Rehoming a rescue dog - thoughts please?

Fosterdog

gingertopsy wrote: »

We have always had rescue dogs. We rescue ridgebacks and you will find that any breed club worth its salt will have its own rescue branch. My sister just rescued a xbreed from an RSPCA kennels and she has had no end of trouble with it. (It has even started recently killing hedgehogs and that takes some doing) I would always go for breed rescue, they vet the dogs and suit them to your needs. Ours have always been lovely, but of course the stories given as they are handed in are for the most part worthy of Hans Christian Anderson!! Go for it, they will give you so much love.:T

I wouldn't be so quick to judge just because a rescue is for all breeds, I've known of breed rescues that are just as bad and a lot of them don't spay or neuter the dogs and actively encourage them to be bred from, have no interest in behaviour issues and offer no lifetime backup. I foster for a fantastic all breed rescue and every dog lives in a foster home and gets assessed in a range of situations before it's placed up for adoption so they know whether or not a potential home is suitable.
I'm not saying all breed rescues are bad, the rescue I foster for does quite often ask for help from breed rescues as they can be better to help find homes for a certain dog but they're not good just because they run a breed rescue it's the ethics they work to that make them good and it's the same for rescues for all breeds.

mountainofdebt

Well sadly I've sadly I've resigned myself to the fact that if I wanted another dog, no rescue would touch me as our present dog hasn't been neutered.....though if anyone knows of one that would could they let me know.

JennyW_2

ariba10 wrote: »

The only problem I would have is. Why do they need rehoming?

If it is due to the ill health or death of the previous owner. then yes.

If it is due to is behaviour due to poor training when young. then no.

it's attitudes like this that give rescue dogs a bad name.

Reputable rescues will assess all the dogs that come into their centres, ie Battersea, Dogstrust etc and if you look at the Dogstrust website, they have dogs that they cannot home due to issues such as aggression/fear. However what we must remember is that dogs do not wake up one morning and decide they are going to be difficult or aggresive, they end up like this because of cruelty, bad ownership.

Most of the dogs in rescue centres are there because they are not wanted or people hadn't realised what hard work they are and the commitments which need to be made.

Dog ownership is a priviledge, not a right and owning a dog is a big commitment but it is also so fulfilling.

ALL my dogs have come from rescue centres and I would never change any of them. I would never buy a pup purely because there are thousands of beautiful dogs needing homes and love and just need a chance with someone who really understands and cares.

Plus dogs need training and guidance and this applies to all dogs whether they come from rescues or come to you as a pup from a breeder - they don't come ready made with instructions or know what to do.

OP - good luck with your rehoming. Dogstrust have many homes around the UK so perhaps that would be a good starting point - check out their website.

Greyhounds also make great pets - couch potatoes too

JennyW_2

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Well sadly I've sadly I've resigned myself to the fact that if I wanted another dog, no rescue would touch me as our present dog hasn't been neutered.....though if anyone knows of one that would could they let me know.

they wont because they are being responsible and stopping any potential breeding

duchy

ariba10 wrote: »

The only problem I would have is. Why do they need rehoming?

If it is due to the ill health or death of the previous owner. then yes.

If it is due to is behaviour due to poor training when young. then no.

Bit like people really

Friend of mine was widowed and was adament he was looking for a woman who was also widowed as he felt he didn't want a woman "damaged" by divorce..............Three years on he and his new wife (previously divorced) are very very happy.

Just like people animals are all different -one size doesn't fit all.

Caroline_a

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Well sadly I've sadly I've resigned myself to the fact that if I wanted another dog, no rescue would touch me as our present dog hasn't been neutered.....though if anyone knows of one that would could they let me know.

Why not? You're not a breeder are you?

krlyr

Caroline_a wrote: »

Why not? You're not a breeder are you?

There are numerous health or behavioural reasons why an animal might not be neutered. An allergy to aneasthetic, for example, can rule out any non-life-threatening surgeries, ditto to a heart or lung condition that makes surgery very risky.
A nervous male dog may not benefit from neutering as the removal of the testosterone can worsen nervous behaviour. Neutering could be ill-advised in a dog that shows signs of nervous behaviour to the point of being snappy - neutering could push it to a dog that bites.
I know of a female dog with behavioural issues that actually gets more relaxed during her season, so the owner has decided not to spay her because they are concerned that there may be a permanent negative affect on her behaviour.
Also, large and giant breed dogs may benefit from neutering later in life - even beyond the 1 year mark.
There are also health downsides to neutering - while it may eliminate the risk of testicular cancer, it can increase the chances of others, I think prostate is one.
Owning an entire dog doesn't make you a breeder - if I was to adopt an entire dog and not be on a strict neutering contract from the rescue, I would have to think long and hard about whether it would benefit the dog to be neutered, and would judge it on an individual basis dependant on that particular dog.

Caroline_a

Although I agree with not neutering too young, my GSD was neutered at 18 months, and my Spin will be done at a similar age, I'm sorry I think that unless a vet has recommended that a dog should not be neutered then it is rare that dogs should be left entire. You cite the allergy to anaesthetics as one - I know of a dog that developed a serious womb infection that had not been previously neutered due to an allergy. It was operate or the dog would die. They operated, took the appropriate care afterwards, and the dog survived and got a whole new lease of life!

I would say that many dogs are left entire due to the pathetic excuses that 'my husband doesn't want to have him done' or 'one litter is good for them' which unfortunately still are doing the rounds. You don't see this with horses, most male horses are gelded, so why for male dogs?

krlyr

But we don't know what the reason is, I think it's commendable that mountainofdebt is at least open to the idea of a rescue dog if they could find a rescue that would rehome to them, so I'm hesistant to assume the worst about someone like that.
I'm glad that the dog with the allergy survived, but how would you feel knowing your dog had an allergy to anaesthetic, you decided to have them neutered and lost them during a routine, and technically non-essential, surgery? Especially in a male where pyometra is not a risk. I have heard of dogs dying during neutering so it's not unimaginable.

Edit: mountainofdebt actually posted late last year asking whether neutering was only for health benefits or not as they were considering a second dog and wouldn't want the female to get pregnant, so interesting that they're now being accused of being a breeder, or not having it done for "pathetic reasons"!

Darren_G

I would highly recommend Dogs Trust as the best place to rehome a dog, as they are committed to getting the best match of dog to family and have no hidden agendas or reasons to hide anything from you. Of course, some dogs have very little history with them if abandoned, but they are assessed medically and behaviourally.

It sounds like you are a perfect candidate for offering a home to a dog, though they will check out your lifestyle and do a home visit to make sure everything is ok and ready for the dog once you have found the right one.

Dogs Trust dogs come chipped, neutered and up to date on flea/worming and vaccinations. You also get support in terms of advice from their resident behaviourist/trainer if needed.

I rehomed Harley in 2008 and have had absolutely no problems with him - in fact, I don't think I could have another after him, as he is (almost!) perfect. He was given up by his previous owner, who was going into sheltered housing which could not accomodate pets.

Your best course of action is to visit a centre and register your details with them to get things started - the dogs 'on display' are not the only ones there. When we got Harley, he had just come in, and we were contacted because he was a match for us and did we want to meet him. Just over a week later he was home with us.