Adopting a rescue dog can seem a very kind and worthwhile gesture, but care must be taken to get the right dog for your family – love along is never enough. With so many stray dogs picked up each year, there are thousands to choose from of all ages, colours and breed types.
Rescue dogs have already experienced many stressful situations, and although you may think that all they need is love
to make them into happy, well-adjusted dogs, love alone is never enough. Talk to staff at the shelter to discuss what you can offer in terms of home, environment, time and family, and ask them to guide you to dogs that would be a good match.
Are you sure?
Before you seriously consider adopting a rescue dog, have an honest discussion with everyone in the family to ensure that they are all happy and excited about the idea. If one family member is not totally committed, don’t go ahead.
How experienced are you? If your experience of dogs is limited or you have never owned one before, a rescue dog with an uncertain history may not be the bet choice. Wait until you can confidently train, handle and cope with many different types of dog.
Be prepared to divulge some fairly personal information to rescue centers. Many will ask potential owners to fill in an extensive owner questionnaire and accept home visits to help assess their suitability.
Finding your rescue dog
The more information you have, the easier it is to decide whether you can give a particular dog a happy life. If the only details available are where he was picked up, whether he was neutered and the condition he was in, you will have to ask the staff for their honest assessment of his behaviour and personality type.
Dogs have differently when they are living in kennels, but you can make a few assignments:
- If the dog comes to the front of his run when called, he is probably well socialized and confident so will suit a family home. If he prefers to stay warily at the back, he may be too timid for this and prefer a home where there are no children.
- Ask to see him being taken for a walk and then observe his reaction to kennel staff. If he struggles when they put on the lead, he may not be used to it and will need retraining. If he accepts the lead quietly and walks calmly, you can assume he has had some training and will be less problematic.
- Does he pull or seem reluctant to walk? Dogs that pull can be exhausting, so retraining and experienced home may be required.
- How does he react to other dogs? Dogs that are aggressive with other dogs can be successfully rehomed, but care must be taken to find an experienced and confident owner who knows what they are taking on.
- Does he sit when asked? If so, this demonstrates he has had a basic level of training and means the re-homing process will be easier.
- Does he enjoy being petted? If so, he is obviously used to human contact and could thrive in a family home. If not, he may need re-socializing and will suit a quieter home where there are no children.
Home time
Leaving the shelter and traveling in a strange car can be very stressful for a dog. Try to make the journey as calm as possible, putting the dog in a travel crate or dog harness so that he is not thrown around during the journey. Spraying the car or crate with DAP and playing some gentle classical music on the radio may help to appease his anxiety.
Make sure you have prepared everything beforehand and shopped for all them items you will need, so that you can relax and enjoy your time together. As soon as you arrive home, keep the dog on a lead and take him to the area of the garden where you want him to toilet. Allow him to walk around and explore the garden for a few minutes before you go indoors.
When you go inside, let him off the lead and give him plenty of time to investigate his new home, praising him as much as possible but gently correcting him if he does something you don’t want, such as jumping up onto the sofa. Don’t be afraid to establish house rules from the start.