Adopting a Rescue Dog

As you may know, I adopted a sweet little sir into my life a few years ago and I love him unconditionally. I figured I would write a post to share my adoption journey and give you some tips/tricks/insight into adopting a rescue dog.

First things first … Do your homework!! In other words, make sure that you are ready for this responsibility. Read that sentence again, and again … one more time just for good luck. Perfect. Now that you’ve got that memorized, take a deep breath and accept that you will never be “100% ready”. Just like with any new venture, you can never be COMPLETELY ready for what this new journey is going to throw at you but you should do your research and be prepared. Personally, I thought I was ready, I mean, I already had a dog growing up...but I wasn’t as ready as I assumed myself to be. I started looking into adopting a rescue dog and fell in love with my soon-to-be fur baby right away (he was listed as 'Rango' at the time). He was a two-year-old boxer mix. I figured … two years old is perfect because he will be over the “puppy stages” (HA HA HA) and I had previously had a boxer so was very used to their hyper and sucky ways. Turns out, he is not quite the breed I thought, AND he is definitely still in his puppy stages (young at heart, ya know) RIP to my seat belts. I had been back and forth with Marcela from New Life K9 Rescue and ended up getting Thor much sooner than I had prepared for. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way! She had asked if I would be open to fostering (in other words, babysitting) Thor for a few days while she took care of another dog that was feeling ill. UHHH YESS. Everything fell into place easily, and we were given lots of support with the transition – Marcela was lovely! I knew immediately that she truly cared for all the fur babies in her care. By the next morning, I contacted Marcela to let her know that we would be adopting Thor into our family, officially. When you know, you know. Of course, we were both extremely happy about this! The rest is history...he is full of so much love – and an equal amount of energy. Everyone he meets falls in love with his wiggly bum and sweet personality. Naturally, this little sweetie gives and receives his fair share of lovins. Not to say that there haven’t been any challenges – there have been. Between accidents on the carpets, chewing apart materials, rebellion, you name it. That comes with any dog, rescue or not. However, we love him through it all. This was an adjustment period for him, too; before living in a house full of warmth and a life of people that adore him he was likely living in the wild or a less-than-loving household. He took time to get used to his new lifestyle and still has some fears (like fireworks and gunshots).

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Here's how to make adjusting after adopting a rescue dog easier:

1. Try to dog-proof the areas that he will be situated in (for us, this was pretty much the entire house). If you don't know what you need to “dog proof” or what exactly to move around – pretty much if you don’t want your new furry friend grabbing it and running away … move it.

2. A crate. I didn't have this right away because I figured that Thor would not need it (someone would always be home with him, so he would never have to be locked in a crate). I was right about not having to be locked in a crate; however, having a crate actually offered him a sense of security.

3. Training!!! Professional training classes were AMAZING for us. Thor learned “sit” and “lay” SO QUICKLY that I was like “I have a genius dog who will learn aaallll of the tricks and does not need a trainer”. Yes, Thor is super smart, but it was so beneficial to invest in a few weeks of training classes (spoiler alert: we're actually the ones being trained). If this just isn’t in your budget, there are so many books and YouTube videos out there that can help you train your little love at home!

4. Identification Tags. I always make sure to have ID tags on all of Thor's collars with his name and two phone numbers listed just incase he bolts or gets lost (God forbid). This is super important. Make sure you get this. You’re also going to need a collar and leash, of course.

5. Not quite a necessity but also … a necessity. SEAT COVER! You’re going to want to purchase one of these if you are planning on bringing your dog on car rides. Believe me.

6. Nylabones. Best. Chew. Ever. As well as bones, treats, toys, and ropes to keep your dog busy and happy!

7. Baby gate. I used to use this to block off my little cutie from entering carpeted area at night (no more accidents!).

8. Make sure to research your dog breed, food, where you plan on adopting a rescue dog from, veterinarians, etc. to have a smoother transition.

9. Set a routine. You, your family, and your dog will all adjust so much easier if you set a routine. Walk routine, feeding routine, washroom routine …ya know.

10. Above all, start slow and be patient. Expect the unexpected – deep breaths. There will be nights lacking sleep, there will be accidents, and there will be adjustments in lifestyle. It’ll all work out.

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Still on the fence about where to get your dog? Here are some reasons to adopt:

1. The most important reason … you’re saving a life. Literally.

2. You will be saving money by adopting a rescue dog rather than “shopping”. Most rescue dogs are screened, have their shots, and are neutered/spayed prior to being adopted. Saving money … saving a life … what more could convince you?

3. If you’ve ever heard that rescue dogs give extra lovin … it’s true. They KNOW they are being saved and love you so much for it. Trust.

4. Most rescues/shelters allow for a “sleepover” or “test run” with your fur-babe-to-be. In other words, you can see how the furry friend gets along with your household.

5. Remember when I said you are saving a life? I lied, you’re saving MULTIPLE LIVES. Think about it, if you’re adopting you are allowing room for another animal in need to be in a shelter until they find their forever home. The chain reaction goes on and on.

Thank you for taking the time to read! In conclusion, I hope that I was able to help you out in your journey of adopting a rescue dog or at least feed your consideration.