how can i tell if a rescue dog is going to be trouble or not?

Answer 1

theres no real way for sure to tell couse they act differntly in a shelter then they do in your own home but just give the dog time and it will get used to what it can do and cant do

Answer 2

Responsible rescue societies do their best to assess their dogs to find out if they have any problems.

Many do! This is often due to the cruel treatment they have received or the trauma of losing their homes and family and ending up in a kennel.

If the dog does have a problem/or problems they will tell prospective owners about the dog. Some rescue societies let you have the dog 'on trial' to see how it works out.

You can't be sure how a dog is going to behave until you have lived with it for a while.

I have had a number of rescue dogs and have had no real problems. I am also involved in re-homing dogs and we are very careful about vetting prospective owners.

The dog doesn't know whether it's new owner is going to be trouble or not either!

We do what we can to match dog and owner and happily we have many more successes than failures.

Bottom line is - you can't tell unless it is obvious before you take the dog home. In which case you take the dog on in spite of its problems or you leave it where it is.

Answer 3

Rescue dogs are all tested for temperament.

Just do your research on introducing a new pet to your home and family as well as your other pets if you have any.

Give the dog some time once you bring it home. It may take a while for it to come into itself and feel at home. You may never know the dog's past and you may have to work hard to gain it's trust. This dog may not be itself for quite some time after you bring it home. Be patient. Give it healthy food, establish a routine, and establish that you're the alpha. Also, give it a bed, or crate. It will help to have a place of it's own if it feels overwhelmed with it's new surrounding at times. Another good idea is to have plenty for the dog to do. Walks, play time, chew toys, etc. Make it's new home positive right off the bat and hopefully you won't run into issues like chewing, barking, and separation anxiety.

Do a lot of research (not just on YA) before you get the dog though.

Good luck!

Answer 4

You must spend the first four weeks training the dog. You teach iot a daily routine, where the toilet is, give it regular meals, brush it every day and so on.
The first two weeks it'll still be unsettled from the move so get control while you have the chance. Spoil it then and it will have the upper hand from then on.
Seperation anxiety is often a problem with second hand dogs so learn how to prevent that by leaving the dog alone for a while every day. Settle it in its bed with a chew, put the radio on quietly and go out for a short time. Don't make a big deal about leaving or coming back.
There are loads of dog training classes, fond one and ask to sit in on a few sessions.

Answer 5

Good for you for rescuing a dog. Most shelters and rescue groups will be able to give an accurate description of any behavior issues that a dog might have. They will test for dog-dog aggression, food aggression, and if the dog is nervous/tense around children (not with real children, of course!) A shelter or rescue volunteer person is most often your best resource in this situation.
If this is your 1st dog, I recommend that you get a copy of the Jean Donaldson book,_The Culture Clash_. If you're only going to read one book about dogs, this should be the one. Good luck.

Answer 6

you cant..although its very rewarding taking on a rescue dog some come with varieing problems whether its seperation anxiety,lack of training from previous owners,thats why most are at the rescue centres coz they get anxious when left,are destructive but if you are willing to work with the dog to overcome his problems and not give in,then in no time you will have the most rewarding relationship with your new dog, on the other hand the rescue dog you get may not have any problems but you never can tell you have to be sure that you are prepared for the inevitable and be willing to help your dog should it develop problems when being bought into the home and not just give in

Answer 7

Ask the shelter or rescue people a few questions like how the dog reacts around them and then see how the dog treats you when you go around it , ask if they have done any experiments with food and toys and if they have , ask how the dog reacted to those but, of course if you are getting this dog from an animal shelter then they won't do any of those tests with a dog ,but if you get one from a rescue league they will do all those experiments. You could try something like petfinders.com

Answer 8

you can't. In my experience, the first 4 weeks is great as they are settling in. After this time, they begin to feel safe and start being naughty. I have done rescue for over 12 years now and generally don't have a problem I cannot cope with. Even if you got a puppy, it will develop behaviour you don't want and get into trouble. I adore rescue adult dogs and have this month, taken on an 8 year old yorkie and a 5 month old collie.

Answer 9

Ive had recue dogs. Just ask @ the shelter things like,
1. Is he/she house trainned?
2. Is there anything he/she dislikes? (example; 1 of my dogs in the past was afraid of men in hats).
3. Will he/she require any special requirments?
4. Has he/she been wormed/vaccinated/micro chipped?
5. Does he/she like children?
and anything else you can think of.

You wont really know what the dog will be like till you get him/her home and its usually best to give him/her a trial period. Normally this is about 2 weeks, you can be sure by then if this dog suits you and your life style or not.

Answer 10

THe rescue centre will tell you of any known problems the dog has before you take it home.

Just be patient and loving and eventually if you have any problems with settling they will be ok.

Answer 11

depends on the dog. play with it before adopting. all dogs get into some trouble eventually. if your not willing to put up with all the trouble they can get into (rescue or not) dont get one. dogs are just like humans. personality differs in them all.