[marinewife21]

I'm a huge dog lover and when growing up I've always taken care of dogs and started fostering through a shelter. I can handle 4 dogs personally and I can afford them. I already have one dog who is a husky doberman mix. She is a year old and the perfect dog very well behave and exercised daily more than once. I have recently put down a 200 deposit on a doberman puppy from a reputable breeder not backyard. And on December 26 in the mall parking lot (it was super busy) I saw a small puppy running around and almost got hit multiple times so myself an a few others were running around and I finally caught him. Everyone told me to take it because they couldn't. The puppy I caught the vet said he was around 10 weeks old and a golden retriever yellow lab mix. I haven't had any luck locating his owners yet. He was in bad shape. I named him Jak. I wouldn't mind keeping him and the doberman puppy and my current dog right now but the circumstances are bad.

I'm getting married next month to my best friend. He is a marine active duty so we will be forced to move around a lot and rent. I also owe 400 ish dollars in vet bills because I had a second dog before I paid the deposit and found this puppy. The second dog was only a year old and he had a genetic problem and it caused him to have a bad seizure. I rushed to the vet but he didn't respond to anything they tried and he was slowly slipping so I made the choice to put him down... Which made my first dog go into depression because she grew up with him an they were best friends and inseparable.

I have a payment plan set up to pay back that vet bill. My fiancée says that he will pay for the doberman puppy to pay the rest to get him from the breeder. And once we are married he is going to help out on the vet bill. He would help now but he is deployed and gets back next month when we get married. My dog is in love with the puppy I found.

My real question is what should I do? Should I tell the breeder I can't take the doberman and keep the puppy I found? Or find a home for the puppy I found and keep the doberman (even though renting will be hard) or should I say no to the doberman and get rid of the puppy I found?

Eventually I really want two dogs but I'm not sure the timing is right. But I haven't seen my dog this happy to have a puppy around since my other dog passed away. Or should I keep all three? I know it'll be hard to rent with three dogs... Specially with one being a doberman. I was just going to say that he was a lab coonhound mix. What are your thoughts?

Its hard to talk to my fiancée about this because he is deployed and I have only heard from him 4 times in the 5 months he has been gone! Thanks!

[joypulv]

I suggest that you contact the doberman breeder and try to get your deposit back, or just forfeit it, or maybe half of it - see if you can negotiate.
Second I would contact the base and ask what housing arrangements are. Renters everywhere know how hard it is to rent with even one dog!

I'm sure that your fiance will be happy to know that you will have companionship while he is gone. Depending on whether you will be housed on base or not, often wives alone get together, but it's still lonely in many ways. Maybe you could look into off-base houses to rent, and you could start a doggy day care - still hard to do as a renter though. Most of your decisions will be limited by what you find out about housing.

[Fr_Chuck]

You will find it hard, to have even one dog, on base housing.

Also, no you can not afford, even this second dog, you could not write a check to pay for the bill, but had to set up a payment plan. So no you do not have the money to even afford a second dog. You need to find the second dog a better home. Need to cancel the order on the new dog. And then hope, and pray, even the one dog, will be allowed where you will be moving.

[Alty]

There's never enough money to have pets, kids, a home, cars, unless you're super rich. While I do agree that if you're going to have pets you should be able to cover any vet bill that comes along, that's not always feasible. You made a payment plan with the vet, and you're paying it off, so I think that you're definitely a responsible owner and should be able to take on a second dog. I don't think you should try to take on three, especially with two of them being puppies. Puppies are expensive. Their first year of life is the most costly even without illness. There are shots, neutering, heart worm meds, etc. etc. etc. It adds up.

If it were me I'd keep the puppy you found. Your other dog has already bonded with this puppy. To take it away now could cause your other dog to go into depression again. Contact the breeder and let her know you can't take the Rottie. If she's a reputable breeder she likely has a very long list of people waiting for one of her puppies, and she'll have no problem finding the Rottie a new home.

[dontknownuthin]

Find homes for both dogs. WHen you are settle and set financially, plan when and what type of dog to add to your Family. You did your part but can't reasonably commit long term so be realistic.

[Sariss]

If you are having to do payment plans, you are not financially ready for more than one dog.