The Foxes Want A Dog

We are looking for a puppy we can rescue. That’s not as easy as it sounds.

The Foxes want a dog. We’ve wanted a dog for a while, but our house has been in a state of disarray since January. That’s behind us. The time is right. I am posting this on my blog because one of you can probably help us.

Don’t do anything yet. Read on.

We are looking for a smallish dog–fifteen pounds full-grown sounds abut right. Size is important because at some point our dog will need to fit inside a bag under an airline seat.

We are looking for a dog that doesn’t need wide open spaces. We have wide open spaces. We just aren’t outdoorsy. A dog that craves lots of outdoor activity will be very disappointed with the Foxes. We don’t want to disappoint.

Our Westie Ivy was extremely calm. She was almost a still life. That would be nice, but we’re not sure there are any more Ivys. Calm is good, but a dog who likes to play with her toys will be welcomed (and showered in toys).

We are looking for a dog we can rescue, preferably up to a year old. That’s not as easy as it sounds. We have looked through adoption and shelter listings on numerous occasions and have come up empty. There are lots of big strong dogs begging for homes, but few small cuddly ones.

Our dog will be a member of the family. She’ll/he’ll be a constant companion. Her/his birthday will be celebrated. She/he will have a stocking hung for the holidays. She/he won’t eat table scraps, but if she/he needs home cooked food Helaine is ready.

So, what d’ya think? If you have any suggestions please comment here or send me an email.

I expect we’ll get more suggestions than we’ll be able to accommodate. Please don’t be offended if we can’t take your help.

32 thoughts on “The Foxes Want A Dog”

  1. So happy to see that you are looking for a rescue…sorry to see that you haven’t had any luck yet. Keep looking though. Please don’t give in to getting from a breeder or a pet store. And as far as a breed goes, I have a shih tzu who seems to fits the qualities you are looking for. Good luck!

  2. Form what you have already stated may I suggest a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The perfect companion dog for a family. Extremely loyal to it’s family but not a Yappy dog, or a nervous one. Very happy to be next to it’s family member but happy enough to play also. Low grooming although the need to be brushed. A very good all around family dog. For a smaller breed!

    Hope this helps! You should pick a few breeds out them look them up in AKC.org see if they fit into your family life style.
    Hope this helps!
    Nancy Bugaj

  3. You should look in to Boston terriers. They are small, don’t shed, smart, and they seem to have a genuine sense of humor. We have 2, and love them to pieces! They’re indoor dogs, and they fit under seat planes. I’ve owned a few types of dogs, and there is just something very special about Bostons.

  4. Hi Geoff, I have a neighbor who has a small terrier (yorkie?) and he is showered with toys and loves to play and hide his toys in a corner. She brings him on the plane in a carrier and places him under the seat too. There’s no place for him to run but he does love a walk. I have rescued birds. I have called my vet to find some. You can always call a vet that you will be using to see if they have one needing a rescue or you can look to the society of the kind of dog you choose. I know with my birds there is a parrot society here in CT who sometimes gets birds turned in and fostered until a home is found. It can be the same for dogs. Good luck with the dog search. And we expect to see pictures with the new adoption when you get it.

  5. Hey Geoff, One of the best things for you and Helaine to do is to decide which breeds you are interested in and then check out the breed specific rescue groups (through Google) for New England. You can be as specific as you want with those rescues when you fill out your applications. Age/Sex etc. and they will do their best to accommodate.

    I still miss seeing Ivy in her Santa hat each year. I am sure you do too.

    Best of luck with the search! A puppy would be lucky to call your home, home.

  6. Cromwell AC currently has an adorable chihuahua-pug mix available for adoption — he looks to be 10 to 12 pounds:
    http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20163802

    I found my 6.5 pound toy poodle @ CT Humane Society/Newington when he was 2 years old by asking if they had any small dogs. I wouldn’t have found him had I not asked, since his photo wasn’t on their web site and he was in their medical facility getting treatment for allergic skin condition. He’s a wonderful pet, and the happiest little dog ever!

    BTW, even if you ultimately don’t adopt, you’ve already helped homeless pets by raising visibility of pet rescue / adoption. And that’s a great thing!

  7. Hi Geoff! I am a volunteer with Animals For Life in Middlebury. We currently have a 10 month old Terrier mix who weighs 7 lbs and is expected to be about 12 when full grown. His name is Luigi. He is in a foster home now and is very social. If you are interested, please let me know and we’d be glad to arrange a visit for you with the foster family and the lil guy!

  8. Geoff,

    Cudos for wanting to rescue/adopt a pet. Check with the West Hartford Animal control officer. Heard this morning that they are in need of adoptive folks for their current tennants. Chihuahua’s, small mixes, sounds like right up your alley. You could check TV 3’s website for “lost and pound” eppisode they aired today ( 7-16-11), or call your fellow weatherman, Curtis, and he can give you the details. Hope you find your best friend soon.

  9. Hi Geoff,

    We have always had rescue dogs, three of which we found on Petfinders, and they have all been such great additions to our family. We have two Pomeranians right now, Gizmo and Teddy, Gizzie is around 13 now but he acts like he is 2, he is very active. Teddy is very shy, but he is the happiest little dog you ever saw. You can actually find very young dogs on Petfinders. Just plug in a breed, location and, if you want, age (yes you can get a puppy) and sex of the dog you would like to adopt. The website will tell you everything about the dog, if it is good with homes with small children, other pets, etc. Good luck, let us know what lucky pup you give a forever home to and congratulations on deciding to adopt!

  10. Geoff…. My friend works at the trumbull animal shelter… She has many dogs I’m sure you’d love… Reach out to me via my email… ppal81@comcast.net and I’ll be glad to give you her contact info

  11. I have a shih tzu mix and agree with Alecia — great breed of dog. We recently had to put our wonderful Maltese mix, Lizzie, to sleep at age 17, but she was an amazing dog: smart, playful (almost to the end), attentive but not smothering, and a great cuddler. No shedding either. Hurray for you and Helaine going down the rescue path. Good luck!

  12. Geoff, I do a bit of pet rescue networking on the web and you’re right that it seems it’s the bigger dogs, especially pit bulls (I LOVE them…very, very sweet dogs) who are in need of adoption. But there are still a lot of littler dogs I see here and there. KC Spaniels are a good suggestion! Breed-specific rescue groups are a really helpful resource. However, if you end up choosing a bigger dog, you can always call me to dogsit when you travel!!

  13. Geoff,
    Have you looked at getting a Pembroke Welsh Corgi or a Cardigan welsh corgi. Corgi’s make perfect dogs for you

  14. I am happy that you are looking for a rescue dog. Please do not give up on that idea.
    I know that there is one out there that needs you.

  15. The SPCA in (http://www.spcact.org/) brings rescue dogs in every month… we went and just walked thru the house (it is literally an old house with kennels in every room and the bigger dogs in larger kennels outside… We literally walked around and identified the three dogs that weren’t barking for barking’s sake, one was already spoken for, another was just a little to skittish… but the third had our hearts as soon as we took her out in the yard to walk/play.

    Most often their dogs come from disaster areas (Katrina, etc.)… their webpage currently says they have dogs rescued from an Alabama Tornado.

    SPCA of Connecticut, Inc.
    359 Spring Hill Road
    Monroe

    1. Many of our little victims of earthquakes and floods etc are begging for homes anywhere in the USA. Somewhere, it just seems right that someone who knows the weather so well, might look for one of these little brave ones who made it through. Just a thought …

  16. Geoff… Having recently adopted a beagle from my town’s animal control shelter, I can tell it is the best thing you will ever do! I looked for several years, waiting for the perfect dog and I’m pretty sure I’ve got him! He’s house trained, crate trained, loves to play and is currently going to obedience classes! Have patience, the perfect dog for the Foxes is out there!

  17. Try Petfinder.com. Just put in your zip code and check small dog and you will find plenty. We adopted two cats and a dog from the Meriden Humane Society and couldn’t be happier. I am sure you will find a dog soon.

  18. Congratulations on your pending adoption. We adopted a resuce from Wallingford, as as an older couple/empty nesters it was the best thing we could have done. She has brought a lot of joy back into our lives. When you have him/her and they feel secure, be sure to check out the Hamden Dog Park. It is a great place to exercise your pet and meet interesting people.

  19. We rescued a dog last year through the Chi Society in Glastonbury. We found her through Petfinder and she has brought so much joy into our lives. She actually came from Texas and was transported by Rescue Road Trips. They work with many rescue groups and transport dogs from the south where they have many high kill shelters. They were a wonderful group to deal with and the whole experience was life changing. I can’t say enough nice things about them!! If you go to their website they list the groups they work with so you can check out what dogs are available, I’m sure there is one that fits your needs. Good luck in your search!

  20. Geoff, I am a volunteer for Bichon Fur Kids. There are multiple available dogs on the website along with a photo and a bio of each dog available. I commend you for searching for a rescue. Bichons are smaller in size, hypo-allergenic, they don’t shed and they have sparkling personalites. Let me know if there is any way that I can assist you in your search. Good Luck!!!

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