I am looking at adopting a puppy in the very new future. I have found a doll on petfinder. He is quite a long way away. I will be driving about 6 hours to meet midway if I choose to adopt him. I've seen several pictures, they have no info on his parents, he is only 8 weeks and looks healthy. He is 5 pounds and is said to be "very sweet and outgoing" and that he gets along well with other pets. Is there anything I should be asking or that I can do to find out more before committing to adopt? He is an American Bulldog mix - maybe? Any advice would be appreciated!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teachnk

I am looking at adopting a puppy in the very new future. I have found a doll on petfinder. He is quite a long way away. I will be driving about 6 hours to meet midway if I choose to adopt him. I've seen several pictures, they have no info on his parents, he is only 8 weeks and looks healthy. He is 5 pounds and is said to be "very sweet and outgoing" and that he gets along well with other pets. Is there anything I should be asking or that I can do to find out more before committing to adopt? He is an American Bulldog mix - maybe?? Any advice would be appreciated!!

---

Has he had his shoots and have he been de wormed and also ask about his mother in father a little back ground helps out a lot...

Sorry, YES he will be up to date on his shots, dewormed, and neutered. They do not have any information on his parents.

Often the shelters have very little information on their puppies. I would hope they have given you all they have.

I might caution you on the drive home. Avoid dog exercise areas at rest stops. They are a great place to pick up parvo or other problems. One sniff where a sick dog relieved itself in the last 6 months is all it takes. Take a leash and collar. You may want to buy a fabric restricted slip collar. These are sort of a cross between the conventional flat collar and the slip collar. Some of them are adjustable, Good for a growing puppy. They have a fabric loop at one end with a metal ring holding the other end in the loop, allowing it to slid back a forth. Find one, or adjust one to where it will go on over the puppies head, but will not tighten up past a snug fit around the neck. Choose places nobody else would. Carry the puppy well away from the exercise area, perhaps back the entrance ramp. Then put it down, let it go, and carry it back to the car.

A 6 hour drive? I often say follow your heart. If he is what your heart wants, go for it.

Teach, that is one very cute little guy there. I drove a few hours one way to adopt mine through petfinder. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing to adopt rather than purchase through a store or breeder. :)

Since you cannot do the normal temperament tests one would do when choosing a puppy in a local shelter, you just have to make the decision that you will work through whatever problems he may have, if he has any.

As labman says, you must be careful when you make your potty stop(s). Please follow his advice. Very important.

In addition, pick up or borrow (cleaning it out well with a mixture of bleach and water -- give it enough time to air out and get rid of the bleachy odor) a pet carrier. For his safety, and your sanity, you need to keep him in a confined area in your car. Preferably placed on the floor of the backseat. You may want to speak to the shelter about their views on giving him 1/4 or 1/2 a dramamine tablet, if he winds up vomiting on the long drive to meet up with you. I did not have that problem with my dog, but I have had the problem with other dogs I have transported. It then becomes a very miserable ride for them (and you) and makes it difficult to desensitize them to car trips in the future.
You may want to give the little guy something large that he cannot chew up, tear apart, or choke on, like a hard nylabone or kong, to chew on and keep him occupied during the drive, when he is not sleeping.

This puppy is so adorable.
We adopted our dog from a shelter we found on Petfinder. He was 3 months old and is part American Bulldog - he will be 2 in October.
He's a pretty good dog, a little hyper - but he's still a puppy. Being that he is part bulldog - he has an amazing amount of jaw strength. He really likes to chew on things - normally until he has destroyed whatever he has. So, be prepared for that. I would recommend getting toys that are pretty indestructable - like the kongs. I would also recommend obedience training. Petsmart offers classes at an affordable price. We have put ours through the puppy classes (with about 8 other puppies - crazy! ) and the intermidate where it was one on one. That was much more benifical.
And I agree about the crate on the way home. A sheppard we had got car sick all the time when he was a puppy. And that will make a 6 hour trip miserable.
A crate can become a new dog owners best friend - Personally, I think it makes house training a lot easier!

Thank you to everyone for all the advice. I'll definitely have him in a carrier, and I am a huge fan of crates! My 15 year old dog used the crate his whole life, even though I spent 2 years trying to get him out. (I really didn't want it to be a permanent piece of furniture) However, it was such a security "blanket" for him and even more cherished in the last years. I found it comforting that he always had a safe place where he could completely relax and snore the afternoon away.
I also really appreciate the advice on the "potty breaks" on the drive home Labman. I can't imagine the devastation of Parvo.
Is there anyway to GUESS the approximate adult size of this baby? Does 5 lbs at 8 weeks mean anything??

Five pounds for an american bulldog seems small. Even at 8 weeks. But, you don't know what he is mixed with. He may be younger. The shelters are probably just guessing what type of dog he is.
Mine is mixed with Lab (we think) and he is 70 pounds right now.

Teach honey, it is hard to say. He is only 8 weeks old. If you want to, can you post the shelter and id# from Petfinder. I will take a look at the description. I have a pretty good understanding of the lingo they use to cover up "problem" dogs. From his picture he looks like he could have any number of breeds in him. To me, he looks a little like a Boston Terrier. They are small dogs and I have to say I LOVE the breed. Great little tough guys. If you are really concerned, and they are telling you that he is a Bulldog mix, you should ask them: Is he a Pitbull Mix? Sometimes they push the more acceptable breeds and minimize the fact that they are pitbulls. It is a way of getting people to adopt these pups. So, if you are fearful about owning a Pit mix, you need to ask and make sure you are given a straight yes or no answer. Here is a link that will give you basic info on American Bulldog:
American Bulldog Information

And, if you want me to look at the petfinder ad for him, please give me the info and I will check it and post back with what I think and what other questions you may want to ask before committing.

I might add that I have never had a problem with 7 week old puppies on a long drive home. The ones I get may be bred not to get car sick. They also ride on the floor. When I read through my puppy Raising Manual before we got our first puppy, I was afraid teaching it to ride on the floor of the car was going to be tough. In the past, I had been led to believe a dog would smother in the first 5 miles if it wasn't up on the seat with its nose out the window. It turns out to be very easy to teach a young puppy to ride on the car floor. Introducing it to older dogs has gone fairly well too.

If you don't choose to crate the puppy, keep it on leash. The last place you want a puppy slipping away is in a parking lot. The safest place for a dog to ride is in the back in a crate secured in place. Loose in the passengers foot well is good too. A dog on the front seat can be killed by an air bag, just as child.