# What are "Good" reasons to rehome a dog?



## trainingjunkie (Feb 10, 2010)

We have the "worst reasons" list of why people give up their pets. I am wondering what forum members consider decent reasons to part wtih a dog.


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## osdbmom (Feb 15, 2011)

you are sick and dying and have no one to care for the dog.

you lost your job and are on the brink of losing your home, cant find a new job and cannot afford to feed or care for dog.

you caught your spouse beating it. (though in that case I think I would keep the dog and...)

there are some valid reasons. But valid reasons arent usually why people get rid of them.


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## DustyCrockett (Sep 24, 2011)

Moving overseas.
Owner died.
You get displaced by a hurricane to temporary housing where dogs are not allowed, then bussed to a city 300 miles away with no transportation home while waiting on FEMA check...


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I think any reason _could_ be "good enough" (OK, not ANY reason. . .some of them are just too stupid) if the person is responsible enough and cares enough to take the time to find the pet a suitable home, one in which the pet will be better off and happier than in the previous home.

I really have to stretch my imagination to think of any reason good enough to just dump your pet (or your pet's offspring) in a kill shelter or to any other uncertain future.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I think most of the good reasons have already been mentioned.....but the key to re-homing IMO is just that; responsibly "re-homing" and this to me means finding a legit home and not a shelter or a rescue.

Death, chronic long term illnesses, where it is absolutely impossible to take care of the animal properly..........to me this is good reason.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 4, 2011)

I rehomed a dog in August for what I think were good reasons. I got Foxy 4 years ago from a kill shelter because my wonderful girl Heidi was getting older and I wanted another dog so I wouldn't just suddnely be "dogless" when Heidi died. Plus I had bought my house a few years earlier and no longer had any restrictions on how many pets I could have.

Unknown to me Foxy was pregnant and I suddenly had 5 puppies about a month after bringing her home. That was very stressful for our whole household - people and Heidi - especially since I was not even prepared for or expecting it. We were able to find homes for the puppies and even kept one for ourselves.

Once the puppies were born Heidi started going downhill. She was just so stressed by all the changes and I felt awful for causing her all that extra stress. At the beginning of June Sam, the puppy we kept, suddenly got ill and had to be euthanized. That was such a stunning and horrible loss and I was devastated. 19 days later Heidi went into kidney failure and died too. The grief was almost too much too bear. These were my 2 favorite dogs ever! And in the same month both were just gone. I had never bonded with Foxy like I had the other 2 anyway. But after losing them I started feeling very angry that they had died and I was left with Foxy. I felt awful for feeling this way but you feel the way you feel. 

My mother and stepfather had always really liked Foxy and I had joked with them for years that they needed to take her. In August, right after I got Lola, they called and said they would take her. It has actually worked out well for all concerned. Foxy gets all the love and attention she could want and is not crated at all because my mother is retired. It is also great for my mom and stepdad because both had heart attacks in the last year. People with dogs are less likely to have a 2nd heart attack so she is just as good for them as they are for her. I still see her at least once per week and at first she seemed puzzled when I didn't take her home. Now though she is clearly THEIR dog and pays minimal attention to me. I think I did do what was best for the dog in the end.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

If a dog is a seriously bad fit for an owner I think it CAN be legitimate to rehome. Sometimes people misjudge how much or what type of dog they can handle or live with and it can reach a level where no amount of desire to work it out can fix things IMO. Or if the dog is having issues specific to THAT home that are causing chaos - conflict with another specific dog in the household or children, for example, but ok as an individual dog or a dog in a child-free home. Honestly if someone is thoughtful and careful about rehoming a pet, it's hard for me to criticize even if it's something I personally wouldn't consider a reason to rehome a pet since I'm not living their life.


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## LoveCWCs (Oct 21, 2011)

For me it would depend. I typically don't fault people for rehoming dogs, anyway. Not every dog is a good fit for every situation, and if someone gives a dog away, that's their business. 

My caveat is that they rehome the dog responsibly, and that they DON'T dump it at a rescue or a pound just because that's the easiest thing to do. If you lose your house, your spouse, your job, a limb, whatever and you absolutely have so much going on that you cannot plan for your dog, then yes, the pound or a rescue is a good option. 

BUT, if you are rehoming for a non-necesstious reason, then for the love of your dog, find it a good home. I don't care how long it takes. If you ever loved that animal, don't just dump it at the pound and expect it to find a home. It won't.


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## DustyCrockett (Sep 24, 2011)

kathylcsw said:


> I rehomed a dog in August for what I think were good reasons. ... they called and said they would take her...


having a friend or relative who needs the dog is the best reason ever


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

I would tend to say that nearly any reason can be a good reason to rehome a dog. I think it is the effort the owner puts into the dog before deciding to rehome and the way in which the dog is rehomed that make the rehoming "good" or not. In a good rehoming, the owner would make a sincere attempt to work through whatever the issue was that was causing the rehoming. Failing that, the owner would put that same sincere effort into finding, screening, and choosing a suitable new home.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Well over 20 years ago, I was a stay at home mom to two little boys. Hubby had a good job, we had two dogs. One was absheltie and the other a 90 lb mix. Hubby lost his job, we could not afford to feed or care for two dogs. Sparky, our wonderful mix went back to the shelter. It was the worst thing I've ever done. It's been a very long time but he will never be forgotten. We have a picture of him in our dining room. I know we did the best thing for him, the kids had to come first but it is something I can never do again. We have a van, I'll happily live in it with the dogs.
That's my good reason


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## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

DustyCrockett said:


> Moving overseas.


This isn't necessarily a great excuse in my book, unless you are moving overseas for a very good reason and have NO way to afford it (or the animal is too old, or of a poor temperament to cope with the travel). A friend of mine moved to Russia and took both of her cats!



Abbylynn said:


> I think most of the good reasons have already been mentioned.....but the key to re-homing IMO is just that; responsibly "re-homing" and this to me means finding a legit home and not a shelter or a rescue.


This I absolutely agree with, no matter what your reason is for getting rid of a pet, if you've made a serious effort to get it somewhere that will be a good fit, and not just dumped it off then you've done well by that dog. I personally think there is nothing wrong with a person being honest about the fact that they just aren't up to being a good dog owner, far better than forcing the issue and leaving the poor thing chained up in the back yard, or just being annoyed with all interaction with their dog.....but again, Abbbylynn is absolutely right, rehoming is important, it is the absolute least a person can do!


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## southernlady (Nov 13, 2011)

> Re: What are "Good" reasons to rehome a dog?
> Originally Posted by DustyCrockett
> Moving overseas.
> This isn't necessarily a great excuse in my book, unless you are moving overseas for a very good reason and have NO way to afford it (or the animal is too old, or of a poor temperament to cope with the travel). A friend of mine moved to Russia and took both of her cats!


It depends on the country. I know England has relaxed their strict quarantine laws since 2000 but not all of Great Britian has. And having an animal spend SIX months in quarantine is a good reason to re-home them instead.

Our puppy, Sarah, was re-homed to us. Her previous owner underestimated how much care a puppy/dog requires and she was very ill. 

Liz


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## The_Monstors (Oct 1, 2010)

Greater Swiss said:


> This isn't necessarily a great excuse in my book, unless you are moving overseas for a very good reason and have NO way to afford it (or the animal is too old, or of a poor temperament to cope with the travel). A friend of mine moved to Russia and took both of her cats!


I can't blame people for it..its not as simple and many countries have strict rules compared to driving your dog across statelines. Some dogs have trouble adjusting to the new climate and such and don't do well. 

I own pugs now and they run a real danger in the plane. One of my pug friends dogs nearly died in cargo and a few others have passed out on short rides to dog shows. Very few airlines allow dogs in the cabin. My pugs barely pass and would be cramped in the cubby under the chair they are required to be in.... maybe with Jezzy it's okay, but you try having Gweeb cry and scream the whole way without people wanting to come kill us and I wouldn't risk sedating him. 

Sometimes the quarantines are crazy. I had to quarantine my Mastiff and he nearly killed his damn self. Didn't eat and started to chew on his paw obsessively and was not comfortable with being alone for a long time after so I had to bring him to work and hire him a dog sitter.... Never again.


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## stationgirl (Nov 18, 2011)

I've only ever rehomed one fo my own dogs. I was 14 and my neighbours owned a golden retriever kennel and I worked there so that I could get one of their pups for the next litter and pay it off by working, They agreed and I got a gorgeous big gold pup. Sadly 5 months later I got mono and then contracted a 2 years immune disease and could not give the puppy the exercise and stimulation he needed and he got very destructive and bored. So my friends offered to give him a home with them as their golden retiever had passed away a few months before. It was a sad parting but I knew it was thr right thing for him as he was a great dog that deserved way more than I wa sphysically able to provide. I still see him often.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

stationgirl said:


> I've only ever rehomed one fo my own dogs. I was 14 and my neighbours owned a golden retriever kennel and I worked there so that I could get one of their pups for the next litter and pay it off by working, They agreed and I got a gorgeous big gold pup. Sadly 5 months later I got mono and then contracted a 2 years immune disease and could not give the puppy the exercise and stimulation he needed and he got very destructive and bored. So my friends offered to give him a home with them as their golden retiever had passed away a few months before. It was a sad parting but I knew it was thr right thing for him as he was a great dog that deserved way more than I wa sphysically able to provide. I still see him often.


 This ^........^.......^ IMO, is a good example and a responsible thing to do.


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## CandJHarris (Apr 29, 2010)

We've recently had to rehome two of our three dogs for financial reasons. Izzy went to a family friend, and I just placed my Great Dane, Tyson, with a rescue a couple of days ago. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but I know it was the best thing for them. My husband was disabled after brain surgery to remove a tumor. We were hopeful that his disability was temporary and he'd be able to return to work. That never happened. The income that he had coming in ran out this past July. He applied for disability benefits but his initial application was denied. We have an attorney but have no way of knowing how long it will be before his case is heard. We're trying to take care of a family of 4, not counting our pets, on just my salary. We've cut every possible corner and just ran out of options. We tried holding out until his benefits came in, but when I had to buy the bottom of the barrel crap food for the dogs because it was all I had the money for, I knew I had to do something. Tyson was also due for his shots and needed to be neutered. God forbid an emergency were to happen. So I contacted a reputable rescue group hoping to get on a waiting list for a foster for him. God was looking out for us because they'd just had several adoptions and had a foster for him immediately. If I had kept him any longer I would have been doing it for selfish reasons and he wouldn't be getting the level of care that he deserves.


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## Silvicen (Dec 30, 2010)

Getting the dog a better situation. This is actually a dilema that I am facing with a female GSD mix that doesn't like living with other female dogs. She also doesn't like small dogs but I don't have any of those. 

The female vs female da started about an hour and a half since she walked into my house 2 years ago. She gets along with that girl better now but in 8/2010 she got into a fight with my other female and doesn't want to give up. I have become more proficient at the doggie shuffle than I ever wanted to be and this situation really isn't fair for either dog. 

Ideally we would like for her to be able to go back to work as her job as a full time OTR dog but we have been waiting for this since last August.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

sassafras said:


> If a dog is a seriously bad fit for an owner I think it CAN be legitimate to rehome. Sometimes people misjudge how much or what type of dog they can handle or live with and it can reach a level where no amount of desire to work it out can fix things IMO. Or if the dog is having issues specific to THAT home that are causing chaos - conflict with another specific dog in the household or children, for example, but ok as an individual dog or a dog in a child-free home. Honestly if someone is thoughtful and careful about rehoming a pet, it's hard for me to criticize even if it's something I personally wouldn't consider a reason to rehome a pet since I'm not living their life.





FilleBelle said:


> I would tend to say that nearly any reason can be a good reason to rehome a dog. I think it is the effort the owner puts into the dog before deciding to rehome and the way in which the dog is rehomed that make the rehoming "good" or not. In a good rehoming, the owner would make a sincere attempt to work through whatever the issue was that was causing the rehoming. Failing that, the owner would put that same sincere effort into finding, screening, and choosing a suitable new home.


Both of those. If the owner is doing what is best for the dog, then I will not criticize.


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## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

Willowy said:


> I think any reason _could_ be "good enough" (OK, not ANY reason. . .some of them are just too stupid) if the person is responsible enough and cares enough to take the time to find the pet a suitable home, one in which the pet will be better off and happier than in the previous home.
> 
> I really have to stretch my imagination to think of any reason good enough to just dump your pet (or your pet's offspring) in a kill shelter or to any other uncertain future.


This! I don't see much harm in rehoming your dog to a really good home with a loving new owner if you'e truly unhappy owning your dog. It's a problem though when the dog ends up suffering because of the arrangement. Dog goes to bad home, dog gets rehomed so often that it causes anxiety, dog gets sent to a crowded kill shelter, etc... But what's worse, dog gets a new home, or dog stays with an owner that doesn't want it and they're both unhappy?

I mean it sucks to think that someone wouldn't be so attached to their dog that they could give it away. That's pretty hard to imagine for those of us that would never ever give away our dogs. But breeders have to give dogs away to new homes all the time, and even dogs that are rehomed from their original owners through rescues, craigslist, etc. often times don't suffer at all so long as the dog was not in any sort of abusive or neglectful situation. Dogs are pretty forgiving when it comes to changing homes. Even my dog with his SA survived when he came to live with me. 

And if you think about it, I'd much rather a dog be rehomed to a new family that will love and cherish it even if it was for a "stupid reason", than stay with an owner that is unsatisfied with owning it and perpetuating an unhappy relationship with the dog, even if no one is terminally ill or moving overseas.

Just think, though... None of you would have your dogs if someone didn't give them up first! Well, unless you bred them yourself at your home.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I had to rehome one of my Shih Tzu as she started fighting with my other dog every chance she got. I was really concerned as I had raised her from a puppy and she did not really like strangers. I found her a good home and when I stopped in to see her about six months later, she completely ignored me and wouldn't even come to me. I couldn't believe it but it also made me happy that she had become so attached to her new owner and now preferred her to me. Guess she could only handle one owner at a time.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm lucky to say that I have never re homed a dog of mine, now I ah e had a few that I have found abandoned around my folks ranch which is very remote, thus ppl think it's a prime spot to dump a dog . But I had 4 at the time & couldn't perminantly handle more, bu I made sure they found good homes tho.


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I just wanted to point out...

It's not rehoming if the dog wasn't yours in the first place. If you find a stray and then find it a home or take it to the shelter, that's different than committing to give a dog a home and then backing out of that commitment. I'd never dump any dog of mine at a shelter, but I don't think twice about bringing strays I find to the local shelter.


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## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

GottaLuvMutts said:


> I just wanted to point out...
> 
> It's not rehoming if the dog wasn't yours in the first place. If you find a stray and then find it a home or take it to the shelter, that's different than committing to give a dog a home and then backing out of that commitment. I'd never dump any dog of mine at a shelter, but I don't think twice about bringing strays I find to the local shelter.


I think it's just a matter of finding a better situation for the dog. Going from a home to a shelter is definitely a worse situation for the dog. But going from a stray on the streets to a shelter is definitely a step up, just as going from a home where the dog and owner don't get along to a great home where the owner and dog are a good fit for each other is an improvement.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

I've stayed off this cause I'm not into re-homing because of my* lack of trust of fellow humans.* As some of you know we had a dog dumped on us recently and our last home dog we PTSed, Vanna was blind and at 11 yrs had a seizure that was almost 20 minutes long. We had decided no more dogs because when the odds of us not outliving the dog lessened it would not be fair to the dog. Many years ago we had made plans that should we die any dog/dogs we owned would be PTSed. Sounds harsh but read the bold part and this comes of many years of dealing with the dog public. 

Once we did re-home a Dachshund and years after we found out the people who actually were what I would call semi-friends or at very least acquaintances drove out in country and just let the Doxie go. By the time we found out they had moved west and we never saw or heard from them again. Good thing. Oh they were told if there were problems bring dog back so there was no excuse. 

I suppose you could say this PTS program is selfish because it meant less worrying about dogs as I knew there was no abuse if dead. As usual this is just the way we look at this.


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## hast (Aug 17, 2011)

Greater Swiss said:


> This isn't necessarily a great excuse in my book, unless you are moving overseas for a very good reason and have NO way to afford it (or the animal is too old, or of a poor temperament to cope with the travel). A friend of mine moved to Russia and took both of her cats!
> <snip>


It's not always easy to bring them. Military families can, for example, not bring certain breeds to live on base ... and to move abroad and expect to live off base as you arrive (often not speaking the language) isn't just hard, but in some places not even possible.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

InkedMarie said:


> Well over 20 years ago, I was a stay at home mom to two little boys. Hubby had a good job, we had two dogs. One was absheltie and the other a 90 lb mix. Hubby lost his job, we could not afford to feed or care for two dogs. Sparky, our wonderful mix went back to the shelter. It was the worst thing I've ever done. It's been a very long time but he will never be forgotten. We have a picture of him in our dining room. I know we did the best thing for him, the kids had to come first but it is something I can never do again. We have a van, I'll happily live in it with the dogs.
> That's my good reason


I'm lucky, I have a place that my dogs "could" go if my financial situation went downhill, in this day & age it's always good to have a plan b.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

Greater Swiss said:


> This I absolutely agree with, no matter what your reason is for getting rid of a pet, if you've made a serious effort to get it somewhere that will be a good fit, and not just dumped it off then you've done well by that dog. I personally think there is nothing wrong with a person being honest about the fact that they just aren't up to being a good dog owner, far better than forcing the issue and leaving the poor thing chained up in the back yard, or just being annoyed with all interaction with their dog.....but again, Abbbylynn is absolutely right, rehoming is important, it is the absolute least a person can do!


Is it just me? I cringe when I hear "get rid of a pet" There may be changes made. Dogs may be rehomed. I get rid of a bic pen that has run out of ink. It just sounds so disposable and heartless.


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