I am going to see some dogs tomorrow?

Question

I want a dog, i have an appointment now, tomorrow morning, to see some dogs, at a rescue shelter. Has anyone rescued a dog like this, i have told them, i want a quiet dog, who is good with children, will they be honest with me? I am sure they will, also, what age do dogs stop chewing furniture etc. I want a 2 or 3 yr old, i have already bought it some toys, and bones, is this a good age, to behave around the house, and not chew the kitchen...lol....,
i am excited about finding a loveable pooch, will an older dog be past the chewing stage, say 3yrs at the most? I want a walking companion, so it has to be fairly young and fit.

Answer 1

They will be as honest as they can, but dogs act very differently in a home to the way they will in kennels. My old roommate made the mistake of picking a 'laid back' dog from a shelter; she appeared calm because she was laying down while all the other dogs in the same kennel were jumping and barking, but it turned out she was very nervous and overwhelmed. He kept her, but she is by no means an ideal pet. Also, some dogs appear overly boisterous but will calm down in a home environment when they have the attention and exercise they need. Many act disinterested when they meet you as they are relieved to be out of their kennels and want to run and explore rather than stand still.

I would say use your common sense with what will suit your requirements. Find out which kinds of breeds would fit with your lifestyle. I am not saying you must adopt a purebreed, but if you know that you would prefer the personality of a retriever to a german shepherd, then look for retriever mixes rather than shepherd mixes. If you want a dog you can exercise off leash and train to a high level of obedience, don't get a hound. On the other hand, if you want a cuddly companion at home who will be excellent with children, they are a great choice. Basically, think about what you want from a dog, and this will result in the best outcome for both of you. Don't pick a dog that is inappropriate just because you feel sorry for it. There are perfect dogs for everybody in shelters, but what suits one person could be another's worst nightmare.

Chewing is not only caused by teething. Dogs of any age will chew either due to boredom or some kind of anxiety or nervousness. Usually plenty of exercise and appropriate things to chew on will stop this.

Also, do not limit yourself to a certain age. The way in which they will act depends very much on the breed and the dog. Border collies will be more active at 10 than most other breeds will be at 5. Golden retrievers and boxers tend to act very puppy-like for most of their lives. I'm not sure what size of dog you are looking for, but small dogs will live to 15yrs+, so you can anticipate having them for longer than a larger breed.

Answer 2

You are going to be a good dog owner - its obvious from your preparation and the questions you are asking.
They will probably be honest with you as if they aren't honest - you'll probably end up bringing the dog back to them. However, they only know the dogs so well and they are living in kennels which is obviously not the same as in someones house.
Although they will guide you towards the right types of dogs - you need to rely on your instincts to help you make your decision. You may even have to wait a few weeks to see what else they get in for a better match.
The dogs behaviour in the house depends greatly on how it has been brought up. Don't rule out dogs older than 3. 5 year old dogs are still really fit and far calmer in the house. Go for a labrador cross type - they have longer life spans.
Dogs should be encouraged to chew throughout their lives to keep their teeth healthy and clean. Some dogs like to chew more than others. By the age of 3, a dog will be past the major chewing stage but it if hasn't been taught not to chew furniture it may still give it a go now and then. You have already equipped yourself with lots of chewing stuff so you can encourage the dog to chew that, and it won't be inclined to turn to the furniture.
Your real concern is whether the dog is destructive when it is left alone - this is when dogs do their worst damage. It is because of boredom and anxiety. I'm not talking about being left alone for hours on end - I'm talking about being left for an hour or two when you go shopping or take your kids to the cinema etc. The rescue centre should have tested the dog's behaviour when left alone. Make sure you ask lots of questions about this.
Enjoy chosing - I hope it goes well.

Answer 3

Most shelters will be honest with you, as they want to see the dogs go to appropriate homes that suit them. If they place in a home that isn't right, they just run the risk of the dog coming back to them.

I think the age you are picking is appropriate and the chewing phase should be done. Most dogs have the "urge" to chew until about age 3.

I also suggest that if you know any of the mixes of any of the dogs you are interested in, that you come home from your visit and research any of the breeds you know to be in any of those dogs. Where I live, the shelter doesn't allow you to take the dog the same day, but makes you wait a day or two to make sure you've seriously thought this particular dog over and are not going on impulse desires. It will give you an idea at least of what you can expect from the dog, help you decide if this dog is right for you and help you know about the dogs needs.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

I have had lots of rescue dogs but one thing you must remember some of them may have small problems and you should enquire of the rescue centre if they can give you a run down on what they know about the dog.
The age for a dog that does chewing makes no difference as normally a dog will do this if it is bored -- you will need patience and be prepared to make it very welcome as it is quite an ordeal being let down by people and then having to get used to others-- i would advise not leaving it alone with the children and at first let the dog want to go to them and not them crowding the dog -- the one`s i have had have all been very different but i would not have changed any of them as in a way they are like children bad sometimes but oh they do bring so much joy and they give so much love to people even for the little things that are done for them-- treat the dog right and you will never ever have a better friend.
But never ever smack them as they have already have had a bad start in life -- so teach them with kindness and you will never regret it.

Answer 5

I just rescued a dog from a shelter 2 weeks ago...the shelter will be honest with you as they want to find a fitting home for all theirr dogs and prevent you bringing it back cause it didnt suit you. Dogs start teething at approx. 5mth of age and at approx 2-3 yrs they should have all their adult theeth (not guaranteed though but you can check that the dog yoyu are adopting has already finished teething and hence will be less likely to chew on things). The thing about shelter dogs and adult ones at that is that you dont know where they have come from so itshard to tell exactly how they will behave at your house. But the shelter usually performs a characterr analysis on your dog and even performs some basic training, so you dog may aloready be house trained, but even if they are housetrained they may still have some accidents when you first bring them into a new environment (caused by stress etc.)But overall the shelter should give a good assessment of teh dog, its temprement, whether or not it has previos training, if it barks a lot, if it is a suitable breed for a running companion (for example i wouldnt reccomend a chihuahua for a running companion or a bull dog etc.)...but good luck, and good on you for saving a dog from the shelter!!! It will bring you lots of joy!!!

Answer 6

The people at the pound really have no incentive to get you to adopt the dog, they will be very honest. Some no-kill shelters with low bugdets may try to pressure you to free up a cage. Go to the real live pound. In my experience they have more dogs and some of them are really good!

Get a dog that is already trained to go outside, if possible. This will tell you that someone cared for the dog enough to train it, that is usually a very good sign.

Don't worry about the chewing stage. Your dog will be in the "bad behavior stage" until you train it. For some people this takes a few weeks and for others it takes years or they never accomplish. Dogs chewing the wrong things is just bad training. Get a video like caesar milan or something like that and it will teach you how to deal with the dog so it will listen.

Answer 7

I'm afraid there is no real age to your problem. It all depends how a dog has been brought up, i have 5 dogs between ages 1 and 4 non of mine chew but a friend has a older dog of 6 who does. A dog really chews on things what he shouldn't because he/she is bored, left alone for a long time or he/she could have an obsession with chewing. Its a case of trail and error. Good luck. And good for you, going to a rescue centre, there are so many unwanted dogs who just want some love and attention.

Answer 8

Ask the Rescue for references. Contact a few people who have gotten dogs from them and you can verify whether or not the people knew the temperaments of the dogs they are placing.

While the Rescues I have worked with have had dedicated people, people who only wanted the best for the dogs they placed, it isn't impossible that the particular group you are dealing with might have a worker or two who simply wants the dogs gone, especially with the holidays coming up.

Don't make a hasty decision when getting the dog. Take at least two trips to make up your mind, sleeping on your choice to make sure you really want the responsiblity of caring for that particular dog for the next decade.

If the children you speak of are your own, don't take them to the first meeting. The kids will distract you and can make the decision making harder.

Generally speaking, a 2-3 year old dog is past the puppy chewing stage, but most dogs still enjoy chewing on toys/rawhides/etc.

Also, if the facility you are going to has the dogs in kennels, don't take the actions of the dog inside a small kennel to be how he will react outside this space. Many sweet dogs act differently when confined in tiny areas around numerous dogs. If possible, take the dog to a quieter location to more correctly determine his personality.

Good luck, and thanks a ton for rescuing a needy dog!

Answer 9

Well, you are going there and asking for a quiet dog , there are no such thing as a quiet dog. All dogs have to bark , they are just like people, it´s the only way for them to tell you if there is something wrong or they want to go to the toilet. Dogs only chew the furniture to bits , if they have no other kind of toy or strong leather to chew on , and when they are bored, as for behaving around the house, they only sit on your couch if you let them, or sleep in your bed , dogs are like children , very clever at getting what they want. If you had the time ,and are a home person best buy a very young dog and train him or her your own way good luck

Answer 10

I have adopted a few dogs from shelters and currently foster a dog as well. The age and aggressiveness will depend on the breed. I love little dogs- but they also tend to have anxiety and separation issues after being at a shelter. Usually dogs calm down after about 4 years, but are still active (like to play and walk). I would check about whether the dog was surrendered or a stray- and if it was surrendered if there were children in the family. If a dog was abused by a family with children it will usually be fearful and aggressive towards children. Shelters will definitely be honest with you about dogs and children. They don't want to allow you to adopt a dog that would hurt your kids. It will be hard for you to tell the dog's activity level based on one visit to the shelter. I advise numerous visits (ask the shelter if you can walk the dog or if they can bring it to your house for a home visit)- this will usually tell you more about the dog's personality than how it acts in a kennel. Hope this helps!