adampettitt@ymail.com asked:
what do you need to look for when you get there how do you know which will suit you. Are there any procedures to go through to decide if it is a good dog. Please give detailed info.
what do you need to look for when you get there how do you know which will suit you. Are there any procedures to go through to decide if it is a good dog. Please give detailed info.
You just know
choose the one you like
One thing you can consider is. Are you a low, medium or high energy person? Get a dog that is either equal or lower energy type than you. Otherwise the dog could get frustrated or neurotic. You have to make your own assessment of how active the dog is.
It’s true you’ll know which one is right for you, however rescue centres are pretty organised nowadays. They’ll let you know what the dogs needs are:
whether he’s suitable to be housed with children
whether he can live with other dogs
if he has any medical conditions
then they see whether your suitable to own a dog as the law now states that a dog shouldn’t be left for 4 hours or more on it’s own
Good luck i hope you find what your looking for
Staff can help
Number 1; what are you looking for in a dog, its easier with adults because their personality are more obvious already formed.
Number 2; temperment, size of yard, size of fence size of house whether the dogs used to indoor or outdoor lifestyle your experience level whether your low energy or very high energy? Again match the dog to you.
Number 3; There are often interaction pens, so you can see if the dog going to be the one for you-that are away from the main pens.
Don’t knock the dogs that are barking madly or the ones cowering in the far corner-shelter life is stressful, so that just how some of them deal with shelter life.
Spend as much time with the dog if you can. Have a game of fetch. Take in some treats.Ask if they have any history of the dog, like why it was surrendered and what family it came from ie, has it lived with children?.
Bring some family in with you like your parents or friends, to see how the dog reacts with them.
Ask if they have tested the dog for food aggression, some shelters do this, some dont. Ask if it has had a vet check, too see if there are any medical requirements.
Ask if you can walk the dog on a lead, even in a fenced yard, so you know what its like to walk. See if it knows how to sit or do basic commands, so you know if it has any basic obedience. Ask if it has been mixed with other dogs to find out if it is dog friendly, so you can get a dog later down the track if you choose.
If the dog has grey worn skin on its elbows it means it has been an outside dog, so may take longer to adjust to living in a house.
Ask how the dog has reacted in its kennel? Has it ripped up its bedding? Has it barked or howled all day. This will give you an indication of what it will be like when it gets home. Have they had it in a yard with fences to see how high it can jump, in case it could jump out of your yard?
Whichever you choose, when meeting a dog at a shelter, its never the true personality of the dog you are seeing. It would be scared, nervous, perhaps timid or overexcited. It takes a few weeks of living at home for it to feel settled and comfortable. And its great you are getting a shelter dog, they are the best!!
I think a lot of things go into play.
The main thing is its personality. See how well you and the dog click. If you aren’t feeling a connection, it probably isn’t the dog for you.
Also, look at what kind of breeds and size it is mixed with. Some breeds are more energetic than others and will require more time, think about your lifestyle and how that will fit in.
I don’t recommend looking solely based on its physical looks or how cute it is. My friend recently did this. She strolled into the animal shelter, and picked out the cutest dog she could find. She took it home, and actually hated the dog’s personality. Poor Hershey ended up back at the shelter. The point? Dog’s aren’t stuffed animals, they are living creatures. You wouldn’t dump your friend because they aren’t a supermodel, so a dog shouldn’t be looked at like that either.
Your first step should be to talk with the adoption counsellors. They will ask loads of questions to determine what sort of dog would be suitable for you, your lifestyle and your family.
They will then show you the dogs they have that would meet your requirements. Then, if any of them take your fancy, you will be taken to a quiet area with the dog to see how you get on with the dog, and how the dog gets on with you, some centers then request that you bring the whole family, including any other dog(s) you have, in to meet the dog. If all goes well, and you pass their adoption requirements, you then take the dog home.
If you want to feel like you’ve made a real difference as a dog owner, adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue group. There are few other ways to make such a huge difference in another creature’s life.
here are some helpful articles:
good luck, and thanks for caring….
You know the moment you see him/her
Well there should be descriptions of every dog like if its energetic, if its friendly, if it sheds a lot, if it likes kids, etc.
Go through each dog reading these descriptions, then pick a couple which you like and through process of elimination you’ll be able to pick your best dog!
Hope this helps xx
First of all ask yourself how big of a dog can you cope with? Then what age around are you looking for? The temperament the dog needs to have? Once you know the answer to these go to your local shelter and give them the Information and ask them to match you up with a dog. That what we do at my work. Then look at your options and you can decide on image, how well you click with the dog and whether the dog seems happy around you. If you find one ask to take it for a small walk to see how energetic they are and what their like on the lead, if it suits you then you’ve found your dog. Just make sure you don’t go off image alone, you have to make sure the dog suits your lifestyle so you can care for it better. Good luck and thanks for choosing a rescue dog.