that dog to act similar to a lab, and probably won't be prepared for the challenges and special training a pit dog needs.  Dog gets returned b/c owner can't handle it.

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

When Samson went to obedience classes at out local Humane Society I stopped in the office to say hi...They were looking thorugh a book finding what kind of dog just came in..."It looks kind of like this...or maybe this or this...O.k...g ot it!...it's a Lab/Porteguese Water Dog mix."...I swear to God that is exactly how it went!

[brigid67]

lol gyp - that is funny but also a little sad....I see true experts are labeling these animals

[LaurieW]

Here's a twist on the petstore idiots.....

yesterday I made one outing (still feeling the effects of my stomach virus) to get dog food & people food....went to Petco and the Purina One for large breeds is buried under 6-7 bags of other Purina bags ... I ask for help & the girl comes & looks & says she'll have to get one of the guys & leaves....so I stand there waiting and meanwhile I get to watch the dog training class in progress.....

The "lady" teaching the class has an accent like the "nanny" on TV (aussie) - now don't get me wrong here, I've really enjoyed meeting all the other Aussies I've met...but this one!!!   She yelled at the poor folks who were trying to train their dogs - no warm fuzzies for doing things right for these people or their animals!  After 5 minutes I was soooo mad I left the store!  I normally would've gone back to the original sales girl & say something like "hey, did you forget???"....but I couldn't this time! 

I went to the Petsmart down the street and the scene was totally different!  This (much younger) lady knew what she was doing, was kind to her people & their pets and I got lots of help...no less than 5 sales people asked me if I needed help......I ended up signing Lucy up ... I can train her, but I want her to get the socialization of other people & dogs, too.

The Nice lady at Petsmart not only talked to me while her "people & pets" were walking the store, but she came up & talked with me again as I checked out......

A "lady" like the Nazi teacher at the first store shouldn't be allowed around people or animals! 

Sorry about sounding off....I'm still angry for those poor people & their dogs!  One poor participant was trying to get her cocker spaniel to stay by waving her hand infront of the dog's face....the dog was looking off in other directions, so of course it wasn't about to stay - it hadn't been taught to watch, first!.......I better stop, or I'll continue to rant!

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

Here's a twist on the petstore idiots.....

yesterday I made one outing (still feeling the effects of my stomach virus) to get dog food & people food....went to Petco and the Purina One for large breeds is buried under 6-7 bags of other Purina bags ... I ask for help & the girl comes & looks & says she'll have to get one of the guys & leaves....so I stand there waiting and meanwhile I get to watch the dog training class in progress.....

The "lady" teaching the class has an accent like the "nanny" on TV (aussie) - now don't get me wrong here, I've really enjoyed meeting all the other Aussies I've met...but this one!!!   She yelled at the poor folks who were trying to train their dogs - no warm fuzzies for doing things right for these people or their animals!  After 5 minutes I was soooo mad I left the store!  I normally would've gone back to the original sales girl & say something like "hey, did you forget???"....but I couldn't this time! 

I went to the Petsmart down the street and the scene was totally different!  This (much younger) lady knew what she was doing, was kind to her people & their pets and I got lots of help...no less than 5 sales people asked me if I needed help......I ended up signing Lucy up ... I can train her, but I want her to get the socialization of other people & dogs, too.

The Nice lady at Petsmart not only talked to me while her "people & pets" were walking the store, but she came up & talked with me again as I checked out......

A "lady" like the Nazi teacher at the first store shouldn't be allowed around people or animals! 

Sorry about sounding off....I'm still angry for those poor people & their dogs!  One poor participant was trying to get her cocker spaniel to stay by waving her hand infront of the dog's face....the dog was looking off in other directions, so of course it wasn't about to stay - it hadn't been taught to watch, first!.......I better stop, or I'll continue to rant!

That is so sad about the teacher in the 1st class!...People REALLY CHECK OUT YOUR TRAINERS BEFORE TAKING YOUR DOG TO THEM!!...My friend Ann who is a member here had a HORRIBLE incident with a trainer...This trainer turned out to be all about force & control & actually ruptured blood vessels in one of Ann's Boxer's eye by forcing her into a down using the leash...Ann was absulutely sick, stunned, heartbroken & of coarse felt so guilty that that happened to her baby right in front fo her...She of coarse never went back & the trainer apologized & payed the vet bills...I have heard stories about trainers picking the dogs up by the leash & hanging them at the end of it when the dog wouldn't comply to a command...This does happen!...I realize the "nazi trainer" wasn't doing all of this but it just reminded me...Always find out what to expect from your trainer before you take your dog!!!!!!

[brigid67]

Ok Well update on the IW at the petstore - So I happened to be in the mall and stopped in at the pet store to torture myself.  The pup I thought was an IW is still there.  So I thought I would sk some questions.  They did not have a sign saying the breed although the face looks totally IW.  On closer inspection she is not going to be as big of a dog as an IW would be.  So I asked some questions and she is 5 mos old, and an Aussie-poo...lol  boy was I off.  But she has such the sweetest face anyway.  She is totally not happy.  The sweet happy face I saw a month or so ago is not the same.  Anyway, they want 418.00 for her.  I asked how long they usually keep the pups and they said about 7-8 mos.  After that the guy at the store didn't know what happened to them..he said the owner"took them somewhere".  He also told me (Iam sure to make me feel better)  that they usually didn't last that long - they were usually all sold before 7-8 mos.  It is just so sad...there were tons of dogs there - a few of them just did not look good to me at all....Wish I could just rescue them all.

[GR8DAME]

I stick to petco, petsmart and our local feed store, none of which sell puppies or kittens. They may have a local rescue there with adoptable animals, and that is hard enough. I refuse to frequent a store that sells dogs or cats that I know are probably from mills, and will not spend a dime in them. And I wonder about the ferrets, rabbits and hamsters that are sold at the places that I do go. But you have to go somewhere...
Stella

[mamadog]

I can happily report that the last time I went to the mall (which is not very often) the pet store has been closed!!!! No more will i have to hear those cute little puppies crying when I walk by. And no more temptation!!

Vicki

[brigid67]

I don't ever buy anything in the puppy stores.  Everything is bought at petco and/or petsmart.  This place is in the mall..I hate it.  We have a couple others around that sell puppies only...so sad.  This place has quite a bit of animals...tons of cats, puppies, birds etc and the store is kind of small.