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06/17/2008

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Why Adopt a Rescue Dog?

... after all, aren't they like used cars? Who wants someone else's problems? If the dog is so wonderful, why would anyone give him away? If he was a stray, why didn't someone try to find him? I'd rather buy a puppy so I know what I'm getting, and besides they're so cute!

Rescue groups often hear a variation of this conversation. Many prospective dog owners are just not convinced that owning an older (6 months+) "pre-owned" dog is better than buying a puppy. But there are a number of reasons why adopting a pet from a rescue that carefully screens and evaluates its dog can provide an even better alternative. Here are the "Top 10 Reasons You Should Consider a Rescue." Remember that this is a general list of pros and cons, and may not be true for every dog (rescue or not) encountered. This is not meant to discourage the purchasing of a puppy over a rescue dog, but is instead outlines the difference between the two when considering a dog.

10) Housebroken. With most family members gone during the work week for 8 hours or more, housetraining a puppy and its small bladder can take awhile. Puppies need a consistent schedule with frequent opportunities to eliminate where you want them to. They can't wait for the boss to finish his meeting or the kids to come home from after school activities. An older dog can "hold it" much more reliably for longer time periods, and usually the rescue has him housebroken before he is adopted.

9) Intact Underwear. With a chewy puppy, you can count on at least 10 mismatched pairs of socks and a variety of unmentionables rendered to the "rag bag" before he cuts every tooth—and don't even think about leaving shoes lying around. Also, you can possibly expect holes in your carpet (along with the urine stains), pages missing from books, stuffing exposed from couches, and at least one dead remote control. No matter how well you watch them, it will happen—it's a puppy's job! An older dog can usually have the run of the house without destroying it.

8) A Good Night's Sleep. Forget the alarm clocks and hot water bottles, a puppy can be very demanding at 2am and 4am and 6am. He or she misses littermates, and that stuffed animal will not make a puppy pile with him. If you have children, you've been there and done that.

7) Finish the Newspaper. With a puppy running amok in your house, do you think you will be able to relax when you get home from work? Do you think your kids will really feed him, clean up the messes, take him for a walk in the pouring rain every hour to get him housetrained? With an adult dog, it will only be the kids running amok, because your dog will be sitting calmly next to you, while your workday stress flows away and your blood pressure lowers as you pet him.

6) Easier Vet Trips. Puppies need their series of shots and fecals, then rabies shots, then a trip to be altered, and maybe even an emergency trip or two if they've chewed something dangerous. Puppy visits can add up (on top of what you paid for the dog). Your donation to the rescue when adopting an older pup should get you a dog with all shots current, already altered, and are heartworm negative at the very minimum.

5) What You See Is What You Get. How big will that puppy be? What kind of temperament will he have? Will he be easily trained? Will his personality be what you were hoping for? How active will he be? When adopting an older dog from a rescue, all of those questions are easily answered. You can pick large or small; active or couch potato; goofy or brilliant; sweet or sassy. The rescue and its foster homes can guide you to pick the right match. Rescues are full of puppies who became the wrong match as they got older.

4) Unscarred Children (and Adults). When a puppy isn't teething on your possessions he will be teething on you. Rescues routinely get calls from panicked parents who are sure their dog is biting the children. Since biting implies hostile intent and would be a consideration whether to accept a "give-up." Rescue groups ask questions and usually find out the dog is being nippy. Parents are often too emotional to see the difference; but a growing puppy is going to put everything from food to clothes to hands in their mouths, and as they get older and bigger it definitely hurts (and will get worse, if they aren't being corrected properly.) Most older dogs have "been there, done that, moved on."

3) Matchmaker. Puppy love is often no more than an attachment to a look or a color. It is not much of a basis on which to make a decision that will hopefully last 15+ years. While that puppy may have been the cutest of the litter; he may grow up to be superactive (when what you wanted was a couch buddy); she may be a couch princess (when what you wanted was a tireless hiking companion); he may want to spend every waking moment in the water (while you're a landlubber); or may want to be an only child (while you are intending to have kids or more animals). Pet mismatches are one of the top reasons rescues get "give-up" phone calls. Good rescues do evaluations of both their dogs and their applicants to be sure that both dog and family will be happy with each other until death do them part.

2) Instant Companion. With an older dog, you automatically have a buddy that can go everywhere and do everything with you NOW. There's no waiting for a puppy to grow up (and then hope he will like to do what you enjoy.) You will have been able to select the most compatible dog—one that travels well, one that loves to play with your friends' dogs, one with excellent house manners that you can take to your parents' new home with the new carpet and the new couch. You can come home after a long day's work and spend your time on a relaxing walk, ride or swim with your new best friend.

1) Rescue Dog Bond. Dogs who have been uprooted from their happy homes or have not had the best start in life are more likely to bond very completely and deeply with their new people. Those who have lost their families through death, divorce or lifestyle change go through a terrible mourning process. But, once attached to a new loving family, they seem to want to please as much as possible to make sure they are never homeless again. Those dogs that are just learning about the good life and good people seem to bond even deeper. They know what life on the streets is like, life on the end of a chain, or worse is all about—and they revel and blossom in a loving environment. Most rescues make exceptionally affectionate and attentive pets and extremely loyal companions.


Unfortunately, many folks think dogs that end up in rescue are all genetically and behaviorally inferior. However, it is not uncommon for rescue to get $500 dogs that have either outlived their usefulness or their novelty with impulsive owners who considered their dog a possession rather than a friend or member of the family. They simply did not really consider the time, effort and expense needed to be a dog owner. Not all breeders will accept "returns", so choices for giving up dogs can be limited to animal welfare organizations, such as rescues, or the owners trying to place their own dogs.

Good rescues will evaluate the dog before accepting him/her (medically, behaviorally, and for breed confirmation), rehabilitate if necessary, and adopt the animal only when he/she is ready--and to a home that matches and is realistic about the commitment necessary to provide the dog with the best home possible. Choosing a rescue dog over a purchased pup will not solve the pet overpopulation problem (only responsible pet owners and breeders can do that), but it does give many of them a chance they otherwise would not have. Beyond doing a "good deed", adopting a rescue dog can be the best decision and addition to the family you ever made. Rescued dogs are literally devoted friend for life.

What To Expect from a Rescue Group

Rescue groups LOVE their dogs, and they want each one to have the best possible home. If their questions seem a bit personal or picky, remember they only want to spare the dog further heartache. Some of the questions you can expect to answer are:

* Do you own a home or do you rent?
* Do you have a fenced yard?
* Have you ever owned other pets, especially a dog?
* What happened to those pets?
* What do you know about this breed?

Each rescue group is different in their requirements. Some won't give you a dog unless you own your own house and have a fenced in yard. That way you never have to worry about the landlord changing your lease and you don't have to go for a walk each time the dog needs to go out. Others, aren't as concerned with physical surroundings (a fence does little good if you leave the gate open). What you will find with any rescue group is that they want a prospective owner who is committed to lifelong care of the dog and understands everything that goes into it.

Just remember, the rescue workers are only looking out for the dog. It's not about you as much as finding the perfect match for the dog. In exchange for their concern, you also get their expertise. They can tell you a lot about the dogs temperament and the breed in general. They are also a source of support if you need it. In addition, there are several books that you can read to help you along your way:

The Adoption Option by Eliza Rubenstein and Shari Kalina
Choosing a Shelter Dog by Bob Christiansen
Second Hand Dog by Carol Lea Benjamin

The Gift of a Rescue Dog
The best treasures unrecognized.

At 6:30 a.m. the alarms goes off. The kids are getting dressed for school or are carted off to the sitter, and work begins at 8 a.m.. The day ends at 5 p.m. (hopefully), and then it's time to pick up the kids and take them to gymnastics, basketball, soccer, cheerleading or whatever happens to be on the agenda. Parent-teacher meetings on Thursday, Friday the in-laws are visiting, and the next thing you know this week is done. Who has time for a puppy?

Everyone wants a puppy to complete the picture perfect family. A puppy is viewed as special, one that can grow up bonded to the family, romp around in the backyard with the kids, and life goes on happily ever after. However, "happily ever after" typically won't happen unless the proper time is spent with a puppy. The time and money spent can snowball as the unsupervised puppy destroys rugs, furniture, cabinets, doorframes, shoes and what not. Puppies growing up without rules can be obnoxious, unruly, maybe aggressive at times, and may quickly become unwanted. If the family has no time for training, perhaps a puppy is not the best choice.

An adult dog given all the basics--time, training, vaccinations--may be the solution. An older dog has a great deal to offer a busy family. Selecting the right dog can offer a destruction-free house, house-breaking accomplished, current vaccinations, and an adult temperament able to be evaluated. Obedience training may even be part of the package. With all this to offer, adult dogs are still considered to be throwaways, used second-hand dogs no one wants. Young adult dogs from nine months to five or six years old are most commonly available for adoption from rescue groups. Some of the more positive reasons (if you can all it that) for rescue dogs may include someone in the home having allergies, divorce, job loss, kids lost interest, parents travel too much, or any one of a number of other legitimate reasons. These dogs maybe purebred or mixed, with papers of registration, already spayed or neutered, and could be the dog you're looking for.

Spending the time getting to know a new dog, feeding and spending a reasonable amount of time playing and getting acquainted, is usually enough to develop a bond between the family and the dog. Within a couple of weeks the dog will fit in like he has always been there. Within two or three months he probably won't even respond to his old family. Mission accomplished.

But where does one go for such a dog. Contact rescue organizations, visit animal shelters, look in the newspaper. A trial period may be available from a private individual or rescue organization to insure everyone is happy and getting along.

And what should one pay for such an animal? Should you expect it for free? What would you pay for a puppy at eight weeks of age? You should not be adverse to paying the same price for a already trained, vaccinated young adult dog whose temperament has developed to be exactly "what you see is what you get." If you were prepared to spend $300-500 for a puppy without training then actually the price for a trained adult should be much more. But to most people, finding the right family for their dog is more important than cashing in on the time and money already spent. In other words, most rescues ask only for a donation that covers the dog's boarding and other expenses in finding it a good home. Most of the time this is much lower than what it would cost to buy a puppy.

Special thanks to all contributors on this issue!