Home Checks

A bit of background for those who don't know...

My OH and I both grew up with dogs - my parents had a GSD when I was very small, and from age 9 I grew up with two JRTs, then had a BC when I left home (she was rehomed due to my ex-husband). My OH grew up with a CKC.
We privately adopted Amberella, a GSD cross pup, back in October. Her owners got her from a BYB, had her for two weeks, decided she wasn't the dog for them and announced that she was off to the RSPCA as a stray if no one took her. I've always been a sucker for a sobstory, and she is sooo pretty , so we brought her home when she was ten weeks old.

Two weeks later, my mum phoned me in a state about her labrador cross, Sam. She adopted Sam from a local rescue in February 2007, after our elderly JRT passed away, but was now getting divorced and had moved out of the marital home into a rented property. The landlord wouldn't let her have the dog, my step-father refused to keep him, and her friends who had originally taken Sam were finding him too boisterorous... daughter to the rescue

Ella has adored having Sam at home, and essentially has grown up with him. She is six months old, and he is about eighteen months, and I am amazed at how happy she is with a constant doggy companion. So my OH and I decided that when my mum's house was sold and she and my step-dad could take their money and go their separate ways, we would get another dog of our own, both for us and for Ella (we'll miss Sam, too!). Because my mum pays for Sam's costs, getting another dog depends on my OH finding a half-decent job.
I've been spending the last few months doing some research on the sort of dog we would like next time, beginning with Malamutes, working through Huskies and then NIs and Utes. We've not made any firm plans, but initially decided to find a good, reputable breeder and to get on the waiting list in the hope that the right pup would come up roughly in line with Sam going home, although we are prepared to wait if necessary.

Then I fell in love We had been discussing the idea of getting a young rescue - as much as I have adored Amber's baby days, toilet training her almost drove my OH and I to distraction. We have found the dog that we would like to adopt, I've had a chat with her foster-mum and talked it over with my OH. Since he's the sensible one he told me to hang on until the work situation is resolved, and he is actually at an interview today (fingers crossed everyone!). If he gets the job, I will have his blessing to contact the rescue for further information.

But I am terrified of the home-check I'm convinced we will fail because of our home, so part of me doesn't even want to waste the rescue's time but instead hang on to the fantasy. I know a fantasy isn't as much fun for Amber to play with, but at least then I can't be disappointed

I own a three bedroom town house (technically my ex still owns half, although we have reached agreement and we're just waiting for the paperwork). We don't have a garden, but we have a small yard that the dogs have 24/7 access to and they are let out into the alley every couple of hours to toilet, as Sam will not go in the yard . My OH is an avid photographer and is often out for hours with the dogs and his camera, but my biggest concern is that the rescue will see our lack of garden (although it is very well enclosed with a 6-7ft brick wall ) and say "no". We have brilliant walks - beaches, woods, moors and we love going out for the day to country estates, etc, that we can take the dogs to.

My other concern is that we have no experience with this type of dog. Although we've researched the breed and we are planning to visit a few people who own this breed and similar, will the rescue turn us down for having had no previous hands on experience? I'm also informed by a friend who has had rescue dogs (not this particular breed, though) that my other pets will be a "problem" (I have two large breed rabbits who live in a converted understairs cupboard, a tawny owl in an aviary in the yard and a snake in my bedroom). Really, I think I'm just trying to avoid embarassment and disappointment.

Can anyone give me a bit of information on what is actually looked at during a home-check, what sorts of criteria people tend to fail on and what I can expect? At the end of the day, we are quite a distance from the dog, her foster home and the rescue's base so I don't want to waste a lot of time and effort on other people's part in getting to the home-check stage to find that, actually, we're not acceptable.

You need to phone the manager of the rescue and discuss this with them. The rescue may or may not have a `rule` about gardens, but they are primarily interested in getting the right home for the dog. Talk to them about what you can offer and they should see that the dog will be happy with you. Don`t wait for the homechecker as they may not have the final decision. And good luck!

Homechecks aren't the nightmare everyone thinks they are Your garden MAY be an issue, but as long as you can provide adequate offlead exercise then I wouldn't worry too much. The size of your wall sounds ideal as there's nowhere for the dog to escape.

Hi ya.

I suppose it does depend on the individual rescue's own practices, but usually the home check is done fairly well down the line, i.e. you have had talks with the rescue centre and filled out whatever forms they have etc. before a home check is carried out. This means that they should know all about your home, other pets and your circumstances before they do the home check (and the home check is really just confirming that you've been telling the truth).

I couldn't tell from your post what breed the rescue is - the garden point will probably be more important for some breeds than others.

Lmao! Not too with it today! The dog I hope we can offer a home to is a Mal.

When we were having our interview to adopt Missy, we were told that the rescue really wanted a semi rural environment for her, and we were classed as town/surburban.
I showed them photos of our garden and pointed out that it was secure on all sides. Then I also had a map with all the local green spaces marked out. One two minutes walk, one ten minutes walk, and a huge country park 10 minutes drive. That overcame their apprehension.

Our homecheck actually came after our adoption, and I can remember being terrified in case Missy was taken away. I think the terror you feel is normal considering you want something so badly. At the interview I was frightened they would refuse us for any dog!

Take a map, colour in all the spaces you can walk and run the dogs..it'll help to show you really want this one *hugs*

Thanks, that's a really great suggestion!

Out come the colouring pens....

I think you have to remember that centres really want to rehome dogs, and so if they can see that you are genuine, can care properly for the animal and have basic common sense and knowledge you should be ok.
At least your yard is secure and you will exercise the dog out side as well.
Good luck I'm sure you will be fine