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Positive dog rehoming stories please

14 replies

PlinkyPlonker · 05/04/2014 19:50

Tomorrow my 4 yr old dog is being rehomed. I feel awful and don't know what to do for the best. I know he's going to a great foster home and the charity will eventually match him with a well-vetted new home. But I know at the very least he's going to be off his food for a few days and will wander round looking for me because he did that when I went on holiday a couple of years ago. Took him a week to perk up and that was when he left with people he knew.

Anyone got a positive story about a rehomed dog and how happy they now are? It's selfish but I'm trying make myself feel less awful about the whole thing.

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Scuttlebutter · 06/04/2014 00:15

As a rescue volunteer and foster home, I see this all the time. Smile

If you've reached the difficult decision to surrender your dog, it sounds as though you are thinking carefully about your dog's welfare - always the first priority. I firmly believe that rehoming can be the best option for a dog when people's circumstances change dramatically, often through no fault of theirs. Bereavement, serious illness, relationship breakdown and job loss can all be valid reasons.

Sometimes it's possible for a charity to keep you in touch with the dog you have surrendered. We do this with two of ours, and provide regular updates/photos etc.

One of the most moving relinquishments I've ever witnessed was a lady who had terminal cancer. The rescue were able to find a lovely foster home very near by and kept her updated and with regular visits, and a permanent home was found after her passing.

Another one of our dogs is from a racing owner who died - he looked after his dogs, but after his death his family didn't want them. They ended up in the pound, but rescue stepped in. Our beautiful tiger is now a much loved member of our family, a gorgeous stripy squirrel chaser with the biggest brown eyes. Before she came to us, she was in emergency foster care, and the foster carer herself was utterly smitten. It's so nice now that as things have turned out, we regularly see/socialise with her previous foster carer, so she can see how happy and settled she is. When Tiger sees her "Aunty S" she gets huge cuddles, big licks and a storm of tail wags.

It's natural for the first few days to be a bit topsy-turvy, and of course your dog will miss you. But a good charity will take great care to place him in an experienced foster home who have experience and will help him overcome this period of transition. You may actually find that he really enjoys his "holiday" especially if he has new friends to play with.

Although dogs do remember their special friends, they are also very good at living in the moment and learn to form new bonds.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 06/04/2014 00:24

I have a rescue dog - she is currently snoring her head off at the other end of the couch. And there is no truth in the allegations that she's spoiled rotten! Grin

PlinkyPlonker · 06/04/2014 04:09

Thank you for both your replies. I do keep trying to tell myself that dogs live in the moment. Whilst I think I'm doing is best for my dog, it's so difficult to weigh it all up. I'm a crap owner and he will be happier long term with an owner who gives him far more attention than I do. But I'm awake worrying about all the what-ifs. What if the new owner slips through the vetting procedure or what if my dog annoys them etc etc. or what if my life is different in a year and I'm making a massive mistake.

So it's lovely to hear from both the rescue volunteer side and new owner perspective and I really hope my dog goes to someone who will also spoil him rotten :-)

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1MitchellMum · 06/04/2014 07:11

It's presumably not too late to change your mind? But hope he ends up in a lovely home.

Shockers · 06/04/2014 07:22

Our dog is a rescue... we adore her Smile.

LtEveDallas · 06/04/2014 07:26

I rehomed a dog once. It wasn't supposed to be forever, just that something had happened that meant I couldn't keep her for 6 months. She was supposed to come back to me after.

What actually happened was when I went to get her back I could see how happy she was in her new place, and how much she and one member of the family had bonded. I found myself feeling guilty about taking her back.

After some would searching I decided to leave her be. I swear she knew exactly what I was doing. She was all over me, but then broke off and attached herself to the one she'd bonded with, proper curled up on his lap. I left that day and later, once everything had calmed down would see her on walks and she would be delighted to see me, but would make a point of rushing back to her new owner with the same delight.

That's 10 years ago now, she's still alive, still happy (if a bit fat!) and I don't regret it. The new owner actually gave her a better life than I could at the time (mine was rather hectic, his was sedate) and whilst I missed her terribly, it was for the best.

Don't beat yourself up. If you KNOW that the dog is better off without you, then you are doing it for the dog. That's what is important.

LtEveDallas · 06/04/2014 07:29

Oh and all my dogs have been rescue. Whilst I am know there are bad people out there, I am sure that in the main someone that goes out of their way to rescue a dog does it for the right reasons, and truely cares for dogs.

PlinkyPlonker · 06/04/2014 07:30

Thank you too Shockers :-)

I could change my mind still but I don't think I should, I've got til about 9am. I sat down and wrote a staying vs going list this morning as I couldn't sleep. Providing he goes to a good home he is better off going. It might be different in another 2 years but who knows what the future holds.

Individually none of the factors are unsolvable. But it's the overall picture is why I think he'd be better off rehomed. If he was an older dog I would keep him but he's got a good 8-10 years that he could be happy in a good home rather than tolerating a mediocre one that may or may not get better in the future.

Thanks again for the positive stories.

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PlinkyPlonker · 06/04/2014 07:32

Cross post, thanks too LtEve.

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Shockers · 06/04/2014 08:44

What is he Plinky? We're in the market for a furry boy...

PlinkyPlonker · 06/04/2014 09:47

Thank you that's a lovely offer but I'm just waiting for the foster person now. He's a shitzu - but a friendly non-yappy one! Well except when the postman arrives and then it's all bets off!

I'm off to find a thread so engaging that I won't notice the next 15minutes.

This will be the first time I've been pet-free for 17 years. Def can't do this again so it may be a permanent break from having any pets.

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Shockers · 06/04/2014 11:38

Thinking of you... hope the handover wasn't too traumatic for you both.

PlinkyPlonker · 06/04/2014 14:22

Well it's done. I think the worse bit is over although still feel awful. Promised I wouldn't cry - and then did, so the poor couple had to put up with me snivelling all over the place. But they seemed v nice and reassured me about it all. They think the coordinator already has a possible match for him so they don't think they will have him for long. Went out for some fresh air after and saw a billion dogs being walked. But ho hum I guess. Thanks for all being so nice and the positive doggy stories.

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Scuttlebutter · 06/04/2014 14:57

Sending a big hug

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