Hello everyone. While I've been interested in this for a while, I'm just now ready to take the leap into actual experimentation. How did you go about finding the perfect companion for you, and your lifestyle? Did you have to go through trial and error, or did things just naturally click?. Would you recommend getting a puppy, or adopting?
When you say companion I'm assuming you're talking about non-human. Almost all of my mates have been dogs who were not mine, non-zoo friends and neighbor. I couldn't have my own because of living circumstances and finances. That's going to change pretty soon though. But yah, it always clicked with us. It was always very solidly based on zooromatic bonds to begin with though, not just sexual. Which is something dogs respond to. They know what deeper forms of love are, they sense it and can reciprocate it. Some more than others, just like humans. Which enhances the sexual relationship on both ends.
Something to keep in mind, unless you are willing to keep a non-human companion for LIFE whether or not they end up being interested in intercourse upon reaching puberty, it's best you go with an adult. That way you know what your getting with that, including temperament in general. That way you can see if he has interest prior to bonding close with you (light testing, no full masturbating or complete mounting with penetration), and if he doesn't then you can do some training with him to make him more adoptable, get him nicely groomed and get him into a good permanent home. So basically becoming a foster-to-adopt operation until you find the right dog. This will give you hands on experience (nonsexual except for, again, light testing) with different breeds and temperaments while helping dogs (or whatever species) find needed homes. Win-win.
That being said, male dogs are much more sexually permiscuous than females in terms of accepting human partners so even if you manage to find and decide to adopt an OLDER rescue pup who hasnt fully sexually matured yet, chances are he'll be into you when he does.
The less bonding time there is, especially early in their life, the less risk for psychological repercussions from rehoming.
Rescue dogs can be stressed badly and become quite depressed and/or develop severe separation anxiety and PTSD from abandonment issues from being rehomed more than once, and the more they're rehomed or moved around the worse they can get, especially if they're being suddenly rehomed after living with the same family for 4 or 5 years. Not every dog reacts like that, but it can get bad for the ones that do. So choose wisely.
You can find potentially suitable candidates on craigslist and other places where people rehome their pets. Rehoming fees I've found are anywhere from $0-100. Regardless, I always urge people to rescue instead of adding to the overbreeding fueled overpopulation problem by getting a puppy. It's not necessary and it's unethical.
