What we want in our next dog! Please advise

I cannot help but feel guilty for all of the dogs that do not have homes. We look at petfinder.com and want to adopt everyone. We have a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and a Corgi mix that we love very much. They are our lives and they make getting up in the morning less of a chore (except when it is raining, which it is right now).

Our small issue is we cannot agree on who will be the next member of our family. We have always wanted a Blue Merle Cardi and I really want a fluff since Miranda is one. But I want to adopt a dog from a rescue or shelter. I realize that the way a dog looks is really unimportant, but I have always wanted a blue merle. What do you think, am I wrong for feeling guilty, should I just buy a dog like Mark wants me to?

If any of you know of a fluffy blue merle cardi who needs a home, please let me know.

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Comment by Cindy on October 6, 2010 at 3:37pm: I have a hard time with some of what is said. I totally understand that you want your dog to look as you imagined it, ie, color, coat type, size etc. And yes, I agree that you have to live with the dog for it's entire life. But I think one poster hit it on the head, how the dog fits into your lifestyle is much more important then the color of hair it leaves on the couch. Wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on the dog of a lifetime just because it wasn't the right color or the coat was too long or too short? In all honesty, if I have a person inquire about a pup and they are specific about a color or look, then I usually refer them to someone else. I care more about placing a pup based on the person's realization that it's the dog's personality and temperament that make it the perfect dog for them, not the color. Heck, right now, I have a litter on the ground and have turned away two people who specifically wanted one pup because of it's color and markings, especially when I get done talking with them and realize that the pup will have a personality that they can't deal with and doesn't fit into their lifestyle.
I live with all four accepted cardigan colors in my house and have had fluffs too. Do I have a favorite? Yes, but it's not about what color they are, it's about who they are and what they do with me that makes them my favorite. Then again, they might not be my favorite at the moment, especially if they just chewed up the remote, again :) I do hope that everyone is lucky to get that all encompassing package, but think of it this way. How many of us buy clothing-say shoes, just because they look awesome and stylish, two hours later, you're dealing with blisters but hey, they look good.

Comment by Derek on October 6, 2010 at 12:47pm: We are keeping our eyes open, we are not planning on adopting a new dog in the near future, unless the perfect one shows up some time soon. We just keep our eyes open in case it shows up. Morgan is a rescue and I thought he would be great for Miranda. She is quiet, shy, submissive, scared of everything, and unfortunately a little on the heavier side of life. I wanted a dog that was similar. HAHA, Morgan is the opposite. High energy, high fun, big personality and always hungry but always skinny. He was perfect for us, nothing like what we wanted but exactly what we needed. Miranda has lost a lot of weight and they are now inseperable. Morgan wrestles with her until she has had enough and then cleans her face to make it up to her. He was the opposite of what we asked for and yet we couldn't be happier. In that way I think almost any dog would meet our needs personality wise, they would just have to be really freindly and happy. We would even be happy with a dog who has special needs, so the breed and color is just us being stubborn and wanting the perfect dog.

And I set out originally for a blue merle also, and ended up with a tri. I would not trade Miranda for anything, but I still want that little bundle of fluffy marble colored fur!

Comment by John Wolff on October 6, 2010 at 12:35pm: To put it in perspective:
Minimum number of dogs killed in Baghdad between April and July as part of a government anti-stray campaign: 58,000 [Harper's Index 7/2010]. Multiply x the world.
Our individual actions are not going to put a dent in canine overpopulation. The only thing that will do that is something like a one-shot, permanent, cheap immunosterility vaccine (this worked for wild horses, but not for canines). People are working on it.
So go find the dog you want, from a breeder or from a shelter (some of the best dogs I meet are mutts from the pound). Imagine what you want, look for it, and don't be surprised when the one you end up loving turns out to be quite a bit different. Be careful lest your preconception blind you to the perfect match right before your eyes who just happens to be an unexpected color, size, shape, or breed. Get what you want, and love what you get.
FWIW, we didn't even get to pick our puppy. The breeder did that for us. I don't know if she knew what she was doing, or only thought she knew what she was doing, but it was a perfect choice.

Comment by Jane on October 6, 2010 at 11:56am: You shouldn't feel guilty for getting the dog you really want. Rescue is wonderful but it's not for everyone.

I was dead set on getting a blue merle cardigan in the beginning of my search too, but I ended up with a tri-color boy who I absolutely adore and wouldn't trade for anything. IMO personality is much more important than color, but if you have the patience to wait for that perfect puppy, go for it.

Comment by Derek on October 6, 2010 at 11:18am: thanks for the info, we will try and call her.

Comment by Chris West on October 6, 2010 at 11:12am: I agree. I was very specific in what I wanted in my corgi (I also wanted a blue) and I refused to take less than what I wanted. I look at it this way: you are going to have the dog its whole life, that's a long time, and you are going to spend a lot of money on this dog, i.e. vet bills, food, etc. Why would put that much time and effort and money and love into something that is not really what you want. I waited 15 years to find the corgi I was looking for. My breeder recently offered me a free show pup, but I refused, because he was the wrong color for me. You need to get the dog that makes YOU happy, not other people. In case you are interested, I believe that my original breeder I was going to buy from sometimes has blue merle cardii fluffs. If you want to give her a call, her number is 501-470-0277 and her name is Betty Ann Seely. She owns Pecan Valley Cardigans. She is very hard to get ahold of, so you may need to call more than once. If she doesn't have any, she may know someone that does.

Comment by Derek on October 6, 2010 at 10:14am: Damn, never would have thought of it that way. thanks

Comment by Beth on October 6, 2010 at 10:09am: I say get the dog you really want, not the one you think you SHOULD get. That's what I would recommend to anyone. Rescue is great if it's for you, but it wasn't for us. We wanted a very specific type of dog that we could do very specific things with, so we went to a breeder and have never regretted it. You can always help rescues in other ways, by donating or volunteering, transporting or walking, etc.

People who want a specific breed/type or a puppy should not feel guilty about buying even if there are unwanted dogs in shelters. There are many wrongs in the world and we can't right them all! Supporting responsible breeders helps reduce the unwanted pet population in a different way, because responsible breeders do everything in their power to avoid having dogs they've produced end up in rescue.