Is a shelter or rescue the best place to find a dog for you?

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As dog trainers, more than fifty percent of the dogs we work with are rescues or adoptions. That’s great! It is recommended that people looking for a new puppy or dog try to rescue or adopt a homeless animal.

According to statistics compiled by the Humane Society of the United States, between 6 and 8 million (yes, you read that correctly) dogs and cats are cared for in humane society shelters across the country. That’s not counting the dogs in rescues! About half, 4-6 million of them, will be euthanized. Those numbers are mind-boggling and grim!

Animals give themselves up for a myriad of reasons. Countless puppies and dogs are killed, supposedly humanely, on a daily basis due to age, illness/illness, high volume, and sadly, serious behavioral issues.

Before you even consider rescuing or adopting, you need to sit down and have a “dutch uncle” talk with yourself and your family. You must be completely honest about how willing, how far, and for how long you will be willing to work with the puppy or dog you have, which may have behavioral issues.

If there is any doubt that you and your family cannot, for whatever reason, seriously commit to a potential rehabilitation project, don’t adopt, don’t rescue!

The fact is, when you rescue or adopt, you should always do so with your eyes wide open; Hoping for the worst and hoping for the best.

Be aware that quite a few rescues and shelters will tell you only what you want to hear! They have to keep “inventory” moving. Take your time and make sure this is the right puppy or dog for your family. In most cases, it takes 4-6 weeks for a puppy or dog to show her true personality and behavior. Behavior problems are quite common in rescues and adoptions. It is also hard on the animal. Adjusting to a new family and life can be stressful and traumatic.

Even if your heart is in the right place, your mind needs to be open to hear what you may not want to hear. Also, your mindset must be willing to take on the challenges you will face, to help the puppy or dog that has stolen your heart, should it require your time, patience, and resources.

Before you venture out, do your homework! Do an honest assessment of the font family you have. Honestly answering just a few questions can make a world of difference in your life and the life of the dog. Here are some things to consider:

Is your family a high energy bunch or are they couch potatoes? An incorrect mix can be unsuccessful and extremely frustrating! It may sound silly, but thousands of dogs are rescued or adopted for the wrong reasons. The kids saw one in a movie and now they want one. The Sos and Sos down the street have one, and it’s “so cute!” You “always wanted one.” You saw one at the dog park. Bla bla bla…

Do you want a puppy or an older dog? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Puppies, unless they come from sloppy parenting, are usually a clean slate when it comes to behavior problems. However, that puts the burden of proper training and dealing with your inexhaustible energy on you! Older dogs are usually housebroken and calmer, but sometimes they carry uncertain baggage from their previous life. Can you and how would you deal with it?

What do you really know about the breed of puppy or dog you are interested in? How much have you researched it? Have you talked to owners of that breed? Do you need a high or low energy breed? This is not to say that a known high-energy, high-prey-drive breed doesn’t have laid-back “hand me the remote” members. Also, all the dogs are in the “Are you kidding me? I’ll wait here, you go chase the ball.” group, inactive, stationary and bored.

Is everyone in the family up for the challenge if the dog needs help, or will the burden fall on one person…namely you! Too often, once the initial excitement of a new pet wears off, the responsibility often falls to one or two family members.

Are you willing to seek professional help as soon as possible, if necessary, or do you plan to suffer in silence or deliver the animal to a rescue or shelter? Coaches see this every day. For whatever reasons, most of the time people wait until the situation becomes unbearable and more difficult to correct; before they seek help. However, they are so frustrated that they return the animal. It is highly recommended that you find and enroll in an Obedience or Puppy Kindergarten class with no punishment and positive reinforcement as soon as possible. Learn to bond effectively with your pet. More than half of the skills required for dog training are used to train the owner. The dogs are the easy part!

Are you ready to listen and follow the professional’s instructions, or are you going to defy and make excuses for everything? If your answer is the second; save time, energy and money. You must be prepared to move on. Finally, before it’s too late, find a new home for the dog. At least he or she will have the chance to find someone eager and willing to make a solid commitment to help you.

Conclusion: This article should give you a lot to think about before proceeding impulsively. The most important thing to keep in mind is not to believe everything you are told about the particular animal you are interested in. Do your homework. Take your time. Find the right breed for you and your family. Take into account the age of the animal. Who will ultimately be responsible for him or her? Are you willing to seek professional help before giving up? Are you prepared to listen and follow your coach’s recommendations?

If you’re willing to take the risk, you can find the perfect pet. If they are not so perfect right now, perhaps with time, patience, and a willingness to commit to them, they can be perfect for you. Surely there is a rescue or shelter near you; with puppy or dog patiently waiting for you to find them, love them and give them a forever home.

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