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Photo by Jim Craven Teresa Rippey tried to find a companion for Gretchen, her Doberman, with a classified ad. She got 15 responses, but all the dogs had problems. In pursuit of the perfect pooch Woman has trouble finding an untroubled canine companion for her Doberman By BILL KETTLER Teresa Rippey thought a classified ad would be an easy way to get a farm dog. And sure enough, the Medford woman's phone started ringing when people saw her ad: "Wanted for farm -- really great dog. Doberman, Dalmatian or Rottweiler. Must be loyal, purebred, and no runner. Will have a great life." But the dogs people offered didn't match Rippey's notion of a good dog at all. She turned down the "really good" Rottweiler that had killed 11 cats. And the pit bull-Labrador retriever cross that was a "really great dog" as long as there weren't any chickens around. She said "No, thanks" to the Rottweiler that was "good with kids" but had killed several goats. She passed on the Rottweiler that "ate Grandpa's eyeglasses and chewed on Grandma's oxygen tank." And she declined the "really nice" Chesapeake retriever that needed a new home because it kept knocking down the toddlers. Fifteen people offered Rippey their dogs, but there wasn't one in the lot that sounded like it could move into a new home without some major training and socialization. "Nobody wants to take the time to supervise their dogs," she said. "They're all too busy." Rippey plans to trade her west Medford home soon for a place in the country. She wanted a companion for Gretchen, her ailing 8-year-old Doberman, that could also serve as a watchdog for her new ranch. She was disappointed to discover how many people fail to train their dogs and discouraged to see how many animals get cast aside when they cause problems. "I got a call from a lady the other day who aggravated me no end," said Rippey. "She got a new hot tub and her dog was chewing on the steps. She thought it would be less traumatic to give the dog to me than to train it to stop chewing." What was news to Rippey was an old story to the folks at the Southern Oregon Humane Society and the Jackson County Animal Shelter. "The reason she's getting all those calls is people know if they take a dog with behavior problems to the (county) shelter, it'll probably be euthanized," said Humane Society Director Bill Templeman. The Humane Society generally does not euthanize dogs, but it has limited kennel space and only accepts dogs that can be adopted. "If you get a dog you need to take responsibility for training it and be willing to make a commitment to put time into it," he said. Templeman said people who want to adopt a specific breed of dog can sign up on the Humane Society's wish list. He said there's no obligation to take a specific dog, "but people can come in and take a look, and hopefully, take it home." The Jackson County Animal Shelter also has a list for people who want to adopt specific breeds. "We also encourage people to come in periodically," said shelter manager Colleen Macuk. "There's a constant turnover." Rippey said she's been on the wish lists for awhile, but the perfect pooch hasn't come through. She's still looking for her dream dog -- a black Doberman, about a year old, male or female, with a good disposition. "I feel so bad for these dogs that are getting their pink slips," she said. "I wish I had a bigger place to save all those dogs nobody wants." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA