Only Get A Rescue Dog If You Are Ready For The Responsibility

Getting a cute little dog sounds like a great idea. You can tame it well and you’ll have a sweet new member of your family. When it comes to getting rescue dogs, they can be very tricky to handle. You need to be fully prepared regarding the repercussions that may come along your way. It’s not a regular task but a huge responsibility that you will need to deal with in order to achieve a well-behaved new dog.

Things you should consider before getting a rescue do. Here is a list of factors you need to analyze before making a big move.

1. Your housemates

The first thing you need to consider is taking your housemates into confidence that your new dog won’t cause any sort of inconvenience to their lives. Communicating with them ahead of time is a good way of ensuring that you will have a good support system in case you’ll come across any challenges in the future. Secondly, be sure that you have sufficient finances to take care of the dog. From food and toys to a pet-friendly unit, dogs require a lot of attention which may exceed your budget at times.

2. New home, new vibe

At first, you may notice that your new dog is getting nervous around you. It indicates that he has been through some rough situations in the past, feeling separated from his previous family at the shelter, or he has lived life as a stray dog. In some cases, dog shelters are not the best places for every rescue dog. There is a chance that your dog was surrounded by some wild dogs held in the same cage.

As a result, your dog may have experienced a noisy environment where his needs were not fulfilled by the shelter facilities. Then, all of a sudden, a new owner takes him to an unfamiliar place where he can’t see any of his friends which may require some time as he adjusts to his new home.

To get through this challenge, you need to give some space and time to your dog so he could find ways to settle in a new setup.

3. Extra care

Looking after a new pet is like taking care of a child. It will require you to go the extra mile to ensure that your valuables remain intact when the dog roams inside your home. Similarly, the dog may break some decoration pieces or swallow toys or small objects lying here and there.
In some cases, dogs love to experiment with new edible items such as houseplants or faux hanging shrubs that may turn out to be poisonous for his body. If you don’t keep your house pet-proof, your dog may ruin every item in a short time.

4. Your dog may not show affection

A lot of people are drawn towards rescue dogs as they assume that pouring love and affection to this helpless creature will reward them with appreciation from their new dog. In some cases, your dog may not react in a certain way and show gratitude towards your efforts. His past events or trauma may lead to flashbacks in the present, causing an unsettling feeling and impacting his behavior towards his new owner. However, you may end up assuming that your dog doesn’t like you or your company.

In such circumstances, it’s better to avoid jumping to any conclusion. You need to wait for some time until your dog has developed a sense of trust in you. With consistent efforts and care, your dog will learn that you won’t pose a threat to his life in any way.

5. Do not give in to misconceptions

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), it has been recorded that around 3.2 million people visit shelters every year to adopt rescue animals. Despite the continuous efforts of pet-lovers, many people believe that shelters comprise dogs that are mentally, emotionally, or physically damaged or may have tendencies to cause harm to their owners. If you are likely to believe such rumors, you need to change your mind.

It is crucial to understand that such misconceptions do not apply to every dog shelter. The majority of the shelters provide utmost care and protection to their dogs in terms of food, living environment, and health.

6. Knowing your new dog

Your new dog is likely to possess a quality or a striking personality that appealed to you to consider adopting him. However, there is a chance that your dog may exhibit certain behaviors that you may not expect. Even if you have conducted a proper assessment to check his temperament beforehand, he may react in unpredictable ways sometimes.

For the safe side, it is recommended to keep your children away from your new dog unless you have learned about his true nature and personality. You need to pay attention to his response to certain triggers and make changes accordingly. By doing so, you will create a safe space for your dog where he could feel more comfortable.

7. Training your new dog

Despite being raised in the hands of good owners in the past, there is a chance that your dog has adopted some bad habits in the company of other dogs. Your dog may not be familiar with the concept of urinating at a particular spot and may exhibit unusual behaviors like chewing on your living room’s furniture, jumping on the bed, playing with the leash, or passing stool wherever he wants. In such situations, your best bet is to find good ways to train your dog.

Starting from potty training, you need to teach your dog how to behave well. It may require a lot of time and attention but you need to be consistent with your training until your dog has established new habits.

Adjusting a rescue dog to your home environment is not an easy job. It can be very draining for many people. With a lot of patience and time, you will start to see a few noticeable changes in your dog’s behavior. The key is to never give up! Being consistent with your efforts will result in your desired outcomes with time.


by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

Facts About Animal Homelessness:

  1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
  3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
  4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
  5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
  6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
    About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
  7. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
  8. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
  9. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
  10. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.
  11. Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions