Thanks for all your help and support about my lab puppy and his jumping, what to feed him, and discipline issues. When it got right down to it, my husband and I discussed this larger dog was just not the right one for our family. We were able to find a loving home for Fred. He now lives with a young married couple in Durham, and they spoil him rotten
Blessed, You and your husband had a tough decision to make and in the end, you did what was best for both humans and puppy. Also, kudos to you for not dragging out your decision and waiting until your pup was an adult and therefore harder to place into a new home. I know it had to be difficult for you as you bond with a pet, whether they are a perfect fit or not. Honestly, the reason so many owners and their pets tend to have difficulties is due to breed choice. It is very hard to persuade a person who has their heart set on a particular breed that this might not be the ideal choice for their particular situation. Many people either had a certain breed of dog previously, met a dog of a particular breed whom they liked, or like the looks of a certain breed of dog. Unfortunately, many times the dog that stands out in our minds either tends to be an exception to their breed, or they have had extensive training and traits that might be deemed as negative aren't as apparent. I always urge people considering a new pet to go to an interactive breed selector and HONESTLY answer the questions. I say honestly, because if you answer what in a manner thinking of the breed you already have in mind, the selector won't give you an accurate match. Once you've answered all of the questions it will show you matches - the top 15 choices are usually your best bets. If you are in the market for a mixed breed dog, look for those who are combinations of the top 15 or 20 picks. Purina used to have a great tool for this, but they are re-vamping theirs at the moment. There is another one, which is quite good as well, it just doesn't go into some of the areas in as much detail as Purinas' did. http://www.puppyfinder.com/breedselector_size.php
Those breed selectors tend to be a real eye-opener for many people. Ironically, all of my dogs mixes are in my top 20 results - I say ironically, because two of mine are doggies that could not be adopted out to the average family (aggressive tendencies) which, I guess is why we are so harmonious as a fur/human family.
