Another Puppy Update

photo credit: fugzu

Last week I shared with you the progress that my wife and I have made in adopting a dog. Since then I have managed to get a clearer picture of what my home owners insurance guidelines are. Below is the email I received stating that the “no-no breeds” can not be the primary breed of the animal (which is how I came to understand it).

To further clarify:

Our underwriting guidelines dictate that we may not accept new risks
with a dog that is predominantly any of these breeds: Akita, American
Staffordshire Terrier (Pitt Bull), Chow, Presa Canario, Rottweiler,
Shar-pei, Wolf Hybrid. We may also not accept risks for any dog on the
premises that has a previous bite history or displays vicious or
dangerous tendencies.

If we may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact
us.

Sincerely,

Customer Service

Over the weekend I explained the situation to a friend of mine that seemed a bit puzzled. He asked me a question that made a lot of sense. “Do you plan on having your dog bite anyone?” When I followed up his question with the word “No” and a puzzled look on my face, he then asked why I was worried about what my insurance company deems as potentially dangerous.

His thought is that this is going to be my dog and if properly trained, the insurance company will never need to be involved, so why concern myself with their policies at any stage of the game? While I understand where he is coming from with this train of though, I’d prefer to keep myself covered in the event of an accident.

Of the breeds listed by my insurance company, the only one I had given any thought to was a Rottweiler, so I’m not overly concerned with having a problem with my home owners insurance, now that I have come to understand that my dog can not exceed 51% of the above listed breeds.

Since last week I have been up to my eyeballs in articles and video. I have read a slew of information on the basics of dog training and how to properly care for a new pet. While this information is widely available for free on the Internet, I’m finding that much of it contradicts many other articles. The video I have found on YouTube can be the same way.

As a result, I’m going to need to swing into my local Barnes & Noble to pick up a book or two written by a professional. I think that should give me a better base to start with. Not knowing for sure what breed we will come home with has made researching difficult. Each breed has different traits and energy levels which makes preparing difficult.

My wife and I submitted an application for adoption to a shelter that is out of county. Of the available pets listed, there were two that grabbed our attention. Reading up on the FAQ of this organization, I can expect to hear back from them in a few days and potentially get an appointment to come down and visit with the animals. If all goes well when meeting the animal (they take to us well), my next update will be loaded with pictures of our new family member.

In the event that the animals are adopted before my wife and I can get a chance to meet them, or they don’t take to us, we will be right back to searching once again. Wish us luck!