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Reasons to Choose a Rescue Dog
Those of us who volunteer in rescue all have
at least one rescue dog, and we know what terrific pets they can be! Here are
some reasons to consider a rescue dog, rather than buying a puppy, if you are
ready to add a dog to your family.
You’re not starting from scratch.
When you buy a puppy, you’re essentially bringing an infant into your home…a
completely untrained, unsocialized little critter who thinks the crate you
bought for him is a jail (and who cries to get out…at 3 AM!), the newspaper you
put down for him to squat on is a wonderful toy to be shredded, your new shoes
are much tastier than rawhide, and your best carpet is an excellent substitute
for grass when nature calls! Because rescue dogs spend time in foster homes
before they are adopted, they come to you with at least some social
skills and some degree of housebreaking!
Training is easier.
Whatever additional training needs to be done with a rescue dog will be much
easier than training a puppy. It’s like the difference between training a
one-year-old child and an eight-year-old. Dogs who have been around for a while
just “get it” faster than puppies-especially housebreaking!
The bond is strong.
Dogs who have not gotten off to the best possible start in life-who have been
neglected or even abused-tend to be very loyal and affectionate. Remember that
dogs are pack animals, and they take their treatment by the “pack”-their owners
and families-very much to heart. A dog that has been neglected or abandoned once
is usually eager to become part of a loving pack, where she feels safe and
secure, and is likely to act accordingly. We find that rescue dogs are generally
eager to please their new owners. Puppy mill rescues often want to be in your
lap at all times and will follow you from room to room, just to be near you.
Fewer vet fees.
Rescue dogs have had physical examinations, have been spayed or neutered, have
been tested for heartworm, and are up to date on shots. When you buy a puppy,
you pay for the dog AND for puppy shots, spaying or neutering, and any other
basic medical expenses.
What you see is what you get.
When you buy a puppy, you can never really be sure what type of dog
you’re going to get. All puppies are cute and playful, but their adult
personalities aren’t visible until they’re about two years old. So you don’t
know whether you’re getting a dog who wants to play all the time (ALL the time!)
or a couch potato. When you rescue a dog, you know what the dog’s personality is
like and whether it fits with what you want in a dog companion. You also know,
in advance, about any problem areas the new owner will have to address.
It teaches your children good values.
Face it-we live in an extremely materialistic society, in which TV teaches kids
that everything can be bought, that they should get their parents to buy them
everything, and that anything worth having costs a lot of money. Adopting a
rescue dog for your family presents a wonderful opportunity to teach your
children basic values of compassion and caring, and also about the value of
second chances.
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