Adopting a dog - tips

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Hello all,

I recently went through a rough patch and what I found was that my parents' dog really made a difference. Taking care of him and going for walks was really therapeutic and now that I managed to get my life in order I am thinking of adopting a dog from a shelter around spring/summer time. Does anyone have any tips on how to prepare or choose a dog?

I live quite rurally and there is a good chance I will be allowed to bring him with me to work.
Thanks

The first thing to do is to consider your lifestyle and what type of dog would be best suited for it. Some of the big things to look at are:

Will you be able to give the dog enough exercise (Some breeds need to be more active than others)?

Do you have the finances to handle vet bills?

Will you be able to give the dog all of the attention it deserves?

Check around your house to see if there are any poisonous plants that could hurt the dog. This is especially important since you live in a rural setting.

Once you go to the shelter and find one you like make sure to ask what breeds it is and do some digging on the internet to see what sort of genetic/psychological problems are common to the breeds. Mutts usually have more even tempered personalities and less overall health issues than purebreds but not always. Also make sure to ask about the dog's personality and if the shelter workers have noticed any issues the dog might have.

Be ready to potentially have to switch foods if the one you've got them is not working out. The first time I tried that Blue Buffalo crap and it didn't agree with my dog's stomach at all despite the fact that he loved it.

And of course once you have the dog picked out look at getting it a few toys.

Sheepdogs or other herding dogs are really sharp & friendly. A few folks I know also have pitbulls and they're actually even nicer than kittens as long as they're raised properly.

Nist is of course right about mutts though.

Thanks a lot, that's very helpful.

Plus, Nist, that's a very cute picture you've got there.

Thanks, he's not mine unfortunately. He's a puppy from a puppy mill that was at the local Humane Society that I took pictures of before he got sent off for things like surgery for his pink eye. That particular breed can easily fetch over $1500 for adoption and I wasn't about to pay that much considering I have my own dog at home already.

I work as a dog trainer at our little local shelter, so perhaps I can offer some tips in selecting a dog. First off, whether purebred or mixed breed doesn't really matter. What matters is the individual dog's socialization history. And mostly in the shelter you're going to find mixed breeds anyway. Their socialization will vary widely...some have been well-handled as pups & others have just been ignored in the yard, left to raise themselves. Still others have been isolated from their mothers & litter mates very early (6 weeks) & never learn some very basic canine manners such a bite inhibition. And that can be very hard to correct later, so not a good choice for a first dog.

For your first dog, I would recommend an adult (4+years), not a puppy. With an adult, you'll have a much clearer idea of the dog's temperament & you'll skip the potentially destructive stage which can last a couple of years depending on the breed-type. Puppies are cute, but unless you have a lot of time & invest a lot of energy, all that youthful energy can turn into some VERY bad habits. Adolescent dogs have the highest rate of return to the shelter because they have way too much energy & curiosity for most working people...those cute little puppies become rowdy teenagers & that can last 2-3 years.

Make a list of the qualities you would like in a dog...athletic? couch potato? size? long or short hair? If you don't have a lot of experience with a wide variety of dogs, you might benefit from volunteering at the shelter to learn more about the various personalities, energy levels, & potential problem areas.

Do an honest self-evaluation...how's your anger management? If it's not so good, then don't get a shy or timid dog. Do you want to hug the dog a lot? Most dogs aren't really all that wild about hugging, so learn how to tell when a dog enjoys it. I have 3 dogs, only one likes a lot of close physical contact. The others will lie next to me, but get uncomfortable if I put my arm around them.

Do you have a secure yard to keep the dog in? I also live in the country & loose dogs get into trouble & get shot, hit by cars & poisoned. Don't be thinking you'll let your dog run loose. It's your job to keep them safe & to prevent them from being a nuisance for the neighbors.

I have had both hunting dog breeds (Irish Setter, Labrador x Golden Retriever, Shorthair Pointer x English Spaniel), toy breeds (cock-a-poo, Silky Terriers) & currently 3 pitbull mixes. I find the hunting breed generally easier to work with, the toy breeds easier to travel with, & the pitbull terriers a challenge but the clowns of the bunch. Pits also tend to like more hugging, but that's still an individual thing. Because they are large terriers, which are bred to go after things, they can have a very strong prey drive, hunt & kill instinct, towards other animals but they (generally) are also VERY clear about the difference between your neighbor's cat & your neighbor.

Also, don't buy the dominance training paradigm. There are a lot of great positive reinforcement training resources on the web, beginning with clickertraining.com, Patricia McConnell's blog & books, & on YouTube: kikopup (Emily is an amazing trainer!), Donna Hill, eileenanddogs, & Domesticated Manners. Your time would be well spent in learning the subtle signs of canine communication...tongue flicks, look aways, tail position, etc. Again, there are some good videos on YouTube to help with that.

And be very careful about what you take away from a certain TV celebrity trainer. While he has some good info, he's about dominance training & that doesn't give the kind of happy, joyful, creative companion I think you want, & can cause some real behavior problems. I grew up old school dominance, have made the transition, & my dog's responsiveness & joy have increased immeasurably! They are no longer robots, but partners.

Great tips.

Just to explain my situation a bit: I live in the UK, reasonably rural in a small village. I have a garden, fully fenced off and loads of fields to walk for longer trips. When the evenings are dark I tend to only go walking during the weekends. I am not very sporty so I'm looking for a medium-med/large dog with which I can walk but who I can still take with me when I visit family on the continent.

I like to sit on the floor and pet dogs, but hugs are not mandatory. I think the personality of a dog will be more important than its looks but there are a few breeds that would be a definite no for me and a few I absolutely adore. Mutts are not a problem at all but I think I am looking for a quiet, calm dog so I think an adult dog will be a good choice.

I have looked around local shelter websites and was wondering if people would advise against or for shar pei or border collie breeds or cross breeds. I find these absolutely adorable. (As well as Bernese mountain dogs but have not come across any on these websites)

Of the two breeds you mention, Border Collies & BC mixes tend to be very energy intensive. They were bred to work all day & they still need that. If they don't have enough to occupy their minds, they often develop a lot of behavior problems. The Bernese Mountain Dog has a mellower disposition. Sharpeis have scratchy coats, & more variable dispositions, tho' leaning towards the easier going. But the coats feel like brillo pads!

What are the most common breeds in your area?

As a Humane Society volunteer i get to interface with a lot of different dogs. Most of ours are mix breeds of some kind and pit bull/pit bull mixes. It usually takes a long time to get a pit bull adopted. We had a pit/boxer mix that it took over a year to adopt out. I've adopted two pit bulls from shelters and have found them to be very loving and affectionate and neither have been dog aggressive like pits are allegedly notorious for.

Find a shelter that will allow you to interact with the dog outside of the kennel. At the HS we have interaction areas for prospective dog adopters and the dog they are interested in to be together. Don't expect a dog to bond with you automatically. A lot of shelter dogs have been through the wringer at the hands of people in their pasts and are not very trusting. It can take time to build trust. Maybe a lot of time but it's worth it.
As others have said, an adult dog (3-4+) years is usually best unless you have the time and patience to deal with a younger and more rambunctious dog. This is, however, generalization since some younger dogs are very calm. It get's back to taking time to interact with the dog you are interested in.

Keep in mind that dogs, like people, get old and need more care. My female pit bull died two years ago and for the last two years of her life she had to be given Deramaxx every day for her arthritis at $67 for a month's supply in addition to supplements that she'd been on for the same condition for five years even before that.

I think there may be a problem with adopting pitbulls in GB...as in illegal. Some or all of GB has BSL against pit bulls.

Excellent point about future expenses. Starting a savings account for the dog can really help with that. $20/month can mount up & then routine & emergency expenses won't take such a big hit on the regular budget.