What’s in your local rescue?

[FancyBiscuitsLevel]

Another thread about breeding puppies made me go have a look at our local rescue - when we got our puppy I’d been registered with a couple of rescues for over a year and nothing suitable was available. Every now and then I have a look to see if the situation has changed but realised I hadn’t looked for a while.

theres a few staffie crosses as always, can’t be round children, other dogs, strong and pull on the lead etc. tricky to rehome types.

but what’s surprised me is the influx of frenchies. Has the fashion for them ended? They have so many, but they don’t seem to be a problem breed behaviour wise. were they just a fashion accessory that got dumped?

I wondered if it’s just our area and others have very different pattern of dog surrenders.

Mainly larger dogs - collies, labradors, huskies, terrier cross

Very few small, cute ‘get a rescue’ type pets.

Also quite a few senior dogs.

A complete mix, chihuahuas, shih tzus, collies, lurchers, labs, spaniels and GSDs - couple of frenchies and staffies.

About a quarter can live with primary aged children.

None can live with cats - which is how we ended up with a foreign rescue as that’s come up, he was in a U.K. rescue, so exact same rehoming process as any other dog

Lurchers and staffies.
All look like lovely little guys.
But no good for us as we need something hypoallergenic.

There's an absolute mix in our local home: chihuahua, collie x, Sharpei, spaniel. No bull dogs.

You’ve got a point. When my girl labs were trained 15 years ago, our puppies all had a play together before we started the training session. When I trained my boy lab nearly 3 years ago, the trainer insisted we kept the puppies away from each other so they wouldn’t be too excitable.

I lost one of my girls during covid and whilst I desperately wanted another, I was determined to wait until all covid restrictions were lifted because I couldn’t bear the thought of an unsociable dog.

I would have loved to get a rescue dog but twenty years ago we were refused due to having a disabled son. Well our situation has only changed because he’s now a disabled adult, but we still have the same caring responsibilities.

I'm scared to look as that's how we ended up with 4 rescues from our local sanctuary (after only wanting 2 initially)! Ours are terrier crosses with either spaniel or other terrier.

I did look recently and it was greyhounds, collies, a frenchie, and a saluki that have been listed for some time. The cockerpoos and terriers tend to come and go quite quickly.

Staffie and StaffieX
Lurchers & greyhound
a few terrier X and Frenchies
Some unidentified mixes - looking like rescues from abroad that have been given up.

Majority is no other dogs, cats or children under 12... many are 6+ years old or if younger need a specific home due to helth or behaviour issues.

It's grim ... people obviously bought these dogs and had them for some time until they couldn'tcope anymore. Because they couldn't be asked to take proper care of them in the first place.

Do remember that most 'easy', suitable for families or first time dog owners dogs will very rarely make it to the rescue website/SM as they will be rehomed via their waiting list :)

I'm involved in a small breed specific rescue and while it is harder to find suitable homes than ever, we have at least 20 great homes waiting for that holy grail dog that is (proven, we can't just take someone's word for it and as a rescue, we don't have a steady supply of expendable kids to test with) good with kids, other pets, can be left for a few hours, no major behavioural issues... the dogs that generally fit those criteria tend to be older but with that comes vet bills/horrendous insurance costs and the reality that you won't have so many years with them.

And despite being involved in rescue for many years, I never recommend that families with preschool (or older dependent on circumstances) children get a rescue unless it's rescue born pup or with a proven history. And if a reputable breeder won't sell to you, you probably not at the right point in life to have a dog, sad as that is.

Our local rescue has a lot of dogs they are trying to pass off as American Bulldogs but I'm not so sure a couple of them are also cane corso and some lurchers. I wouldn't rescue from this place as I don't trust someone who is not 100% honest about the breed of the dog. DM wanted to rehome a French bulldog but when I showed her the insurance quote and compared it with a quote for a doodle she quickly went off the idea thankfully as the health issues are awful. I wanted to rescue when my beautiful dog passed away last year, I can offer a fabulous home but most dogs needed to be only dogs and I have an elderly shihtzu so ruled us out, private rehousing was a nightmare as was mucked about more than once so we bought a puppy from a reputable breeder instead

@Unluckycat1
but now I think some of the popular training of the moment that basically says make your dog ignore all other dogs and only want to be with its human is partially to blame. Dogs should be able to be around their own species.
I agree. I let my puppies and young dog play with other dogs who I either know, or who are making friendly overtures with owners who are up for it and look clued on. It's a gamble, but so far so good. My current older dog usually ignores them (other than to tell off OTT young dogs who get in her face) unless she knows them, and the younger one (a rather anxious personality) is good around other dogs.

I've had a dog who didn't like most other dogs until he'd been introduced (long backstory there) and it was bloody hard work to mitigate that, so I am very keen for my dogs to be social and easy going.

One of the big differences between dogs and wolves is that wolves will round on an interloper into their territory and quite often kill it, whereas dogs are much more willing to make friends.

Greyhounds in ours, also 'big' dogs. A few brachial too, and a couple of collies, one double merle (deaf and poor eyesight) one that has been there nearly 2 years because of their issues. Nothing that the average family could take home, unfortunately. Most are very long term residents- 2, 3 and 4 years plus.

Closest v small rescue has two dogs. A 15 month old working cocker who bites, and an 18 month old Jack Russell dachshund cross described as boisterous, mouthing hard, and needing dog socialisation.

Another fairly local one has several who could live with another dog, a few with cats, but none with young children, one 8+, the rest. 14 or 15 plus or adult only.

I spoke to the lady who ran a local staffie rescue, where I had mine from, a couple of years ago. She said they were getting far fewer staffies but the French bulldog rescues were heaving. Probably because people don’t realise that it is a bull breed and therefore prone to stubbornness - bullishness - and need a firm, experienced owner. They are not lap dogs and the fashion for them has done the breed no favours. Over breeding and breeding for the least healthy characteristics.

Slightly hesitant to ask this as someone who has never owned a dog, but is a regular reader of the Doghouse threads ...

Is it really better for a stressed, anxious dog to be kept for years in a rescue awaiting a suitable owner, rather than being humanely euthanised? So many of these dogs will never be able to be happy, relaxed, playing with their own kind.

I do know that there are owners who are amazing and go above and beyond to help their dogs - I follow some such threads on here - but many dogs are in rescues for years. Can this really be better for the dog?

@bluegreygreen I personally think a dog who's un adoptable, aggressive and miserable on kennels would be better off euthanised and the same for some long term painful conditions. It's grim humans don't focus on breeding healthy dogs and mistreat them. Most have so much potential if they are well trained using positive methods and treated kindly.

There are some rescues where the 'philosophy' means that aren't and never will be suitable for rehoming are destined to stay in the shelter for many years. Dog's Trust is the best known example, "We never put a healthy dog to sleep. If we can't find a dog a new home, or there are reasons why they can't be rehomed, they will always have a home with us" - because of this they tend to end up with more problem dogs than, say, RSPCA.

And let's not get started on some of the small independent "rescue" organisations.

@bluegreygreen

For me it depends on the dog breed and size.

Smaller dogs with issues (cockerpoos, cockers, daschunds etc), with a weaker bite force and, if I am completely honest, the result of piss-poor ownership should be given more time to find a home than something like a Cane Corso or a GSD which, if it has a bite history or any aggression, should be PTS the day it's surrendered.

No one wants a GSD, Husky or Cane Corso with any sort of bite history or aggression - the risk is just too high. But smaller dogs, there's still a risk, but they're unlikely to seriously kill or injure someone and they can easily be removed and so people will take that chance.

I think that is really my question - I understand that is the philosophy, and I can see that it may sound good to people who may wish to donate etc, but is it actually good for the dog?

Does it not just condemn (some) dogs to more years constantly fearful and hyper-alert?

It condemns dogs unfit for rehoming to a life in kennels. That, as they say, is no life for a dog.

Dogs that have to be only dogs had absolutely nothing to do with people training their dogs to be dog neutral - under and over socialised dogs are an issue not ones trained to ignore other dogs unless told otherwise.

With rescues like the dogs trust they won’t rehome dogs to homes with other dogs unless they know for definite they live happily with other dogs, so any with no or partial history, ones that haven’t previously lived with other dogs as well as ones with actual issues will all be down as only dogs.

They also do perform behavioural euthanasia if needed - healthy includes mental health.

Just looked, a cross section, lots of staff crosses but also labs, collies. Gsd, cockerpoo, Leachers, couple of Romanian crossbreeds and a variety of little breeds

It may have been the same thread that inspired me to look at our local rescue the other day and I just came away thinking who on earth would get a rescue do - and who in earth could get a rescue dog. "Spirited", "strong prey drive", "little recall", "likely to get particularly attached to their main carer", "would need gentle and consistent handling". As you may have guessed, none were suitable for living with primary aged children or other pets. It was just so sad reading all of these descriptions.

Out of 50 in our area, five can live with older children, and all of those have other issues. None with cats or smaller children, which makes me suspect they just assume that wouldn't be safe for any of their dogs.

Given we live in a poverty stricken high crime town, I was pleased only half seem to be bull types. Though there are an awful lot more Rottweilers than I'd expected, plus various shepherds and dobermans. The previous status dogs!

A couple of Salukis and other high end breeds though, and I do wonder why they've not been adopted yet.

I’ve a rescue cross breed mentioned. He’s my second rescue. Our first was an absolute dream dog, the calmest, trustworthy dog ever.

Our second is hard work, really hard work. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t regret getting her. She is so loving but clearly never lived in a home and toilet traing was a long slog (she’s brilliant now). But I don’t think she’ll ever be an ‘off lead’ dog. I just can’t trust her and have had too many incidents already.

I look at all these rescues and I genuinely think we need to be more realistic and put dogs down. If I had to return my Ddog (and I’ve thought about it repeatedly) she would not be rehomeable and would be heart broken in kennels.

She is so pretty to look at - that was my downfall 😂

20 years ago when we adopted our last dog the rescue was full of unwanted young dogs with very few issues. We’ve had a huge choice. Same with all our cats too. Our old man cat was a cruelty case.

After we lost her at 17 we tried for over two years with multiple rescues but cat and work (husband WFH) meant we were turned down or offered wildly unsuitable dogs. We were willing to take on most issues (I’m a qualified behaviourist and have been an agility trainer for over 10 years). The final straw was being vetted and approved for a young dog with multiple issues but all workable who could live with cats. Then hearing nothing only to find out he’d been homed with a young family first time owners.

So we gave up and bought a well bred pup.

I help run a training club wit( other very well qualified and experienced volunteers. Rescues have changed.