Discussions

My boyfriend and I are thinking about a dog. We are leaning towards a puppy but are open to older dogs too. We like labs and prefer black or yellow labs.  
 
Can anyone suggest reputable breeders or rescues that we can look into? Any personal experience would be appreciated as well.

I strongly recommend that you consider the Brandon Humane Society. We got our dog there in December 2009. He was 13 weeks old at the time. He is a very happy and well adjusted dog.

Fostering a dog for a rescue first. My spouse and I desperately wanted a dog but we decided to foster first. We fostered for about 3 months before we came to the sad realization that we don’t have time for a dog. It helped the rescue out for 3 months (we paid for the food and everything for the foster dog so we knew how it would impact our budget), provided lodging for a dog and helped us realize that we weren’t ready. I’m not saying you aren’t ready for a dog, I just think people sometimes dont understand the lifelong commit a dog, especially a puppy, really is.

Brandon Humane Society for sure. Both of our family dogs are from there!  
 
The poster immediately above is absolutely correct though: make sure you're ready for the commitment.  
 
Edited by DevilsAdvocate, 2019-05-19 14:42:14

Also, be sure you are not in a temporary rental situation. Better a home and a lifelong situation where the dog can enjoy a yard with committed owners who will be owners for long term.

Funds for Furry Friends , City Pound and of course the Humane society. We had a lab...wonderful , gentle dogs , but quite high energy. Good luck. Lots of worthy dogs out there waiting to be rescued.

A great place to get a dog, but only if you have a fully fenced in yard. (I will have a fully fenced in yard in a week or two, but not at the time I wanted to foster for them)  
 
I was going to foster first to see what having a dog was like because I've never had one before. But after going to a meet and greet at Pet Value I fell in love with a beauty of a pup from Funds For Furry Friends. We adopted her at 8 weeks old and have now had her for 4 months. She's an amazing pup and I couldn't imagine life without her.  
 
I definitely recommend adopting a rescue.

There are so many dogs that need homes. Please adopt! FYI....puppies are a lot of work so you may want to consider an adult dog looking for a home.

What are recommendations for puppy food?  
 
Does anyone have experiences with Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Puppy Dog Food (from costco) or TLC brand (Puppy Whole Life)?

For your money, Kirkland's Best from Costco is probably the best dogfood on the market. Locally, President's Choice from Superstore would be a very close second.

We feed TLC and have had no issues. Delivered to our door and comparable to many pet store brands

You should sign up to foster for the Humane Society or Funds for Furry Friends. They will both help you along the way and give you support. You can also see if a puppy or an adult fits your situation better. The Humane Society will allow you to adopt your foster if it is a perfect fit.

Acana! Go to pet lovers. Good brand