Adopting a Dog From a Shelter - A Few Considerations

My family recently experienced the joys and frustrations involved with adopting a dog from the local humane society. Though the process concluded with the addition of "Dakota", a beautiful Flat Coat Retriever, there were bumps and detours along the way. The process also required a lot of patience and willingness to compromise. Now that I reflect on our experiences, I offer the following suggestions to those who may be thinking of adopting a pet via the humane society or other animal shelters.

There are few things as exciting as making the decision to add to the family, whether the addition is a little person or a pet. If you have decided to visit the local animal shelter in search of a family dog, congratulations on doing something positive for dogs or puppies that might not otherwise get a chance to have a home. Though it seems simpler to purchase a puppy from a breeder or to acquire one at no cost from a friend, there is something kind of rewarding about a shelter adoption. Yet and still, before you go and pick up Fido, please consider the following lessons learned from our family's experience.

Know what you are looking for, and do not waver on "critical" elements.

Simply stated, it is wise to know what type of dog you are looking for before you head to the animal shelter. This involves some soul-searching, so to speak, as well as an honest assessment of the needs and wishes of your family and yourself. You also need to consider your lifestyle, personal preference, housing situation, and budget among other things. It is also a good idea to come to a general consensus with those that will be most directly involved with the dog. If you want a big dog and your partner wants a small dog, who will get their wish?

It is also important to prioritize your pet wish list. Decide what traits you must have in a dog, what traits are negotiable, and which traits are of little importance. In my case, I knew I needed a dog with a relatively "low-key" temperament. Our home tends to become quite wild at times, as anywhere from one to seven children may be present. A hyper dog would have added even more excitement, which would have been too much for me. There were also several traits I could negotiate, such as the amount of shedding and grooming the dog required. Of course, I preferred a low-maintenance dog, but if I fell in love with a dog that needed regular grooming that was alright with me. There were also traits that did not matter to me such as the gender of the animal, and I made that known during family discussions, as well as during our visits to the animal shelter. Knowing what I could commit to played a major role in the selection of our pet, as I was likely going to be at least partially responsible for its care.

Try to get some time alone with your potential pet, both indoors and outdoors.

This, I believe, is very important. It can be a policy or a preference that the shelter volunteer stays with you the entire time you are "interviewing" prospective family pets. They may even accompany you on a walk. While this can be beneficial and even helpful the presence of someone the animal knows well can influence the way they respond to you. The dog may pay more attention to the volunteer just because they are familiar and trusted. On the bright side, this implies that the dog can bond with others, and that is great. However, you may never really know how the dog will interact with you and your family if not given the opportunity to be alone.

I would suggest asking the shelter staff if it is a policy that they remain with you while you are with one of their animals. If so, then naturally you need to respect that policy, but it may be the case that you can take the dog for a short walk outside. If so, I suggest you participate in this experience. You will learn how the dog reacts to you and to the members of your family if aoolicable. You will also be able to observe how the dog interacts with other animals, and this can be crucial if you already have pets at home. If you plan to keep your dog indoors the majority of the time, you should interact privately with them indoors as well. Keep in mind that shelters are often a flurry of activity, and not all behaviors you see may be typical. However, by spending time alone with your potential pet you can gain a great deal of important information that will assist in your selection process.

Visit more than once, but know when to say when.

From personal experience I can say that it is very tempting to take the first "good" dog you find. Be that as it may, I still suggest leaving sans pet after the first visit. Although there is a risk of your pet being adopted by another family, there is less of a chance that a rash decision will be made. Let's face it. When those puppy dog eyes are looking straight into your soul it is mighty difficult to walk away. Yet and still pet ownership is something that should be seriously considered, and taking a day or two to be sure you are ready is a wise choice. Additionally, by returning at a later date you might also find another dog that will fit into your life even better.

Along those lines, I must confess that I am the type of person who meditates on nearly every decision I make. The problem with that is I have often missed out on opportunities because I was still thinking about them. This was also the case in our search for a dog. We did miss out on two dogs we thought were just right for us, but our Dakota is an even better fit. It is for that reason that I suggest you decide how much time you will spend searching for a pet. How many times will you think it over and return? If it is the case that you have made multiple visits and had to spend a lot of time reconsidering each one, perhaps this is not the right time for you to add a pet to your family.

Remain objective, even though the dog is really adorable.

This is easier said than done, I realize. Animal shelters are often full-to-bursting with adorable animals of various breeds and temperaments. The common thread is they all need a home. What a heavy thought. I remember wondering what would happen to "Dog A" if we did not take him home. Fortunately our shelter is a "no kill" shelter, but I still felt guilty.

I absolutely fell in love with a little schnauzer named Cassie. She was adorable, middle-aged, low-shed, and basically ideal...or so I thought. It turns out that Cassie had what was termed "a little nipping problem with children". I was informed that she should do fine with older children. I was so enthralled with this dog that even though I knew about her little issue, I brought my kids on the second (yes, second) visit. I think I wanted to prove to myself that she would not have a problem with my children because they were older. Everything went well during the first visit with the kids. The little miss retrieved a tennis ball, and did simple tricks for treats. I was impressed.

The next time we visited Cassie, I brought my husband with me. The kids also came along. The visit was off to a splendid start. Cassie was her usually cute self, and she even showed my husband her tricks. And then it happened. As my husband put his hands around her belly to set her on the floor she reached back and growled and nipped at his hand. I just sat there with my mouth open, and my first thought was that my husband was not an infant, toddler, pre-school-aged child or even a high school student. He was an adult, and the dog just growled and nipped at him. I immediately thought about the safety of my children even before I considered Cassie's attractiveness. In that moment she became much less attractive. For me, that was the defining moment in my adoption decision. We left without Cassie (though my husband thought we could rehabilitate her), and I was really disappointed.

The story does have a happy ending. In two weeks we returned to the shelter and met a dog named "Hugo". Although he was a bit jumpy, I knew it was because he was excited. After taking him on a walk, sitting with him in the conference area, and feeding him some treats I fell in love. When he came to me and put his head in my lap it was a done deal. If I had not remained objective and kept my family's safety as my number one priority we might really be struggling with a dog that just was not right for our family. Hugo, who became Dakota is a perfect fit.

Bring your debit card.

It probably goes without saying that most shelter pets are not free. There is usually a fee associated with their adoption. However, it is important to find out what the fee covers. In our case the fee covered the cost of Dakota's vaccinations, micro-chipping, neutering, and perhaps a fraction of the amount the shelter volunteers invested in his care. All things considered, he was worth the fee we paid. It is important to be aware that the cost of the dog can vary depending on their age, breed, general health, and other related factors. You might find that adopting a dog is just as expensive (or more) than purchasing a puppy from a breeder. If that is the case you will have a decision to make.

Adopting a pet, like so many life-changing decisions is not something that should be rushed into with wild abandon. No matter how endearing an animal is, and no matter how much unconditional love they offer, they are still another life that must be nurtured, cared for, stimulated, protected, disciplined, and trained. That is why getting a dog is so often compared to having a child. If after careful consideration and a bit of "shopping" you still believe the time is right for a furry addition, then I say go for it! Just watch out for the really cute schnauzers with a "little nipping problem". Good luck with your search!

Laura Riness is a freelance author who writes about parenting and family-related issues, most often from a psychological perspective. If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more, please visit Laura's blog, "Psyreflections" at http://psyreflections.weebly.com, or her associated website at http://lsrinsideoutwellness.weebly.com