Top Reasons to Adopt a Dog!

Why Choose a Rescue dog?

Before we get into fluffy introductions and the multitude of reasons and benefits of adopting a Rescue dog, we can start with one undeniable truth.

If you adopt a dog from a shelter, you are saving a dog’s life.

Across the United States every day, thousands of dogs not re-homed are euthanized. Most authentications are not always because of temperament, health issues or age, but carried out for economic reasons. Because of funding and America’s epidemic of unwanted pets, it often forces shelters into a triage mentality; a choice based on which dogs are most likely to be home. It is an inconvenient reality that people looking for a new pet dog gravitate toward puppies or dogs of a certain breed, so to being today’s post let us dispel some myths.

1. Rescue dogs cannot be trained: Dogs, regardless of age, can learn new tricks. Dogs are intelligent animals and love to interact with their pack. They love reward and recognition and will enjoy the opportunity to do new things with their owner. The old saying ‘you cannot teach a dog new tricks’ contains only one truth-it’s old.

2. Rescue dogs are unhealthy. This is the largest misconception we face when a dog needs to a new home, it is also sad because it could not me further from the truth. Dog Shelters and rescue centers are held to the highest standard when local authorities award a license to open. The housing of multiple dogs in a shelter is reason enough to ensure they keep dogs in the best of health. Vets make regular visits; inoculations are mandatory and they give all a balanced diet based on their size. It is also the policy of many shelters that dogs are spayed and neutered before adoption, a practice which holds health benefits. As a part of making dogs more inviting to a potential owner, they also receive exercise as a part of their socialization training.

3. I do not want a Mutt I only like this breed: It is fine if you have a preferential breed. Many dog owners do; preference does not mean anyone is a dog snob. It does not mean choice restrictions. There are thousands of specialty dog shelters around the country. Google is your friend! Within reasonable driving drive of our business, there are five specialty dog rescues. Within three of our location near Philadelphia there are three German Shepard Rescues, 1 Labrador Retriever Rescue Shelter, 2 Husky Shelters and a little further afield, a British Bulldog Shelter in Pittsburg.

4. Rescue Dogs are unwanted or damaged goods. This is a myth best answered by a fellow blogger and Dog enthusiast Positively Victoria Stillwell who writes:

According to Petfinder, the principal reasons people give up a pet include:

· People are moving to housing that will not allow pets (7%)

· Owners having personal problems (4%)

· Too many or no room for littermates (7%)

· Person can no longer afford the pet (5%)

· Owner no longer has time for the pet (4%)’

Thirty percent of dogs in shelters come from loving homes based solely on the circumstance of their owners, not the dog itself.

5. I think a Puppy will be better for the kids. This is contrary to popular belief, but puppies and children are better raised separately. As stated above, dogs are pack animals. They pick up on energy. As a parent and Grandparent and one thing for certain is children and puppies have one thing in common- they are all filled with energy which needs to go somewhere. It is better to bring a puppy into a home where children are still old enough to play, but not, in the eyes of your new pet, a littermate. Puppies will have accidents around the home in which your child is playing and crawling.

When my youngest daughter was born, our dog at the time was mature. He understood there was a baby in the house and not allowed in ‘his space’. When she was crawling and learning to walk, he would stay clear and let her do her thing. Kasey, rewarded with affection and praise when she was asleep, accreted our daughter’s energy with maturity a puppy would not possess. He was also mature enough to be patient with her. Our advice, and the advice of many is, to look for a mature dog with experience with children.

So, with the myths (and there are misconceptions than those listed above) out of the way, let's look at what we consider the best reasons to adopt a pet from a rescue.

A. The dog will have some training. If you are a typical American with two dogs, kids needing a personal Uber service and a home to manage, you know that free time is a commodity of great value. Training a puppy on top of your already hectic life will see your down time down the drain! A dog from a rescue will see you though the puppy training and allow you the time to relax with a dog o wants a home and a place in a new pack as much as you want a pet.

B. You DO know what you are getting! This one is a sneaky way of putting another myth to bed and a good reason to adopt. Dog shelters are run by people who know dogs. They are usually dog owners who work with dogs all day and do so because they love dogs. At EnVi Pet Care and EnVi Dog Rescue and Animal Sanctuary we have a screening method for my fellow employees, we call them- Our Furry Clients. As much as we know dogs, we will never be the same judge of character as a dog is toward humans; it is therefore essential we maintain a level of trust with the dogs. To excel at our work, we all understand you cannot fake a genuine care for dogs. We also know the first step in gaining such a trust is learning as much as we can about their history. If a dog is.found chained to a dumpster, freezing cold in and wet in an abandoned warehouse or brought to us by a son or daughter of a parent no longer able to care for a pet, we know that history. It is essential we communicate the history to any potential pet parent. We study their behavior; see how they interact with other dogs and people. We want the dogs we re-home to get to the best possible family and to do so we make sure you know as much as you can about your new family member.

C. It is cheaper to adopt. Dog Shelters and Dog Rescues exist because we want to see dogs find a new home. We need to keep the lights on, cover our vet bills, and cover the overheads of making a rescue. We have to pay a staff and pay to recruit volunteers and fund-raising events. We do not exist to make a profit like a puppy Mill or a Breeder farm. When we charge for a pet adoption, it is the minimum cost we can ask and keep rescuing pets; it is what we do.

D. It makes you a Rock-Star! Well, not exactly a rock star, but when you rescue a dog, it immediately says something about you as a person. It says I saw a need to do something, and I did it! When a dog lover meets you and your dog on a walk and you say ‘He/She is a rescue’, people will see you and your dog as a story they want to hear. Social media likes will skyrocket when they see your story. Who knows, it may lead to the next reason for adopting a shelter dog….

E. It encourages others to do the same. We would love it if one day we were told, ‘Your work here is done, there are no more dogs in need of shelter or rescue!’/ We are realists and we know there will never be such a day. Pets will always need homes and dog shelters will always fight the battle to see a wonderful dog in a suitable home. We cannot achieve our mission. One weapon greater than any other in our arsenal is the positive emotions surrounding pet adoption. Only working together as Rescue Shelter and Pet Parents of Adopted Dogs can maintain the message our four-legged friends cannot say for themselves’ the message that says ‘I am ready to love you, just come and find me.’

Bonus Reason! At thestart oof this article, I mentioned adopting a dog saves a life, but the bonus is you are actually saving two lives! When you adopt a new petdog from a shelter it creates a space for another animal in need. It provides a home and care for someone’s future pet. It frees resource sand finds for veterinary care, food, and housing for a new pet, just like yours, to find a home.

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Have a great week until next week.