If You Adopt....

If you opt to adopt a pet...First..Thank you! Second...please be aware of what you are doing. In recent weeks the Rescue Organizations that I follow and support have had several pets returned. Some within days....some much longer. 

Please understand that rescued pets need the time, patience and training to learn to be a part of a family. Rescue dogs have sometimes never been inside a building, have never known love or even care at all, some have never known where their next meal would come from, some have had to fight other animals to stay alive, some have had to growl or snarl to scare off evil people trying to hurt them, some have known nothing but pain from untreated injuries or illnesses. When you "adopt" a rescued pet you need to try to understand why they are acting the way they are, why they protect their food, their bed, their toys, why they growl or run away from you.......why they dig or chew or jump. 

I have a dog that I rescued 7 years ago, she is the sweetest dog alive, she still flinches if you come up on her too quickly and is terrified of loud noises. 

                                             Sadie - adopted 2006

I have another one that after 6 years still hates to walk on a leash. He was "untrainable." He is now the best behaved dog I have ever had.

                                                  Tank - adopted 2006

 My most recent....the world's worst dog. He had been returned to the shelter before we got him. I saw his face two days before Christmas and said that is our dog. In the first three days, he chewed 7 pairs of shoes, ate 3 loaves of bread (bag and all) off the counter, chased the cat, chewed a table leg and dug to China in my yard. He escaped my fence every time I turned my head, running merrily down the street with us chasing him.  He would sit on the couch and bark (loud) for no apparent reason. He was the world's worst dog. I must have said 45 times, "this dog has to go". My kids laughed at me. "yea right Mom."

                                                Boss - Adopted 12/2012


Fast forward 5 months...a lot of patience, a few more lost shoes, and some consistent training. The worst dog in the world is on the way to being the best dog in the world. He still escapes once in awhile and sits on the couch and barks for no reason (I think he is happy and wants to tell everyone) and I catch him with a shoe now and then (he drops it as soon as he sees me) but we love his huge happy self. My "this dog has to go" comments have all but stopped. 

Have some compassion, some patience and give them the time, love and training they need to understand what you want and expect from them. When you adopt a dog and then give up within a few days or a few weeks you are missing out on what could be a wonderful companion, protector, entertainer and friend. 

I know it is easier to just call the shelter and dump the dog back there and go on with your life. Stop for a minute and think about what you are doing to that dog? The poor soul who has feelings, who felt loved and had a real "home" for such a short time. The one who has no idea what he/she did wrong because YOU never showed them what you wanted them to do. IF you have doubts, don't do it. 

If you do and stick with it....thank you. 

Thank you to Second Chance Rescue for contributing to this post (and for giving me the worst dog in the world)