Adopting a rescue dog can be a very different experience to taking in a brand new pedigree puppy straight from a breeder. With any adoption you are of course making a significant commitment to provide a loving, nurturing environment – whether that is a rescue dog or a puppy from a breeder – but rescues potentially come with additional challenges that need consideration. Some of these dogs may never have had experience of living in a home, walking on a lead, having people treat them with kindness, plentiful food, etc – these factors can lead to behavioural issues which may take that bit more time and patience to work through.
Although this path can be challenging the rewards of adopting a rescue dog and seeing the incredible difference the right home environment, time, patience and love can make is truly incredible and a feeling like no other!
Please take the time to research and consider the type of dog which you can provide the right environment and lifestyle for – it is essential for a positive outcome and the right match.
If you decide to adopt a rescue dog with us we will support you every step of the way and work with you to understand your home and lifestyle, level of experience to ensure we make the right match.
We find the following verses really helpful in thinking about things from a rescue dog’s perspective:
Some things I would just like to tell you.
Some of us have never lived in a house, we have never heard household noises like the washing machine, the bleep of the microwave, the Television, the vacuum cleaner, a door bell etc etc so on hearing them we may be frightened, we may bolt through the door!
You see some of us are born on Gypsy camps, military bases, work yards, a ditch at the side of the road, on the River Banks etc etc
We haven’t had bowls of food put down for us, we just have to go through bins and hope someone has left some food.
We haven’t been house trained because we haven’t been in a house.
We haven’t been for a nice walk on a lead.
We haven’t been cuddled and stroked by a kind hand…..A LOT OF US KNOW A HAND AS SOMETHING THAT HURTS YOU 😭
Most of us know what pain is as we have been hit or kicked or intentionally hit by cars or had our ears and tails cut off.
SO YOU SEE WHEN WE COME TO YOU WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN
AND THE FIRST THING IS TRUST.
Why should we trust you, we don’t know you.
We don’t know your hand is a kind hand.
We don’t know your other pet dog is friendly.
We don’t know your other dog is not going to pinch our food.
We don’t know that these noisy items in your house are not going to hurt us.
We don’t know that all these people that want to come and visit me are kind.
We don’t know that the cars in the street you are trying to walk me in are not going to drive at me.
I DON’T KNOW YOU OR YOUR HOME OR YOUR OTHER HOUSEHOLD PETS SO PLEASE GIVE ME TIME 🙏
Put a lead and harness on me when I’m out in case I try to bolt from something that frightens me 😭
Introduce me to your other pets very slowly for theirs and my sake.
Make sure when you answer your front door that I’m safe and can’t run out past you.
When you stroke me start gently under my chin, don’t bring your hand down on top of my head because the people that hit me did that.
GIVE ME TIME
BE PATIENT
AND LOVE ME 🥰 THAT’S ALL I ASK
Final Stop Rescue C.I.C. 