It's normal to have questions and concerns with a new pet. It's good if you can prepare for them in advance. If you are thinking about adopting a dog at home, we will tell you what to expect from this event and convince you: adopting a pet from a shelter is a great idea. Experts will help us with this: dog handler Jay Koes and Evgenia Drach, a volunteer at an animal shelter.
The easiest way is to compare the appearance of an animal with the appearance of a child. Only this child will never grow up. Responsibility for his life will remain yours forever. It doesn’t matter whether it was purchased or rescued from the street or from a shelter, a new animal will be stressful for you. This is normal and it passes.
Evgenia Drach
volunteer at an animal shelter
Evgenia Drach. Photo: Sergey Sarakhanov
What dogs live in shelters
Adopting a puppy from a shelter is a good deed.
Often, animals end up in shelters that dishonest owners, as unnecessary, can abandon to their fate.
Later, if we are talking about an unsterilized female, she gives birth and, by the will of fate, the puppies become homeless residents, whom volunteers assign to nurseries. However, they may also contain purebred dogs, which the owner refuses due to relocation, allergies, or due to changed financial conditions, as a result of which he can no longer keep the animal. Absolutely any breed can end up in the nursery. Important! Shelter animals are not always ill-mannered or slaughtered.
You can find a good puppy or an adult dog within these walls, and the love given to them will definitely return to the owner. Another refusenik, or rather a whole species, are elderly pets who are deprived of their homes due to the fact that they are no longer able to perform their job functions, for example, guarding the yard. Sick or crippled dogs also buy homes from the kennel. Throughout their life in the yard, many animals become victims of soulless knackers, accidents, or fall under the wheels of a car. They are the ones who are picked up and cared for by volunteers.
Choice of animal
The animal you choose will become part of your family. A dog has emotional needs and a personality. It is logical to choose the pet that suits you and your loved ones. Evgenia Drach advises: the less experience you have in keeping animals, the more carefully you should choose a friend.
“Even though you’re not buying this dog, it’s still worth getting to know each other and understanding whether you’re right for each other,” notes Evgenia. Otherwise, the noble desire to save the animal will result in disappointment and the return of the pet to the shelter.
The simplest and most practical advice: take an animal with a temperament close to yours. If you love hiking, take an energetic, active dog in the prime of his life. If you like to sit with a book or at a laptop, take a phlegmatic, not too active, and maybe even a fairly mature animal.
Evgenia Drach
volunteer at an animal shelter
Don't rely on the "opposites attract" principle. If there is no contact, the most flexible dog will become a burden.
Who to take - an adult dog or a puppy
Before setting out to purchase a four-legged friend, many future owners are wondering whether to adopt a puppy from a shelter or an adult dog. In the latter case, the dog has already formed behavior patterns and character. Sometimes inexperienced owners may have problems re-educating the animal. However, this choice has one undeniable advantage: the future owner immediately sees defects and can learn about the health problems and character of the pet.
In addition, when purchasing an older animal, the services of a veterinarian and an animal psychologist may be needed, and the latter is required more often if the dog was picked up on the street, where it experienced the cruelty that a person is capable of.
Only an experienced dog breeder can handle an adult dog.
Small stray dogs gain attention thanks to their touching appearance, which can melt even the most callous person. However, even here the future owner will face difficulties: chewed things, scattered objects, as well as correction of natural needs in the wrong place. In addition, it is difficult to predict the puppy’s character, and if he is also a mixed breed, then it will also be difficult to determine what size he will grow up to be.
That is why you should be guided by your own emotions and desires, since it is impossible to answer unequivocally who is better to give a home to – an adult or a puppy.
Why do dogs end up on the street?
“Many people are afraid to adopt a pet with health or behavior problems - and that’s normal. Not every person is ready to live and work with this. First of all, we must formulate a list for ourselves: I can handle this, but I can’t handle this.
“
says animal psychologist Karina Pintiyskaya.
Representatives of the Happy Paw charity foundation say that the dog’s path to the shelter is
This is most often a story not about a bad or aggressive dog, but about an unscrupulous owner.
For example, a dog is walked without a leash and it may get scared, get carried away and run away. Or an animal is adopted in the summer at the dacha, and at the end of the season it is simply abandoned. So a dog without an address card and a chip (an address card is what is hung on the dog’s collar with the owner’s name and contacts, a chip is what is implanted under the animal’s skin, all the data about the owner and the dog is also recorded there. - Ed.)
ends up in a shelter or wanders, trying to survive on the street.
Often, instead of simply spaying or neutering a dog, it is easier for owners to throw puppies in crowded places, give them to a shelter, or, in general, take them to the forest or a landfill.
Most dogs in shelters are not purebred, but in the wake of demand for breeds, purebred dogs are increasingly being thrown away. People simply cannot handle the responsibility or do not know about the characteristics of the breed. For example, when choosing a dog only by appearance: blue-eyed huskies are not only cute, but also active dogs that require long walks and different loads. Otherwise, this cute dog will pour all his energy into furniture and repairs. If you have long wanted a husky or a Labrador and know what to do with them,
the first thing to do is look for a dog in shelters .
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Publication from the Happy Paw Charitable Foundation (@happy_paw)
That's what I did too. I've loved corgis for a very long time, even before they became so popular. Therefore, in posts and advertisements, I looked for dogs that at least slightly resembled this breed. And I found it. Candy was listed on OLX as a possible cross between a mongrel and a Corgi or Jack Russell. In reality, Candy turned out to be neither one nor the other, but that didn’t stop me from loving her. Until now, almost every day I hear the question from passers-by: what kind of breed is this? When I say that she is outbred, everyone is very surprised.
Candy has a similar fate to Max: she and the other puppies were simply sent outside. True, the “good people” did this even in the January frosts. But they at least took the dogs to the private sector where people live. And there was a really kind person there –
Svetlana. She selected, vaccinated and raised dogs. She even cured one puppy and saved it from death. Now all the tails in the box have a home.
Source
When not to adopt a dog
Many caring people would probably like to adopt a small dog from a shelter and give it a ticket to a new life, but this idea should still be abandoned if:
- moving ahead;
- renovation work is being carried out in the house;
- Holidays are ahead. In this case, you will have to look for temporary foster care, and this is additional stress, because the animal will only have time to get used to one place before it is immediately transferred to other people;
- a new addition to the family is expected soon;
- the future owner or any other member of his family experiences a major event: the animals feel depressed in the hustle and bustle.
Important! Before you decide to purchase a four-legged friend, you need to weigh the pros and cons. After all, he should not end up in a shelter again if the owner feels that he has made a mistake.
As a rule, dogs living in a shelter are distrustful of people
A story that inspires you not to give up
Happy Paw says: a couple of years ago, volunteers at the Bim shelter found a small dog in the snow with lacerations on three legs. According to doctors, she most likely was hit by a car. Initially, they believed that they could save all the legs, but, unfortunately, one of the front ones had to be amputated.
After the operations, Doll went to the shelter to recover and wait for her owners. But time passed, and complications began. So the Doll only has one healthy paw left. The entire fund took care of her as best they could: they recruited volunteers who came to bandage her paws, played with her, and tried to surround her with care. They also held campaigns to raise money for her to buy a wheelchair, with which she could move around.
It was during this period that Dasha and Lesha noticed her. The guys took the dog home, and to this day she lives in a really cool family. Now Doll is healthy and even manages to move around without a stroller.
Where to look for your dog
You can pick up your four-legged friend in several places. This:
- shelter;
- animal rescue group;
- shelter for purebred dogs.
It is not necessary to visit these places in person, because thanks to the Internet you can select a specific pet, and then go directly to the organization to get acquainted with it.
However, you should be careful when viewing sites that advertise puppies looking for homes, as you may run into scammers. The search should be carried out on the official website, but it is worth collecting information about a specific organization from third-party sources.
Important! If you have any doubts when visiting the shelter, it is better to choose another place to purchase a dog.
You must personally visit the shelter and choose a dog.
Useful books
Jay Kus talked about books that will help you and your new friend find a common language, make the adaptation process easier and warn against possible mistakes along the way.
- "Don't Growl at the Dog" by Karen Pryor. The book lays out in accessible language an effective method of positive reinforcement. It will be useful to you not only in your relationship with your dog, but also with yourself and loved ones.
- "What to Do Before and After You Adopt a Puppy" by Ian Dunbar. This book is worth reading before you bring a dog into your home. She talks in detail about the periods of raising a puppy and helps prepare for the moment of meeting a new friend.
- “On the other side of the leash. How to understand a dog and become understandable to it,” Patricia McConnell. The book teaches you to observe your dog and learn to understand it, and then interact with the dog with body language and voice.
- "Dialogue with dogs. Signals of reconciliation”, Turid Rugos. The book describes several dozen signals of reconciliation with clear stories about how dogs use them. It will help you avoid conflicts with your dog and learn to communicate with him.
How to choose a dog in a shelter
Dog handlers recommend choosing a pet for the whole family, since in this case the opinion of every member of the household is important. This will help eliminate the risk of incompatibility, since not all people may like one or another individual equally. If the choice is made, you need to move on to the next stage.
It is necessary to ask employees to talk about the character, temperament and habits of the animal. It is quite possible that the dog is phlegmatic, so he is not suitable for a family that prefers an active lifestyle. It may be the other way around, when the pet is hyperactive, and the potential owner and his family members like to spend their free time in peace and quiet, preferably lying on the sofa.
After a conversation with employees, it is the turn of such a stage as assessing the psychological state of the animal. You need to pay attention to:
- Excitability. If an animal is simply unable to sit in one place, barks, or throws itself at the wall of the enclosure, this indicates hyperactivity and excitability of the nervous system. In this case, you should not expect that the dog will calmly wait for its owner at home.
- Contact. A dog that has lived in a shelter for some time and was previously a street dweller is unlikely to have an open and welcoming attitude towards people. Most of these animals are reserved and shy. If the dog tries to avoid contact with a person by any means, it’s worth thinking about, because he may show aggression or completely withdraw into himself.
- Aggression. If, when trying to approach him, the dog begins to growl, this can be corrected by education and affection. If the aggression is unmotivated, then it is quite possible that the animal has psychological problems, and coping with them can be quite difficult. Therefore, it is unlikely that this dog will soon become kind.
- Cleanliness. An animal should relieve itself in a natural place, and if a pile or puddle is not a reason for it to even change its resting place, then in this case it is worth seriously considering its choice.
It is necessary to pay attention not only to the dog itself, but also to the conditions in which it is kept. The organization should not be unsanitary, and its employees should not have a negative attitude towards our smaller brothers. If they ask for money to purchase a dog, then the amount should cover the costs, and not be significantly increased for the purpose of enrichment.
A new four-legged pet should be given proper care
Specialists
Make sure to meet people in advance who are ready to help you live with your new friend.
Vet
If you try and find a good doctor for your dog, you will see him very rarely.
How to determine if a veterinarian is good? Evgenia advises paying attention to three main points:
- How calm does the animal feel in the hands of the veterinarian? A good doctor will not twist the dog or clamp its mouth shut. According to Evgenia’s experience, good doctors give injections by gently stroking and without fixing the pet.
- How experienced is the doctor? This is important, because the more experience the veterinarian has, the fewer tests and procedures your animal will have to endure.
- How well do you understand each other? Personal contact with your veterinarian is also important. “If there is no normal communication, treatment will be delayed or will not work at all. Find a specialist with whom you feel comfortable talking and after talking with whom everything becomes clear to you,” advises Evgenia.
Animal psychologist
An animal behaviorist can help you work through your problems, sometimes even online. If your dog's behavior is problematic, you will need to contact such a specialist.
Dog handler
If you want to train a dog, you will need a dog handler or trainer. Jay Kus talked about how to understand that you have a competent specialist in front of you.
For example, if a dog handler talks about dominance, this is a sure indicator of his failure. A person who talks about the dog respecting/disrespecting you, or the role of a strong leader, may even harm the pet.
Dominance ideas were around decades ago, and their theoretical basis has since been refuted. The "show the dog who's boss" ideas have been replaced by a much more humane and effective paradigm based on rewarding good, positively interrupting or ignoring bad, and creating an environment in which good is easier to do than bad.
Jay Kus
dog handler
Another important signal is understanding the mechanisms of behavior change. Jay notes: if the trainer does something physically forcibly (presses on the butt, saying: “Sit!” so that the dog sits down from the pressure), “hangs” it on the collar so that the dog sits at the command “sit”, recommends stepping on the hind toes paws or stick out your knee if the dog jumps on people, or recommends jerking with the leash in any situation - fire such a dog handler without talking.
What to prepare for after
Dog handlers claim that there are 2 options for further events:
- The owner and the dog find a common language, but before that they will need to overcome a lot of problems associated with blending in their characters.
- The owner and the dog will not be able to get along under the same roof, and all because the first lacks wisdom, perseverance and restraint, and the second has aggression and bad habits, which he simply does not want to get rid of. In this case, either the animal will develop a new psychological trauma, or he will have to return to the shelter, or the owner, if he is merciless, will throw him out onto the street.
Important! If your own strength has already dried up, but the dog still continues to demonstrate its character, then you can turn to specialists for help.
Time
Prepare to devote a sufficient amount of time and attention to your new friend. After all, he will need it.
Evgenia Drach notes: if you are not ready for this, the dog will force you to draw attention to yourself in a different way. Chewed shoes, torn wallpaper, tattered sofa...
Mutual understanding between a dog and its owner is the result of long work.
It is important that you understand why you endure this stress, so that the joy of communicating with an animal easily and quickly outweighs the discomfort from minor problems. You will need to change your usual life and daily routine. Later you will be glad of it, it may be hard at first.
Evgenia Drach
volunteer at an animal shelter
Preparing your home for your dog's arrival
After all formalities have been completed, the owner will need to prepare the house for the arrival of a new resident. It is necessary to determine the place where the dog will live, equip it with a lounger and toys. You will also need to purchase bowls for feeding, and if the dog is large, for example, a shepherd, then a special stand so that it can eat food without experiencing difficulties. It is necessary to acquire a leash, muzzle, and harness in advance, since walking without these accessories is currently not permitted by law.
The owner and household members must show the animal a positive attitude towards it
Picking up from the ground
Dogs that have lived on the street for several months have lost the habit of regular feeding. They are guided by instincts that force them to pick up from the ground and eat everything that seems more or less edible: this is the only way to survive. It is necessary to wean your pet from this bad habit as soon as possible. To do this, teach your dog the “fu” command and train at home. Exercise: Place a treat in front of your dog and stop him from taking it. If the dog reaches out to him, say “fu” or “no”, or say “ch-sch” and imitate a bite on the neck with your hand, this movement should be confident. A bite on the neck is a sign of dominance. A dog is a pack animal; if the leader forbids it, then the others do it. Dogs don't bark at each other. They bite the neck. You can also snap your fingers; dogs often react to this sound. After obedience, you can pet the dog or say “well done.” Don't let her eat this treat off the floor as a reward. Then you can place treats around the room; if the dog wants to take a treat, then stop the action using the method described above. The exercise is considered completed if the dog completely ignores the treats and is not fixated on them. Next, this exercise should be done outside. You can practice this way with other objects, for example, shoes that the dog is trying to chew off. Rest assured, the results will not keep you waiting.
Rules of conduct with a shelter dog
The line of behavior chosen by the owner determines whether the dog can live with him under the same roof.
Communication
An animal that has lived for a long time without human love must get used to a new place. There is no need to immediately grab him and try to pet him, as this can cause fear and, as a result, aggression. The pet needs to be given positive emotions so that the move can be done without psychological trauma and the dog begins to enjoy its new place of residence.
Nutrition
Often, kennel employees give the owner a number of recommendations on how to feed the dog, and sometimes even give a bag with a small amount of provisions. The owner will need to buy dog food, and if natural food is chosen, then gradually introduce new products into the diet to make sure that the dog does not have allergies.
Important! If the shelter cannot boast of a material base, then when the dog crosses the threshold of a new home, it does not need to be fed “for slaughter”, since this is fraught with volvulus.
Walks
Adaptation should be gentle and not cause stress. Walking should begin with a short interval, gradually increasing the interval.
Care
The ideal option would be to call a veterinarian at home or visit him in the office for the purpose of examination and receiving a number of recommendations for care. As a rule, when entering a new home, the animal undergoes hygiene procedures such as bathing, ear cleaning, nail trimming and deworming.
Before you take a dog into your home, you need to soberly assess your strengths.
I want to adopt an animal from a shelter. How to do it?
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Every autumn in Russia the number of stray animals increases: mainly, this happens because summer residents return to the city - abandoning the dogs and cats they picked up for the summer. The exact number of homeless animals is unknown, but in large cities municipal and private shelters are overcrowded. “Medusa” tells how to adopt a cat or dog from a shelter and how to prepare your home for their arrival.
They say that all the animals in shelters are sick and wild. This is true?
No, not all homeless animals that end up in a shelter are sick or have problems with socialization. In most facilities, newly arrived animals are examined by a veterinarian; they receive all the necessary vaccinations, and upon reaching a certain age the animal is castrated or sterilized. Employees and volunteers try to work with the most sociable dogs - they are taught basic commands and accustomed to a leash.
At the same time, there are indeed a lot of sick and injured animals in shelters (both physically and mentally). It happens that unscrupulous owners abandon old animals that require constant care, and the catching services bring dogs hit by cars or tormented by flayers. Zoo activists try to immediately place such animals in the home of experienced owners or for foster care with volunteers.
As Sergei Sereda, president of the Russian Association of Practicing Veterinarians, told Meduza, infectious diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are common among shelter animals. This happens for several reasons: in some institutions they forget to vaccinate animals; in municipal shelters they live in cramped conditions and unsanitary conditions, and employees do not always have time to notice a sick dog or cat and isolate it from the rest. Also, not all shelters can afford to buy high-quality food - animals are fed cereals with canned food or cheap dry food, which can interfere with digestion.
To adopt an animal, do you just have to come to the shelter and ask?
It is not that simple. First, you need to decide which shelter you want to adopt an animal from. In Moscow and the region alone there are 15 municipal shelters and about 30 more private ones - their addresses can be found here and here. Almost all institutions have websites and pages on social networks on which employees regularly talk about guests - you can choose by photo and description. But it will be better if you come to the shelter and personally meet its inhabitants.
Shelters have strict requirements for future owners. Employees and volunteers conduct interviews with those wishing to adopt a stray animal, request documents, can check your apartment and even visit your neighbors. Some institutions do not give animals to young couples, single elderly people or families with infants. The shelter will refuse if they want to use the dog as a guard or put it on a chain, as well as if they want to pick up the animal and then give it as a gift.
If you decide to adopt a dog or cat from a state shelter in Moscow, you must have local registration and your own housing (some shelters make an exception for people renting an apartment, but ask for the landlord's contact information). Also, representatives of the shelter will require the consent of everyone who will live with the animal: no one wants a cat to be abandoned because of an allergy of their younger brother, and a cheerful puppy to fall into the hands of flayers. If circumstances do not allow you to take an animal home, you can become a volunteer - they are especially needed by state shelters (as a rule, there are more animals there, because they are obliged to take in everyone that the catching services bring).
After you have chosen a cat or dog and met it, and also proven that it will be good with you, the shelter enters into a responsible care agreement with you. That's not all - you need to prepare your home for moving.
How to prepare for life with a dog or cat?
First of all, purchase flea and tick treatment and pet shampoo, all of which are sold in veterinary pharmacies and pet stores. You will need them on your first day. Take care of purchasing food in advance and consult with the shelter staff or the animal’s guardian (if he had one) - they may know if he has allergies or intolerance to any ingredients. “You need to buy food from trusted manufacturers in accordance with weight and age. It shouldn’t be the cheapest, preferably premium or super premium,” the founder of the private shelter 50pets named Elena told Meduza. Veterinarians advise not to feed animals with homemade food (porridge, canned food and meat by-products). Ready-made food is balanced and supplied with essential vitamins and minerals - unlike homemade food.
Don't forget the obvious. For a dog - two bowls (for food and water), a collar, a harness, a leash, a muzzle, an address card with the pet's name and your phone number on it, as well as absorbent diapers - shelter dogs are not accustomed to walking (even if they once were homemade). A cat will also need bowls, plus a spacious carrier, a tray, litter for it and a scratching post. Research the veterinary clinics closest to your home so you know where to go for help.
You also need to prepare your home for the arrival of your pet. If you take a cat, then you need to install “anti-cat” nets on the windows - nets that will not allow your pet to jump out of the open window. It is advisable to hide all wires that the animal can reach, and also put household chemicals, food and plants in locked cabinets or on high shelves.
Representatives of 50pets advise you to familiarize yourself with the rules for keeping dogs and cats (this document is adopted by municipal authorities; it may vary in different cities). Explore shelter websites; many post useful tips on how to choose things for animals and what to do if they get lost.
I already have a pet. Does it also need to be prepared somehow?
Make sure that the animal you choose from the shelter is not afraid of its relatives and does not experience aggression towards them. See how the future pet behaves with its neighbors in the enclosure.
A newcomer will definitely need quarantine. This could be a separate room or kitchen - the main thing is that no one gets in there. “To protect your pets, you need to carefully check all the documents and vaccinations that were issued at the shelter,” Sergei Sereda told Meduza. Check when the vaccinations were done - this information is in the animal's veterinary passport. If the documents do not indicate the latest vaccinations or you know that the animal has suffered an infectious disease, do not let it have contact with other dogs and cats, including on the street. Observe quarantine until visiting the veterinarian.
At first, try not to leave the animals alone: they may fight.
I took the animal. What to do next?
Moving is stressful for an animal, but it still needs to be washed and treated for insects. Many owners give new pets antihelminthics, but it is best not to do this without a doctor’s prescription.
After all the procedures, you need to give the dog or cat time to get comfortable in the house - let it walk around the rooms and explore everything. In this case, you need to especially carefully monitor her behavior and how she eats and goes to the toilet. The next day, the pet can be taken to the veterinarian. The doctor should examine the animal and take the necessary tests to make sure that your new friend has no infections and is healthy. If you adopted a pet from the street and not from a shelter, then the clinic will issue a veterinary passport for it, which will be given to the animal’s owner after the first vaccination. If the doctor finds parasites on the animal, he will need a deworming agent - it is sold in a veterinary pharmacy or pet store.
“In the clinic, you should pay attention to the behavior of the doctor, whether you have contact with him, how he makes a diagnosis: does he perform a detailed examination, does he refer to experience, does he prescribe additional examinations and tests. If, looking at your pet, the doctor snorts and says: “Why are you bothering with him, why do you need one?” - it is clear that there will be no particular benefit from his services,” advises the founder of 50pets Elena.
In the first days, you need to show the dog that it can trust you - communicate with it, play, do not leave it alone. Try to slowly accustom your dog to the fact that he needs to relieve himself on the street, and not at home. Shelter staff also advise staying away from dogs and people who cause concern while walking. Once the dog understands that it is safe and gets used to new people, you can begin training it and teaching it basic commands.
Cats also need taming. “After two or three days, if the animal does not make contact and still hisses, bites and is afraid of you, you need to start accustoming it to your hands. Constantly pick up (if the cat is aggressive, then in a blanket) and hold, stroke, show that everything is okay - and do this as often as possible,” zoo activist Yulia Frolova, who sheltered three stray cats, told Meduza.
I think something went wrong. What to do?
If you feel that you are not coping with raising an animal or it is behaving strangely, contact a shelter representative - he will advise you. Inappropriate behavior of the animal can also be a consequence of poor health, so it is better to visit the doctor again.
In the case when the dog has adapted and gotten used to you, but continues to disobey and behave badly, you should contact a zoopsychologist or dog handler. The choice of a dog handler must be approached responsibly. Look for a trainer who works with animals using “positive reinforcement”, that is, rewards their success with treats and games, rather than developing the necessary skills through intimidation, using a choke collar or chain.
“The main thing is not to expect that the animal you rescued will immediately purr in your arms and thank you for the rest of its life. You need to win your favor every day,” advises Frolova.
Old and new pets in one house
If the apartment already has a pet, then it is necessary to organize an acquaintance with the new resident. It is customary for animals to defend their territory, so introductions should be done carefully.
Particular care should be taken when introducing a new family member to a cat that already lives in the house. If the dog does not know how to treat her correctly, then he may unwittingly harm her. But there is another situation when the cat itself is aggressive and hostile towards dogs and is capable of rushing into battle without hesitation at the sight of them, especially if it is a small pet.
Before you decide to adopt a furry friend from a shelter, you need to study every pro and pro of such a decision. The future owner must be confident in his abilities, and then the dog will be imbued with gratitude and love towards him, and will brighten up his life.
Family preparation
Discuss the addition of a dog to the family and make sure that everyone, without exception, agrees to this step. Jay Kus notes: if someone in the family is against it, this almost certainly means conflicts and, as a result, problems in the dog’s behavior in the future.
Agree on your responsibilities for caring for the dog. Someone should walk her in the morning and evening, someone should buy food, someone should play and teach her commands. Also, be sure to agree on who will take the dog out into the yard for a minute in the middle of the day. Jay says it's not healthy for dogs to wait all day between their morning and evening walks. Your pet will be healthier and calmer if he has the opportunity to go outside for at least a short time three times a day.
Very important: if there are children under 12 years of age in the house, they must be taught the rules of safe and respectful interaction with dogs.
The main ones are not to touch the dog when it is sleeping, not to approach it when it is eating, not to frighten it with sudden movements and sounds, not to lean on it, respect its wishes when it moves away, leaves or in some other obvious way. shows that she is uncomfortable.
Jay Kus
dog handler
If you've read this far
First of all thank you. The topic of homeless animals is a difficult one for our society. Yes, it’s not our fault that there are so many stray animals on the streets. But at the same time, it is the people who live next to us who throw them away or do not sterilize them on time.
2021 at the Happy Paw Foundation is dedicated to the topic of sterilization. This is one of the root causes of the appearance of homeless animals in Ukraine. In addition, the topic is shrouded in myths and rumors. Together with Fedoriv, the foundation created the Love is project, where they explained that sterilization is the same manifestation of love and care for a pet as affection, games or treats.
If you can’t adopt a homeless animal right now, please support Happy Paw Foundation projects or posts from other shelters with reposts so that as many people as possible can help reduce the number of homeless animals on the streets.
And if you also dreamed of a dog as a child and now you can adopt one, just go to shelter websites. You have already grown up, which means it’s time to fulfill your dreams.
Max, Candy, Doll and thousands of other dogs are an example of how dreams come true. And not only in people, but also in dogs.
What difficulties might you encounter?
Shelter animals are often reclaimed. This is due to difficulties in their adaptation and education.
When choosing a pet
Before meeting a future family member, work out one important point - in any case, you will not be able to take everyone. At best, you will take two or even three lucky ones with you, but you will have to leave everyone else behind. After leaving, you will long remember the barking and howling of the remaining dogs.
You will have to live with this, but you should not reproach yourself for what you cannot change. If you like the institution, leave it a donation: either a one-time or monthly one.
When he enters the family
The first acquaintance is unlikely to be successful, so prepare in advance for the manifestation of cowardice or aggression. Both the first and second can be eliminated by demonstrating your leadership qualities. The animal must recognize you as a leader who can protect you and put you in your place in time to protect other members of the pack.
The recommendation sounds simple in theory, but in practice certain problems always arise. When trying to explain that the boss in the family is the owner, try not to overdo it. Your task is to gain trust and respect, and not to aggravate the cowardice of an already battered dog.
Four-legged health
In addition to behavioral disorders, we must not forget about the high likelihood of acute and chronic diseases, injuries, dermatitis, fleas and helminths. Old bruises can only be found with x-rays, so be sure to take your new pet to the vet for an in-depth examination.
IMPORTANT!
Take your time introducing the adopted puppy to the rest of the family. If he is sick, then during treatment he will have to be isolated in a separate room or left in the inpatient department of a veterinary clinic.
Pet behavior
Behavior depends on the method of entry into the street. All shelter residents can be divided into 2 categories:
- refuseniks who have experience communicating with people;
- homeless initially, raised without an owner.
There are usually more representatives from the second category. Such dogs, adopted from a shelter, are afraid of everything new and are wary of any strangers. Because of this, it is difficult to socialize them without outside help, because they hide their fear under aggression. In especially severe cases, you have to contact a dog handler or animal psychologist.
Tips for adaptation and education
On average, the adaptation period takes up to 3 months, but there are exceptions that last several years. At this stage, animal psychologists recommend adhering to the following tips:
- Do not pester the “new recruit” for the first 2 days. Constant cuddling, petting and treats can be very frightening, so allow time for him to get used to the new territory and smells without additional stimuli.
- Take your time with tactile contact. Start with long-distance conversations. The dog must understand that you are not dangerous.
- Avoid punishment. Numerous puddles and damage to furniture are the result of unusual conditions, not harmfulness. Ignore this behavior, but be sure to reinforce the positive moments with praise and affection.
- Never respond to aggression with aggression. Its main reason is the lack of a sense of security. Make sure that the new family member has a private corner where no one will bother him.
If the animal has no fear of children, then they can be involved in socialization. In the system of hierarchical relations, all babies and puppies are at the lowest level due to their weakness. Children look less dangerous than adults, which is why some shelter pets are drawn to them.
NOTE!
Puppies up to 4 months are the easiest to adapt to.
When is it better to give up a shelter pet?
Most volunteer organizations have their own “nomadic animals”, constantly changing from one family to another. If you decide to adopt such a four-legged animal out of the kindness of your heart, do not torment yourself by realizing that you want to get rid of it on the second day. This is not about you, but about the broken psyche of your new pet.
“Animal nomads” have at least one, if not a whole bunch of psychological traumas. They can be unusually gentle and sweet, but only until a trigger appears: a child, the sound of thunder or exploding fireworks, some item of clothing, or a completely harmless stroking of a certain part of the body.
Despite all the efforts of the owners, all of the above immediately turns their new pets into aggressive and uncontrollable dogs. Under the influence of their phobias, they can injure other pets, children and adults. If you cannot guarantee 100% exclusion of the trigger or simply do not know it, return the four-legged one back.
How can I help the shelter?
Usually shelters are happy to receive any help. There is always a shortage of food, toys, diapers and beds. Many shelters post on their websites or in groups on social networks a list of medications necessary for animals, which they are willing to accept as donations.
But you don't have to spend money to help. Sometimes shelters ask you to help organize a photo session so that the animal can find its owner, sometimes to take the dog for a walk.
And, of course, if you were ready to adopt a pet from a shelter, your heart is open and you can help other animals by becoming a volunteer.
What if you take it from the street?
This option is the riskiest of all possible. You can only learn about existing mental and health problems through experience. You will not have the opportunity to choose just one based on the descriptions compiled by volunteers.
When making your final choice, make sure that you are fully aware of all the existing difficulties and truly want to become the owner of a four-legged pet. If doubts arise in your head, even just one thing, give up your idea so as not to suffer from soul-searching and remorse in the future.
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Can they refuse me?
Yes they can. But such cases are quite rare. There are no specific rules. Volunteers strive to place the animals in better conditions, in an apartment. If they want to send the dog to a kennel and put it on a chain, then doubts arise. If a person had experience in keeping them, but all the dogs went to no one knows where they went, died from no one knows why - that’s the same. There are “blacklists” of phone numbers of people who abuse animals on the Internet. They are also checked at the shelter before giving the pet away.
State shelters may refuse you if you do not have registration or your own housing. Single elderly people and families with infants in shelters are also treated with caution. Sometimes employees or volunteers may ask to see your apartment or want to chat with your family and neighbors.
When you prove that you can take care of your pet and provide it with decent living conditions, the shelter will conclude with you something like a responsible care agreement.
