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I have never had a dog from a shelter. If I wait long enough, one will show up on my road or the road below me.
I have never had an issue integrating a new dog and for years I had four large to extra large dogs at one time.
I treated them the same way I treat my horses and that is with positive expectations, obey my five rules, one of which is don't kill the house cat. Somehow it all worked.
I never had to housebreak a new dog. I doubt all of them were hous broke but the new kid on the block just followed along with the already established dogs when I said "let's go potty.
IMO, the more fretting that is done as to whether or not a dog will fit in, the more problems there will be.
I recently lost my 13 yr old Dobe/Rott to heart failure. I scooped her off the road, 12 years ago. The Leopard Cur/fox Terrier is now alone and lonely. I Rescued him off the road below me, where some dimwit dumped him six years ago.
At the moment my neighbor's 12 yr old Lab is over here, of her own accord, keeping him company when he goes outside. We have been the Lab's second human family since she moved here 11 years ago. She knows she can eat and sleep here, anytime she wants to and her real family knows where to find her.
Sooner or later another dog will get dumped and show up in my driveway. Whatever it is, I will take it in and not worry if it will fit because somehow, even with varied personalities, they always have
From what you say, your best bet may be to find a good rescue that has its dogs in foster homes. A good foster parent will be able to give you tons of information about the dog including temperament, behavior, likes and dislikes, and how dog gets along with other dogs and children.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
1) dogs do not generalize well, so any dog presumed to be housebroken in one home/shelter might not be housebroken in your home. You will want to start from square one with house training and not just assume that the dog is house broken.
2) wherever you adopt from, ask to do an extended introduction (several visits on neutral ground) between your dog and any potential adoptee. Watch how they play- is there balance and interchange between them, are there play bows, is the body language loose and wiggly (=good) or is it stiff and tense (=not good), are the tails tucked between their legs (=fear) or are the tails level with body or slightly higher (= a good indicator), is one dog advancing on the other dog and the other dog is backing away (=not a good match)
3) don't make an emotional decision. In other words, don't adopt a dog that doesn't get along well with your other dog, don't get locked into "but he is soooo cute" syndrome, if you have children how does the dog behave around your kids-does it tuck its tail and rollover or move away = not a good fit. You will come to love whatever dog you adopt, but if you truly want a dog that fits with your family then go into the adoption with that mindset and keep your thinking rational not emotional.
4) You can certainly find a perfectly lovely older dog at the shelter, but a foster-care based rescue will be able to give you more upfront information that may help guide you in your decision. My suggestion then would be to go the rescue route unless you are willing to deal with the possibility of more variables
5) remember- it takes any dog time to settle into a new home, so be gentle, patient, and remember that your new pup has been through a traumatic experience and may be grieving the loss of its family.
We got our cocker spaniel from a rescue organization when he was 4 and we've now had him for 8 years with nary a problem. He's been wonderful since the day we picked him up.
Our newest family member came from a rescue group and it has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I intend to go this route in the future because it was so easy and resulted in us getting a perfect match. I do believe there are some things you can do to ensure success:
First, know exactly what you want and be very specific on your application about your criteria. Be honest.
Second, be willing to wait until your perfect match comes along. Don't rush the process.
Third, give the new dog time to transition into your home and lifestyle.
Some important things to note are that rescue dogs are fully vetted and live with a foster family before they are adopted. That foster family evaluates the dogs and they know what that dog needs. When they read through the applications they are very good at matching their foster to a forever home. Legitimate rescues want their dogs to find loving forever homes and do everything in their power to make that happen. The rescues will make you sign a document that says you can return the dog to them if it doesn't work out or if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to surrender the dog. I really believe rescues are the way to go even though they are usually more expensive than the dog shelters. I hope this helps you.
You brought up some valid points...I don't have young children, but do own birds so that would be an interesting consideration. I walk our current little guy (toy fox terrier) every night, and take him hiking sometimes, so I would like a dog that would be able to keep up. However, we are not runners and aren't doing outdoor activities all the time. We like to sit and watch tv in the evenings as well, so maybe a good mix of active and passive in a dog??
We have a single family home, with a small yard. We would like to have a short hair dog again, and something not too big as well don't have the largest house. Oh and something that would not bully our current dog. He gets along with most dogs, but has issues with the bulldog next door and pug down the road. Our neighbors Pomeranian is his buddy.
I think I was just overwhelmed with the application for the rescues, and afraid of the history of the dog. I hope they haven't been abused and would be afraid of me when I am trying to groom them or give them a bath. Or aggressive, and jump on the parrot cages. But the thought of giving a dog a second chance kind of appeals to me. What if they were only given up because the owner was moving, and they are actually a really good dog?
Some of the top reasons dogs are surrendered are moving, bad behaviour and lack of funds/time. Keep in mind, some people do lie or exaggerate on their surrender form saying the dog is misbehaving badly when it's puppy play, not aggressive but it really is, vice versa. More often that not, dogs are given up because owners believe they are replaceable and they didn't want to put the required effort to rehome the pet or go to a trainer.
Anyways, there are good dogs in shelters and rescues, including the ones with meet and greet. Some rescues will be honest with you, others would try to overshadow the flaws by exaggerating the positives on a particular dog. Everyone will have a favorite that they might try to line up for you first and tell you what works for you. That's why it's important to go in with a clear mind and know what you want. Don't adopt one because it's on deathrow. Don't adopt one if it looks cute but seem aggressive. Don't let sob stories or guilt trips deter you from finding a match that works for you.
When you do the meet and greet, listen to your gut feeling. If your little dog isn't acting normal around the new one, and you don't feel comfortable, say no to the new dog. Our second dog would've been a different dog our current dog did not like at the meet and greet. I didn't feel comfortable no matter how many times the volunteer try to convince me that they will be "fine" after I adopt her. The second meet and greet went perfect and we adopted Mushu.
Some shelters don't have meet and greet but will gladly work with you if you already brought your dog with you.
Three of the last four dogs we've had were rescues. Two from a breed specific rescue and the most recent little beast (Joose) from the SPCA. We brought Joose into a house that already had a dog and he and Daisy were okay together. They didn't play a whole lot because Daisy was so much older and not really into playing but you could tell they liked being together. Now Joose is an only dog and he has assumed "control" of the situation. He is very much a momma's boy and doesn't like other dogs.
He was a stray they found on the street. So we had no idea of his history.
My previous adoptees, from the rescue group, their histories were pretty well known because they had been with the group. Neither of them liked other dogs much, but they didn't have any problems with people. Except the female was a bit shy around males (she had been abused by some idiot boyfriend of the previous owner).
For me, the worst part of adopting an older dog is knowing you don't get to smell puppy breath much, if at all...
Note that SPCAs across the country are usually independent from the ASPCA in New York and may fill different roles. My local SPCA is a no-kill shelter that relies entirely on donations, with no funding from the local governments. In other areas, the SPCA may serve as the local "pound" / county shelter, going out and picking up strays, etc.
Has anyone ever gotten an adult rescue dog? Was your experience good or bad? We have one terrier we got from a pet store as a puppy. He is now 3 years old. We are thinking of adopting a smaller breed rescue dog, but I am afraid. How do I know if I am getting a dog that is a good fit for our family?
Thank you for thinking about rescue. I am active in dog rescue and know there are many amazing dogs out there that need good homes. I think a dog who has been in a foster home would be a good starting place for you.
If for whatever reason you decide not to get a rescue, please do not get a dog from a pet store ever again. The dogs that are bred to produce pet store puppies are from puppy mills and generally live in horrific and cruel conditions until they are no longer able to reproduce and then they are "discarded".
If you do not get a rescue, please go to a reputable breeder who is a member of a national breed club. If you go to the AKC webiste you can click on the breed you're interested in, click on the link for the national breed club and then there is usually a list of breeders who breed according to the club's code of ethics.
Good luck with your search for a new family member.
My last dog was a stray that was picked up by a good samaritan and ultimately found his way to my home to be fostered for a breed specific rescue I work with. After much investigative work, his age and other vitals became known. He was already 8 1/2 years old and there wasn't one application for his adoption despite being healthy, knowing basic commands and well socialized. He came to my house with my four dogs here and he fit in like a charm. He observed, followed all the routines and he was just a dream foster.
After one year, my husband said that's it...we'll adopt him and we did. We had him another 2 1/2 years...wonderful years...he passed away this last March, unexpectedly, of heart related problems. We were so blessed to have had him be a part of our family. It was my honor to be his dogmother.
My four dogs came to us as puppies but after Sammy Davis coming to us in his senior years...that's how any future pups will be as well. It was the most rewarding experience...and Sammy Davis was the best boy.
Don't shop...please adopt. And don't be afraid of dogs with a few years on them already.
I have adopted three adult dogs and two adult cats from shelters and all have been wonderful pets.
As others have said, think about what kind of dog you want and why. Take your dog to the shelter to meet potential newbies. Don't be in hurry. It IS a dog, not a human, so you may have to do some housebreaking and other training, although I never had to with any of the dogs I've adopted.
Thanks for thinking about a rescue. There are lots of wonderful dogs out there that need homes.
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