Rescue Dogs

You have made a life changing decision. You want a special member of the family. You have decided to adopt a rescue dog. Where do you go from here? You want a nice dog that is adoptable. Where can you find one?

There are lots of pet rescue societies out there. There are small ones and large ones. There are rescue societies that rescue all breeds and there are those that just rescue a particular breed of dog. How do you decide which one to go to?

First of all, think about what type of dog you want. Are there small children in your family? Are you allergic to dogs? Do you live in a home with a nice size yard or do you live in a small apartment or somewhere in between?

There are some breeds that are great with small children, such as golden retrievers or Labrador retrievers. Most standard and miniature poodles and boxers are also good with children. Toy poodles, Lhasa Apsos, Cockapoos, among others, are good apartment dogs. Greyhounds thrive where they have lots of room to run. So, there are many things to think about before you decide what dog to get.

Then, you need to decide where to get your dog from. There are many rescue societies for different breeds, usually in a locality near you. There is a great resource, www.petfinder.com which lists many of the rescue societies and where particular dogs are located which are ready for adoption. This site also has great articles on training different pets. Do not go to a society which lists all of its dogs as being the best thing since sliced bread. These sound like they don’t know anything about their dogs or they are trying to get rid of dogs that aren’t really adoptable. The rescue society we used when we got our dog let us know up front in the ad they listed on Craig’s list that the little girl had issues. They said she was shy and skittish and had a cataract in one eye, although it didn’t seem to encumber her in any way. That kind of honesty is important. That way, you know what you are looking at before you even inquire as to whether the dog is right for you.

Another important thing to find out is what kind of return policy the society has. Will they let you return the dog in a month, a few months or a year if it doesn’t work out for you? Will they let you adopt it to someone else, for example, if you have to move to a place where they don’t allow dogs, will they let you give the dog to your mom or your sister who has fallen in love with it and has a place to keep it. This is important to know in case you can no longer keep the dog. Do you have to return the dog? If they don’t list their policy either on their website or in their documentation, don’t bother with them. Most societies will list their policies up front or tell you what they are in writing when you interview them.

Most rescue societies and shelters also ask for a nominal adoption fee. Make sure you find out what this is before you commit to adopting a dog from them. Otherwise, you might find out you really cannot afford to adopt the dog you have just fallen in love with. If the rescue society is up front with you on this, then they are probably a good rescue society.

Find out how they keep their dogs after they are rescued. Are they kept in a kennel? Are they placed in a foster home until they are ready for adoption? Most good rescue societies have a foster program so their dogs can get beyond the initial trauma of leaving the home they were in, whether it was a good or bad situation.

Once you have found a dog you want to take a look at, make sure the society will allow you to take a look at your prospective dog outside of a kennel situation, in a place where you can see how the dog behaves outside of the kennel. Is it playful, good tempered, react well to you and your family? If they won’t let you have a look outside the kennel situation, don’t deal with them.

Many good rescue societies will bring your prospective dog to you so they can see what kind of living situation the dog will be placed in. It is mutual inspection time, and this is good. It is for the benefit of both the dog and you. The most important trait you want to look for in a dog is that it is sociable. This is a dog that is good tempered and wants to give love and be loved. Remember, many of these dogs have come from homes where they were neglected or abused and if they are still sociable even after that, they are good tempered dogs and want to be loved. If the dog jumps at you, snarls or growls, you probably do not want this dog nor do you want to use this rescue society.

Ask your rescue society contact if there is a particular treat the dog likes and get some before the meeting. Then, once introductions are made and the dog shows that you are liked, try giving the dog a treat. If the dog takes the treat from you, then this is a good sign the dog is sociable and good tempered. Also, try to play with the dog. Ask your rescue society contact about any things the dog particularly likes or doesn’t like. They should be able to answer this to some extent anyway.

Then, while you are visiting with the dog, take it for a short walk on a leash to see if it will come with you and also to find out how it behaves on a leash. If you are not allowed to do this, then once again, find a different rescue society. None of this is too much to ask to determine if a particular dog is right for you and your family.

There are lots of good rescue societies out there and lots of good dogs available for adoption that need a good home. It just takes a little research, and this will lead to a whole lot of fun.