bookmark_borderPuppies, Puppies, and More Puppies!

As most of you know, I have a (nearly) constant companion named Joella. Jo is a big, vicious, mean, droolin’ Rottweiler.

Okay, so she’s not vicious. Nor mean. And she doesn’t drool. But she is big and she is a Rottweiler.

And she’s also my Service Dog. I trained her to retrieve certain things (Jo, where’s my shoes?) and to pick up items I drop (Jo, hand me my keys. Again.) and to go get Lorna (never really got Lorna trained to listen, though). Jo just turned 8 and it is time I got another dog to train as her SD replacement. Not that Jo is going to be happy about it.

It is weird for me to even be considering getting, on purpose, a full breed dog. I’m a mutt kind of gal. I’m not too happy with AKC and their “standards” which are based on looks and not much else. But I love the Rottweiler breed. They are sweet dogs with wonderful personalities. Most people agree that they are such clowns! And they are. I love that humor in Jo.

Anyway, full breed dogs cost money. Lots of money. One breeder from TN I spoke to charges $1500 each. I about crapped with that one. I understand it, though. Her close watch on genetics means that certain traits (including hip dysplasia) are almost eliminated. It also continues good temperament. While a happy dog won’t automatically produce happy puppies who grow up to be happy adults, the potential is high.

Perhaps what stops me with the price, other than the price itself, is that I’d be paying for a dog that is not guaranteed to be trainable as a Service Dog. Yeah, I’m taking that risk with any dog I get, even an adult. I’m not sure I want to spend $1500 for a pet. Know what I mean?

And I want a puppy. The youngest we’ve ever had was Zeus at about 3 mos. Joella was 6 months. I was there when Zeke was born but he died before he was 3 months old. There wasn’t time to really bond or to form much of a personality.

It’s also hard to spend almost as much on a DOG as I would a DELL.

So, donations are being accepted for either one!