Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:53 pm Post subject: Adopting a dog from rescue - FAQ's
We have seen the dog of our dreams, we have been homechecked, we have told the rescue everything they want to know BUT are you truly committed to a rescue dog.
The first question you must ask yourself is
1. Am I in it for the long haul?
There are no perfect dogs in rescue, many will come in with little in the way of training, some with behaviours that have been left unchecked, some will be damaged by use as breeding stock in puppy farms, if you are lucky you will get a dog that has been loved and cherished but may just need some adjustment to your way of living.
Settling in a rescue dog does not take a few days, it may take weeks, months or in our case years.
There have been many instances where the dog has only made it down the road before being returned to the rescue. THINK before you adopt
The first day of that dogs new life starts the moment it gets into your car from the rescue centre or through your front door.
2. Am I prepared to change my lifestyle? IF the answer is no then don’t adopt.
It means getting up to take the dog for a walk or let it out in the garden even if its 6am in the morning or 10pm at night. Having hair in your food, on your clothes, having to think about where you go on holiday and even down to where you invited and for how long.
Putting food away out of reach, moving the kids toys upstairs, changing the layout of your house, adding a crate, adapting or changing your car.
Many dogs will not know what is acceptable behaviour, what one person finds acceptable with their dog another may not. Don’t expect your dog to land in your home and do as its told, because its highly unlikely.
Are you prepared for the odd accident in the first few days as the dog gets used to it's new routine?
Are you prepared to sign up to training classes or spend quality time teaching your dog what it needs to live with you?
3. It doesn’t get on with the cat and it’s disappeared for a week
Firstly, cats sulk, anyone that has one will tell you that, if they aint happy they will bugger off for a few days.
Even if a dog has lived in a home before with a cat it doesn’t mean to say it will be bestest mates with Tigger, it’s a cat and cats like to run and dogs like to chase.
The easiest solution is to get a baby gate to section off a safe zone this enables the cat to torment the dog from a safe distance, no seriously, it will allow your new dog to adjust to the resident cat in the house, they will adjust, and eventually they will agree a truce.
4. He/She cowers, backs away, won’t cuddle, jumps away when I approach or reach out my hand
This is perfectly normal behaviour, this doesn’t always mean the dog has been beaten or abused, its natural dog behaviour when confronted to be submissive and non confrontational.
Give the dog time and space, don’t make a huge fuss, I actually find it better to ignore them, to turn my head away, this is a calming signal to a dog.
When we took Molly in to our home it was nearly 2 weeks before she would come to us for a stroke, she just sat in her bed in the corner of the living room, that moment she jumped onto the couch for a cuddle was the most incredible moment ever.
Some dogs take a few hours, some a few days other weeks, again I ask you to look at Question 1.
5 .How do I settle my new companion in?
Set the ground rules before they arrive and make sure every family member is aware of them and sticks to them, including visiting family.
I would say at this junture, to avoid the ‘meet the new dog’ day for at least a few days to allow the dog to get used to you and your family.
Stick to these rules! We all fall into the pitfall of feeling sorry for the dog because of its background story or the fact it has come from a rescue STOP now.
If you allow them privileges from day one you are setting yourself up for a fall. It’s a perfectly natural human reaction, its called compassion and if you didn’t have it you wouldn’t have adopted, but all you are going to achieve is confusion down the line.
A good example of this is that we allow the dogs to jump up and greet us when we come home at the beginning or allow them on our beds, then a few weeks later we get home from work in our best suit and the dog jumps up at us or on the bed after coming back from a walk with muddy paws, so what do we do, we get annoyed and start shouting at him or her to get down;
How is the dog supposed to know that these are our best work clothes or that we don’t want mud on the bed? HE doesn’t!
All it achieves is confusion, stress for the dog, at worst the dog will just learn that his new owner is unpredictable and may start shouting at any time! We have all been there, myself included!
START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON
I hope this helps those considering adoption.
I must stress that to rehome/rescue a dog is one of THE most rewarding things I have ever done.
They are my teachers, they have taught me tolerance and love, I have a better understanding of their language, yes I have made mistakes, but that's all part of the process.
I have met many people along the way who I would never have met if I hadn't had a rescue dog, it's what got me involved with Animal welfare issues.
And I leave you with this written by Diane Morgan who is involved with rescue in the US
Lassie and Cleo and Rin Tin Tin and Toto don't show up in rescue. We don't get the elegantly coiffed, classically beautiful, completely trained, perfectly behaved dog. We get the leftovers. Dogs that other people have incompetently bred, inadequately socialized, ineffectively "trained," and badly treated. Most Rescue dogs have had it. They've been pushed from one lousy situation to another. They've never had proper veterinary care, kind and consistent training, or sufficient company. They've lived outside, in a crate, or in the basement. They're scared, depressed and anxious. Some are angry. Some are sick. Some have given up. But we are Rescue and we don't give up. We never give up on a dog. We know that a dog is a living being, with a spirit and a heart and feelings. Our dogs are not commodities, things, or garbage. They are part of sacred creation and they deserve as much love and care and respect as the next Westminster champion. So please, please don't come to rescue in the hopes of getting a "bargain," or indeed of "getting" anything. Come to Rescue to give, to love, to save a life -- and to mend your own spirit. For Rescue will reward you in ways you never thought possible. I can promise you this -- a rescue dog will make you a better person.
Last edited by Littlelab on Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:47 am; edited 3 times in total
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
I keep meaning to add to this, Nat, but every time I come back to it, I re-read your post and the piece by Diane Morgan and end up and forget what I was going to write
____________ Sarah and Bran
Always watched over with love by our angel, Flora, from Rainbow Bridge
Bran Training
Please feel free to share and link as much as you like
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
At a recent homecheck for a local rehoming centre, I asked the couple as always if they had a preference to what sort of dog, i.e bitch or dog, only to be told, they didnt mind as long as it wasnt destructive, walked to heel, had good recall and didnt try to steal food , I soon told them that they were hoping for too much as a rescue dog would likely need some training and that it could take a while to settle in, they then informed me that if that was the case they would look at getting a puppy rather than adopt as it would be easier for them
Would you mind if I printed this off to take to homechecks Nat?
they then informed me that if that was the case they would look at getting a puppy rather than adopt as it would be easier for them
Ooh excellent! They're producing puppies now who aren't destructive, walk to heel, have good recall and don't try to steal food What fantastic news for dog owners everywhere! Do you think these people would mind sharing contact details??
____________ Sarah and Bran
Always watched over with love by our angel, Flora, from Rainbow Bridge
Bran Training
Ooh excellent! They're producing puppies now who aren't destructive, walk to heel, have good recall and don't try to steal food What fantastic news for dog owners everywhere! Do you think these people would mind sharing contact details??
And even better they only live a few months so you don't have to worry about the kids getting fed up with them.... they come from puppy farms, so have obviously spent their young lives frolicing in fields happy as Larry.
You and I would have to find something else to do in our spare time Sarah!
I have had rescue dogs with no issues, I have had rescue dogs who went through major destruction and you know what - I love them all, and feel so proud when you see their eyes start to shine as they realise they are home for life.
I think much of what is said in the initial post could be applied to dog ownership in general, not just the adoption of dogs from rescue
Everyone should put thought into getting a dog, making sure that they are taking on a dog they are suitable for, and vice versa. All dogs are a commitment, puppies very much so - and puppies as said above, don't come ready trained either (though I think sometimes people expect them to!).
The dogs in rescue vary tremendously - there are easy dogs; there are dogs who will be perfect for one home and not for another; and there are dogs who will need lots of work, but choose a good rescue and you will be aware of what you are taking on and given the support to work through things.
We've taken on dogs who have walked into our home on the first day and acted as though they've been there all their lives.
And if people are looking for an easier dog, I'd highly recommend looking at older dogs
When there are so many dogs waiting in rescues for the chance of a new home, or far worse, sat in a pound waiting to die, I would love to see more people adopting their next dog from rescue.
At a recent homecheck for a local rehoming centre, I asked the couple as always if they had a preference to what sort of dog, i.e bitch or dog, only to be told, they didnt mind as long as it wasnt destructive, walked to heel, had good recall and didnt try to steal food , I soon told them that they were hoping for too much as a rescue dog would likely need some training and that it could take a while to settle in, they then informed me that if that was the case they would look at getting a puppy rather than adopt as it would be easier for them
Would you mind if I printed this off to take to homechecks Nat?
Feel free
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
and forget what I was going to write 
, I soon told them that they were hoping for too much as a rescue dog would likely need some training and that it could take a while to settle in, they then informed me that if that was the case they would look at getting a puppy rather than adopt as it would be easier for them 
