Wanting to adopt a dog

[SoftSquishy8]

DH and I would love to adopt a dog from a rescue.

We've had years of infertility struggles and I'm feeling particularly low after an emotionally hard few months, life feels quite empty.

Trouble is, we're looking to move house either this or next year. The house we're in has a tiny garden, and not a lot of space (3 bed townhouse but hardly any actual floorspace).

Should I wait until we've moved?

In an ideal world, yes. But I adopted a rescue dog at a ridiculous time in my life. I’d just broken up from the love of my life and It was a week before I started a job that involved a week of night shifts every 4 weeks and the shifts were so long that I didn’t have enough time to travel between work and home AND get sufficient sleep, so my amazing mum kept her every 4th week. That dog saved me. She kept me going in my darkest moments. I’d put off having a dog for years because the time was never right.
I’m sure other people will come along and give you much more practical advice.
I’m excited for you x

We've been putting it off for 5 years now with different reasons, wanting the perfect, ideal situation and it never seems to happen! I feel like life is so short to keep putting it off.

I love that it worked out so amazingly for you, Jis, that gives me reassurance! I have seen a gorgeous dog and drafted an email to the rescue center. Just wanted to gather outside advice before hitting send.

I think unless you're planning to move in the next few months which it doesn't sound like you are, go for it! Click send!

You may need to do more short round the block walks as well as a long walk daily if your garden is tiny- that’s what we do.

Depends on the breed. What size/type of dog were you thinking about?

I hope you find your companion - we are finding that they pay you back tenfold for your love.🥰

A small house is less of a problem to a dog than many realise. You’re the important factor in his life.

It might just narrow your choice of dog a little,but there are plenty of adorable rescue dogs that will have a great time with you.I wish you all the best.

My garden is tiny but secure. That's all the rescue were interested in. A 6ft fence. She uses the garden for toileting and sunbathing (in the summer!)
We have a big dog. As long as she has a human or 2 near by, a bed (or sofa), 2 meals and a good walk every day she is happy.
Go for it! My only advice is not to get your hopes up. Every dog I applied for I fell in love with but they were getting 100's of applications.
Breed specific rescues are a good place to look. We love bull breeds and the rescue we used have loads on their books at the moment sadly.

We waited till we moved, took about a year. Wish we hadn't now, as having a dog would have been so lovely then. Like you, was struggling with infertility and when we eventually did move and get her, the house seemed like a home, instead of kind of empty.

We have a small garden, and we had a greyhound. No problem at all. They are lovely dogs, she just got her exercise on walks instead of in the garden!

I was expecting many replies to say no, don't do it, that I was being selfish, so thank you so much for your encouragement.

The teeny garden is very secure (6ft fence & 8 foot wall) and I walk/hike/run regularly so they'd be guaranteed have opportunity to be active and out!

Breed wise, I love all breeds - I'd be more concerned about us being the right fit rather than anything else, but I do have a soft spot for sighthounds.

Looking for a pooch happy to be active when out but very happy to chill out all evening with us.

A tiny garden isn't necessarily a problem, our rescue dog has been here nearly 4 years and has set foot in our yard once which is his own choice. He goes on 3 walks a day and other than that alternates between the sofa and the bed. So space isn't always an issue.

Much like a PP, in an ideal world you'd wait but I also adopted a dog at a very inauspicious time in my life, and he saved me too.

It's probably worth being aware that a house move can really unsettle a dog though. Mine found boxes appearing in the house really worrying (they ended up stashed everywhere from my car to my parents house, just so I could get it done!) and the actual house move upset him so much that he wouldn't let visitors in (we had to get a behaviourist in in the end).

4 years on I'd hoped he'd be a bit more resilient, but we're in the middle of a house clearance of somewhere he visited regularly but never lived, and the sudden disappearance of some (not all) furniture has worried him, and he's sticking to us like glue when he'd normally be happy to wander off by himself. Sigh.

He's not, however, what you'd call an emotionally resilient dog.

I think you should go for it :)

If you try hard enough, you can always find a reason for not getting a dog - the garden's too small, you have a holiday booked, x is happening, y is about to happen etc. but in reality, sometimes you have to just go for it.

None of the issues you list should stop you getting a dog - garden size is irrelevant as long as you're able and willing to take the dog for a walk everyday and can walk them round the block for the toilet if necessary.

Best of luck, I hope you find a lovely furry companion :)

Thanks again everyone.

I've hit send on the email!

We rescued ours 4 months ago and it’s the best thing it has happened to me, I also don’t have children(I couldn’t) our back garden is also tiny but he gets 3 long walks every day and he hardly uses the garden as he sleeps most of the day, go for it, you won’t regret it

@SoftSquishy8

Thanks again everyone.

I've hit send on the email!

Fingers crossed for you!

We have a small ish 3 bed and a beautiful big black greyhound! He is loved, well fed and played with, walked 3 times a day, and has prime sofa rights 😀 go for it, I say. Please do consider an ex-racer greyhound. They don't actually need much room. Gentle, calm, occasionally dotty, quirky... Good luck in your search.

Oh, and a small back garden. Just enough for him to do mad zoomies on once a day for 5 minutes, then go back to sleep.

I’ve got a fairly small garden and until just over a year ago a very small one.

I’ve been accepted to foster and separately adopt, I’ve always just put, x size garden, small but secure and large enough for toilet training and some training or games, but there are multiple parks and woodland walks near my house and I’m in very easy driving distance of country parks, beaches etc...

I’ve never been turned down - I’ve missed out on individual dogs for various reasons, but the garden has never been an issue.

Congratulations on beginning your quest op!!
Our first ddog was big - a Rottweiler. Our house was big standard size... She didn't care. Our current house is big and unless Stern Voice our lot love charging around!! Not ideal!! Hopefully you have considered a Lurcher op. Lots of rescue places for sighthounds!!

I rescued a dog, we have a tiny garden, the rescue only wanted to see that it was secure. It has a six foot fence. The dog only goes in the garden for a wee before bed and to guard me from possible peril (pigeons and birds) whilst I put out the laundry. She's happy with her two walks a day and doesn't want to go in the garden.
If you see the dog you want don't let the small garden and house be a reason to put you off.

Only thing our dog uses the garden for is the toilet, a sniff and in the summer, a snooze in the sun!

Good luck 😃