Getting a dog

[SkyHog]

I am thinking of going to the pound to save a dog's life. I could use the company and I'd really like to have a dog around to be my friend.

I've never been a petowner before. Does anyone have advice, especially as a first time petowner and getting the dog from the pound?

 

[ScottM]

I am thinking of going to the pound to save a dog's life. I could use the company and I'd really like to have a dog around to be my friend.

I've never been a petowner before. Does anyone have advice, especially as a first time petowner and getting the dog from the pound?

Good for you!!!


As a person who has adopted several animals over the years the best advice I can give is do not enter with the intent of walking out that day witha pet. Pretend instead that you are jutt meeting and greeting. Get to know the animals, find out about their pasts, how they behave, any idosycracys they might have, medical problems. Let the animal pick you. You would be surprised at how perceptive animals can be. If one picks you they will be your best bud!

I have found that animals that are a little older make excellent adoptees and are more likely to not have behavioral problems. Expect to spend a couple of hours, minimum. Go to several shelters and start making your list. You will be happier with an animal that you can get along with in the long run.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

I am thinking of going to the pound to save a dog's life. I could use the company and I'd really like to have a dog around to be my friend.

I've never been a petowner before. Does anyone have advice, especially as a first time petowner and getting the dog from the pound?

Nick...If there are any golden retrievers get one of those. I had one when I was a kid and Brandy was our "nanny" per se. When the school bus would drop us off in the afternoon he would walk us home. Then my brother fell and hurt himself and Brandy stood by his side until I went and found help.

Now I have 2 labs. They are really sweet dogs, just very high strung. Since this will be your 1st time being a dog owner try and get one that is not as hyper as a lab.

Maybe you could name it something cool like Piper, Cherokee, Lance, Aero, etc. etc. etc. I named mine Bradley after BDL in CT.

Goodluck.

 

[poadeleted3]

Think about it hard before you do it. Having a pet is like having a baby that never grows up. They depend on you for everything. You can't take vacations without the animal, or making plans to care for the animal. Especially with dogs you cannot just willy nilly decide to sleep over at a friend's house, you cannot go camping, you cannot go partying all night without making sure the animal is taken care of.

That said, I think a house without a dog is not a home. We love ours, a Husky mix we got from the pound. Gentle, smart, affectionate, just a big ole bundle of love. Buy some books, find out what kind of dogs work for your lifestyle and home, learn at least a little about how they behave, etc.

I suppose you could also get a cat, but they just sit around and think they own the place

 

[Brian Austin]

Lots but no time to write it up.

Do your research on breeds and intelligence. Purebreds are nice but "mutts" are often the better of the breeds mixed together. Tends to be a crapshoot, though.

Personally, as much as I like the idea of saving a dog from the pound, I'm a bit of a dog snob. Purebred German Shepherds right now but I was into Labador Retrievers and looked seriously at Rhodesian Ridgebacks for a while.

 

[Brian Austin]

Think about it hard before you do it. Having a pet is like having a baby that never grows up. They depend on you for everything. You can't take vacations without the animal, or making plans to care for the animal. Especially with dogs you cannot just willy nilly decide to sleep over at a friend's house, you cannot go camping, you cannot go partying all night without making sure the animal is taken care of.

That said, I think a house without a dog is not a home. We love ours, a Husky mix we got from the pound. Gentle, smart, affectionate, just a big ole bundle of love. Buy some books, find out what kind of dogs work for your lifestyle and home, learn at least a little about how they behave, etc.

I suppose you could also get a cat, but they just sit around and think they own the place

Excellent writeup. First paragraph says it all.

 

[poadeleted20]

Ditto. Biggest points are that it's a serious commitment, and that whatever the dog does is what the dog will do -- happy/friendly remains that way, barkers bark, pingers ping, etc. In that sense, first impressions of the dog are usually pretty accurate. Also, bigger dogs are generally much less apprehensive and defensive, and so are more social and less apt to snap. Breeds we know make good pets are primarily the retrievers (Lab, golden, etc), especially around smaller children (little dogs are too afraid of little kids and apt to bite them). Aussies and Border Collies are brilliant and wonderful pets, but are very energetic (need lots of outside time and exercise) and need a job (or they'll make one up, probably destructive). Our Aussie's job is chasing and chewing tennis balls -- good compromise that covers both needs.

 

[Frank Browne]

Definitely take Joe's advice. But he is right about a house not being a home without a dog. I'll second HPNFlyGirl's comment about Goldies. They are sweet, friendly, intelligent, lovable, and personable.

 

[SJP]

I suppose you could also get a cat, but they just sit around and think they own the place

Think they own the place ?

pfft...they just let us use their house

 

[terzap]

I am thinking of going to the pound to save a dog's life. I could use the company and I'd really like to have a dog around to be my friend.

I've never been a petowner before. Does anyone have advice, especially as a first time petowner and getting the dog from the pound?

My only advice is to consider that a dog is a social (pack) animal and HATES to be left alone. However, adopting an older dog is an excellent idea, although it is possible the animal might have developed some bad habits. (They would be no worse than habits neglected puppies and dogs with no training or attention will develop, no matter what pedigree or lack of it.) Take your time and don't rush into things. You might want to make several visits to the shelter and hope they have a socializing area where you can meet the dogs outside of a cage environment. When you meet a dog you truly resonate with, you will know it. If the dog is not spayed or neutered, the shelter will insist you pay for that operation before adopting. (And other than a clean bill of health, no better investment can anyone make on a pet than that!)

If you are away a lot, or might be, a cat might be a better option. Seriously.

You can save a lot on vet bills by learning how to give normal vaccines yourself. (After 25+ years of dogs, cats, and other medium and large farm animals, I could give shots and draw blood in my sleep and it saved a ton of cash, especially when you have twenty barn cats and ten dogs running around with the other stock.) Stuff like rabies and other controlled live vaccines can be given by the vet. Learn how to groom your dog, clip its nails, and make sure it gets lots of fresh air and exercise--with you as a pack member and alpha dog, of course.

All the best luck in your quest, Nick! I'm excited for you. And you can pick a cool name like Flaps or Aileron or Strut or something and maybe it can go flying with you. Cool! Keep us posted!

Terry

 

[Brian Austin]

My only advice is to consider that a dog is a social (pack) animal and HATES to be left alone. However, adopting an older dog is an excellent idea, although it is possible the animal might have developed some bad habits.

Actually, if you're going to be away, go for the puppy. The older ones are already used to some patterns. Personally, while I think most dogs can be trained to behave correctly, there are older ones that just don't get it.

I took a week's vacation when we got our GSD (German Shepherd) at 10 weeks. I played with her a LOT, using the play as a bonding exercise. But when she was tired, I put her in her crate or in the kennel (10' x 10' x 6') by herself.

The last three days of my "home time" I started lengthening the time she stayed in the kennel. Dogs DO like to be with others but will get used to occupying themselves or simply sleeping. My GSD tossed her ball around (Kong rubber ball, not tennis balls which I was told are bad for their teeth and can be torn apart) and played by herself.

Two years later, she's generally with me wherever I go except work. If I go to the store and she's not allowed in, I leave the truck running with the a/c in the summer and no one bothers it. But she stays home during the day for about 10-11 hours and usually sleeps or plays with her ball. I think she's been watching the birds lately too. It's kind of weird. But when she was a pup, she would watch the planes in the south pattern at DVT, too....just like her owner.

 

[AirBaker]

Now I have 2 labs. They are really sweet dogs, just very high strung. Since this will be your 1st time being a dog owner try and get one that is not as hyper as a lab.
.

Eh, Labs are great dogs even for your first time. Very friendly, and will be energetic at least for the first few years of their lives. However, they will do anything for a tasty pup-peroni or beggin strip!

But hey, being a Lab owner myself, I am a bit biased.

There's nothing wrong with picking up a pooch from the pound though!

 

[etsisk]

I am thinking of going to the pound to save a dog's life. I could use the company and I'd really like to have a dog around to be my friend.

I've never been a petowner before. Does anyone have advice, especially as a first time petowner and getting the dog from the pound?

Good advice, all around. Spend time with them, get to know them away from the cages. The longer they are there, the crazier they can get - the shelter is terribly hard on them, physically and mentally. Try and find a shelter that has a system by which they evaluate the dogs for adoptability. My wife was a dog trainer and took classes in evaluation of shelter animals - in fact, one of our three rescued dogs was a "demo" dog at a seminar . . . one of the borderline pooches. The other two were put down (one of them was just plain scary - if you didn't know what he was actually doing, you might not realise what danger you were in with that dog - the professional that was giving the seminar developed the system they were using to evaluate them. After a couple of tests, she just sort of quietly backed off and said it was time to secure that dog. Scary.) Our Mica, the Insane Cattle Dog, was just wired - I timed him and he could not be still for 5 seconds in a row. Honestly, if a non-dogtraining household had gotten him, he'd have broken 'em in a day. In fact, a dog trainer friend of ours took him for a few days while we figured out how to deal with a dog-dog aggression problem . . . Mica had her in tears within a week!

We finally figured out that he's an ADD dog and got him some meds - that plus finally maturing a bit has settled him down a fair amount! If he wasn't so terminally cute, he'd have been dead loooonnng before this!

Uh, so ... ya want a cattledog?

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Eh, Labs are great dogs even for your first time. Very friendly, and will be energetic at least for the first few years of their lives. However, they will do anything for a tasty pup-peroni or beggin strip!

But hey, being a Lab owner myself, I am a bit biased.

There's nothing wrong with picking up a pooch from the pound though!

Chris....what color do you have? I have a black and a chocolate lab.

My blk lab is really sweet, but is the busiest of the 2 of them. Anytime there is a storm, he is out the fence, wether he climbs it, goes under, or chews a hole through it, even with the electric fence (top, bottom, around any trees close to the fence). If a company made metal dog bones, my blk lab would be in heaven.

My chocolate lab is the protector. If there is anything going on he is the 1st to know about it. Not only that but he is very faithful to me. He waits there at the fence until I am out of site & then he goes about his business.

My 2 are almost 9 1/2 & they still act like puppies.

Great dogs...they just keep me on my toes.

 

[SkyHog]

wow - thanks for the advice all. I have been going to the pound for a few weeks, just sitting and visiting with the dogs.

Its a shame to know that a lot of them will be put to sleep in a few days.

I want to get a puppy, so that I can train it and be there with it during its development stages. I also don't want to get one from anywhere except the pound, because I'd like to keep at least one dog from dying.

I was thinking either a German Sheppard Mix or a Yellow Lab. They seem to be the coolest dogs as far as attitude go, but I'm open to any that are really friendly to me.

 

[kobijo]

My wife and I have had 5 Goldens in the last 25 yr's
Baron, Dixie, Carling, Piper, and now Baxter, They are great, The kids learned to walk by hanging on to the dogs, Baxter now flies with us. One thing I would recomend is you spay or nueter them.
Joe

 

[gibbons]

Chris....what color do you have? I have a black and a chocolate lab.

My blk lab is really sweet, but is the busiest of the 2 of them. Anytime there is a storm, he is out the fence, wether he climbs it, goes under, or chews a hole through it, even with the electric fence (top, bottom, around any trees close to the fence). If a company made metal dog bones, my blk lab would be in heaven.

My chocolate lab is the protector. If there is anything going on he is the 1st to know about it. Not only that but he is very faithful to me. He waits there at the fence until I am out of site & then he goes about his business.

My 2 are almost 9 1/2 & they still act like puppies.

Great dogs...they just keep me on my toes.

Oh, oh, oh!! Is this where we start showing photos of our Labs? I've been waiting for that!

Chip

(Yellow - Ziff, Black - Nikki)

ps. Don't forget that if you have a particular breed you're interested in, there are generally rescue operations which are breed specific. Ziff came from Lab Rescue.

 

[alaskaflyer]

I have 29 dogs.

Seriously, I've been asked to adopt a retiree. I haven't had pets since high school so I am deciding (as Joe said) if I can maintain the committment. I travel so much, I'll have to join our local dog-sitting ring.

Nice thing is the dogs are very well trained, and at retirement they seem (for the most part) to not have the nervous energy that the younger workers have.

Bad thing is still having my arms pulled out of my sockets during walks, even at 10, 11, 12 years old!

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I was thinking either a German Sheppard Mix or a Yellow Lab. They seem to be the coolest dogs as far as attitude go

Nick,

I'm with you on that. Mine's a German Shepherd mix (not sure what the rest of the mix is even), and he's a great dog. I still haven't taken him flying, but I'm sure he'd love it as long as he could stick his nose out the window. He loves going places in the car - Anywhere the people go, he wants to go!

I forget what I said to him when the first pic was taken, but it would be a great pic for a caption contest.

 

[Greebo]

Nick,

The advice given above is excellent, but I'm going to hit on a point I haven't seen touched yet. (Apologies if I missed someone mentioning it...)

Before you choose a dog, choose a vet. Make appointments with several vets in your area and ask them questions about dog ownership and dog care, and about the various breeds and mixes. This will help you find a vet with whom you can have a good, life long relationship (at least for the life of the dog), whom you can respect and trust.

Once you've found a vet you like, ask him or her about trainers in the area. Even if you only want basic training on things like house training and indoor behavior, find a trainer in advance. Think of this as your CDI - certified dog instructor. IN fact you WANT a certified trainer. Methods vary, but professional trainers get results. Personally, I say avoid large group training except for the socialization benefit. Small groups in training are much more effective and the dogs (and their owners) get personal attention.

The idea that an old dog can't learn new tricks is bull - but it does take longer for older dogs to learn. A good trainer won't teach the dog - he'll teach YOU how to teach the dog.

Train the dog from day 1 to be the dog you want the dog to be. Dogs are pack animals - they crave heirarchy - and either YOU are top dog in the house, or the dog is. The dog will be quite happy to follow your lead, if you provide one. The well trained trainer will be able to teach you methods for both behavior conditioning and behavior modification. Our own trainer is formally schooled in dog training and holds the highest certifications, and because we've listened to her and taken our advice, when our Sheltie pup graduates from puppy school to basic obedience, she'll be well ahead of the cirriculum.

By the way I don't think I'd posted these latest pics of Cleopatra. Here's a mix of new and older - the snow pics and indoor pics are from 1-2 months ago - the grassy pics are last week. She's growing fast!

 

[Maverick]

I was thinking either a German Sheppard Mix or a Yellow Lab. They seem to be the coolest dogs as far as attitude go, but I'm open to any that are really friendly to me.

Nick, those are both really great breeds. I'm partial to the German Sheppards myself. I have dog that I got from an animal rescue outfit when she was 4 months old, she will be 4 years old this July. I was told that she is a purebred German Sheppard but I think she is actually a Belgian Malinois, a breed often mistaken for German Sheppards, or possibly a mix.

Both breeds can suffer from hip dysplasia especially those that are products of bad breeding. The only way to know if a dog has bad hips is to have them checked and x-rayed. There are certain tell tale signs of hip problems that a trained eye can pick up. If the dog tends to hop like a bunny rather than running normally it's a pretty sure bet there is something wrong with the hips. Mine appeared fine when we first got her but at 10 months old she was starting to limp. We took her to the vet and found her hips were pretty badly malformed. She had a complete hip replacement on her right side at MSU but nine months later she damaged the replacement hip and it had to be removed. So now she does not have a hip joint on her right side but to watch her play, you would never know it. She runs, jumps, chases anything you throw and leaps into the air to catch a frisbee. I'm just really carefull not to let her over do it.

In any case, GSDs are very energetic they need lots of excersize. They absolutely love to play with you. They generally have a very good temperment and are usually one person/family dogs. Once that bond is made, they are very attached to their family.

I've attached a picture of my dog Nina.

Jeannie

 

[judypilot]

Lots of good advice here. Older dogs are a mixed bag--some can be wonderful, some can be almost impossible to train. Ditto on getting a dog from a pound that tests dogs' "personalities". This is not the time to adopt a woebegone-looking dog that will tear your house up. Don't let compassion and emotion get in the way of picking a dog that will work for you. I did that once about 35 years ago, and ended up taking the dog back to the pound. That has haunted me ever since because it was a terrible thing to do to the poor thing but I literally had no choice.

Also, be sure to pick a breed suitable for your lifestyle and home. I'm sure I'll get slammed for this, but people who own labs and Huskies and live in southern Arizona are being cruel, IMHO. The poor things love being outdoors but start getting hot when the temperature is 30, nevermind 100. Really think about where you live, what kind of dwelling you have, what your lifestyle is (e.g., couch potato versus daily jogger), etc., and limit yourself to a dog that will suit.

If you travel a lot and live alone, also really think about getting a dog at all. I also think putting a dog in a dog hotel for extended periods is unfair to the dog. After that one incident, it was another 20 years before I got a dog even though I love dogs. I just traveled too much, and my first husband wasn't all that interested (also, he also traveled and we lived in a series of apartments). When I married my second husband, who had also not bought a dog, for the same reason, we worked out that we could get a dog and be around for it most of the time. We haven't been without dogs since.

Finally, I agree with Joe--a house without a dog is just a house. Be prepared to fall in love, and remember: If your dog doesn't like her (i.e., your current or any future girlfriend), or vice versa, dump her.

Judy

 

[Frank Browne]

I've attached a picture of my dog Nina.

Jeannie

Beautiful dog! She looks like she's waiting for you to throw a tennis ball!

 

[Anthony]

Dogs are great, but others have said it. BIG committment, but they are part of your family. Ours is like our kid.

 

[Brian Austin]

Before you choose a dog, choose a vet.

Definitely agree with this.

Once you've found a vet you like, ask him or her about trainers in the area. Even if you only want basic training on things like house training and indoor behavior, find a trainer in advance. Think of this as your CDI - certified dog instructor. IN fact you WANT a certified trainer. Methods vary, but professional trainers get results. Personally, I say avoid large group training except for the socialization benefit. Small groups in training are much more effective and the dogs (and their owners) get personal attention.

Don't agree with this.

I've tried a number of "recommended" trainers in the area, primarily for Schutzhund or K-9 training. Without a doubt, dog trainers and enthusiasts are among the most arrogant teaching type people I've ever met. It doesn't matter what YOU do, it's simply wrong and they're right.

One book: Purely Positive Training by Sheila Booth. Any DVD from Leerburg Kennels (http://www.leerburg.com/dvd.htm). They've both suited us well. It's just a time thing.

I do agree with socialization, though. It's a huge difference between a calm, well mannered dog in a crowd vs an agitated, fear driven animal when your girlfriend comes over.

 

[Greebo]

Brian makes an excellent point - there are plenty of trainers who are trainers because they suck at dealing with people. The trainer at the SPCA here in Baltimore is one of those - got in a woman's face and told the woman that her VET didn't know what she was talking about. BAD BAD BAD

But there are trainers out there who are EXCELLENT at dealing with people and dogs, and the trick is finding one.

Books are ok if you can work from them, but I like our trainer because we get to SEE the technique, and personally, for as much forum reading as I do, when it comes to learning, I am an aural/visual learner, not a reading learner.

 

[Brian Austin]

Books are ok if you can work from them, but I like our trainer because we get to SEE the technique, and personally, for as much forum reading as I do, when it comes to learning, I am an aural/visual learner, not a reading learner.

That's why I like the DVDs and videos.

 

[AirBaker]

Chris....what color do you have? I have a black and a chocolate lab.

My blk lab is really sweet, but is the busiest of the 2 of them. Anytime there is a storm, he is out the fence, wether he climbs it, goes under, or chews a hole through it, even with the electric fence (top, bottom, around any trees close to the fence). If a company made metal dog bones, my blk lab would be in heaven.

My chocolate lab is the protector. If there is anything going on he is the 1st to know about it. Not only that but he is very faithful to me. He waits there at the fence until I am out of site & then he goes about his business.

My 2 are almost 9 1/2 & they still act like puppies.

Great dogs...they just keep me on my toes.

Brook,
I've got a black lab. My first dog of my own, but the 3rd Lab in our family. In my opinion, the best all around dogs. We'll be out on the boat and he'll look up at you, wanting something. So I put his life jacket on him, and then he'll run and dive off the boat. Almost if he wanted permission from the parents to go swimming. (I'm sure he would have done it without such consent too though!)

He can't wait to get into the back of the car, boat or airplane to go for a joy ride.

I've got plenty of room at my property to take in dogs if I ever fenced it off. One of these days.

 

[etsisk]

I'm in agreement with Brian, too - I've seen some really messed up people at the training facility - the lack of common sense and socialization amongst the PEOPLE is why my wife stopped teaching training classes there.
Purely Positive is great - that's what my wife taught, and it works. Hey, just ask someone at Sea World how often they "punish" a dolphin or an orca!! Yeah, they'd have a lot of luck smacking one of them with a paper and expecting a good result next time. sheesh. At any rate, it's better to find someone that has a personal recommendation, so you can ask them about the techniques the trainer uses and how they treat the animals.

Someone I know has a sig line that says:
"I wish I were half the person my dog thinks I am"

 

[silver-eagle]

Growing up, we always had a dog around. Mostly mongrels by what I remember.
When my son was 7, we moved accross town. He was having a tough time adjusting and the doctor suggested a pet would help. It did, but Sparkie instantly became MY dog. She was a pet store dog. Good temperment, friendly, and a mutt. A mix of Lhasa Apso and (?) Lab. She was with us for about 16 years.
My current doggie - Lucky - is a sheppard mix. His first family gave him to the pound where the second family found him. When they decided they weren't going to keep him, I took him in. Going on 6 years now and I wouldn't give him up.
When looking for a place to live, my first requirement was DOG, second was two bedroom. I'll take pets over kids almost any day!

 

[ausrere]

I'll take pets over kids almost any day!

AMEN!

I used to have a bumper sticker that said "My kids have tails". I have a 3 year old Belgian Malinois. I recently lost a 14 year old greyhound. I wouldn't trade anything for the time I've had with my "kids".

 

[Maverick]

Beautiful dog! She looks like she's waiting for you to throw a tennis ball!

Believe me, she would love for me to throw anything that she can chase. Anywhere, anytime. She's always ready to play.

 

[woodstock]

my cats chase things I throw, too. it's hilarious. I'll post a video sometime. they especially love wadded up aluminum foil. they just go berserk over it.

not much to add - Goldens and Labs are great dogs, Labs tend to be spazzy (ours sure is - and she's almost ten). but a good dog and very gentle.

St. Bernards are also awesome dogs. how about a Newfoundland?

 

[poadeleted20]

Dog training courses are not about training the dog -- they are about training the owner to train the dog because dogs are easy to train once you know how. You need an instructor who knows how to train people as well as dogs. Consider that when interviewing dog training instructors.

 

[Greebo]

Dog training courses are not about training the dog -- they are about training the owner to train the dog because dogs are easy to train once you know how. You need an instructor who knows how to train people as well as dogs. Consider that when interviewing dog training instructors.

How come you can say stuff like that so much better than me?!

 

[michael Killacky]

Nick,
I thought I'd chime in and touch a couple of topics that I didn't see amongst all the great advice you've gotten. First let me tell you that I have four dogs, all pound rescues, and my girlfriend is a vet tech. Dogs are pretty much a hobby to us. What you feed your dog is liable to make a big difference down the road. Skip the canned food. It's 80% water and that's the good news. The other 20% is garbage. Stay away from DAD'S and Ol' Roy and all those other cheap brands. (they're cheap for a reason). I've used Blue Seal dry foods since they were all pups. Never has one of our dogs suffered a gastro-intestinal illness that the girlfriend sees every day at work. Also better foods mean a lot less waste and a lot less shovelling. Also It takes less time to feed four dogs dry food than it takes to feed one dog a can. Secondly, IF you have the room and resources, give some thought to adopting two dogs. Two really is'nt much more work than one and you'll find some of that puppy energy can be directed at each other instead of you. Also dogs are a pack animal and other dogs in the house can really be good for them. Just remember, one will be the Alpha Dog(not neccasarily male) and the other dog will accept his role willingly. I always reccomend 2 dogs to anyone that is thinking of adopting. Good Luck!!!!

p.s. I think it's only fair that you let the members of PoA give you a hand in naming your new friend(s)

Mike

 

[silver-eagle]

How come you can say stuff like that so much better than me?!

he is college perfessor material. You're just a computer geek like me!

 

[Greebo]

he is college perfessor material. You're just a computer geek like me!

True

01000010 01110101 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01101110 00100000 01100001 01100111 01100001 01101001 01101110 00101100 00100000 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100111 01110100 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100001 01101011 00100000 01100010 01101001 01101110 01100001 01110010 01111001 00100000 01101100 01101001 01101011 01100101 00100000 01101101 01100101 00101110 00100000 00111010 00101001

 

[Maverick]

True

01000010 01110101 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01101110 00100000 01100001 01100111 01100001 01101001 01101110 00101100 00100000 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100111 01110100 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100001 01101011 00100000 01100010 01101001 01101110 01100001 01110010 01111001 00100000 01101100 01101001 01101011 01100101 00100000 01101101 01100101 00101110 00100000 00111010 00101001

In other words:

42 75 74 20 74 68 65
6E 20 61 67 61 69 6E
2C 20 68 65 20 63 61
6E 27 74 20 73 70 65
61 6B 20 62 69 6E 61
72 79 20 6C 69 6B 65
20 6D 65 2E 20 3A 29

 

[ScottM]

p.s. I think it's only fair that you let the members of PoA give you a hand in naming your new friend(s)

Hmm Roger and Wilco??