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The Pink Puppy
stoningtonkennels.com
Originally from Michigan.
This is where it all began, Still owned and operated by my mother -
Carolyn Hamilton
WWW.MagicfitDesigns.Com
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So...... you want to adopt a rescue
Sheltie:
Please read through this whole page. It should answer
any questions you may have about adopting from us..
As you work through the adoption process, please understand that our primary concern is
the happiness and welfare of THE DOG.
Before you adopt a Sheltie, please make sure you know this breed. Shelties
have many wonderful traits ....but they also have some not-so-wonderful traits.
- First of all, shelties are barkers. They don't bark at everything.... but a
sheltie will warn you if the UPS man arrives, or someone walks into your yard....or if
something is 'not right'. If a barking dog will bother you, this
may not be the right breed for you.
- Second, Shelties shed. This is a double coated, long haired breed.
Their coat does need a fair amount of care. A good brushing at least once a
week and a bath once a month will suffice.
- Third, Shelties can be very shy with strangers. A sheltie will be very
affectionate and loving with its owners, but may be very shy with strangers.
If you are looking for a dog that will run and greet everyone who comes to visit you.....
this may not be the breed for you. Often, a sheltie will
hide when a stranger comes over. Please consider this if you plan on hiring
strangers to care for your sheltie while you are gone.
- And last....shelties are a herding dog. They herd children, squirrels, bunnies
....etc. Unfortunately, some Shelties also enjoy herding cars!
That is why a fenced yard is so important for the dogs safety.
An adult or a puppy? Please consider
this.... Many people buy a puppy........and then work and work and work to get
that puppy to behave like a mature adult. Please consider the chewing,
the potty accidents, the crying in the crate, the constant attention a puppy needs when
making an adoption decision. If you want a dog to act like a mature adult, then
don't adopt a puppy!
A fenced yard We do require a fully fenced (at
least the rear) yard to adopt a dog from us. A physical fence shows us the
commitment to a dogs safety that we need to see in an adoptive home.
Live in an apartment or condo? We will
consider placement in an apartment or condo, with the right dog.
However, please trust our judgment. We know our dogs and which ones would do
well in this environment.
Out of the Area? We will gladly do a "long
distance" adoption, however we do not ship our dogs. We would
expect you to come and pick up your dog.
Work all day / Gone alot ? A young dog or
puppy will not do well in this environment, however a mature/senior dog
will. Please consider the welfare of the dog, and adopt a mature or senior dog if
you are gone all day. A senior dog will likely come already housetrained, and
trustworthy alone in the house.
Appearances Please don't insist on a sheltie solely
on it's looks. We place our dogs in homes based on their temperament and habits.
A Sheltie would be miserable as an "outdoor" dog, therefore we won't
even consider it. A sheltie forced to live outside away from
the family will bark excessively and become destructive. Not a good situation !!
A Sheltie is a very loving and loyal dog, that needs attention and
affection. A Sheltie will want to be with the family, wherever that may
be. We will only consider those homes who want a Sheltie as an indoor
family member. Further, IF in one of our follow up visits, we find one of our
dogs is left outdoors unattended, we will reclaim the dog.
Our Shelties can come from a variety of situations.....
We get dogs out of Shelters, owner turn-in's, dogs found running loose,
dogs who are abandoned because of their owners death...etc..etc.
Rather than leave these dogs to die in a shelter, we take them in and address their
needs. We will treat any medical condition the dog has. Then we spay and/or
neuter every dog (no exceptions), bring them current on all shots, and begin it on
heartworm and flea protection. The dog is bathed, groomed, and put into a
foster home for evaluation. Each dog stays in their foster home until
the temperament is known and a good match can be made. We do not place aggressive
dogs or known biters. But some rescue dogs may have some "issues" to
work through. We always try to advise you of any known "issues" a dog has prior
to you adopting it. Rescue dogs usually have plenty of love, affection
and gratitude to give back. And you will have the
satisfaction of knowing that you saved a dog
We do not have a shelter. Our whole organization is made up of
volunteer foster homes. We have dogs in foster homes all over the state.
So...it is not possible to go to a "shelter" to view all our dogs.
We ask that you submit an application first, and once you are approved
to adopt, we will suggest a few dogs and make arrangements for you to meet them.
We do not place dogs in homes that we do not believe will work out.....
so please respect our advice.
Here are some general guidelines we follow:
For the safety of our dogs, we place our dogs in homes with (real) fenced yards.
Invisible fences are not considered a fence. They won't hold a determined sheltie.
Trust us!
If you have young children (toddlers) please don't ask for a puppy. Young
children hurt puppies. An adult dog could protect itself better from small
children. Make sure the dog you get is bigger than your toddler.
If you are elderly, please don't ask us for a puppy.
If you are gone all day long, please don't ask us for a puppy or a very young dog. It's
just not fair to the dog. A bored Sheltie will bark excessively and may become
destructive.
If you currently own a pet that is not spayed or neutered, you will not be
considered for adoption, unless surgery for your pet is medically contraindicated or you
are actively showing your pet in conformation. We only are interested in working
with responsible pet owners.
If your current pets are not kept up to date on all shots and preventatives, you will
not be considered for adoption.
If you are unsure as to whether you can commit to a dog for the rest of it's life,
(regardless of whether you move, change jobs, or get divorced) then please
rethink your decision to adopt a dog. Adoption is for the rest of the
dogs life.
Here are some things we insist on if you do adopt a Sheltie from us:
The dog may never be allowed off a leash unless it is in a securely fenced yard.
This breed spooks easily and will run off.
The dog must be kept on Heartworm and Flea Prevention medicine at least 9 months out of
the year.
The dog must be an indoor dog and treated as a member of the family.
The dog is never to be left outside when you are not home.
The dog must wear ID tags at all times.
The dog may only be fed premium dog food
..No generic or bargain brand dog food.
(We see the damage done by cheap food only too often)
An average Sheltie will live 13-15 years......so what age dog is best for you?
- Puppy through 1 yr. old.........Lots of chewing, not reliably housetrained, needs
much attention and training, not good choice if you are gone all day.
- 1-3 Yr. old........ Still acts like a puppy, may or may not be housetrained, will
still chew, needs lots of playtime to burn energy, will become bored easily if left alone
too long
..will chew or dig from boredom. Good choice for someone who is home only
part of the day.
- 3-5 Yr. Old.......Able to be trusted alone in the house for short periods, needs several
hours of playtime daily, will become bored easily, will chew or dig from
boredom.
- 5+ .... A perfect dog. Past the chewing stage, reliably housetrained,
content to sleep while you are gone, will want to play for a few hours, but will be
ready to sleep again when you do. Best choice if you are gone all day long.
Rescue dogs range in age from puppies to 13 yr. olds. Everyone seems to
want the young dogs.....so please consider opening your heart to an older dog.
They are so much harder to place, and most often are the best
behaved. They need homes just as much, if not more, than the
younger dogs.
The first step to adoption is filling out a written application. Once we review
your application, someone from our group will call you and set up a time that we can come
to your home to meet you and your family. (We like to see where our dogs are
going) Once you have been approved, you may begin meeting our dogs.
The fee's to adopt a dog are as follows. Since we are a strictly volunteer group, you
may always donate more than the stated amount.
All fee's includes:
Spay or neuter (even on puppies)
One year rabies shot
DH2PP (Distemper/Parvo combo shot)
Bordetella Shot (Kennel Cough)
Heartworm Test (and treatment if positive)
Heartworm Preventative pill
Flea prevention treatment
Wormed
Groomed
Dental cleaning if needed.
A medical history record comes with each dog.
Puppies up to 1 year old........ minimum donation $ 300
Adults 1-9.......... minimum donation $ 250
Senior Adults 10+.......... minimum donation $175
Now.... If by chance, you are only willing to take a young, perfect sheltie, please let
me know right up front, and I will put you on my "perfect dog waiting
list".....and I promise to call you as soon as the dog comes in.
Also... if your idea is to adopt a rescue Sheltie, because you don't want to pay
a breeders price, please stop right here, because that is not what rescue is all
about. Rescue is about giving a dog a chance who otherwise would not get one. If
saving a Sheltie is what you have in mind
..then please contact us.
If you have made it
this far, and are still interested ......Fill out an adoption application
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