Has anybody had a good experience with a rescue dog?

[AMockingbirdCalledScout]

We were planning to buy a Pomeranian from a breeder.
However, in our local rescue a pair of dogs have been giving me heart eyes and I'm falling in love. Their background is that apparently an old lady passed away leaving her Pomeranian and Westie x Lhasa Apso, 3 years old and 4 months respectively. No family members wanted the dogs, so they sent them to the local rescue . They would prefer them to be rehomed together but they can be rehomed separately. I've never rescued before because our Alaskan Klee Kai, Bear and Finnish Lapphund, Leo are fairly rare dogs and we had been on lists for years before we got our pups. DH thinks we should go for it and so do I but I just want some reassurance that people get rescue dogs and are better for it. My sister is horrified that we are planning on rehoming both (can't bear to pass them both up and we did want a puppy) but oh well, her pugs and basset hound annoy me anyway.
Pictures would be lovely!
Btw, they're called Phoebe and Millie.
The Pom's Phoebe and the cross is Millie.

Ah ok that's good to know then! We've been looking at the websites and have visited Battersea and nearly always (so far anyway) they say suitable for teenagers or older children. I have an 8 yr old who is a bit nervous, although would love a dog!

Will keep looking thank you for the tips.

Black retriever cross rescue on FB

I've just looked at the dogs trust website. They have a bulldog suitable for kids aged 10+ (they're are flexible with the ages where the kids are sensible) and that was just a quick flick onto the site and the first dog I found!

Four months old

The best dog I have ever had in my life (and I've had a fair old few, some rescued, some not) was a rescue. Athough I have and do love all the others, I will remember and miss her for ever (now dead 3+ years). I think our partnership was a once-in-a-lifetime.

The second best (in the nicest possible way) dog of my life, came to join our 'pack' nearly a year ago. Coincidentally, he too was a rescue and has turned out to be the sweetest, easiest, most trainable dog you could imagine.

So sweet, yet dumped in Ireland. They are here now in the south east.

London Dog's Trust www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/dogs/dog/filters/har~~~~~n~/1166056/eddie can live with children aged 8 and above
www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/dogs/dog/filters/har~~~~~n~/1158367/lulu can live with children aged 6 and above

This is just a very quick search of one of their rescue centres. Many child-friendly dogs don't even make it to the website before they get reserved, so visiting the rescue and speaking to them direct can help a lot.

We must have just been unlucky when looking so far - clearly I'm wrong on this! Will contact directly once we get back from holiday rather than looking online. Thank you again

My beautiful rescue from France. She spent two years in awful open kennels as her paperwork was incomplete.
She is amazing, gentle & loving and helps reassure other dogs that I train who have fear anxiety.

She is my fourth rescue & the others were wonderful too.

Go for it!

We have Matilda, a four year old rescue Stafford.

She was found in Bootle park (Liverpool) in a bucket of bleach (and other unidentified chemicals) that had burned off all her fur and gone into her eyes - she was with another from the litter (I've attached the photo - Matilda is the one in the blue jumper!). Their story is here:

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/puppies-found-new-homes-after-3663246

We were the first people the rescue let visit them, and it took us about 5 seconds to decide! (opted for Matilda as the Maggie wasn't the best combo with our Border Terrier).

First we were told: prepare for losing her eye - so we went and got loads of noisy toys to help blind dogs. Then she got better and better, and now has about 70% vision (some scarring left). She zooms around happily, goes to obedience class (though you'd never know it ...), and makes lots of weird noises - we're now used to Staffy snoring.

The dog that was almost PTS is now sun puddling in the garden four years later :)

Our now 13 year old collie x called bilbo - he was 8 months when we got him and is absolutely the gentlist dog ever and the best dog in the world. Wouldnt dream of getting anything other than a rescue dog.

Yup, best dog ever. I'd always rescue, she's my DD's best friend.

I think you need to take the background into account if you have young DC. My mam has two rescue pointy's, one had a really shit life and is nervous. He wouldn't cope in my busy house but he's happy at my mams and just takes himself to his crate when the grandkids are over.

The rescues normally say if they think they can be rehomed around children or not.

"We have Matilda, a four year old rescue Stafford."

I remember reading of the puppies. Horrendous that anyone would do that. Fantastic to see Matilda now, Godstopper! What a dog worth saving , she and you are lucky to have each other.

Another reason I'm posting is the article you linked to gives your name and says where you are from. Just thought I'd mention it, in case you want to have MNHQ remove the link, and/or change your nn.

Oh I don't mind the news story here :)

I think we'll always have a Staff now (I'm not so sure about a Border Terrierist ...!).

Have attached a photo from when we met the other pup, now called Skye. They remembered each other!

Godstopper you are lovely

The Retired Greyhound Trust rehome ex racing greys to very young families. My dcs were 2 and 4 when our first grey came to us.

We have had our rescue dog for a couple of weeks now. She's lovely but we did get her history etc from the rescue centre.

Always said we'd try rescue first. When we visited she'd just come in the day before, hadn't made it to the website. Soon as I saw her (though I could have taken more than one!) I just knew she was the one for us. Not a tiny puppy but just right for us.

Sorry should of added my mams pointy is an ex-neglected coursing bull greyhound not a retired racer.

Greyhounds on the whole are normally very laid back and child friendly.

www.facebook.com/brokenheartedbiscuit/?fref=ts

This is Biscuit - he's gorgeous. Needs plenty of attention and time in his new home but he's really a lovely dog. As far as I know, he's been in kennels for at least 6 months and rehomed twice. He was returned on both occasions after 2 days for rather ridiculous reasons (helping himself to the kitchen bin - wouldn't you?!!). He's spirited and needs work, but would make a lovely addition...

Poor biscuit

Oh Tatty bless him. I have a hard to outsmart rescue too, she can be a little cow on occasion and needs lots of work/attention but she pays it back tenfold.

She's probably the most loving and rewarding dog I've ever had.

MrsCobain she does blend into that throw blanket a bit. I've almost sat on her a couple of times and she has not been amused.

Both my dogs are rescues.I have a JRT,who is the sweetest little dog you could ever meet, & a lurcher.
Both fitted into our home/lives quite quickly & relatively easily.
I just wouldn't entertain getting a puppy.

Our beautiful rescue girl on holiday last year. We had her for 8 years until last month, when she needed to be pts (bowel cancer).

She was bloody lovely, adored sleeping by our bed and watching me cook. I'm so glad we took a chance on her.