Hi,

After many many many years of wanting a dog, like from being kneehigh to a squirrel, my husband has finally given in and says we can get one...huzzah!

From this you may deduce ive never had one before, but what i do have is a 5 yo cat and a 10yo son on the autistic spectrum....

so, any advice on what sort of dog would be best suited for my home set up?... i love all breeds but my husband isnt keen on getting a staffie...don't know why...

I know DS FMs are a reliable bunch, so any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated

I live in Hull and know of 4 rescue centres nearby, but if any one knows of a reliable breeder i wouldnt mind a puppy

Hi, my advice to you would be dont think too much about breeds if you are considering a rescue dog. It may be best to go to your local shelters with an open mind and talk to one of the people there and ask their advice and discuss what criteria you are looking for. They will know many of the dogs and have an idea about how they act and how they are.

We went to our shelter and said that we would ideally like a dog that gets on with dogs and cats but it isnt essential. They then dog and cat tested the dog we liked and advised us about other dogs we liked which didnt get on with other animals.

Have you looked online at the shelters? Our one is rspca and they put pics and info of their animals online so you can see
how they are with cats dogs and children and other important
info before you go.

Also to add, i dont have any experience with autism or children but when i first went to the shelter it was a bit intimidating all of the dogs in kenells jumping up and barking for attention. I found it unerving so it might be worth asking if you can see the dogs first and then introduce them one by one to your son. Of course it may just be me who was scared by the noise!

In my experience children on the autism spectrum get on spectacularly well with dogs and it helps them deal with the world around them. So really hope that happens for your boy.

I am not sure breed matters as much as temperament when getting a dog for your family I would concentrate on asking about behavior and temperament when inquiring about dogs in rescues.

You need to think about what you want in a dog.
Minimal shedding? Obvious pro is that they don't shed much but possible cons are that they generally need to be washed and groomed a lot more.
Are you an active family? Do you want a dog that can take part in activities such as hiking etc.
Do you want a big dog, medium dog, small dog?

What ever you do if you decide to go for getting one from a breeder make sure they are a reputable breeder who shows their dogs. Or for a breed like German Shepard go for someone who breeds working dogs rather than show dogs.

If you give me more specifics I can help you narrow down the breeds and give you the names of some reputable breeders

There are loads of puppies in local rescue centres, so don't go to a breeder and save your self some dosh. Round here (hull) I'd recommend jerry green and hull animal welfare trust (and then me to photograph him/her of course!) they are the best ones around here by far.

thanks guys for all your suggestions xx

specifics....none really... just good with kids and cats.. tbh the cat is out the majority of the day, im at home all day

been to H.A.W.T and RSPCA so far.. but unfortunatly they didnt have any dogs that would suit my situation

guess i ll keep looking xx thanks all xxx

If you get a pup the cat will probably put it in its place anyway....mine did when I got my dog. The cat rules the roost and the dog follows him around,

I have a 9 year old with Aspergers. We got a 20 month old Cavalier King Charles from a rescue centre when my son was six. We did a lot of work with my son about how to look after a dog, before we got one. They did have to be kept an eye on to begin with as my son was too loving, and the dog got no peace. We got a cage and said that that was the dog's space, and when he wanted to be quiet he could go in there and we would leave him alone. My son accepted this and they are great friends, but even now our dog will take himself off to his cage when things get too much.

Do your research and read about the breed you want. Different type of dogs have different requirements and it's evident went walking our dog. Some dogs require more walks and are better off in pairs, some dogs are clingy and want to go everywhere with you and get upset if you leave them for a few days. Some are plain mad like Dalmatians. Read carefully about the breed you eventually get and you will know what having that breed entails. All too often people pick a breed for all the wrong reasons and regret getting the dog. This is cruel and unfair to the dog. Choose wisely and hope you manage to find a lovely doggy suitable for you and your family. 😊

Our cat hates the dog, my partners says if cars are introduced as kittens they tend to get along. Our poor cat hissed and was so upset with the dogs presence she never ate a thing for a week. Have you given any consideration to your cat and her feelings,
Last edited by SupernovaNebula : 01-06-2012 at 09:40

HAWT is a brilliant rescue centre.

When I was looking for a dog many years ago, I talked to them about the kind of dog I wanted - temperament, size, age etc - and they came back to me with the perfect dog, but she wasn't in the shelter when I first contacted them.

Even though they are a small rescue, it might be worth talking to them because they just might come up with the ideal dog, even if they don't have the one for you right now.

yes i agree... been there once and had a good chat with them..and going to take my son with me sometime this week... halfterm... they have even said they would be willing to bring dogs out to us as my son doesnt like too much noise, one dog is ok but a kennel full of barking is too much for him..

thanks everyone for your comments xxx

One word of caution and I stress that this is very rare and there are lots of successful rehomings but my uncle and his g/f adopted a shelter dog. They met their dog and it all went really well including cat testing which meant walking him around and past the cat shelter. Sadly when they got him home, his natural instinct was to chase their two cats. So he was okay when it wasn't his territory but when he was, he went nuts. They tried to put the work in to stop this but felt that after several months they'd end up with terrified cats so they fostered him. The good news is that they were able to give him a home whilst he was up for adoption again and give an honest account of his feelings about cats.

I guess the point is that if you have specific terms that you cannot negotiate on (and rightly so in your circumstances) it might be worth broadening your search further afield to get the right dog and look at foster cared dogs as opposed to ones in kennelled rescues. I have nothing against them, our dog came from a kennelled environment but fostering gives you a little more peace of mind. Dogs Blog is a great site (although it does sometimes update slowly).

I have a son with Aspergers who is now nearly 18. We got a Golden Retriever puppy when my son was nearly 10. As I type this they are lying together on the rug. The dog is asleep with his head on my sons knee. Golden Retrievers can be a handful when they are young but they are the best natured, sweetest dogs ever. I think having a dog has helped my son a lot. I hope you find a dog you and your son will love.

ok... have run into a problem... i dont have a car.. and the various rescue centers tend to be miles away, i took a taxi to HAWT and it cost me £37 for the round trip, and i cant do that every day...even the rspca cost me £10...i found a dog on the HAWT website only to be told that 2 people where already interested in him, so to find a dog that fits our lifestyle is starting to look like climbing mount everest

i am starting to think this might not happen and we so want a dog... i tend to stay in because my low selfconfidence in myself so getting a dog would be my kickstart to getting out....

as i said before i live in Hull and am now thinking of a puppy, so if any one knows of either a solution or a breeder near me i would be so grateful, that sounds a bit twee and understated you have no idea have this would change my life xxxx

To put things in perspective its only just over a week since your first post about getting a dog. Whether getting a puppy from a good breeder or a dog from a rescue its going to take time to find the best fit. Good breeders often have waiting lists and rescues will want to do home checks and meet all family members.

Have you spoken to someone at the rescue centre to see if they will let you know if a suitable dog comes in?

Did you decide on a breed? If so you could also contact the breed rescue. It might also help with suggestions of good breeders.

If you go to a rescue centre and tell them the type of dog you're looking for, they will contact you when one comes in. We did that and got the best dog in the world!

We took a few for walks and tested them by taking food from them, giving a gentle kick up the backside (okay, don't report me!), to see if they react violently. We also took my granddaughter to make sure she was okay with kids.

It's temperament that matters far more than breed and you need to test it.

My mum has a King Charles Cavalier... she is very affectionate and always curled up with mum... my autistic nephew adores her and comes round just so they can go for a walk together.

We had to be careful when she was a puppy because they are small dogs and all children are a bit rough... I would advise waiting to find the ideal dog from a reputable source... mum wanted a Cav for decades but did not think it fair until she retired... when she did buy she bought without checking the dealer and the dog has had some serious and expensive problems... the emotional distress is far worse than the financial cost.

My mum dotes on the dog and despite being really spoilt she is absolutely fantastic with people although a bit cautious at first.

Please think of the dogs as well as your own needs - there are so many in rescue centres desperately needing homes and breeders only add to the problem. There are so many advantages to rescue dogs - their personalities have already emerged so you have a much better idea of what they will be like. Puppies aren't puppies for very long.

Many Tears http://manytearsrescue.webs.com/ is a rescue centre - they get volunteers to temporary home the dogs, the volunteers get to know the dogs temperament, their personality, what they can cope with. The advantage of doing it this way is that you get to go see a dog in a home - so you see them at ease.

If you dont have a car, it might be an idea to visit your local vets. They sometimes have cards up in their waiting room about dogs/puppies or cats who need a good home. Maybe you could also ask them for their advice.

Wherever you end up getting a dog from, make sure you have a vet you can get to without a car, and look into how much ongoing vet bills are likely to be, and also insurance.

If you would need to take a taxi to the vets I'd think twice about a dog - if you ever needed a vet in the middle of the night or if the dog had to be carried it could be hard finding a taxi.

Just a thought but you could also post a message in the homes offered section of the dog pages website:

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showforum=3

Put a message on here stating where you are and what you are looking for - you might just get lucky.

Does your husband drive?

Remember puppies are cute but they are a nightmare till about 6 months. You wont have anything left!

Westies and Scotties are good with kids. Im excited for you.

have placed an ad on the homes offered site, but despite 47 views no replies yet


drives me up the wall but sadly not a car