5plusn8, I see your wife’s point but perhaps it’s worth another try going to a rescue centre? Otherwise it would mean giving in to some overly self-important little jobsworth who has been given too much power (we haven’t had her side of the story obviously but you do seem ideal candidates from what you’ve said) and more importantly that yet another dog languishes in kennels when he/she should be enjoying the best years of his/her life.

RSPCA are known to be a bit over officious. You might well get on much better with Dogs Trust. Or there are a number of smaller centres near you:

http://www.holbrookanimalrescue.co.uk/index.html

http://www.allsortsdogrescue.org.uk/index.html

Remember, a pup won’t be ready for to run with your wife or ride with you for quite some time yet and they are so much work whereas an older dog is good to go!
Sorry if I’ve gone on a bit, it’s just like you say it’s the ‘sensible/morally the right thing to do’.

Good luck with him/her whatever you do 🙂

He’s a dog, he lives with us now.

We’re told he’s approximately 18months old, and some kind of staffy/mastiff mix. He needs (quite) a bit of training, but he’s a lovely animal.

anyone else care to share their re-homed pooches?

(yes, that is a sweet potato, he loves them)

Some time ago we rehomed this 18 month old staffy x lab x who knows what else.

We sadly finally lost him to a brain tumour last year after over a decade of love and companionship and he was such a cracking little trail dog too in his yoof.

For the last few months we’ve been filling the dog-shaped hole in our lives by doing voluntary dog walking at one of the local rescue centres, which I would so totally recommend to anyone who works full time.

In actual fact, OP, if you’re local to Sheffield, I’d put money on your Parker being the 18 month old Simba we used to walk and fell in love with at the rescue

I’ve had dealings with a few different rescues over the years and found them to be so wildly different, if you have one bad experience with one it’s definitely still worth persevering and trying another.
I used to do voluntary dog walking at a fairly big one years ago before we got Bailey, and always found them to be a bit offish with me, like I didn’t know what I was doing or wasn’t to be trusted. Same thing when I dropped off some of Bailey’s things at a few big national rescues after he’d died – leads and toys etc. They didn’t seem exactly friendly/sympathetic or overly grateful. The one we volunteer at now couldn’t be more different though … am sure it’s only a matter of time before we suck up the costs for doggy day care and rehome one of the inmates 😉

Don’t laugh

Too late. I nearly wet myself.

Johnnytheleyther – my folks rehomed an old dog called Frank after their German Shepherd, Louie, died. However as Louie was only 7 when he went and then Frank only lasted a couple of years they decided it was too hard and have now got a much young Romainian Bucovina rescue called Tess.

Take on the old dogs to give them a last few happy years, it’s a great thing to do, my folks really loved knowing Frank had a happy last few years in a home not a shelter; just remember that it’s hard when you lose them in a shorter time than normal.

Just to mention my experience to the above. Went to rejoining centre few times to say hi show face etc.
Then requested home visit.
Feedback from this was as above.
Still kept going back for visits leaving food and donations each time.
One day found Milo said I would like him and no questions asked other than name and address by the homing centre and took him home a week later.
You do have to log in each time you visit so I wonder if that log in history showed my commitment level?
What a boy.
Had him for 9 years until he passed away and is was a pleasure and honour to be allowed to look after him and give him his final home.