It can also do the rescue the world of good...a day out form the kennels being socialised elsewhere...

The main reason is that (from my experience and experience heard from others) some of the larger rescues make it exceedingly difficult for you to take a dog back. Now admitedly there can be valid reasons for a temporary 'we can't have him back yet as we don't have kennel space' but in the cases I am talking about the centres have made it very dificult and made the people feel like sh*t for returning the dog.

I suppose my point is that, whilst not wanting to encourage the 'oh it will be fun to have a dog for a weekend and then we can dump it back' brigadge, some rescues could be more supportive in assisting potential adopters who are serious but do have genuine concerns.

It would seem from what you and others have said that you effectively do this anyway, but I assure that it isn't always the case with all rescues.

Personally I would not mind at all paying the full adoption fee up front (and would not expect it back if I did have to take the dog back). It is more (1) actually being able to take the dog back rather than feeling that you have to struggle on in an unmanagable situation (2) not being made to feel like a failure when you have tried to do the right thing by the dog.

I think yes they should even tho it takes time for a dog to settle i still think its a good way to see if the dogs going to settal in well with ur family life.

We wouldn't have expected to have had a refund had things with Maggie not turned out well and I think it only fair that a rescue ask for the full amount up front, it's a way of getting a commitment I think.

I have to say that the rescue Maggie's from have been absolutely wonderful, we couldn't praise them enough and they have kept in touch even after the full adoption was completed to make sure things were going well.

Had we not been offered a trial period it wouldn't have put us off taking Maggie but I think mentally it might have made us just a little anxious because of the experience we had with our last dog that went very wrong (and that was a pup bought from a breeder).

Yes it was positive in that all the breeders were willing to let me meet their dogs and talk to them. I wanted to make sure that the breeder I chose would be prepared to take responsibility for the dog if for any reason I was unable to keep it. As I mentioned there was one breeder that I personally would have been reluctant to approach if my circumstances changed and I had to return the dog.

I haven't commented on rescues because as I said I have no experience of dealing with rescues.

Before I got my puppy I made sure I met the breeder's adult dogs and in particular the mum-to-be. In this way I was able to get a sense of the temperament of the adult dogs, where the puppies would be reared and any socialisation they would have. I got to know the breeders a bit and they got to know me. I also visited the puppies after they were born and spent a lot of time with them - hours in fact!

Obviously knowing the parents and the breeder and bringing up a puppy yourself is no guarantee of getting it exactly right. But it helps in making a decision.

Absolutely from resce I can get a dog that has been fully assessed, house trained, already neutered, is known to be good with other dogs and in some cases cats and kids, walks beautifully on the lead and can be left for more than 10 minutes on its own

With a pup I get lots of training to do, cost of vaxs, neutering, and lots of yuck stuff to pick up

now there is a positive post on rescue if I ever seen one

Which is exactly what I would expect people getting a pup from a breeder or a rescue to do. But as this topic is about rescues it did seem that you were saying that in comparison rescues wouldnt do the above - they do and probably have more stringent checks than breeders.

Just as an aside (if this is going to be about breeders) do they do trial periods, do they do homechecks, do they expect all members of the family to meet the dogs and, if appropriate all other dogs in the house to meet the pup?

As a breeder, I will do my best to answer this,

No I dont offer a trial period,
however, I would take back any pup I sold if the owner could not cope, I will not only take back pups but adult dogs of any age that Im responsible for breeding.

I do homecheck where needed {many of the dogs from my breeding are with close friends}

If a family have young children, then yes they must come and meet the pup. Though my experiance is, most family members come anyway.

If they have older dogs in the house that may be of concern with a pup, I take the pup over to them to introduce them,
the reason being, the pups mother would find it very stressful having other dogs near her pups, more so if they are likely to be unhappy,
and I will get a clearer picture of how that dog will be with the pup if I go to there home.

that said, I cant talk for all breeders,

As I said I am not able to comment on the procedure at rescues because I have never adopted a dog from a rescue.

I think we are posting at cross-purposes and you don't really understand what I am trying to say. Maybe I haven't put my points very well. But I don't believe it is helpful for me to carry on posting on this thread and I will leave it there.