OT Dog Rescue, why is this getting so hard?

[rugbysecondrow]

my dog of 15 years passed away last week. I went to the Petco to get food for my other dog this weekend and a local rescue had pet there so I stopped to take a look. This has triggered me started the process of looking for another dog, but this is actually not as much fun as I remember it being.

It seems many rescue organizations have become somewhat militant and unreasonable since I last got a dog 5 years ago. I noticed it some then, I actually got denied by a group because I had a dog house for my older dog to chill in when he wanted out. I found another group though that seemed to weigh the importance of a dog house on the premisis with the reality that the premisis is a 1/2 acre lot with a large fenced in yard, we are a good family and that the dog would have otherwise been put down...meaning they applied rational thought.

So, on Sunday I filled out the application, all 6 pages of it. Questions about:

what my veterinary care plan would be (I don't know, I would abide by what the vet recommends)

How much, how often and what type of exercise I would provide (I don't know, it would depend on the needs and ability of the dog)

Name, address and contact info for all veterinarians for the last 10 years (I failed this test as I didn't memorize the vet names in other cities I lived in)

There were other questions which just made me shake my head. Then the disclaimers:

It is against policy to adopt out dogs to families with doggie doors.

It is against policy to adopt out to families with children under 6.

Mind you, this was not a specialized rescue for German Shepherd, Pitts, Rotts or anything else, I understand the sensitivites here and the need to vet adopters a bit more thouroughly, but this was just a generic rescue.

I thought that maybe this was just a nutty group of people, until I looked at other rescue group websites, this seems to be par for the course.

At what point did getting a dog become harder than refinancing a house, buying a car, getting a JOB? I understand the want and desire of the rescues, I am trying to respect their mission, but it seems many of them have tilted into unreasonableness.

This leads me to another question, Craigslist. Has anybody gotten a pet or had a good experience from CL getting a pet? I have inquired about a few dogs but I have yet to even get a response back from people. It just seems wierd.

I am not wanting to go to a breeder as I would rather get a dog in need, but it seems like that is challenging.

It seems going to the local pound might be the easiest, but then you lack history of the dog.

Any thoughts? Am I alone in finding this process frustrating?

[Ken Robb]

I adopted a dog from a private, fancy, shelter. They wanted to know everything about me and my home. They told me nothing about the dog beyond what I could see.

I had owned other dogs and cats with good success. I worked really hard for six months to make this bitch a member of the family. We had quite a few successful learned behaviors but I just could NOT trust her to stay home unless she was tied up. She could clear a 6 foot fence from a standing start.

When I returned her to the shelter the lady there said "Gee, you lasted a lot longer than all the others". It seems I was the FIFTH!!!!!!! person to try to provide a home for this dog. One-way flow of info is not a good technique for adoptions.

[Pete Mckeon]

Good luck in finding the one you want. Most breeds have rescue organizations, as well as counties and some cites have pounds that have strays for adoption, pete

[Bruce K]

We have two very good "rescue" shelters near us but you aren't (unfortunately)

While they are thorough, they are not ridiculous.

I would look into breed specific rescues as there is generally more info about the dog or else a "no kill" shelter as two good options

Sometimes vets have local connections to rescue organizations or shelters so I would talk to your vet as well

BK

[sc53]

Rugby, even the shelters will have some questions. But I know what you mean about some rescue groups, they have let their power go to their heads and have become martinets! I would try another, saner rescue group (Lab Rescue is a good group around here) or the shelter before I'd ever adopt a dog off of Craigslist. I'd be afraid that was a stolen or abused dog or something. You may or may not get any info about your prospective dog from a rescue group. My dog was a stray who was picked up by a local animal control and then turned over to Lab Rescue (because he looked like a Lab). So I didn't know much about him when I adopted him. He turned out to be a mellow, happy go lucky fellow.

[ultraman6970]

I got two rescues aswell. THey ask a lot of stuff because they want to be sure you wont return or abuse the animal, besides they sure will ask you for a donation that is around 150 bucks if not more (makes sense because they need to fund everything somehow). Even with the questionary and home visit some people have no idea what they get into and just abuse of the dogs. My second rescued is my 1st rescued brother, they called me to be a foster home for the 4 moth old because the sucker who adopted him took him to a killer shelter in alexandria, the killer shelter called them and they picked him up. The guy in 2.5 months screwed the puppy up, the creature was starved to the bones, afraid of brooms, a bunch of issues, even now after 8 years you can tell he still have some issues, in a matter of fact we noticed he figured it out that we were not going to dump him out of the house like 2 years ago because his behavoir changed tiny bit.

IMO the shelter is just trying to do his job eventohught is a PITA for the person that want to adopt a dog, and you from what i can say you and your family are plenty to experience... but they dont know you either you know, many abused and abandoned dogs in those shelters man...so they just trying to their job IMO.

[rugbysecondrow]

We have two very good "rescue" shelters near us but you aren't (unfortunately)

While they are thorough, they are not ridiculous.

I would look into breed specific rescues as there is generally more info about the dog or else a "no kill" shelter as two good options

Sometimes vets have local connections to rescue organizations or shelters so I would talk to your vet as well
BK

That is a really good suggestion...I will do that. Thanks!

Paul

[Jaq]

My last dog I bought for 10 bucks from the back of a stoner's pick-up truck. Done and done.

[ultraman6970]

Find a killer shelter, dogs last 1 week in those places so sure they will give you a dog right away w/o asking.

[djg]

Well . . . not CL, but we found our dog through a local bb -- actually 2 dogs, adopted together, but we lost one last year. The previous owner definitely wanted to check us out, and plainly had mixed feelings about letting go, but she was a nice person, and easy to talk to and deal with. I think her bottom line was yours -- a nice family, a decent home -- rather than arbitrary technical requirements.

[rugbysecondrow]

Find a killer shelter, dogs last 1 week in those places so sure they will give you a dog right away w/o asking.

I am good with vetting, but it seems people are unreasonable. Like with the dog house. It was plainly clear by the dog hair in the house, the food and water on the floor, and the fact that my dogs are well mannered in the house that they were mainly house dogs, but the fact that none of that factored into the equation is silly...the dog house was an automatic disqualifier.

6 pages of q and a...6 pages. job applications aren't 6 pages, I can borrow thousands of dollars by filling out less than three pages of paper work.

It is not the fact that there is vetting, it is the unnessearily long and tedious nature of it that is fustrating. Frankly, it is a game that I would rather not play at this time.

What is hard is that I have to fill out an application to meet a dog, a dog which may or may not suit me. If I have to fill out a ten page application for each rescue, that is just a huge hassle. In addition, one of the questions on the application is whether I have applied elsewhere. Am I penalized for "shopping around"?

Anyway, I am just venting now, but it is frustrating.

[EricEstlund]

Find a killer shelter, dogs last 1 week in those places so sure they will give you a dog right away w/o asking.

Worked for us. We looked all over the SLC area and were getting tired from the run around. Drove out to farm country and found a place that had dogs, sheep and a horse. Ours had been there for almost the full run (8 weeks there, as I recall)and had 2 days left before being put down. The asked for $20, $15 of which they would refund if we had him fixed.

Having a pup that spent nearly 2 of his 10 months in the pound proved for some interesting adventures, but after 6 years and a bit it's all worked itself out.

[dan_hudson]

Any thoughts? Am I alone in finding this process frustrating?

Also in the Balt/Wash area and experienced a very similar scenario two years ago when we got our new dog. No doubt the local rescue folks are passionate but they have seemed to have crossed a common sense line.

Our new dog is awesome but was I humored in a sad way that after the rescue folks put us thru the ringer and we adopted our new pet we discovered it had mange. Too bad they didn't direct more of that energy into the animals themselves.

[Jason E]

Only 5hrs and 45 minutes from you, but I like this place.

http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/animalcontrol/adoption.aspx

Follow them on facebook and they post pics of the animals in albums. the 'boys' wear bow ties and the 'ladies' get little necklaces...

[ultraman6970]

doubt a lot is a 45 mins drive from where he is MD, looks more like a 3+ hours drive to me. Nice animals tho...

[gasman]

Rugby-It is ridiculous. Our daughter's best friend used to work at a shelter and there are some real idiots out there trying to get a dog for the wrong reasons. But, they clearly lacked common sense when dealing with you.

We just adopted a career change dog from Guide dogs for the Blind ( he got skittish around heavy traffic during his training). They did a lot of vetting of us( interview, home visit and watched us handle the dog ) but they were very common sense as it was clear we knew and loved dogs. He is now our fourth black lab and he is a great animal. Too bad guide dogs are only located in California and Oregon.

[rugbysecondrow]

Oddly enough, I just got the denial letter from the rescue I applied to earlier in the week. No conversation, no home visit, no nothing. Apparently something in my application was so glaring that I am clearly unfit to own a dog...maybe my children should be removed from the home as well. :)

It would be funny if it werent sad. I emailed them back to ask "why"? I am not expecting an answer back.

[gasman]

Oddly enough, I just got the denial letter from the rescue I applied to earlier in the week. No conversation, no home visit, no nothing. Apparently something in my application was so glaring that I am clearly unfit to own a dog...maybe my children should be removed from the home as well. :)

It would be funny if it werent sad. I emailed them back to ask "why"? I am not expecting an answer back.


Unbelievable.

So many dogs need a good home.

[happycampyer]

There was a recent op-ed piece in the wsj about this phenomenon:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324469304578144870641691746.html

[rugbysecondrow]

There was a recent op-ed piece in the wsj about this phenomenon:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324469304578144870641691746.html

Looks like it is subscription only.

Thanks,

Paul

[eippo1]

Go the shelter route instead of a league. Btw, the 6 pages of stuff is so that it becomes more of a real thing for the adopter with of course some of it being a qualifier. The more of an event it is for the actual adoption, the less that casual adopters that don't know what they are getting into will go through with it. That equals less returned dogs, which is a bad thing for everyone.

We got ours from a shelter in Mass and I know that other shelters in NE with some exceptions are quite reasonable (except for some having high adopt fees). Our dog had been at the shelter for longer than most dogs that they have (month) because she had to be shaved down for mange and had some personality issues from fear of other dogs. She's a shepard mix and went from cowering when we'd raise our hand to giver her a treat and being very aggressive with other dogs to walking happily by my side, tolerating other dogs and even making friends with a few. It was tough at first, but super rewarding because of the bond we have with her and to see how great a personality she has once she understood that nobody was ever going to hit her again.

I've also invested lots of energy in rescuing dogs by transporting dogs from down south to New England. It's totally worth it and you really get a sense of each dogs's soul by spending 40 hours with thirty of them in a van and taking each of them out for walks etc.

[gavingould]

i think most of the breed-specific rescues tend to the 'overly cautious' side.
many members in those organizations feel they are the only ones to appreciate or understand the breed, so they are highly protective.

as a rescue greyhound owner, i can tell you that the people in greyhound rescue groups are all a bit odd...

nothin' wrong with a regular shelter dog atmo, i chose breed based on temperament and needed activity level - suited my lifestyle very well.

[William]

I've had rescue dogs all my life with the exception of one, my sister in-law breeds and shows English Mastiffs.

All but the last three were shelter dogs, the three being breed specific....one Basset Hound, and two Boxers. There is generally less paperwork and checks from the shelter, but they don't always know the temperament, behaviors, or medical background of the dog well. Breed specific rescues tend to foster the dogs for a while to understand the dogs behaviors, quirks, and medical history. Food aggressive? Separation anxiety? Good with kids, other animals, etc... This way there is a better chance for a successful adoption and it's less likely the animal gets put back into rescue.

I agree that some organizations really go overboard. But some are really good to work with. You just have to look around.

Before I went the breed specific route I went to a a few kill shelters when we were looking for a dog. Found a really nice dog that was submissive, playful, and well behaved. I came back with my family, and he was nice to my wife and daughter, but when he saw my son wearing his jack with his hood up the dog lunged for him. Freaked my wife out and we've gone breed specific ever since with great results.

I hope it works out for you. It's worth it in the long run.



William

[1/2 Wheeler]

OMG! Don't even get me started how americans (maybe everybody for all I know) has almost completely ruined what a dog should be.

Many rescue groups will disqualify you if you say that the dog will ever be left outside unattended. Fenced yard or not.

However, it's fine if you are going to lock them up in a Fn crate all day while you go to work.

Dogs are not people and don't want to be treated like people. Whatever!

You can keep trying Craigslist but in my fairly extensive experience of trying to find a dog on CL, it seems that a large portion of CL dogs have pretty extensive anxiety problems. People took them with good intentions but are not prepared to handle them.

Use the pound or the SPCA.

P.S. Please watch the Dog Whisperer and train you dog using a choker riding high on the neck.

[William]

When I lived in Oregon there was a ring of people who would answer all the "Free to good home" pet adds. Some polite girl or guy would show up and act all nice nice, then take the pets and sell them to testing facilities. After they were exposed, at least in that area, then people started getting more proactive in checking potential adopters out. A good thing, but some have taken it too far the other way.






William

[Ken C]

The rescue groups can be insane, total case of cutting your nose off to spite your face.

We got our dog from the denver humane society. We met with him in a room he came over and fell asleep in my lap. The volunteer just looked at this and knew he was right for Us. He has been a loving member of our family since.

Sometimes these places just need to take a reasonable look and not rely on six pages of bs forms. We have as a society have removed critical thought from individuals and pushed it to pages and pages of formulatic forms and the like.

It warms my heart to know we rescued our dog from a shelter that might have put him down. That is a true rescue.

[Ken Robb]

Oddly enough, I just got the denial letter from the rescue I applied to earlier in the week. No conversation, no home visit, no nothing. Apparently something in my application was so glaring that I am clearly unfit to own a dog...maybe my children should be removed from the home as well. :)

It would be funny if it werent sad. I emailed them back to ask "why"? I am not expecting an answer back.

The powers that be were worried that you would teach the dog some RUDE songs like Eskimo Nell, Cats on the Rooftops, etc.

[Sandy]

OMG! Don't even get me started how americans (maybe everybody for all I know) has almost completely ruined what a dog should be.

Many rescue groups will disqualify you if you say that the dog will ever be left outside unattended. Fenced yard or not.

However, it's fine if you are going to lock them up in a Fn crate all day while you go to work.

Dogs are not people and don't want to be treated like people. Whatever!

You can keep trying Craigslist but in my fairly extensive experience of trying to find a dog on CL, it seems that a large portion of CL dogs have pretty extensive anxiety problems. People took them with good intentions but are not prepared to handle them.

Use the pound or the SPCA.

P.S. Please watch the Dog Whisperer and train you dog using a choker riding high on the neck.

I would never use a choker on my dog's neck for multiple reasons. I use a harness attached in the front in the center of his chest area. I know Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer) has a great following and he seems to produce remarkable results in a short time on his tv show, but I am not a fan of his. I think there are better ways in training a dog.


Sandy

[metalheart]

I work with a rescue group and, among other tasks, my wife and I do some of the vetting. All I can say is that our experience is that rescue groups see some of the worst and best in human beings relationships with animals and the effort is to ensure that a a dog finds the right match with a family. Maybe the process is tedious and difficult, but when you see how dogs come into rescue, then the effort is to prevent further difficultly for the animal and the potential adoptive family....

[1/2 Wheeler]

I would never use a choker on my dog's neck for multiple reasons. I use a harness attached in the front in the center of his chest area. I know Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer) has a great following and he seems to produce remarkable results in a short time on his tv show, but I am not a fan of his. I think there are better ways in training a dog.


Sandy

I respectfully disagree. I know people that use harnesses with dogs and they won't let it near other animals or even people they don't know.

IT is not about choking, it's about control.

I simply say that if you do not have complete control and confidence in your dog, you are doing something wrong.

[AngryScientist]

i'm sorry to hear that this is such a difficult procedure - to adopt a dog and give it a loving home. i do understand the concerns and so on, but like most things in life - applying a good dose of common sense is usually the best filter,

best of luck finding another pooch, dont get discouraged and give up!

we bought our last dog from a breeder, because we really wanted a scottish terrier, and we really wanted a little puppy in the house. wow - that was a lot of work to convince the breeder we were good humans, but i kind of expected that - i wouldnt expect near that level of scrutiny from rescues, shows how little i know though.

[William]

I've done home checks for a Boxer rescue. I enjoyed doing it and so far there hasn't been anyone I wouldn't recommend. I just note certain things and mention them in my eval to help the rescue folks place the dog with the right personality into that particular home. I don't think this particular rescue is over the top in paper work or their evaluations. Pretty level headed actually.

Pound vs. Breed rescue

Keep in mind, many of the breed specific rescue dogs are taken out of shelters/pounds. Some are given up for whatever reason from the owners directly to the rescue. They would have ended up in the pound anyway had they not found the rescue. You're still helping save a dog, it's just from people who have decided to focus (for whatever reason) on specific breeds and breed mixes.

I've had great results from both.



William

[William]

Btw, One reason for the paperwork and home checks is to discourage folks who are impulsive. The main reason so many pets end up in shelters/rescue in the first place is because folks think they want a puppy/dog and run out to buy one only to discover that they are actually work and require responsibility. Then they dump them. A few hurdles isn't a bad thing, but yes, some do go bit over the top.







William

[atl001]

Careful re dogs on Craigslist, some of them are disguised puppy mills. Some posters are also not very truthful, so being able to evaluate a dog well yourself is helpful. Good luck

[Gummee]

My last dog I bought for 10 bucks from the back of a stoner's pick-up truck. Done and done.
My first dog (Gordon Setter mix) was free from a yard. Stopped based on a sign in a yard on the way back from the River at VA Tech. Great dog despite having the attention span of a gnat.

Second dog was a Border Collie that I got at a year old from an ad on CL. I knew basically what I was getting into and wanted a running (yes, I said run) partner. I was working from home, so attention wasn't something he would lack. Evidently he didn't like the (now ex-) GF and it became a choice: dog or GF. I chose incorrectly. Won't do that again!

Dog I have now was born in a barn. Mom was the ex's parents' Pyrenees and the dad was the sneaky neighbor's dog. Built like a 3/4 size Pyrenees, colored like a Corgi. Another great dog gotten on accident.

Sorry I can't help you with shelter/rescue info, but good dogs are out there.

M

[rugbysecondrow]

Somebody else mentioned this earlier, but it is worth repeating, dogs are not people and they ought not be treated as such. I really like my dogs, but I love people. I cried when my dog died but not like when a human family dies. It seems many of these people attribute more to the dog than the dog deserves. Dogs (pets) deserve affection, security, food, shelter, respect, but does this mean that it is abuse to have a dog spend lots of time outdoors? I kick my kids out of the house on the weekend, I bought a house with a big yard for a reason, for them to run and play in it. The dog is not more special than them, it can be out there as well if it is a nice day. Just as there is more than one way to raise children, there is more than one way to provide a great environment for pets.

It seems these rescues have not a vision of a bad home from which they would like to protect these dogs but rather a vision of the perfect home based on their humanized view of an animal. It is just not viable. Oddly enough, many dogs get ditched due to divorce, death, health problems or loss of job, all of which are not predictable by them, but of course they presume to know that a doggy door means something.


I will also make another point, I like the fact that many of these rescue people foster the dogs, but I also think it leads them to cherry pick people and they become too attached to the dogs. They view that there is their way and the wrong way, and so I think it leads to many of these dogs lingering in the system too long waiting for their view of the perfect owner vs. a good owner. As we all know, there are no perfect families, owners, fathers, mothers etc...faults abound.

[William]

Somebody else mentioned this earlier, but it is worth repeating, dogs are not people and they ought not be treated as such. I really like my dogs, but I love people. I cried when my dog died but not like when a human family dies. It seems many of these people attribute more to the dog than the dog deserves. Dogs (pets) deserve affection, security, food, shelter, respect, but does this mean that it is abuse to have a dog spend lots of time outdoors? I kick my kids out of the house on the weekend, I bought a house with a big yard for a reason, for them to run and play in it. The dog is not more special than them, it can be out there as well if it is a nice day. Just as there is more than one way to raise children, there is more than one way to provide a great environment for pets.

It seems these rescues have not a vision of a bad home from which they would like to protect these dogs but rather a vision of the perfect home based on their humanized view of an animal. It is just not viable. Oddly enough, many dogs get ditched due to divorce, death, health problems or loss of job, all of which are not predictable by them, but of course they presume to know that a doggy door means something.


I will also make another point, I like the fact that many of these rescue people foster the dogs, but I also think it leads them to cherry pick people and they become too attached to the dogs. They view that there is their way and the wrong way, and so I think it leads to many of these dogs lingering in the system too long waiting for their view of the perfect owner vs. a good owner. As we all know, there are no perfect families, owners, fathers, mothers etc...faults abound.

That's very true in some cases. I have a relative that views pets literally as people. It's really the person projecting a human personality to the pet. Like anything in life, there are people on the extremes, but most fall somewhere in the middle.




William

[Fixed]

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your dog .and wish you good luck in your search for another ,I know any dog will be happy with your family . Some people say that the holiday season is not the best time to get a new dog ,,I don't know
About that I think love knows no season . :)
Cheers

[malcolm]

No offense but most dog rescue people I've met are wack jobs. I'm sure most are decent people and are looking out for the welfare of animals and I hope the ones I've met are the exception rather than the rule.

I've gotten three cats and one dog from our local animal shelter over the past 10 years and while I think they do a good job and do have some vetting every animal I've gotten from them has been sick and required a fairly costly vet visit within a week of getting them. All have become good pets and loyal members of the family.

[charliedid]

Yes, it has gotten completely out of hand at this point. You need to be patient and as others have said, try smaller municipal animal control outside the largest towns. These are almost always (for various reasons) kill shelters are are far less idealistic and more rational about who they will adopt to.

Be patient and learn from these recent attempts. FWIF you may actually have to outright lie to some of them regarding your pet care. I fenced in yard with a dog house is NOT what they want to hear. They want to know that the pet is never being left unattended unless it is in a crate. If you own a home and there is not someone there all day tell them you will hire a walker once or twice a day, that you plan to do profesional training and even day-care. If they ask if you will let the dog out in the backyard (even if fenced) off leash just to pee first thing in the AM by it self tell them no.

Some "shelters' will never adopt a dog to a household that does not have a stay at home member.

It's totally nuts but some places are better and far less militant than others.

That said maybe you found http://www.petfinder.com/index.html Also ask your vet or local independent pet store that does not sell animals...

Good luck and at this point a reputable breeder might be best.

[cp43]

Rugby,

Not sure about now, but ~10 years ago the Howard County pound was very reasonable when my parents adopted a dog from them. They're pretty close to you, probably worth checking out.

Good luck,

Chris

[Jaq]

My first dog (Gordon Setter mix) was free from a yard. Stopped based on a sign in a yard on the way back from the River at VA Tech. Great dog despite having the attention span of a gnat.

Second dog was a Border Collie that I got at a year old from an ad on CL. I knew basically what I was getting into and wanted a running (yes, I said run) partner. I was working from home, so attention wasn't something he would lack. Evidently he didn't like the (now ex-) GF and it became a choice: dog or GF. I chose incorrectly. Won't do that again!

Dog I have now was born in a barn. Mom was the ex's parents' Pyrenees and the dad was the sneaky neighbor's dog. Built like a 3/4 size Pyrenees, colored like a Corgi. Another great dog gotten on accident.

Sorry I can't help you with shelter/rescue info, but good dogs are out there.

M

Years ago, a friend of mine got fixed up on a blind date. They talk on the phone and agree to meet somewhere, and she asks "how will I know you?"

"I'll have a golden retriever puppy."

The date's set, he hangs up, and rushes out and buys himself a golden retriever puppy - the first dog he's ever owned.

He goes to the park, meets her, and they hit it off and start dating. 6 months later, they break up because he's spending more time with the dog than with her.

[merlinmurph]

Btw, One reason for the paperwork and home checks is to discourage folks who are impulsive. The main reason so many pets end up in shelters/rescue in the first place is because folks think they want a puppy/dog and run out to buy one only to discover that they are actually work and require responsibility. Then they dump them. A few hurdles isn't a bad thing, but yes, some do go bit over the top.

William

+1

I was going to say exactly this, and noticed William beat me to the punch. I volunteer at a local shelter, and honestly, I have no idea what their procedure is for prospective adopters. I know they do size people up, and try to figure out why these people want a dog and are aware of what they're getting into. A LOT of people have absolutely no clue what it means to own a dog and end up being lousy owners.

As for you being rejected, well, that stinks. They seem a bit wrapped up in themselves.

I suggest taking the dog for a test drive at the shelter. Take him for a long walk, and see how he reacts to people and other dogs. A long walk is key because all the dogs are excited for the first few minutes, then they settle down. Make sure this is the dog you want.

Good luck,
Murph

[Ken Robb]

I suggest taking the dog for a test drive at the shelter. Take him for a long walk, and see how he reacts to people and other dogs. A long walk is key because all the dogs are excited for the first few minutes, then they settle down. Make sure this is the dog you want.

Good luck,
Murph

Great advice.

[verticaldoug]

We have a shelter near my daughter's winter lax dome. They always need volunteers for cleaning, walking, writing bios, screening, helping at events etc etc.

Every time I am there, I leave with an overwhelming feeling to go find some breeders and punch them in the nose. Then go find some previous owners, and punch them in the nose.

+1 on the walk. You quickly figure out what the dog's true personality is on the walk.

[bluesea]

The lowest common denominator is human ignorance and how to deal with it.

[sfscott]

Too many people take on life-long responsibilities without thinking through what is involved.

Shelters and rescues do not want to see round trippers, and making sure they evaluate the situation is a small price to pay IMO.

My wonderful mutt was surrendered to a shelter the adopted and returned shorty thereafter. It all worked out for both of us, but unfair to the dog.

If you can get to NYC look up Brooklyn Badass Dogs. They travel the country and rescue dogs from kill shelters and find good homes. Worth a look.

[DHallerman]

Too bad guide dogs are only located in California and Oregon.

Not certain what you mean by that. I know there's an organization that trains guide dogs here in the lower Hudson Valley, and they will adopt out dogs that aren't perfectly right for that demanding job.

We got very lucky one year ago. The rescue group we went through did come to our house to see the place, interview us. We were approved immediately. And then, later that day, when we met the dogs we were interested in, they said "sure, you can adopt them."

And so we did.

So I can understand your frustration.

Dave, who appreciates that this rescue group asked the needed questions but didn't get too convoluted in letting us adopt these brothers named Brady and Indy

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24440195/happy-dogs-small.jpg

[PQJ]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24440195/happy-dogs-small.jpg

Cute pooches. I love dogs. Oftentimes more than humans.

[gasman]

Not certain what you mean by that. I know there's an organization that trains guide dogs here in the lower Hudson Valley, and they will adopt out dogs that aren't perfectly right for that demanding job.

We got very lucky one year ago. The rescue group we went through did come to our house to see the place, interview us. We were approved immediately. And then, later that day, when we met the dogs we were interested in, they said "sure, you can adopt them."

And so we did.

So I can understand your frustration.

Dave, who appreciates that this rescue group asked the needed questions but didn't get too convoluted in letting us adopt these brothers named Brady and Indy

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24440195/happy-dogs-small.jpg


Great looking dogs !!

The group Guide Dogs for the Blind is an organization only in California and Oregon though there are other guide dog organizations-but i know nothing about them.
Dave who loves most every dog.

[soulspinner]

Good luck in finding the one you want. Most breeds have rescue organizations, as well as counties and some cites have pounds that have strays for adoption, pete

We went through an organization called Duffys friends and its well run by passionate people. We got a Maltie-poo(sp) and she is delightful and quite the acrobat. I still miss my Newfoundland Rufus though...................

[mister]

if you want to make it easier getting a dog then go to a shelter and rescue one. if the dog has been pulled from the shelter and is already in foster then the foster has put effort into helping the dog, they are going to make sure they adopt the dog out to who they feel is the best match.

maybe there aren't that many dogs in foster where you live? idk, but down here it's pretty easy to find dogs to rescue or adopt. sometimes the shelter here will even drop the fees to make room.

are you being real picky about what breed you are adopting? i know if i wanted a french bulldog or a bull terrier then it would be quite hard to find one around here, and yes then the vetting process might be frustrating for us. (but we like pitbulls and there are plenty of those around thanks to all the backyard breeders...:shakes head: )

we just recently adopted a puppy, we already have two dogs, wanted a puppy because one of our dogs is pretty small and we also have some chickens. i was a little worried about getting approved.
also, we had to do some research to find out any more about where the pup came from than we would've known just adopting from a shelter. the mother of our pup came from the shelter to a foster, then they realized shortly after that she was pregnant. she had 11 puppies.
i sent some emails and i was actually able to find a pic of what the mother looked like...

also slip chains...they aren't meant to choke the dog.

[1/2 Wheeler]

if you want to make it easier getting a dog then go to a shelter and rescue one. if the dog has been pulled from the shelter and is already in foster then the foster has put effort into helping the dog, they are going to make sure they adopt the dog out to who they feel is the best match.

maybe there aren't that many dogs in foster where you live? idk, but down here it's pretty easy to find dogs to rescue or adopt. sometimes the shelter here will even drop the fees to make room.

are you being real picky about what breed you are adopting? i know if i wanted a french bulldog or a bull terrier then it would be quite hard to find one around here, and yes then the vetting process might be frustrating for us. (but we like pitbulls and there are plenty of those around thanks to all the backyard breeders...:shakes head: )

we just recently adopted a puppy, we already have two dogs, wanted a puppy because one of our dogs is pretty small and we also have some chickens. i was a little worried about getting approved.
also, we had to do some research to find out any more about where the pup came from than we would've known just adopting from a shelter. the mother of our pup came from the shelter to a foster, then they realized shortly after that she was pregnant. she had 11 puppies.
i sent some emails and i was actually able to find a pic of what the mother looked like...



I don't think the OP's "rant" was in regards to dogs not being available. I think it was more in line with the over the top expectation of how many people view a dog should be treated these days.

Many, many rescue groups will not adopt out a dog to anyone that says they might leave it outside in a well fenced in yard unattended for ANY amount of time.

That is completly crazy and in my opinion is doing a disservice to the dog. I have a well fenced, 1/2 acre lot that has an abundance of wildlife activiity that keeps my dogs well entertianed. Crows and tree rats are his constant companion. He gets to bark at the mailman and any other delivery truck. When the weather is mild he would much rather be outside alone then in the house with us sitting on the floor. This time of year he does not even want to come in to sleep at night.

The prolific use of crates and retractable leashes are two of the worst things that have ever happened to domestic dogs.

...
also slip chains...they aren't meant to choke the dog.

Not sure what you mean and maybe we are in complete agreement. Slips chains are not meant to be used to choke the life out of a dog or to bully it into submission. However, that absolutly are meant to providing a "choking" force around a very tender area of the dog so that any excessive pulling by him/her has a consequence.


What I hate are the thronged, pinching chokers. For most people the reason simple chokers are not effective is because the ride down the neck to the point on the dog that is effectively the chest.

When in training mode, the standard choker needs to be directly behind the ears so that the pressure is applied to the throat. It takes minimal pressure at this location to get the dog to respond.

[Chance]

Any thoughts? Am I alone in finding this process frustrating?

Only that considering how many dogs end up on the streets maybe they need to be tougher still. My guess is that many adopted pets end up being recycled (adopted and then back on street). If cyclists in my area brought home every other loose dog they see on the roads they’d have a house full. My last dog was a find, and he was by far the best companion anyone could ever have wanted.

As to frustrating, can't comment on process specifically, but yeah, the world in general is becoming more frustrating by the day. It’s like too many people are stupid, don’t care about anything important, or else lack any common sense at all.

[jwad]

Only that considering how many dogs end up on the streets maybe they need to be tougher still. My guess is that many adopted pets end up being recycled (adopted and then back on street).

Knowing some people who operate an animal rescue, this is absolutely the case. A lot of animals that are adopted out end up back with them. Either because a family decides they cant keep/dont want the animal anymore, or because it gets picked up as a stray.

I' dont live near them anymore, so I've been looking to adopt from other places. I've definitely seen some that questionnaires that seem a little over zealous maybe. But I understand. Most of these places cant keep up with the number of animals in need of their services, and that's without any previously adopted animals returning to them.

[mister]

I don't think the OP's "rant" was in regards to dogs not being available. I think it was more in line with the over the top expectation of how many people view a dog should be treated these days.

Many, many rescue groups will not adopt out a dog to anyone that says they might leave it outside in a well fenced in yard unattended for ANY amount of time.

That is completly crazy and in my opinion is doing a disservice to the dog. I have a well fenced, 1/2 acre lot that has an abundance of wildlife activiity that keeps my dogs well entertianed. Crows and tree rats are his constant companion. He gets to bark at the mailman and any other delivery truck. When the weather is mild he would much rather be outside alone then in the house with us sitting on the floor. This time of year he does not even want to come in to sleep at night.

The prolific use of crates and retractable leashes are two of the worst things that have ever happened to domestic dogs.



Not sure what you mean and maybe we are in complete agreement. Slips chains are not meant to be used to choke the life out of a dog or to bully it into submission. However, that absolutly are meant to providing a "choking" force around a very tender area of the dog so that any excessive pulling by him/her has a consequence.


What I hate are the thronged, pinching chokers. For most people the reason simple chokers are not effective is because the ride down the neck to the point on the dog that is effectively the chest.

When in training mode, the standard choker needs to be directly behind the ears so that the pressure is applied to the throat. It takes minimal pressure at this location to get the dog to respond.

crates aren't really a problem, they aren't a punishment, just a tool.
i took one of my dogs to my brothers a while back, they have 4 dogs and after a while my dog was just plain worn out. she was so happy when we crated her and she could finally relax.
but our dogs are crate trained...even though we almost never crate them now.

yeah we are kind of in agreement on the slip chains.
they are sometimes used to apply pressure to the area right behind the ears, but the leash should be slack almost all of the time, especially if just walking the dog on leash. it's not really meant to apply a choking amount of pressure.

[1/2 Wheeler]

crates aren't really a problem, they aren't a punishment, just a tool.
i took one of my dogs to my brothers a while back, they have 4 dogs and after a while my dog was just plain worn out. she was so happy when we crated her and she could finally relax.
but our dogs are crate trained...even though we almost never crate them now.

yeah we are kind of in agreement on the slip chains.
they are sometimes used to apply pressure to the area right behind the ears, but the leash should be slack almost all of the time, especially if just walking the dog on leash. it's not really meant to apply a choking amount of pressure.


Sounds like we are in full agreement regarding both slip collars (which I will start ot use that term instead of choker) and crates.

Both are excellent tools that serve a very important purpose and a well rounded, confident dog will be able to deal with them both.

However, there should be no need for them to be used on a daily basis.

[BuddyB]

Dogs are over rated.

I suggest a Green Tree Python. :banana:

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q252/buddybuscemi/RSCN3789copy.jpg

[rugbysecondrow]

I found some decent people who got a puppy they ought not to have, so I picked up this Brittany last night, her name is Molly. They have an apartment and had the dog crated 80 % of the time, so they were happy she was going to a home with a large yard and space to play. She lacks house manners and basic obedience skills, but she is a quick study and will be a great dog. Even after only having her for 15 hours, she has already picked up some manners and improved. She wasn't socialized too much, but she is friendly, but also doesn't know how to act, luckily she is only 8 months old so with some work she will be a great dog. No aggression issues at all, which was a concern. I am lining up a spot with my dog trainer to get her in there immediately.

I agree with the notion of rescues being cautious for a reason, but I also think they are overly cautious, or maybe I should say cautious about the wrong things. For instance, one rescue has a disclaimer that it would not adopt out to any family with kids under six...why make such proclamations? I had two dogs with two kids. One of the dogs was 15 years old...it was obvious we had a long standing history with dogs and caring for them. This is the sort of critical thinking that is lacking with these groups.

Funny story, then I will end my rant, my neighbor and I were talking and somehow she mentioned a dog she saw at the local pet store which was hosting a rescue group. The dog she mentioned was the exact dog I put in for and was denied. The funny part was that the rescue group was trying to talk her into the dog, and she actually mentioned to her that a family like mine would be perfect. Again, completely independent and coincidental.

Paul

Anyway, here are the 4 legged members of the Peterson clan, the first two are the new Brittany, Molly. The other dog is Maggie, German Shepherd mix, the bottom ones shows peace temporarily being restored to the home. :)

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/IMG_5312.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/IMG_5305.jpg


http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/IMG_5316.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/IMG_5314.jpg

[mister]

nice looking dogs.
both look happy, especially the pic of maggie on the couch :)

[CunegoFan]

Dogs are over rated.

I suggest a Green Tree Python. :banana:

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q252/buddybuscemi/RSCN3789copy.jpg

That looks like the tubular version. Is there a clincher?

[morty]

We have a shelter near my daughter's winter lax dome. They always need volunteers for cleaning, walking, writing bios, screening, helping at events etc etc.

Every time I am there, I leave with an overwhelming feeling to go find some breeders and punch them in the nose. Then go find some previous owners, and punch them in the nose.

+1 on the walk. You quickly figure out what the dog's true personality is on the walk.

Not all "breeders" are the same. Unfortunately, the puppy mills and backyard breeders are all lumped in with the ethical breeders whose only goal is to better the breed and are willing to spend sizable amounts of their own money on health/temperament testing their animals, in addition to putting in the work of training and showing--none I know make any profit from it. Most breed clubs have a code of ethics each member must abide by, including a spay/neuter clause for any dogs sold as pet quality (limited AKC registration), and states that it is the responsibility of the breeder to take the dog back should the owner(s) ever become unable to care for it--for life!. The clubs also have rescue committees with volunteers to help ensure no dog is without a caring home.

It's such a complicated issue and one that has to be addressed. The number of animals euthanized every day in this country is appalling and, while there are lunatics in every organization, they are only trying to do their best so it works out for everyone involved.