Two of my dogs are rescue dogs, one from the local pound and the other from an online pet finder site. Both my dogs are my best friends, and I couldn’t be happier. Not only did I save them from some worse fate for which they are very grateful, but I have gained two sometimes quirky, but always adorable members of the family.
I got Tana over 7 years ago from the local pound when she was about a year old. I camped out at the pound a couple of hours before it opened on the day she was to be adoptable. I had visited her three times before she was released and knew she was the dog for me. Once home she fit right in and seemed perfectly at home.
I traveled 3 hours to pick up Emma. To this day she loves the car, and I think that is probably part of the reason why. Emma was 6 weeks when we brought her home. Tana was great with her during her puppy days. Kind, gentle but kept her in her place when she got to be a little too puppy.
I think rescue dogs are the best dogs. They seem to know they were rescued and have just a little more appreciation than other dogs. They are usually a good mix of breeds which is a good thing, balancing out bad behaviors and traits of pure breds. You know you’re doing a good thing when you rescue a dog, one more dog has a happy home to belong to.
Some people seem to think getting a rescue dog is like buying a used car, not as good as a new model. That’s just wrong. Most dogs that end up in shelters are not bad dogs, they just had bad parents. Okay, that’s a little mean, but most rescue dogs are good dogs with parents that can’t keep them because they don’t have time for them, can’t afford them, have children, move or have some kind of life changing event that all of a sudden doesn’t include a dog.
Rescue dogs make great pets. You know what your getting if you adopt an older dog. With a puppy, you’re not sure how they’ll turn out. Often times training is easier, one because they’re older and two, they may have already received some training from their previous owners. Tana was fully house trained when I got her, just one less thing to worry about when you bring home a new dog. Rescue dogs often have had some form of neglect and it has been shown that neglected dogs yearn to be accepted as part of the pack and act accordingly. Rescue dogs love more, it’s as simple as that.
If you’re looking for a dog, check out your local animal shelters first, you may just find the perfect pet to join your family.
Do you have a rescue dog? Please share your thoughts and experiences with your special dog. I’d love to hear your stories.
