Would you get a dog from a dog rescue centre?

Person_one

GwylimT wrote: »

Our current dog is my seventh dog, all of my others have been allowed off the lead, but all have been recalled as soon as another dog is in sight as unfortunately a lot of dog owners find it acceptable to allow their dogs to approach other dogs while not under direct control. Dogs are also unpredictable, I would never allow a dog to be off a lead anywhere near a road as I would never risk my dogs life for the sake of letting them off the lead.

When did your dogs get to socialise and play with others? That's so important.

krlyr

chucknorris wrote: »

I'm with you regarding off lead, I just wouldn't think that my dog is getting enough out of life on a lead, he comes jogging and cycling with me all the time off lead.

I actually started running because of the dogs - we moved away from the lovely empty field they used to get their off-lead exercise in each day, and had to be restricted to leads and longlines. Despite being mega unfit (couldn't run for a bus!), I decided to do the C25K running plan with them so they had a chance to stretch their legs. They were attached to me by a double ended lead, giving them about 4' of lead, and I'd pay attention and let them stop for a pee etc. if needed - but we soon learnt each others pace and seemed to run quite comfortably together.

I did also buy an attachment for a bike to take them cycling, though never got around to it and with Kiki's shoulder I'd probably not bother just to be on the safeside. I am having a physio come and visit to see if we can restart the running though

I do have the benefit of a 130' long garden though - one of the reasons we picked this house to be honest! - so my two get plenty of sprinting without even leaving home. I do keep my eyes peeled for safe places to let them off - beach worked OK, though it's not something we can do regularly, I'm hoping this field for hire will dry out soon so we can give it a try!

lostinrates

krlyr wrote: »

I actually started running because of the dogs - we moved away from the lovely empty field they used to get their off-lead exercise in each day, and had to be restricted to leads and longlines. Despite being mega unfit (couldn't run for a bus!), I decided to do the C25K running plan with them so they had a chance to stretch their legs. They were attached to me by a double ended lead, giving them about 4' of lead, and I'd pay attention and let them stop for a pee etc. if needed - but we soon learnt each others pace and seemed to run quite comfortably together.

I did also buy an attachment for a bike to take them cycling, though never got around to it and with Kiki's shoulder I'd probably not bother just to be on the safeside. I am having a physio come and visit to see if we can restart the running though

I do have the benefit of a 130' long garden though - one of the reasons we picked this house to be honest! - so my two get plenty of sprinting without even leaving home. I do keep my eyes peeled for safe places to let them off - beach worked OK, though it's not something we can do regularly, I'm hoping this field for hire will dry out soon so we can give it a try!

We have our land and our neighbours, in total a few hundred acres, to roam around. I still have to say that mine get more tired out and stimulated by a much shorter walk on varied territory with socialising. Its regrettable that other people (not usually their dogs) makes this an increasingly difficult thing to offer my dogs.

I am sure my dogs physical needs are met by what we provide at home, but we don't meet new dogs even weekly at the moment, though they meet old friends weekly, and those are the days they nap most soundly during the day after the morning walk!

GBNI

My youngest dog is a rescue dog and contrary to what ariba10 thinks, the reason she ended up in rescue was due to her owner getting a job on the mainland and not being able to take her. He had rescued her own someone who was abusing her. She is a lab x rottie cross and he begged the rescue to take her (waiting list is months long) as he thought if she went to a pound she end up being PTS due to her having rottie in her.

My OH happened to have called into the rescue centre as the guy was handing the dog in. Jess decided she was going home with my OH whether he liked it or not so she was handed in on the Tuesday, OH spent time with her on the Tuesday and Wednesday (they were closed Thursday as it was 12th July and we get a holiday for it ) and I met her on the Friday for the first time. She came home with us on the Saturday.

She is socially awkward as she is scared of dogs bigger than her, but fine with smaller dogs. She can be let off a lead, she has basic training and is the most soppiest dog I know! She loves nothing more than a cuddle. She's the only dog I know that physically leans in as if hugging you back.

Sometimes though, she has what I can only describe as little flashbacks to when she suffered abuse. You can't move too quickly around her or she panics. She is terrified of brooms, but we are working on this I bring her to the yard while I'm working the horse.

As for name changing, she was originally called Tess but my schnauzer (who I've had from a puppy and is now 12) is called Tess so we just named her Jess which suits her more! Her nickname is 'Smoosh' as she pulls a really funny smooshy face when she's happy

Honestly, if I ever get another dog a rescue will be my first port of call. I can't be bothered with puppies to be honest. Yes, they are cute and fun but I don't have the patience for them lol OH's brother recently got a pup and as lovely as she is, she just reminds me hat i wouldn't want another.

mummynorth

Hi there!

My parents rescued dogs a lot when I was growing up and I have to say that mostly they were always really good. Sometimes we fostered them and a couple of times we kept them.

It's very hard work and you are always dealing with a background you know nothing about. So when it comes to young puppies or in fact any dog from a rescue centre, you have to be willing to put in the time to train / retrain them.

Some dogs are brilliant and rescue centres will pay vet bills for example for dogs that are over seven.

If you have a young child then it's harder to adopt an older dog so in this case I'd recommend a puppy because they will setter much better.

Some people don't realise the demands of adopting a dog but it's definitely something you get joy from if you put in the time.

Sadly some dogs do get put down if they don't get rehomed so that's another reason to consider it of course!

Buying a dog is just as tough though. Breeders are very clever at making puppies look like they have been home reared, when they haven't and often these pups can be bad because they have not been around people much.

If you buy - do it via recommendation and if at all possible, try and find a family that have bred their dog and that will allow you access to the mum and the dad in a real home environment.

Don't ever buy from a breeder unless you have checked everything!

Good luck and hope you enjoy your K9 whether adopted or a new pup! Absolutely love dogs!

Person_one

GBNI wrote: »

My youngest dog is a rescue dog and contrary to what ariba10 thinks, the reason she ended up in rescue was due to her owner getting a job on the mainland and not being able to take her.

See, this is where I'm clearly very uncharitable towards my fellow humans. I bet he could have found a way, if it had really mattered to him.

Any job that meant giving up my dogs would be a job I'd be turning down.

GBNI

Person_one wrote: »

See, this is where I'm clearly very uncharitable towards my fellow humans. I bet he could have found a way, if it had really mattered to him.

Any job that meant giving up my dogs would be a job I'd be turning down.

I suppose unless you're in such a dire situation yourself you don't know how you'd react. I don't know the ins and outs of it obviously, but I do know he was heartbroken to give her up.

Person_one

GBNI wrote: »

I suppose unless you're in such a dire situation yourself you don't know how you'd react. I don't know the ins and outs of it obviously, but I do know he was heartbroken to give her up.

I'm sure there are rare cases where there is genuinely no other option and people who desperately want to keep their dogs are forced to give them up.

The previous owners of my dogs acted as though they were devastated to let them go, tears, long goodbyes, pleas for photos, but actually they'd been neglecting them for months or even years and I had to sort out the mess they'd made, physically and psychologically.

alleycat`

gettingready wrote: »

Good for you for considering a rescue dog...

Bit worried here though:



exercise 2+ hours per day is pretty normal for any dog so you need to be prepared for that

Disagree.

You try walking a greyhound for 2 hours.
It won't like it at all.

I imagine there are lots of smaller breeds that are the same.

If you've got a secure field and 20 to 30 minutes, twice a day then they'll sleep most of the rest of the day (greyhounds that is).

Lazy dogs but lovely with it

SeaLion_2

krlyr wrote: »

You may want that, I would rather my dogs were confined to longlines for the rest of their life than use methods like those she used. The dominance theory is outdated, disproved and likely to do more damage than help longterm. I don't want my dog to stay by me because it's terrified to do anything else.

Mine have been able to be off-lead in the past, but circumstances have changed that. Less secure areas (e.g. field leads onto a busy road) make the small risk of one of them darting after a rabbit more dangerous, health issues have caused Kiki to become anxious around other dogs, an injury has meant I haven't been able to provide another outlet for her prey drive (one good way to deal with prey drive is to redirect, e.g. onto a toy - but as dashing and darting around would aggravate her shoulder condition, I have had to avoid it, and therefore she would be more likely to direct that drive onto the environment). I'm actually enquiring into a local field for hire to provide them with some off-lead time, now her shoulder is healed enough for that, though it's currently flooded so having to wait for it to clear.

Dog behaviour is not rigid. You can't say every dog can be trained to be off-lead in every circumstance, and that failing to do so is because of a lack of training. Some breeds will just have a much higher drive than others - for example, Greyhounds, especially ex-racing ones, will have a high drive to chase because it's what they were bred for. This means fields with rabbits, or parks where small dogs may appear on the horizon and get mistaken for prey, could be too risky. A Terrier may be fine in a park, but a nightmare in woodland where it could bolt down a badger hole for example and get stuck. A waterloving Labrador may become far too tempted to leap in the pond at the local park to try to fetch a duck.

Every environment has different distractions, and although you can try to proof your dog to every distraction, there may be some that are just far more self-rewarding than you could be, and that's where management in the form of a lead or longline come in handy.

Too true. Mine isn't even interested in food outside the home, as everything else is still far too interesting.

So although we've got Good Citizen Bronze, he can't go off the lead when we're out walkies because he will just make a bee line for any dog he can see. The ears are switched off, all power to the forward sensors Scottie!