No dog

[rimturse]

Turns out that the dog is at a shelter and not with its original owners. I find the shelter online and it turns out that it's not a Tervueren, but a sterilized (Why is it sterilized? When was it sterilized?) two year old Tervueren-Alsatian mix. I find the whole story a bit fishy and have decided not to go look at the dog.

Comments

[maggiemotley.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how it works in Switzerland, but here shelters routinely spay all animals they take in whether pedigree or otherwise. So it might not be a mark against this particular dog.

Of course, none of that matters if you really wanted a Tervueren.

[frigg.livejournal.com]

This particular shelter had both spayed and non-spayed animals, so I'm assuming the shelter did not spay it.

C is convinced that the misunderstandings are caused by the information going through so many people before reaching me. He's probably right. I mean the shelter was not trying to hide the dog's pedigree online.

But yes, I wanted a Tervueren, and this is not it. It's okay, though. I was always planning on buying a puppy once we had the right place for it. It just means that I'll have to wait a bit longer or resign myself to the fact that I'll have to carry the dog up and down the stairs for the first 10-12 months. :)

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Spay/neuter is...a bad sign?

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

(Which isn't to say that I for a minute blame you for being suspicious re: the glitchy facts.)

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Not necessarily a bad sign, but it can be.

In Europe it's not that common to spay/neuter dogs. It can be done for health reasons, practical reasons (more dogs in one household) or, what I am worried about, a last attempt to change unwanted behaviour.

Besides that; many "dog people" see a mixture of a Belgian and a Alsatian as the perfect "working dog". In theory, it should have the speed, drive and intelligence of a Belgian - and the muscle, willingness to obey and "bite-drive/force" of an Alsatian (Many Tervueren are unwilling to bite unless they perceive a threat). Again not a bad thing, but combine this with the nervous temper of a badly bred Tervueren and you have an unlucky mix. Not saying that this particular dog has any problems at all. She's just not what I'm looking for. The reason I'm definitely not going to see her, is of course the risk of "falling in love". :)

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Interesting! Things I never knew. Thanks.

And good luck finding the dog you want!