I am thinking about adopting a rescue dog!?

Question

I was contacted by this lady who runs a animal rescue here where I live. We have been looking for a small dog for my daughter since she had to give up her kittens due to severe allergies.
well this lady has a 4 month old Toy pom/fox terrier mix and contacted me to see if I want it. MY ONLY CONCERN is that she told me the puppy is very stubborn in the crate training area and we are re-carpeting our house this weekend. I am afraid the new dog will pee all over the place.

What would you do. Advice appreciated.

I am a stay at home mom. Thank you.

also we have two other dogs. so I know she isn't allergic to dogs.

Answer 1

not to sound silly but what colour are you carpeting? If it is dark I wouldn't worry- if it s light be careful.

You just have to keep it leashed and attached to your arm at all times when it is out of it's crate- watch it and you can catch it and take it outside.

I would still get it- if you don't want to worry about this look at adopting an older dog instead.

Answer 2

1. It is up to you to teach it. Consult a pro. Crate training is rather an American thing, here we just take the puppy out for frequent walks and praise him there, until he knows that popping outside is a good thing.
2. Always keep in mind that when you adopt an animal it is a responsibility, and it is more important than your carpet. You can't expect the dog to be perfect, like a machine. Dogs especially need a lot of care, training etc., nothing to do with cats, much more difficult. I had a very well house-trained dog, well he got diarrhea and he pooped all over the carpet really big liquid poop. What to do? He couldn't help it, he is a living thing you know. The don't use the litterbox like cats!
3. Generally speaking, I would adopt a fully grown dog. Sure puppies are cuter and it is best to train them from a young age, but it is good to get them house trained too. MAybe you could ask teh lady to give it to you after it is house trained?

Answer 3

This is a baby, so it will need to go out OFTEN and speaking from experience, small breeds especially Poms can be stubborn. Crate training is the best way to go, but you have to be consistent and patient.

P.S. to the brainiac that said rescues get lots of donations to cover their expenses - You don't have a clue!!! Most rescues DO NOT have much of a budget to work with. The volunteers and foster homes spend much of their own money to make sure these animals are safe and healthy. The adoption fees rarely cover the true expenses for each animal. And, what you get for that fee is a companion animal that has been socialized, cared for, all shots, spayed or neutered, heartworm tested, completely vet checked including dental exam and cleaning and any medical issues found have been addressed. You also get a lifetime of love and loyalty and the satisfaction of knowing you have saved a life. Try doing all of that on the average adoption fee (which generally run between $150 and $300).

Answer 4

If the dog is stubborn in the crate training area this may be a nice way of the lady saying the dog will mess in the house, tell her you appreciate the offer but with kids and so many things going on in the house right now maybe you will wait a little while to get a dog, and just keep searching for other options, you're not obligated to take this dog, and since you're asking questions you already have doubts about this one so just wait you'll know when the right one comes along, good luck in your search.

Answer 5

if you are interested about adopting, i would talk to the lady. you might also want to reconsider on adopting that dog, although its not that hard to clean up if they have an accident. you can also put the create in an area where there is no carpet.

also are you positive your child is not allergic to dogs also. a lot of times, people are allergic to dogs and cats.. you should find that out before adopting this dog.

you might also want to look into an older dog. like a year or two old, just because they have better control of there bladder and they shouldn't have as many accidents. some rescues even house train them before they go home with you, but it sounds as if the puppy is not all the way done with his house training.

Answer 6

Then now would be a stupid time to get a dog or new carpet. Some of the small dogs even pee on the floors when they get excited. The time to get a new dog is in the beginning of the summer when the children are out of school and mom is home so the dog can be taken out many times per day to pee and poo. You are probably going to have accidents on the carpet even if the dog goes out a lot. Dogs are like children in the way that it takes a certain age for their bladder and bowel habits to fully develop. You wouldn't normally bring home a puppy until it is 8 or 9 weeks old. So you have time to make up your mind.

Answer 7

does the rescue group has an adult dog that is already housebroken?

that would be the best option for your new carpet.
I foster only adult dogs because I don't have the extra time to clean poop and pee on the floor. So I choose to foster (and adopt) adult dogs that are housebroken. I do foster adult dogs that need potty training too but they learn fast and only have one accident/dog.

Puppies require a lot of time for training.

that;s my only advice for your case.

ps: be aware that dogs can have accidents (when sick for ex), it's like children, expect some mess. I have one grass vomit twice/month for example inside my house... I have one pee once every other year (lucky me) ... etc...

Answer 8

Its 4 months its gonna take some work.

BE careful Ihave seen a lot of rescues with extremely high adoption fees for mutts. Do not pay for more than vetting. A reputable rescue gets plenty of donations to cover food and lower vet bills for the dogs.

Answer 9

I'd hold off on the carpeting if you decide you like this dog. You will have accidents even with a puppy that is a quick learner.

Answer 10

accidents will happen with any puppy and this one sounds like a red flag to me. either don't get the puppy or don't get the new carpet OR get both and realize ahead of time, you will have to deal with accidents. Even crate trained puppies and puppies confined to other rooms, etc. will have accidents where they're not supposed to. In addition, they also tend to vomit on carpet because it doesn't splash back at them like it does on smooth surfaces.