Rescue Dog tips

Very good list there mawbroon. May I add that these deprived puppies also require much tickling of the ears and tummy ?

On a more serious note, all of my dogs have been adopted and one, in particular, was 15 when I got her. Her owner had died and she was at the rescue centre for over 5 months due to her age. She was an absolute joy (and a diva) and I was honoured to have her in my life for 18 months. Good luck with your search

I live alone and was missing having company so I thought for a long time about a dog.
I done my homework on breeds and made sure my garden was safe.
Last Thursday I picked up from my local rescue centre a beautiful white Bischion such a calm little boy and only 2 years old and today Iv just come back from our morning walk
Something I never did before
He’s going to be my saviour and I love him so much

Can't wait until I'm no longer working full-time and can hopefully get a rescue dog - good luck to all

Can't wait until I'm no longer working full-time and can hopefully get a rescue dog - good luck to all

How lovely Mary59 I hope it all goes well for both of you. He sounds like he’ll be much loved.

Bichons are great little dogs. Very friendly and playful. Just a matter of finding s good groomer and keeping on top of that fluffy coat.

Wishing you both a long and happy relationship ???

Hello, I adopted a dog one month ago. Now I ask myself why didn't I take the plunge earlier! She and the rest of her litter were abandoned and rescued. She is a 9 month old Shih Tzu mix. Shih Tzus were bred as companion dogs and she's an ideal companion. A black and white bundle of soft fur. She's very affectionate, friendly with everyone, great with my grandchildren, an absolute delight and no trouble at all, loves to play with her toys and ball. She rarely barks, weighs 10 lbs so is easy for me to lift up
( doesn't hurt my poor old back) and is happy with 2 half hour walks a day although I actually take her out for more.

We've only ever had rescue dogs and wouldn't buy a dog with so many dogs in shelters.

The first thing I would say is be aware that most pet insurance companies have an age limit on policies and some are as low as 8 years old. This doesn't mean that you can't get pet insurance if the dog is older than the limit, just that you need to take out the policy before they are over the limit. Don't be without insurance unless you have deep pockets because vets are not cheap. So much can be treated these days and the last thing you want is to have your dog put to sleep because you can't afford the treatment.

The second thing is a tip the Dogs Trust gave us years ago. A new dog can feel threatened by someone reaching for its collar when you want to stop it from doing something or move it away. You don't want the dog to snap at you (or worse) because it feels threatened. Get a thin plastic clothes line and cut a 10 foot length. Tie one end around the dog's collar and use it to bring the dog to you instead of reaching for it. Stop the dog from getting away from you by just putting your foot on the line. The line fits under doors, so the dog potters around the house wearing it with no bother at all. Once the dog's settled down you can take it off, but the look on the dog's face before then when you can stop it from several feet away is priceless!

We decided we didn't want a little dog when we first decided to get one. Of course, we came home with a Jack Russell cross and chose terrier crosses from then on. None of them were barkers, yappy or snappy. I honestly believe it's the owners to blame for how a dog behaves. I would definitely look at going to dog training if you've never had a dog before.

Best of luck!

Thank you Wilma that is really helpful.

Wilma - I hadn't heard of the clothes line training device but years ago I bought a 30 ft fabric training lead for one of my young dogs. Most dogs love to chase but this one had a high prey urge and recall which had been good went when she hit 13 months or so (her teenage years). I used it in open spaces where she was off lead - just as you describe, stood on it, then called her, high value treat when she came.

My rescue dog tip is do not leave any of the following within reach (a greyhound up on her back legs is between 5’ and 6’ tall)
Cups of coffee
Pot plants
Bowls of mixed nuts in their shell bought on Friday for when the boys are here tomorrow.
No further comment

Totally agree Wilma , as the saying goes ' no bad dogs only bad owners' . We have three dogs, one is a JR and has never bitten or snapped at anyone in his life. He is 12 now and had a difficult time with bladder problems when we had to catheterise him up to three times a day for several months. He never had to be muzzled and never snapped although it must have been painful at times. Love and consistency are important for all dogs especially rescue ones. Good luck.

No bad dogs, only bad owners - yes, there is much truth in that. However, as with children, some dogs are more difficult to bring up/train than others.

I was shocked to read yesterday that 100,000 pets a year are abandonned in France - I wonder what the figure is in the UK?
I've seen a few lost-looking dogs running along the side of the road several times, mostly in summer when people are going on holiday. The SPA (french RSPCA) are overwhelmed.