# New here and looking for advice....considering a rescue dog



## piper3427 (Jun 10, 2013)

We currently have a 9 yr old black lab who is a gentle giant (almost 100 pounds) and very calm. The kids (12 and 9) have been asking for another dog and as a family we agreed that this might be the right time. The kids have never had the puppy experience so we were considering that, but I've always loved the idea of a rescue. 

This weekend we were at a community event and there was a booth set up for a local dog rescue group. They had a shih tzu mix there and instantly I was drawn to her. We learned about Sadie and found she was a puppy mill mommy and when they rescued her she was pregnant, but all the puppies had passed away. She's had an emergency spay and the staples come out this week. Otherwise they said she seemed quite healthy and from the look of her teeth (very white) they thought she was fairly young. 

This was Sadie's first time out at a large event, so she was scared. She was quite timid, but allowed my daughter and I to pet her and she made eye contact with us quite often. Foster mom said she is really coming along at home - housebreaking is going well, and she is learning to play. She does howl when they crate her and leave, but they said that's fairly normal in a newly rescued dog. Sadie is VERY attached to her foster mom. She moved a few feet away and Sadie instantly looked uncomforatable and tried to get to foster mom. She's shown no signs of aggression with food, people, other dogs or kids. 

We are going to make an appointment to see Sadie at the foster's place to see what she's like there. I would love advice on what to ask, and what to watch for. My kids really want a playful dog that will interact with them and their friends. Do most rescues learn how to play? 

I'm hopeful this might work out for our family and for Sadie, but I just want to make the right decision for everyone.

thank you
(sorry for the long post!)


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

All rescues need an adjustment time to get comfortable in a new house and with new owners and considering that Sadie has obviously been through a lot of difficulties both physically and mentally, it sounds like she is doing pretty well overall. A good sign basically. She may have some anxiety when first separated from her foster mom if she's currently very attached to her, but some time and patience and treating her well is likely to overcome that just fine. I try to have my fosters spend the occasional afternoon under the care of someone else just to help prevent overattachment.
I think it takes around 3-4 months for most rescues to fully settle into their new homes and become relaxed and used to the routine and all the people. That's if the dog doesn't have any extreme issues. 

If she was a puppy mill dog, she may be very stressed out by being crated. Playing crate games can help as well as making the crate as nice of place as possible (yummy chew toys etc) but she may always have some stress by the crate. The good thing though is that as an adult dog, keeping her in a dog safe room with a baby gate at the door might be a good alternative or since she's small, a very very large crate to feel less claustrophobic. 

Hard to say how playful she will become. Right now, playing and interacting in a fun manner with people is new to her and she has to learn how to play. I think many dog do get much more playful in comparison to how they act when they first arrive in rescue but dogs are individuals and some just aren't all that "playful" in terms of things like fetch or tug. Some prefer walks, some like to nose around the yard, etc. She might be overwhelmed if a bunch of kids try to play with her at once.

I would ask how she's doing with eating her meals (good eater, picky eater)?, does she likes any toys?, is she excited by going on walks?, what catches her attention and picks up her energy?, has she spent any time with someone other than her foster mom and if so, how did she behave? Watch for signs of being very fearful, try having the foster mom leave the room while you give the dog a really good treat and see if she is calm enough to take the treat from you or if she is too anxious and looking around for the foster mom. 
If she's got a favorite toy, have one of the kids sit on the floor with her and toss it gently for her to fetch.


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## piper3427 (Jun 10, 2013)

Thank you Shell for your great post. You brought up a number of things I hadn't thought of. I will certainly keep them in mind when we visit Sadie this week! THank you again


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## Brydean (Apr 3, 2008)

I will put my experience out there, with an older rescue dog and kids. Our first dog was a rescue and while she was a nice dog, I have to admit she never really bonded with anyone in our family. She was found as a stray and we assume she was also abused at some point, due to some behavior issues she had. She did learn to play a little bit, mainly tug of war. 

While the kids did love her, there was always an underlying sense of disappointment. They were wanting a dog that would want to play and be with them, a dog to walk with, and take hiking, a true family dog. It just didn't happen in the 3 1/2 yrs. we had her. She was a good dog in alot of ways, but would have been better suited in a home without children. Especially as she got older and sick she became very snippy. Which while understandable, become worrisome as we never knew what would make her snark or snap at someone.

I'm not trying to discourage you from a rescue dog, most of the time it turns out great. I just wanted to give you the perspective of someone who has dealt with a not so good out come with children involved. It was hard on everyone.

The dog we have now, we got as a puppy. I wanted to start from scratch so to speak. I was just too afraid to go older rescue dog again, I wanted a dog that I knew the entire history.

I will probably rescue again in the future. But when my kids are older, not now. JMHO


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## piper3427 (Jun 10, 2013)

Thank you Brydean! My kids want a playful dog. We adopted our lab when he was 3 yrs old from a home where he was neglected. He's a wonderful dog, but doesn't play well. He's a very low energy lab and now that he's 9 he sleeps most of the time and a short walk tires him right out.

We want a playful dog. Sadie's foster mom says she plays with a ball and squeaky toys at home, but i need to see it. My daughter and I both just fell in love with Sadie, but we talked about how we felt about it after. My daughter is only 12 but she had it spot on. She said her heart wants to adopt Sadie, but her head says she might not be the dog for us. 

I appreciate your honest reply Brydean. Thank you!


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

I saw this and thought you were talking about this girl! http://www.kshumane.org/animals/dogs-for-adoption-detail.php?aid=20084320 She's at my local humane society.

Then I noticed you were in Ontario, haha.

I definitely echo Shell's advice. It sounds like she's coming from a difficult situation, and although she seems a bit timid now, with lots of love and patience, I'm sure she'll come around and be a wonderful family member!


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

Hats off to you if you go through with the adoption. It is hard to tell how a dog is going to be. It is even hard as puppies to determine whether or not you will end up with a dog who wants to play. I have had puppies that as adults did not want to play fetch and adopted/fostered/rescued adult dogs who learned to love to play. The people I know love their Shih Tzu. The ones I know all love to play and seem really bonded/in tune with their owners. The fact that this dog seems to have no known issues yet from being in a breeding mill is a plus.

Questions How long has Sadie been in foster care? It takes a while for the true personality of a dog to come out. How do they do temperament tests on their dogs? What are some of the tests that are performed? Does this rescue group offer any training classes or discounts for training classes. This might be more beneficial for your daughter and the dog. I was around this age when I started dog training classes with the family dog. It did help create a bond between me and this dog. That particular dog was about 2 when we go it. 

I would also see how the two dogs act together. They are going to be living in the same household. 

Also, what is the procedure or how does a return work? This is important because if it does not work you will not want to be surprised by how it is handled.

good luck and for me I would not hesitate in the least on adopting an adult dog. I have in the past and have not regretted it. My brother adopted a 7 year old dog last year. The dog plays a mean game of fetch. Previous owners were amazed because for them all the dog did was dig out from under the fence and run away.


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