Success with adopting a rescue dog - can you share your tips?

[m0therofdragons]

My experience of friends getting rescue dogs is limited and not been successful with both going back to the centre and families buying a puppy from a breeder instead.
Dh and I both work and have young dc but youngest is 4 and we are near home so dh can pop home at lunchtime for an hour. I am part time so home after school run. Therefore I think an older dog would be a possibility but not fair on a puppy.
Today a friend posted about a bassett hound in need of a home and it seemed possible. He's been re homed quickly and dh and I decided not to make a rush decision.
Basically I'm asking for tips. What to look for and red flags. Any advice?

Personally I would only get an older dog from a recognised rescue centre which has assessed the dog. I would be very honest with the kennel about your circumstances and what you want from a dog - desirable characteristics and what you would not be prepared to accept and then take their advice. I didn't look round our local kennel but asked them to recommend any dogs they had which matched our needs. They chose a dog who has turned out to be absolutely perfect for our family (staffie x). I also have a rescue greyhound who we got in a similar way - also wonderful.

I would only adopt from a charity who foster their dogs so they have a much better idea of how the dog behaves in normal home situations when you have dc.
Both my dogs were rescue via EGLR and both were just as they said, living very happily with ds and our cats.

Look at smaller rescues, they usually have dogs in foster homes rather than kennels. Therefore, dogs already in family environment where they can be assessed with people/children/cats/other dogs etc.

Smaller rescues often more flexible regarding adoption with younger children. Larger rescues very risk-averse and afraid of bad PR headlines.

Once you've found a few rescues you like, get homechecked by them. Then you'll be a position to rehome quickly if a suitable dog comes up.

Join the FB groups related to all the rescues, they are usually much more up to date than websites. FB groups will usually feature dogs - the more popular, "pretty", cute who will be snapped up before even getting to be on the website. So you have a better chance if you're on them.

On the FB groups, you can post comments/reminders that you are looking, so rescue doesn't forget you! Smaller rescues run on a shoestring, time poor, very few people so you can't expect them to remember and ring you each time a (potentially) suitable dog comes in. It's up to you to keep looking, being in contact.

Where are you located? I'm sure people here will be able to give you names of good rescues in your area if you can say North, South, East or West!

Will you leave the dog more than 4 hours?
What about a settling in period?

Never hit the dog, use water directed from a plant spray to deter the dog from unwanted behaviour.

I would never hit any animal.
4 hours he'd be left 5 mornings in a row. Haven't planned a settling in period but dh can work from home although not long term but for odd weeks.

Located in South West.

We are day two of a rescue pup via a charity that has them in foster families. Even though our pup is only 8 weeks she seems used to kids already. She is already pooping outside. Peeps more hit n miss.
We are crate training her at night and she us whimpering a lot. Having g co slept with kids this is hard to hear but we are pushing through as we want her to always have a safe place she can retreat to when left home. So far this is the only prob.

The crying at night.

But we watched her interact with a few other dogs before we chose get. We rejected one pup because she seemed so anxious and growled when another pup approached her. You want the friendly sociable pup not the line wolf!!
Ours is a chiweenie. We decided against a bigger dog since in a year or so she will be home alone from 9 to 3 3 to 5 days a week.