rehoming a rescue dog

[lemonymelanie]

Hello, I'm new in the doghouse, but hope to become a regular :-)

Have been looking for a dog in rescue shelters to rehome and yesterday we found her! She is gorgoeus, a sort of staffy cross - so gentle and friendly. We are going to see her again today, and we should have her home with us by the end of the week.

I am taking her a blanket we slept on last night, to leave in her shelter bed so she gets to know our scent. Is there anything else I should be doing? She is a rescued dog - it seems she has had pups recently, so I thought maybe a plush cuddly toy puppy to snuggle up with? I think she must be very confused and maybe a bit hormonal as she will be getting spayed by the shelter this week too.

thank you in advance for any advice!

It's a great name, I love it :-)

MaynJun - was your Rosie a rescue too? It's a special name :-)

Rosedog, your Rosie looks like she has some stories to tell:-) She is gazing at you very intently - are you holding a treat??
Still so excited - infact the excitement is building....just. can't. wait.!!!!!!!

She has a many a tale to tell and I think I am glad she can't talk, this was her when the rescue pulled her from the PTS list four years ago....she is a wee bit rounder now!

She lost her eye to cancer just 2 years ago, please remember to get pet insurance!

She gives us so much love and is grateful for a warm bed sofa and food, I hope your Rose comes home soon.

Rosie is gorgeous!

Yes, all my dogs have been rescues. She was a shaggy mongrel, incredibly cute, but had had a bad start in life and was a nervous wreck. I got her from the pound - she'd been picked up as a stray. I chose the name as she was so pretty and, as friends said, it was appropriate as she was second hand Rose!
For months I had to go out and leave her each day at the weekend for an hour or two whether I needed to or not, or she couldn't cope when I went to work on Monday.
She did adapt to my daytime routine though, and she was well walked. I came home at lunchtime and was home again by 4pm, and a neighbour took her out mid-morning as well. At first I had to dash home to get her outside before she wet the floor but she gradually improved though there were sometimes accidents if I left her in the evening.
I had her fourteen and a half years and she was a star.

Oh my goodness Rosedog - what a wee soul she is in that picture - and what a difference in the later one - even though she has lost an eye. Just shows what love and a good home and more love can do. She's a different dog!

I always go and see the other dogs when I visit my Rosie ( yes she's kind of second hand Rose too) - I am going to miss them actually. It's good to see them coming in and then moving on. There is one wee staffy I have fallen in love with too - he gives me licks through the glass and I hope he gets a good home soon - MaynJune - are you looking for a gorgeous friendly wee dog......?

It's great hearing all these stories from everyone

Oh, and I bumped into the behaviourist today again, and he recommended Kikopup on youtube too!

So the update is she's still not spayed, it seems they are waiting for her swollen bits to go down a bit before they do the operation. But on the other hand, it could be done tomorrow because she's on the list...so I just need to wait - said I'd pop in and see her tomorrow :-)

Hi there
We are finally thinking of giving in on the getting a dog front , kids have been desperate for years!
We love dogs but work. fairly flexible so could maybe take into office with us and Tbh one of us just does 9-3.
Anyway looking for affectionate family dog, that doesn't need tons of excercise and is calm rather than skittish
Dh likes French Bulldogs' old Tyne Bulldogs , kids like them and pugs, and I sort of like golden retrievers !
Friends have a cavapoo that seems very gentle
Any thoughts? Massively appreciate any help!

Oops meant to start new thread! 😀

Well, there's this gorgeous, affectionate wee staffy I know of...adorable, loving, gentle boy with big trusting eyes and a waggy tail.....

ok - she's getting her wee op today! Centre just phoned. Poor wee doggie, I hope she's ok, it must really mess with the hormones for a bit, and the physical recovery to cope with. Anyway, things are moving forward. :-)

Good luck Rosie! They do recover really quickly

lemony they recover remarkably quickly! You'll have her with you very soon now, eh?

Staffies are the most affectionate, sweet-natured dogs there are, I think (and I used to work in kennels so et a lot of different breeds of dog).

Mine is still nervy and jumpy - we got her from rescue when she was only a baby but I think she must have come from somewhere fairly grim. But she's happy at home and the best guard dog ever. Right now she's stood looking out of the window - another staffy trait. At one point there were 3 staffies in this village and all 3 would sit on windowsills or stare out of windows. I used to walk my staffy and see the other two perched on their window-sills just like he was, when he got home.

So I've left her alone this weekend to recover ( good to hear it doesn't take too long :-) ) - and I've been out buying feeding bowls etc. The variety and range of dog food is incredible. DH said his dogs just got Kennomeat and Winalot when he was young - but the supermarket has a whole aisle of dog food ( the cat food is on the other side) - it's so much choice! Too much choice even. What is best?

I asked the cat and dog home what she was getting fed, so I could continue with it, but they said nothing particular, just whatever was on hand as all the food is donated, so it's generally cheap stuff. That day it had been Pedigree Chum and she had runny poos :-(

So I bought some Bob Martin Simply Complete and Wagg Meaty Chunks.....???? How does that sound??? How much should she get? She's like a collie size. Might get her on Tuesday, vet check tomorrow and then maybe they'll let us take her...DogDay approaches! :-)

Just wanted to wish you good luck and years of happiness

We don't buy commercial food. Fed our last dog on the BARF (Bones and Raw Food) diet but this dog hates raw meat, so she has cooked meat or fish, rice, and our leftovers. I know most people feel happier with a bought food that they are confident is a balanced diet and you'll get as many recommendations as people! Whatever you choose, am sure she'll be fine!

If you find one she likes stick with it though. Am not sure if collies have sensitive tummies but my neighbour has a border collie and I know there are some things she is allergic to, that don't bother other breeds of dog so I'd research both breeds online/books, to be on the safe side.

So pleased for you and her. Bombard us with photos!

ETA: My neighbour's collie ended up being rushed to the emergency vet's (and predictably, on a weekend, too) when she got hold of a bone from our garden that I'd given my dog. So bones may be something to avoid too, if your lady has some collie-ness. She is elderly, and it may just have been her age... But just adding that as it could be something like BARF (with the bones) wouldn't work for a collie cross.

I've been feeding Hills dry and that seems to be going ok. It's normally quite pricey but Pets at Home had a fab deal so I stocked up 😊 There was a lady in there buying it and her husbands a vet and used to work fir them and they really rate it. I was buying pouches but she said don't bother if you don't need it to encourage them to eat. She said it's unnecessary and sticky and bad for teeth. She says there's little filler with Hills so there's little waste. DD had a bit of a dodgy tum when he 1st arrived. He's fine now. Be prepared for possible accidents. We had sick and poo 😒 I thought I wad prepared but not for carpets! First thing on my birthday found me at home bargains stocking up. I use detol antibac spray on carpets that seems ok. If its a wee I kitchen roll it up then sprinkle a little bio washing powder and dab it off with clean bits of towel dipped in hot water then leave bicarb soda for a while then hoover it up. I also bought a steam cleaner to sanitise carpet! Oh and I did buy some 1001 beautiful smelling spray foam deodorant stuff. And anti bacterial wipes!!!!! Stock up. That's all I'm saying! You don't want to find yourself in your bedroom at 2am gagging with a pooping dig and bugger all to deal with it!!! Have some old towels handy. And kitchen roll.

pooping dog 🐶!

ok she is home! Took her out a walk round the neighbourhood, and she knew which gate was ours when we came back :-)

Picked up my first sloppy poo too .

She's growling and barking a bit at my kids...I've never heard her bark before. Im a bit surprised, I thought she knew us all from the visits.

She has drunk lots of water but not interested in food.

Tell me everything is going to be ok!

It will be fine. She must be nervous, and a little scared. Give her some space, leave her to find her feet, but lots of reassurance when she looks for it.

oh dear - she met all the kids at the home, and they walked and played with her.- but she's barking and growling at all of them except the youngest. We chose her because she was so friendly - and now I feel sick. I feel completetly out of my comfort zone with this. She is following me around, but the kids are getting scared.

It is only day 1 and she has had a massive change. She needs time to settle. Has she got a safe space away from everyone to relax in?

Food-wise I really wouldn't recommend the Bob Martin or Wagg chunks dog food. If you read the ingredients label then you will see that it does not have good quality ingredients. My personal recommendation for a commercial dog food would be Burns. It also contains a lower level of protein than some foods (18.5%) which is good for staffies. High levels of protein can cause hyperactivity in bull breeds.

I would get yourself booked in with a local behaviourist/trainer as soon as possible, who will give you some tips and techniques to use.

Also remember that Staffies are very vocal and her barks and growls could be excited and playful. But without hearing/seeing her myself, I obviously can't make that judgement. Just give her plenty of space and time.

It is brilliant that you have taken on a rescue dog, but inevitably she has a past history which we don't know and will need some work & patience, to achieve her full potential.

I prepared her a bed in a safe place and she will go to it ( for five minutes) if I say - "Bed" and point - she knows where it is. I showed her it straight away. But she has decided she prefers the sofa. I do keep telling her down, bed - and she will go, but then she's back up again.

Ok, she seems to have stopped growling at the boys ( I hope it's for good) - we went out a walk together, so that' s a huge relief, my stomach is relaxing a bit. .

But she pulls all the time, and won't sit when told ( although she does know the command and will respond sometimes) and jumps up ....and definitely some training needed. I met another dog owner with a beautifully behaved cocker spnaiel and he was giving me tips, like - always go in the house first - make the dog wait , and make her sit before food etc - I must admit I feel like it's going to be harder than I thought when we chose her. She was on her best behaviour then :-)

Staffies are indeed vocal. Mine never shuts up. In the case of mine, she barks like mad when the kids get in from school. And that's just excitement. (Sane when her dad gets in from work). As friendship says, it's impossible to know whether it's 'talking' or something more sinister without being there and seeing the tone of it/body language/context.

That said I'd be on the phone to the rescue tomorrow, asking if they have a behaviourist. Dogs Trust will give you access to a qualified, experienced behaviourist the rest of your dog's life but I know not all rescues have this facility.

I'd also start training with her, either one to one with a trainer/behaviourist (ask for recommendation at your local vet's or the rescue or both).

Whilst on the phone to the rescue, I'd ask if they know her full history. Is it possible she came from a place where children did something bad to her?

I once had a foster dog who, within a day or two, went for one of my teenage sons. It was only then the rescue (a breed specific one and one with a supposedly good rep) let drop that she had come from a house where she had been tormented by... teenage boys. So why let me bring her home to a house full of teenage boys? I was livid. She had to go back. They thought because I had loads of experience, it would be alright but of course, it was a stupid situation they shouldn't have allowed to happen. That was one reason when I decided to get my next dog, I went to the Dogs Trust as I knew they tend to do good due diligence.

Don't want to scare or worry you - just saying it happens.

Did the rescue ask you to bring the whole family to meet her, in kennels? If not I'd be asking them why not...

Hopefully she will settle down and if there are difficulties, you can work on them.

I know however excited you are about getting a rescue there is a bit of an adjustment period afterwards where, once the dog is home, you realise the enormity of what you've taken on and how much it will change your family's dynamic. But that is normal and will pass.

It sounds as though she's completely overwhelmed with all the changes she's had in her life - not surprising really

This article is a good read and has some very sound advice

I hate to say it but well-behaved spaniel man sounds like he adheres to very out of date and discredited training methods - if try to find someone a bit more clued up on modern, evidence-based training methods if I were you

I walked a lot of staffies as a volunteer, and they did tend to pull, especially when stressed or excited.

The article in Noitsnotteatimeyet's link is very good, particularly the steps for success.

Don't panic. Take the advice above and give it time. My younger dog made me wonder if I'd made a terrible mistake at first, bringing her home, but I hadn't. I hope it's the same for you.