A Dog's worth

A Dog’s Worth

Over the years rescue and rehoming has changed, and not all changes have been for the better. The dogs that came in to rescue were mainly dogs that had been neglected, abused, or found as strays. The few dogs that came from private homes were usually homeless due to family bereavement or a change of circumstances. Those cases now often struggle to find a rescue space as kennels are full of dogs that people have acquired and no longer want. Does that sound harsh and does it sound almost unbelievable? Probably but then you will be one of the people who will stick by your dog no matter what, because you love your dog.

Three words describe everything about breeding, obtaining, and living with a dog. Care, Love and Respect. Care enough to breed and home sensibly. Care enough to take time to learn about and understand the dog you take home. Love the dog you are breeding with; it is not a commodity. Love the dog you take into you home, whether it is a pup or a rescue dog you need to be prepared to love it unconditionally. Respect the dog you are breeding with; it is not a four-legged bank account. Respect the dog you take into your home as a dog with its own needs and characteristics. Three little words but important enough that they could change, and even save, the lives of hundreds of dogs.

Covid and the lockdown so an explosion in dog breeding and sales. With the soaring prices many turned their attention to getting a rescue dog. Not everyone, and believe me FOSTBC has some amazing adopters, but there is a new breed of adopter who wants perfect with little input.  A dog has been rejected, for whatever reason, and placed in rescue. Bless them they live for the moment so rescue becomes their home, and the people who work there are their friends. Then suddenly they are back in a home, with people they have met a few times and why should they trust them as everyone else has let them down.  Some dogs adapt really well but others can be nervous, bossy or just an unruly teenager pushing the boundaries.

Having had collies before doesn’t qualify someone to know all about the dog they are adopting. They are all different and this is where respect come in, for each dog should be valued for itself. It shouldn’t be expected to carry on as if it were an extension of the previous dog in the home.

If someone wants to adopt a child they happily read information, answer questions and do everything the adoption society requests. They don’t state the colour of hair, the gender, the intelligence level they require in a child, nor do they request one that ‘won’t be too difficult’. They accept the best match, they agree to adoption and they take that child with the intention of being there for him or her for their life, guiding them through any troubled times and to love them unconditionally.  

I now put the following to potential adopters and it really makes them sit back and think. I ask the question, ‘Can you see yourself loving this dog if it pinches your meal, forgiving it if it ruins your carpet, can you offer unconditional love to this dog, forgoing anything you thought you would do together for doing things that make your dog happy?’ At the end of the day a happy and loved dog is what its all about.                                    

 

 

 

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