How To Ensure Rescue Has A Positive Outcome

[juice]

I agree about doggy day care.

I also would like to point out i wouldn't have a behaviorist look at a dog you have only had a week, dogs can take a few months to settle in and show their true colours.

The best way is a good rescue who has dogs in foster, does homechecks , and it there as backup for any problems.

[Tootsie Roll]

I agree I would be wary of a rescue which just only cages their dogs and whose dogs are not in foster care with a family. How can a dogs personality or behaviour traits be judged it is not able to interact with people and other pets.

[sas]

I'm sorry for what you all went through.

A rescuer of over a decade I would simply not have allowed such a dog to be rehomed and when it killed another dog it would have been euthanised that day as that dog technically still would have been mine as it would have been on a trial.

Yes, there are firsts for all dogs and different environments can trigger new behaviours, however, I would like to know what was in the Behaviourist or Foster Carer report about this dog - had it been tested out on the street in terms of reactivity, how had it gone with small dogs before? What training had it received.

I will say, we shouldn't assume a dog hasn't had a good upbringing or lack of socialisation or training, some dogs are simply a product of their genetics and this isn't about BSL.

So, in the future how can you ensure a happy ending - well, it's impossible but you can take some extra steps. Ask the Rescue if a Behaviourist will do an assessment, if not, offer to pay for one, test the dog in all the situations you need it to be ok with i.e. street walking, seeing other dogs, meeting other dogs, how it is around men, woman, children etc. Only ever take a dog if there is at least a 2 week trial period. Take great caution in adopting a dog who is not living with a foster carer who will know the dog very well.

Sadly not all rescues are good, some are run by over emotional bleeding hearts who must save everything no matter what and often over commit themselves at the detriment of the dog...the same folk who abuse other rescue folk for euthanising dogs not suitable for society.

Edited June 27, 2016 by sas