When you are ready to welcome a new dog into your home, ADOPTION is the best option. Here are 3 reasons why :
First – When you buy instead of adopting, you will be contributing to breeding mills and the often-times cruel treatment of dogs that are used for breeding. Many puppy mills and breeders will say their dogs are in the best conditions and environments, but you never get to go behind the scenes. Many times, the parents are kept in small cages, or are constantly in a cycle of conceiving and producing. Almost immediately after they have one litter, nothing is done to provide veterinary care, and they become pregnant again.
Second – There are hundreds if not thousands of dogs that are waiting for a chance to be brought into a forever home, just in one county’s shelter or rescue. That adds up to millions of dogs nationwide that are sitting right now in a cage or kennel. The resources to keep non-profit rescue organizations are scarce, and it’s difficult just to maintain a facility; including the staff, animals, and the volunteers. By adopting, in a way, you will be giving care and love to many dogs at once, since your ultimate goal is to have a dog to care for and love. You’ll contribute to a bigger cause while also saving a dog from a rescue or even possibly euthanasia.
Third – Adopting gives you more control and the capability to chose a better fit for you and your household. When you buy from a breeder or puppy mill, you have no idea what issues will arise down the road; and you only get one choice. When you adopt, you have multiple dogs to choose from in all shapes and sizes, and types of personalities and breed. Finding one to match your lifestyle and resources becomes easier by having so many to choose from, and, they will bring you the same joy and warmth as any other.
HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY MANY GREAT ADOPTIONS GO SOUTH, AND THE DOGS GO RIGHT BACK TO THE POUND OR SHELTER.
NUMBER 1 – “The Wrong Fit”
The most common reason dogs that get adopted are returned is because people chose the wrong kind of dog for their lifestyle and household. Many people judge a dog by how it looks, or by breed, or age, and these are not the factors to pay attention to. When selecting a dog, it is best to have someone knowledgeable about dogs, like a trainer or friend/relative that has many years of experience with dogs in their life, to accompany you. A big dog may not be the best dog for an apartment but size is only one factor. You can absolutely have a big dog in an apartment if the dog is a good fit and if you are willing to put in the work. There is no reason why a Great Dane can’t be a good apartment dog. You just need to have the right dynamics.
NUMBER 2 – “People Want To Adopt The Youngest Dog Available”
Let’s be honest- we all want to spend the most time possible, and share love, with a a new four-legged companion. But, adopting a young dog or “puppy” may not be the best option for a potential owner. Many people assume that a younger dog will be better behaved because they can raise and “mold” them. Also, it is a misconception to assume that the dog will live longer than an older dog. Depending on breed, sometimes pure-breds have a shorter lifespan that mutts. Many times, people adopt a younger dog and aren’t able to care for them anymore when they become a handful due to behavior issues that younger dogs display. Younger dogs will need training, to be housebroken, will require more supervision, and more time invested by the owner(s). This means that when they become too much to deal with, they go back to the shelter. This also means that the chances of them getting a adopted by the right owners has been decreased; either by them aging or being labeled as a “returned” dog. It also puts the shelter and staff back into a another new case of a dog they already had homed. This means the same dog becomes a new case- twice.
NUMBER 3 – “The Dog Displays Behaviors That Are Unfavorable, and The New Owners Don’t Help”
A dog’s behavior varies depending on the environment they are in. This means that a dog that acts scared or aggressive in a kennel at a shelter could be a very well-mannered and happy dog in a home- and vice versa. That’s why it’s highly recommended that someone help and accompany you, when choosing a rescue, who understands these variables. In most rescue cases, the history of the dog is fuzzy or non-existent, making harder to know the outcome of how a dog might adjust to a new environment. Some shelters offer a “weekend adoption” at no cost, where you can take a dog with you for the weekend and try out the scenario. This is also a great way to help shelters, even if your plan is not to keep them permanently- like fostering but without the long-term commitment.
The bottom line is that these kind of new owners are under the impression that the breed, age, and how the dog acts in the shelter, are all that is needed to make a decision about which dog to adopt. Then, when they introduce the dog to the new home and family, and they don’t “automatically” adjust like the new owner(s) presumed, they are returned. Often, it’s with little to no effort in setting the home up for success, or investing any time in training. The misconception is that the dog will be the way they envision it to be, and that when they are rescued they will just cuddle and obey. The chance of any dog in a shelter being adopted is already slim. Adopting a dog and not putting in the time and effort to make the situation better makes those chances even worse.
NUMBER 4 – “There Was An Incident” (This one goes along with Number 3)
There once was a case where a family with two small children adopted a nice young dog from a rescuer. The dog they adopted was one of two siblings. The day of the meet-n-greet, things went well and I was present to offer free training and a class on how to welcome a dog into a new home, and also how to guide the dog to become a good fit. They wanted the traditional “family dog” and this one was destined to be it and the only dog in the new home.
The first day with the dog they sent pictures of the dog snoring and cuddling with them, the dog playing with the toddler, and the dog just overall happy. Well, the following day the owners called back, freaked out and just wanted to return the dog, which they did.
The Incident:
There were 2, in this case. First, the dog nipped one of the kids (a 2-year old) and the mother become naturally protective and scared. The second time, the sister of the lady who adopted the dog went to pick up the baby, and the dog attacked her.
Lets analyze this and put it into context now. This was a dog that never attacked or nipped anyone in the previous home with the rescuer, and in a house that had multiple dogs, including the sibling of this dog. The rescue owner and foster also told the people that sometimes the dog would not let its sibling eat food until he finished first. I went over a few exercises of how to show leadership with the adults, and also how to “claim” certain areas or objects. We call these “resources” and dogs are known for guarding these resources, even if they do it silently. This could be a couch, a spot on the floor, food, a toy, etc.
Now, in the first incident, the family returned from shopping. It was only the 2nd day the dog was in this new home. The dog was left to roam around the house while they were gone. When they brought in a big bag of dry kibble from the market, they left it on the floor in the kitchen and went about their business. At some point, the toddler was allowed to go in the kitchen unsupervised, and when the toddler started touching and hitting the bag of food (which was as big as he was and heavier,) suddenly the dog came out of nowhere and “attacked” the kid. The attack was not a real attack- it was a display of ‘resource guarding’ which went unchecked and a form of displaying dominance.
It went against the recommendations we gave the couple. Bringing a new dog into a home, regardless whether it was adopted, bought, or just being pet-sitted, requires a solid commitment to supervising and making the dog’s experience easier and pleasant. With guidance, leadership, and affection, along with adjustments made in the home, a dog can become a balanced member of the household; but the effort must be 100% present.
The second incident happened for almost the same reason. In this case, the “resource” was the baby, which the dog was fast to learn (and intuitive enough) to understand the baby is important and also the most defenseless of the (would-be) pack. The sister in this case, a new visitor and new ‘sight-smell-sound‘ wasn’t properly introduced or informed on how to participate in the process of introducing a new dog to their home. It was only Day 2!
In this case, there was ‘an incident’ which could have been prevented, and was handled incorrectly.
First incident, the mom of the toddler lost all confidence in herself and become paranoid of the dog- without understanding the psychology of the dog’s behavior. This doesn’t make for a good leader. This is understandable, and any mother’s priority first goes to their child. However, when all of the other factors are ignored, and when the parent automatically assumes that this one incident describes the dog as whole, the easy way out is to just remove the dog from the situation. A possible and probably the best solution would have been to not allow the dog to go into the kitchen, to adhere to my recommendations and training, and a toddler not being allowed to wonder into a kitchen by himself. Rather than seeing their own mistakes, and the misconception they have about the dog, they chose to judge the situation solely on the fact the dog did something. The dog doesn’t understand the dynamics of a new home in the first week, much less the 2nd day; and leaving them alone and assuming they are ‘good-to-go’ because they played with the kids and cuddled on the first day was a mistake.
Needless to say, the dog is still without a forever home, and THE DOG, not the people, were put in a scary situation that is harder to cope with than it is for a human. The experience was bad for both the dog and the humans, sure, but the dog was outcasted and never understood what happened while the people chose to ignore their failure and simply just blamed the dog.
Dogs need help in understanding their surroundings, integrating into a new family and home, and require a dedication beyond showing affection. They require discipline in the form of guidance and play time which can be used to ease the dog into the household, and its dynamics.
Dogs don’t understand all the rules and boundaries on Day 1. It’s like putting a person in the driver’s seat of car and telling them to drive to a specific destination, without the person knowing any concept of road markings, signs, lights, lanes, or rules and laws. They might now the car goes forward and backwards, and ”vrrrooooooom” but nothing else!
Adopting or rescuing a dog can be one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences in the world. The love and companionship a dog can give us is universal, and the same regardless of where they come from, or color, or age, or breed. You just have to know what the right fit is for you, and make an investment in maximum effort with a commitment to making the beginning of the journey a success.
If you are thinking of adopting a dog, or know someone that might be, and would like some advice or help, please reach out using the contact form in the ‘Get In Touch’ page. Thanks for stopping by!