rescue dogs :(

i know i shouldn't but i do check out the rescue dogs that are posted on here.

when i read that a terrier is being rehomed because he 'reacts' to other dogs i find it so upsetting.

i thought long and hard about the 3 dogs that i have so far brought into my home and whether it would be the best place for them.

my wonderful rescue lurcher who chewed and destroyed so much of my home in our first 2 years together, but who showed me more love and loyalty than any human ever could in the 12 and a half years we shared.

my dizzy rescue collie who continues to confuse and worry me but i see the difference in the manic, lost creature that i was lucky enough to rescue 6 years ago.

and my sweet lily. the clean slate, who shows me daily what love, respect and trust can give you back in rewards.

i know that sometimes there is no option and circumstances lead us to find a better home for our loved ones. my heart goes out to those who find themselves in that situation.

but the lazy people who just can't be bothered to exhaust every avenue, just frustrate and annoy me.

You're not alone in your frustration! I see so much of that working with a rescue. I have 4 rescue dogs, and would never consider giving one of them up for any reason!

Zoe, my first rescue, was so badly abused that she was a lump of paranoia and fear... I couldn't get her to trust me, and she wouldn't bond either... it took 10 months for me to be able to touch her without cornering her. I never gave up, almost 6 years later, she is mostly normal (except she was never really housetrained)

Scout, my second rescue, is deaf, however she's the best dog ever.

Oliver is reactive towards dogs and strangers. He's a sweet boy, but def. has issues, and is alot of work

Mouse is a PIA, she's deaf, bossy, opinionated, destructive, and just a puppy.

I would NEVER consider giving ANY of my dogs up, yes they have issues, and aren't perfect (except Scout), but they're mine forever. Yes I spend tons of time and money on them, but they're sooo worth it!

the people within our Rescue have a special name for people like that terrier owner, but dogsey wont allow it :P

I always check out the rescue dogs too, and am delighted when they find a new. loving home.
There are plenty of people I think should never own a dog, especially a feisty terrier!
But I do follow the stories and help the people on the sharp end where I can. That's the people who do the rescuing - I think they do a sterling job

Whilst I'll always own a rescue dog, I don't think I could cope emotionally with what they mop up on a daily basis.

The little jack is most probably better off out of where he was - and if RR got him, I'm sure he'll find a brilliant home

I can understand how difficult it can be to own a difficult dog, but at the same time I couldnt just give up on a dog.
Like Mia, she breaks your heart on a regular basis - but she melts it back into shape, its not her fault she is like how she is, its other peoples - so its my job to fix what people broke
I couldnt give her up

I think that if you are not prepared to give the time and patience to a rescue dogs problems you should never even look at them, we have Honey who is 1 year and a rescue she chewed our house up and chewed other stuff but she is my little baby and is so loving i wouldnt give her up even if she was a bad girl.

Rescue dogs need love and affection and not to be rehomes again because people cant be bothered with their issues.

If a dog has issues it`s 99% probability that it has been caused, perpetuated or exacerbated by the owner. Getting rid of a dog you have messed up is the easy option. It`s so easy to blame the dog - saying it is `too dominant` or `wouldn`t behave himself` and similar meaningless phrases.
Thank heaven for the Rescues, so fewer dogs pay with their lives for their owners incompetence and stupidity.
Rehoming a dog because of changed personal circumstances is understandable. Rehoming a dog because you haven`t done any training or socialisation isn`t IMO.
Maybe dogs should be microchipped at birth and people were charged the full cost of re-training? Or would that lead to more of them being found in a ditch?

I know what you mean. I look at a lot of sites, looking for missing/stolen dogs. And it breaks my heart to see so many in rescues.

Also it upsets me when I look on sites where there are thousands of dogs/puppies for sale. Wish I could rehome them all x

I would never ever give up on frey! When i first met her it was love at first sight. I wont say that she isnt a handful. At the moment i still cant have my younger brother, my uncle or my dad into the house. We are working on it but it is a slow process. My OH is the only man that she will go up to and sit with. When i first took her home she lay under the bed for 3 weeks and i had to pull her out and carry her outside for toilet. The thought of giving up on her or rehoming her has never crossed my mind and I dont think it will. I may check the rescue pages out
xx

I used to think like this, that I would never considering giving any of them up ever. BUT what I have finally realised now is that what is most important to me above everything else, even above my own desires, is for my dogs to be happy.

If a situation arose whereby it was not in my power (no matter how hard I tried) to give my dogs a happy life and if I geniunely thought they would be happier elsewhere, though it would nearly kill me, I would give them up. IMO to keep them when they are not happy is not true love.

But Lillypup, yes I do agree with you, too many people give up too easily or the reason they are giving up the dog is for their own convenience, not for the happiness of their dog.

That's not always true. I'll be the first to admit we messed up our last dog. We were so determined to get it right we got it momumentally wrong. That and being the wrong sort of people for his needs.
We exhausted every avenue before making the choice to rehome him but it was the hardest most devastating choice I've ever made. I would never have put him into rescue, he was my responsibilty. But luckily he was from a good breeder and she helped find the right home for hin and his needs.
It wasn't the easy option.