Thinking of taking a rescue dog

[bigkeeko]

I`ve been thinking recently about taking a rescue dog from a dogs home.

Is there any difference between Dogstrust, RSPCA and the likes or are they all much of a likeness?

Anyone any experience of any of these places? They all mean well and I`m hoping to help at least one doggie.

[Fugazi]

We re-homed through Dog Trust and found them excellent. They will provide help with behavioural support for life and we found the staff very helpful. I think they will take the dog back if things don't work out and I saw a few dogs get re-homed only to reappear a few weeks later.

Well done on thinking about re-homing a dog! There are far too many needing help and a lot of dogs don't do too well in kennels, so some dogs end up staying there for years, as did ours simply because she was deaf.

[Rumblestripe]

I'm currently got a hairy terrier of uncertain parentage sitting on my lap courtesy of the Dogs Trust, he is my second rescue dog and he is a wonderful little fellow.

The experience of getting a dog from them is very good, just in terms of value for money I paid less than £100, he was fully inoculated, chipped and neutered. They even gave me a bag of food, a collar and a lead! As well as all this, the dogs are assessed by dog behaviour specialists to advise you if the dog is good with small children, teenagers, other dogs, cats and small animals. Additionally, they run training course (more for the owners than the dogs) and will take back any dog if it doesn't fit suit for any reason.

The only problem is NOT taking home all the dogs you see.

[9400pamela]

If you are looking for a specific breed/type you might have more choice by going to a breed specific rescue.

We got a lovely lurcher through Evesham greyhound and Lurcher rescue. They were very supportive and are full to bursting with lovely dogs at the moment.


They have young puppies through to seniors.


Whatever you go for I wish you all the best with your new dog.

[HumbleJim]

We used Dogs Trust. They were great but I didn't think much of the vet they used.

[bigkeeko]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I have looked at a couple of wee dogs. One had been taken in after it was thrown from a car and left injured in a car park. The other was simply a stray. I rang Dog trust today and they suggested coming to see them so I`m planning a trip on Thursday.

[bexVN]

Dogs trust usually provide god follow up support as well, should you need it.

[KFC]

Good stuff, I always try and point people in the direction of a rescue dog if they're considering a dog as a pet.... its just really hard to justify buying a puppy from a breeder when there are so many great dogs being kept in pretty poor conditions in kennels etc.

I just collected a new rescue dog a couple of days ago, he's been absolutely amazing. Not a single accident in the house, he's been brilliant with the kids, and happily playing with the other dogs we have here. He's actually being rehomed to my parents, so I just need to get his passport sorted then he's off to the UK

He's the orange one.

Edited by KFC on Tuesday 29th July 08:41

Edited by KFC on Tuesday 29th July 08:41

[chrisga]

OP, Do you have any idea what sort of dog you would like?

[Petrol Only]

Dogs trust. Superb from pre adoption to continued on going support if required.

[bakerstreet]

Another recommendation for breed specific rescue. We got Herbie from a branch of Retired Greyhound Trust.

Has the OP got a specific breed in mind? If not, then the local Dogs Trust is worth a look. We had a wonder round our local one which is quite big and we found them quite helpful to a point.

[bigkeeko]

Not really too fussed on breed. Ideally a small to mid sized dog is all the criteria it needs to meet. I`d take a young or a old dog. I kinda like the idea of taking a dog that`s been often overlooked but I`ll decide probably when I visit.
Apparently sometimes they come to your house to see if you actually suit them so that can only be a good thing.

[Fugazi]

Dogs Trust came out to visit us around halfway through the process as they want to check we had adequate space and a secure garden as Cindy is a deaf bull-breed so they need to be sure she would be well looked after. We would go up to visit her prior to re-homing so Cindy could get to know us and vice-versa and they encourage you to go for walks and let you go into play areas to help bond with each other.

Whether the process is faster for dogs that don't have special needs I don't know, but I think they will always do what's best for the dogs and rightly so. While we were they and signing the forms to make an application, we overheard conversations either from staff taking phone calls where people just wanted to dump dogs after they found out their wife was pregnant to people coming in and asking about puppies every five minutes.

[chrisga]

bigkeeko said:

Not really too fussed on breed. Ideally a small to mid sized dog is all the criteria it needs to meet. I`d take a young or a old dog. I kinda like the idea of taking a dog that`s been often overlooked but I`ll decide probably when I visit.
Apparently sometimes they come to your house to see if you actually suit them so that can only be a good thing.

Ok, only asked as we still have a sprollie on foster from South Yorkshire English Springer Spaniel Rescue that has been very much overlooked. Come November we will have been looking after him for a year and in that time the rescue has not had one enquiry about him. he has matured so much while he has been with us and has grown in to a pleasant dog to have around the house who just wants fuss and attention. His only real issue now is that he still isn't sure about children so couldn't go to a home with kids and because you never know what might be around the corner we walk him with a muzzle on (but he has excellent recall so goes off lead and he comes to us to have the muzzle put on as he knows he is going out!).

I've put a thread about him on here before, but this is his page on the rescues website:

http://www.syessr.co.uk/index.php/forum/dogs-curre...

[Staplebug]

My friend Niall runs http://newhopeanimalrescue.co.uk
Worth a look

[bakerstreet]

bigkeeko said:

Not really too fussed on breed. Ideally a small to mid sized dog is all the criteria it needs to meet. I`d take a young or a old dog. I kinda like the idea of taking a dog that`s been often overlooked but I`ll decide probably when I visit.
Apparently sometimes they come to your house to see if you actually suit them so that can only be a good thing.

Errr...It might be a good idea to do some research.

There will be some breeds that suit your lifestyle and others that don't.

[myvision]

I got these two from http://www.jerrygreendogs.org.uk/ best money I have ever spent.

[myvision]

[johnxjsc1985]

all our dogs are rescue Dogs we have had 5 now and I wouldn't have any other Dog than a rescue Dog they need our help and they give back so much more.

[bigkeeko]

bakerstreet said:

Errr...It might be a good idea to do some research.

There will be some breeds that suit your lifestyle and others that don't.

Errr.... thanks for the illumination there.