Dog advice

~daisy~_2

waiting for a home check

hethmar

Good luck.

lipsthefish

I'll ask now just so you are prepared when you find a doggy to own you - we need photos :rotfl:

~daisy~_2

*update - sunday 1.30 homecheck - bit scared !!

any pointers or tips on ''correct answers'' would be appriciated

and will do lipsthefish

rising_from_the_ashes

Best of luck with the home check / search for the pooch .....

Brilliant advice already given but I would add that some dogs can struggle on laminate ......

krlyr

Just be yourself! Remember, it's not an exam or anything, there's no set pass/fail criteria, they just want to meet you face to face and get an idea of your knowledge/experience with dogs, your attitude towards dog ownership, and check what stuff is really unchangable. If your fence is too short, you can build it higher, but if your garden backs onto a farm full of sheep, they may think twice about homing a high preydrive dog to you (but will probably suggest something a bit more well suited)
I would say
- don't worry about having a showroom of a house. You can be too tidy - a rescue may be wary about homing to an absolutely immaculate house incase you're not prepared for the muck a dog brings along with it (but they will understand that most people tidy up more than usual for a homecheck too!)
- remember that the homechecker is likely to be a dog lover too, might help you relax to remember that
- some rescues will have volunteer homecheckers who aren't part of the rescue, they just fill in a set questionnaire provided to them, so if they don't give you an answer straight away, don't blame them - they just have to take down the information, the decision is in the rescue's hands
- don't take it personally if you get rejected. It may be that your home doesn't meet the criteria for a specific dog you're interested in, or just doesn't fit that rescue's criteria - pick yourself up and try another. E.g. some rescues really won't flex on some rules, like a 6' fencing rule (the one I went to wouldn't), but that doesn't mean to say another rescue won't home to you with 4' fencing
- if they turn you down, ask why - some reasons can seem ridiculous but it might make you feel better to know why, or what you can change for next time

~daisy~_2

thanks more excellent advice - will take on board

Wellyboots6

When I had the homecheck for my pup, it was a volunteer.

She said my fence needed increasing as at one point it is only 3ft. I agreed to get it done, but then a suitable dog became available before I had time to do it. Went to see him and he ended up coming home with me Let him out in the garden and he promptly scaled the 6ft part of the fence and tanked off! (Eventually got him back after chasing him through various peoples back gardens, whilst wearing my slippers!)

Never have bothered getting the 3ft bit increased, he seems to prefer the challenge of getting over the 6ft bit!

The homechecker looked around the garden and she wasn't bothered about the size as she was happy with how often I would walk him. She asked about where he would sleep, would he be allowed upstairs, do I have any dogs, cats, children etc that come round regularly or that I would go and visit, do I have the money to pay for vets bills, would he be left at home alone, have I owned dogs before etc.

There weren't any right or wrong answers. The form went back to the rescue and then based on my answers they found a dog that was suitable for me.

And they got it right on, couldn't have asked for a nicer boy

~daisy~_2

thanks for the reassurance Katy

Wellyboots6

See it as a chance to assess the rescue too (if the homechecker works for the rescue). If they don't seem very thorough then question whether they will have enough information to match you up with a suitable dog. See what sort of post-adoption support they offer. Can you call them for advice if you have any problems?

Good luck, can't wait to see pictures of your new pup