Why's it so difficult to find a dog to rehome?

[TheGirlWhoWrites]

Hello! Our gorgeous JRT passed away a few months back and we’re now feeling ready to get another dog. I'm desperate to rehome one! We can provide such a lovely life for a dog with me working from home and being here most of the time, a nice enclosed garden, regular walking holidays, great doggy support network for the times we can’t be there etc etc etc.

But it’s so so difficult. I’m often getting turned down as our daughter is just 3. And the dogs which are suitable for young families go so quickly.

Any recommendations before we find ourselves having no choice but to buy a pup from a (reputable well researched) breeder? I’m looking at smaller rehoming centres within a 60m radius, larger ones too. I have joined countless FB groups and am getting alerts. I'm checking sites like ManyTears. Maybe there are some I'm missing?!

The rescue I got ours from is fine with rehoming the right dog with small children - so widen the search on your rescues and you might find a different story (sighthounds (inc lurchers) are lovely dogs - whilst some are big , others not so much and might be worth considering)

We searched hard for 18 months and had to give up and buy a puppy in the end. We just couldn't get a rescue dog that was suitable for a family with a young child.

Pretty sure greyhound and lurcher rescues will rehome to young children. Try GRWE.

Your best bet is a charity who have their dogs in foster as they will feel more confident about knowing what the dog is like - even then, many fosterers aren't in a position to have a 'stunt' child to assess with. I foster lurcher puppies, and it looks like they are suitable for homes with small children and cats - I had a chat with someone last night who had passed the first two screenings who had a very small child.

I am trying to rehome a gorgeous boy!! I can't get him into kennels anywhere!! Through no fault of his own he is with me temporarily. .

Where do you live? Try looking for a smaller rescue that home fosters their dogs and doesn't put them in kennels.
www.heathlands.org.uk/
often has dogs that are okay with kids.

If you are prepared to rehome a dog from abroad you'll find something suitable - these rescues regularly have puppies available. I've adopted three dogs from Wonderland Dogs & Cats for Adoption. You'll find them on Facebook and I would wholeheartedly recommend them.

Thanks Ilovecaindingle, let me know more deets of this dog?

Thanks FiveHoursSleep, this is one of the websites I check. We live in Bucks so Cambs isn't too far.

Have you seen this thread?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2836694-To-consider-re-homing-my-dog?pg=2

Oh, I feel your pain! I don't have kids but was turned down everywhere due to the fact I 'might' have kids in the next 5 years or that we rent our home and don't own it or that we aren't engaged or or that despite living on a farm, there's a very busy road nearby... etc etc. It was shit. We bought a puppy in the end, who is now three and a very happy little dog but I wish I could've rehomed a dog.

Hi there,

We rescued with pug dog welfare and have a small child. We waited 5 months for the right dog.

Have you thought of breed specific rescue?

Found this www.jackrussellterrierrescueuk.org

I adore lurchers / whippets / greyhounds etc, we're actually going on holiday soon with three dogs like that as our friend has them! However, we'd like a smaller chunkier dog (JRT size I guess, maybe a bit bigger). I know this restricts us but that's what we'd like and are used to.

Oooh the dog that Ilovecaindingle is rehoming is a gorgeous dog - jealous!! [waves at Ilove]

Battersea will rehome to families with small children as long as it's the right home for the dog - don't look on the website, contact directly. They're lovely!

Oo Oo he is a lurcher!! (waving back - FM)

Bloody hell Ilovecaindingle what a stunner! But we would ideally like a smaller chunkier dog...

Have registered with Battersea and breed-specific rescues like the JRT one . Though my vet friend reckons we shouldn't get another JRT as they can be a bit unpredictable with children. We were lucky with ours though to be fair, he 'tolerated' our daughter rather than 'adored' her. But I really do adore JRTs and their mad quirky ways.

Just a note of caution from me. My sister rehomed a greyhound from a rescue centre that was happy with her having children under 8. Sadly the dog had to be rehomed again after it snapped and bit a neighbours child. In fact it had snapped at a few children previously. The children were overly familiar and comfortable with other dogs in the family and weren't being sufficiently supervised around the dog.

I know a very happy little lurcher with very short legs... and indeed heard of a whippet/daschund lurcher needing a new home sometime last year!!!

We've currently got a reasonably large lurcher and a small border terrier - and the lurcher is so much easier to cope with than the border terrier in all but lying down capacity!

Am in same boat except I live alone and don't work, have detached house and enclosed garden and woods at end of the road but despite emails and calls it is rare to get any responses. Have had dogs for the last 10 years and always taken the oldies from rescues. They have the best care, pet insurance, my life revolves around my pets but having recently lost my 14 year old rescue dog, am hitting a brick wall AND I am looking for a staff or a staff X!!

Have a look at:

Silver Fox Dog Rescue
Balkan Underdogs
Help Pozega Dogs
Black Retriever X
Holbrook Animal Rescue
Heathlands
Griffon Adoption UK
Desperate Greekies

Join their FB groups, post on them to check what's around - much more up to date than websites.

Many have their dogs in foster homes so can be assessed well. Smaller rescues more flexible and realistic than large, national rescues who are always thinking about bad PR fallout. Offer to foster with a view to rehome...

am quietly stealing that gorgeous lovely dog whilst no one notices so he can live with me

he's on my sofa now. We are reading the paper together. Nice walk tomorrow then curling up by the fire. We are in luffs.

Have a look at Rescue Remedies. They rescue all breeds of dogs but also specialise in terriers and staffies. They have a Facebook page and website too. My beautiful boxer/staffie cross came from them.