A few thoughts about Maggie

1527 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Aruuuu, Mar 10, 2007

Missjoy

Discussion Starter · Mar 9, 2007

I've been reading the forum everyday - I love the pictures and knowledgeable discussion.

There have been a few discussions about bad breeders. I sometimes wonder about Maggie. She is my first dog, so I knew a little, but not very much when I got her. There was an ad for her in the newspaper. I called asking if she was the last of a litter (because they specifically mentioned one dog and gave her name) but they told me they had her and needed to adopt her. It seemed that their son, who lives in the U.S. (I'm in Canada), had adopted her and then passed away in a motorcycle accident. They brought Maggie home from the funeral because they had other dogs. I'm not sure exactly what happened, if they decided they couldn't keep her because they had two other bassets, two bloodhounds and another dog - or that she does not have the long ears, looser skin and bigger build they were looking for, but they decided to adopt her out. They did give me her vaccination record that had her breeders name on it, etc.

I sometimes think that Maggie might not have had the best breeding background, and that the way I adopted her was somewhat strange - they certainly seemed to treat her well at the home I adopted her from. At the same time I know that she needed a home and I'm giving her a good one, so even if she came from a bad breeder - I personally was not the one who supported them.

I know this is long winded, but after some of the discussion here I worry that Maggie was the product of bad breeding - and I feel guilty in a way that I may have "supported" that, but at the same time she was just a dog who needed a home and I love her dearly.

Should I get another basset (and having one seems to make you want more, especially when I see how much Maggie loves other dogs) I'll definately either go through a reputable breeder or a rescue organization.

Missjoy and Maggie

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biscuit

· #2 · Mar 9, 2007

Supporting bad breeding practices means intentionally buying from a BYBer or puppymill, or a pet store.

You adopted, though, which is an entirely different thing. And no doubt, she has faults --- Biscuit was a conformation nightmare, with ears much too long and a caved in ribcage and fiddle-fronted --- but he was a lovie-bear. Bossy but a lovie-bear.

Just enjoy her, faults and all. That's the important thing.

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José

· #3 · Mar 9, 2007

I had felt the same way as you. I'm guessing José might be from a backyard breeder... I got him as a gift from someone with good intentions. Nothing I can do about that now.

Now (mostly because of this forum) I know all about these BYB and bad breeders. I will always now get a rescue or a pet from the APL (like I had done before) So maybe José wasn't gotten the proper way but this has made me and others that I tell aware of this issue, so some good has come of it.

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Beverly Anne

· #4 · Mar 10, 2007

I bought Francis from A BYB before I knew what I was doing and I've been educated by this board since then. Francis is a classic case of why BYB's are bad, he developed canine glaucoma and is now blind, a reputable breeder would have had a better history. Oh well, I love the little monster to death and next time I'll know better.

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Elmer-n-Button

· #5 · Mar 10, 2007

You got her with good intentions--and it sounds like she's working out great! It's just like sending money to help hungry kids in other countries--you never know how much is going to get there, or what your money is actually used for--but you did it with the right heart and kind intentions. I didn't know any better when I got E & B, either. But I don't regret either of them, no matter how they came packaged.

As for getting another one to keep her company--are you still going to do the doggy day care? Or if you have two , can you leave them home together? We used to take E & B out everyday to our office, but they got so big that it was hard to get them in my vehicle every day, and now they are happy at home, and use the doggie door to go out to a fenced yard. Two certainly keep one another entertained, but it was a big difference in the time involved in caring for them.

Good luck!

E & B

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Missjoy

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 10, 2007

Thanks for all the responses!

I don't think we will be getting another basset anytime soon, but never say never. She had such a good weekend when we took her to visit my inlaws who have a new hound puppy. They played the whole time and slept beside each other - or at least, Maggie tried to sleep next to the puppy.

I still think I'll be doing the doggie day care come April. I think it will be best for her and that she will enjoy it and I won't worry about her being home alone and bored.

We're having trouble with our yard. I would like to let her out but we can't seem to find a way to contain it. We are in a townhouse that we just moved into with two big hedges down the sides of our lawn and we back onto a river. My husband built a good dog-proof fence across the back and one neighbour has a fence on her side on the other side of the hedge, but she could just run out under the other hedge (which is huge, higher than a story). We tried running flexible chicken wire along the hedge but she has gone under it, torn it down, etc. We're trying to find a solution that won't ruin the look of the hedge or be too expensive, but for now I can't let her out in the back yard without a leash.

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Aruuuu

· #7 · Mar 10, 2007

I know a few people who are using this type of fencing very successfully:

Deer Fence

It's much stronger than anything else they all tried, completely disappears when used as part of landscaping, and was easy to install. Not sure about cost, but for a small area, it might not be too bad....

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