What should I Expect From A Shelter Dog? (train, rescue, adopt)
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I am thinking of adopting a pet from our local humane society this weekend. I was wondering, do these pets actually show appreciation that you rescued them? How do they act? (Not that Im looking for that lol) I know each dog is different but just curious. I adopted a dog before who actually came from a shelter (he’s with my parents now) his owners gave him up. He wasn’t very shy at first just the issues of him being indoors (Ive posted about this).
I know my dog is a bit of a diva but I’d like to add a new addition to the family. I ask because Ive seen pics of people posting pics of pets they adopted and I can see the happiness in the dogs eyes.
I am thinking of adopting a pet from our local humane society this weekend. I was wondering, do these pets actually show appreciation that you rescued them? How do they act? (Not that Im looking for that lol) I know each dog is different but just curious. I adopted a dog before who actually came from a shelter (he’s with my parents now) his owners gave him up. He wasn’t very shy at first just the issues of him being indoors (Ive posted about this).
It depends. Some dogs have come from difficult backgrounds, and may have been badly treated by other owners. Some dogs may be afraid, and may not know what to expect at your home. I would go into this with my eyes wide open. Talk to the staff at the shelter and see if they can match you up with a dog that suits your personality and lifestyle.
When you get the dog home, give it a chance! I volunteer at our local SPCA, and on rare occasions, I've seen people bring dogs back the following day...they never even tried to work with the dog. Most (if not all) shelters want you and the dog to be a success story. If the dog needs a little training and the shelter offers classes, take advantage of them.
I will tell you this: I know many people who have said that their shelter pet is the best animal they've ever had, but sometimes it takes time and training. Good luck!
My experience is they bond very quickly, because you provided a much better environment than they were in, they know you "saved" them - shelters are very stressfull environments for dogs, even the best of them.
You will likely have some quirks initially (a potty accident (or three), a shredded toy/shoe/shirt, etc. Minor but annoying stuff), and I would give it a month before the dog is fully at home with you, and with their new environment - some posters will say that time will vary out to/for up to a year, but all three of mine settled in pretty quickly.
Your current dog will likely initially set the "rules" for doggy behavior, but they will sort out who's the lead dog pretty quick.
Generally, best success for new dog integration will come from a male/female combination, followed by female/female, and the most difficult is male/male, so I would look for the opposite gender of your first dog, if that is an option.
My dog Tuck played with about 6-12 dogs at the shelter I adopted him from when we were looking to add a second dog, and he LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, Taffy, so we brought her home, and they have been inseperable buddies since.
If the shelter allows you the option, I would take my current dog and introduce it to a couple of dogs and make sure your current dog is OK with the dog you are considering for adoption. Like the gender mix recommendation, this isn't 100% sure and you could get two dogs that don't like each other, but the odds are clearly better for long term success with the combination of mixed gender and properly introduced dogs.
In any case do not judge the dog in the first month, for better or worse. It takes a long time until the dog fully adjust and trusts you. It also depends if the dog is a puppy that's still growing, or an adult.
It also helps if you can get more info about the dog's background.
But the most important is providing calm leadership and taking time to exercise and bond with the dog. If you plan on leaving the dog in crate for 10 hours, better dont adopt.
Good Luck!
My old coonhound 'Blue' was a rescue dog from an owner that basically kept her confined to a small kennel for the first year of her life. No socialization, very timid and fearful.
It took her a year to fully warm up to me. It took my son (who was 4 at the time) much less time.
My local dog park is full of rescued dogs. I really can't believe just how great these dogs are. Some of the owners have up to 5 of them with them at the park. Now, you know how well behaved your dogs have to be to go out with 5 at a time. Most of the owners have a lot of experience with dogs though and that makes a difference for sure.
Bless you for considering adopting one of these needy dogs.
You're right, they are all different. Some are train wrecks from day 1, others are awesome. Some are grateful you've given them a home, others are indifferent. I've had shelter dogs that bonded instantly, and others, years later who were more independent. The best odds of success and finding the dog that will fit into your family will depend on you--not the dog. You have to choose wisely. I don't love Cesar Milan's training programs necessarily but he did a great episode about how to chose a shelter dog when you have another dog in the home. Google it, I bet its online somewhere. Overall, it won't be some glorious rainbows and sunshine experience in the beginning; dogs are hard work to train whether they come from a shelter or not.
I am very patient with dogs so Im not too worried about that. I just always see all these dogs on our local humane society page & I keep saying “I want to adopt her!” etc. My dog is spoiled to the extreme (that’s my fault) & that’s why she’s turned into somewhat of a stuck up diva lol. I have the patience to put up with dogs since the last dog I got (he was adopted but his former family put him on CL.. check out his story in of my posts) He had a rough life and the first few days with him were horrible.He destroyed things, acted wild in a crate, you name it. I even called his former owners and asked for advice and they just told me to take him to the animal shelter! Turns out, he was better adjusted with my parents because he hated being indoors (I lived in an apartment at the time). My parents fixed up their huge yard for him and now he’s as happy as can be.
I just hate that when I go, I am going to want to adopt every single one of them!
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