Choosing the Right Dog
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
BEFORE YOU ADOPT
Adding a dog to your family can be such a rewarding and life-changing experience. Dogs enrich our lives and have the amazing ability to give and receive love unconditionally. They can be a loyal companion and friend, an instant playmate, a guardian, but they are also a long-term commitment.
You will be the most special person in your dog’s life and they will be dependent on you. As a member of your family, it will be your responsibility to care and provide for your dog in sickness and in health. Before making this major life commitment, it’s important to think it through and consider what type of dog will best fit your lifestyle, personality, and family dynamic.
The choices can be overwhelming; there are so many adorable dogs to choose from, and they all deserve to find a loving home. How do you choose the right dog for you? Do a little soul-searching and ask yourself a few key questions:
Why do you want to adopt a dog? Why now? Companionship? To replace a recently lost pet or loved one? Knowing the answer to this question is important, and it will help determine the type of dog who suits you.
Are you ready to make a 10 to 15 year commitment? Your dog will be dependent on you for their health and well-being, and will require an investment of love, time, and money for the rest of their life.
Do you have the time and resources to commit to a dog? ALL dogs need daily affection, exercise, socialization, and vet care, and they may need regular grooming. Affection is free, but after that, most things have a price tag.
Will you be able to spend quality time with your dog? Dogs are pack animals by nature and thrive on being part of a family. If they are left alone for long periods of time, it can lead to behavioral issues along with depression and stress. If you travel regularly, or consistently work 9+ hour days, the timing may not be right to add a dog to your family.
Are you willing to train your dog? Lack of training is one of the most common reasons that adopters surrender their dogs to shelters. Basic training helps the dog understand your rules and what you expect from them. It also teaches you how to communicate with your dog and strengthens the overall relationship.
Do you live in a condo or a house with a fenced yard?
Do you have kids or seniors in your home?
Adding a new dog is a family decision and should include input and buy-in from all of its members. Examine your lifestyle and personality, and be honest about the amount of resources and time you can commit to exercising, playing with, and grooming your dog.
Here are some other factors to consider:
AGE
Puppies – Everyone loves a puppy. They are adorable, but they also require the most time, attention, and training, especially in the first 6 months. Do you have the time and patience to train a puppy and deal with frequent potty breaks, teething, chewing, cleaning up messes, and their higher energy level? When you adopt a puppy, you don’t necessarily know the personality and energy level the dog will have as an adult, but you do have the opportunity to train them early to live by your rules, and shape their behavior.
Adult dogs – Adult dogs over two years old are a great option for most families. They have already grown into themselves and have established personalities, so you know what you’re getting. They’ve typically been “socialized” with people and the outside world, and understand what it takes to be part of your family pack. They have calmer temperaments, make fewer demands on your time, and are worldlier – many have already experienced car rides or know how to walk on a leash – so they’re ready to be an instant companion.
Senior dogs – Senior dogs also make great pets; they are confident in their skin, grateful for a loving and safe home, and are happy to either walk a sedate mile or lounge on the sofa next to you. Just like humans, senior dogs require more frequent veterinary visits, medications, and procedures,but there is also a great reward knowing that your senior pup was happy, loved, and well cared for when they left this earth. At shelters, older dogs are the least likely to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Adopting a senior dog is your opportunity to be a hero and get a wonderful companion in return.
SIZE
The size of the dog that best fits your family is often determined by your family makeup. A very small dog is at risk in a family with young children who don’t understand boundaries and may perceive it to be a toy. Small dogs tend to be more delicate and vulnerable, so being mishandled can lead to injury, or the dog responding in a negative way. If you have younger children in your home, you may want to consider a medium-sized dog over six months old.
Families who live in apartments or condos, or have older or physically challenged members, may do better with a small adult or senior dog because they are calmer and need less space. A young, large dog often plays rough, needs lots of exercise, and can be an obstacle in walking paths. Large dogs typically mean more food, exercise, longer walks, and more space to run and play.
Remember: every adorable puppy starts out small, but they can grow quickly. You should research dog breeds online to get a feel for the different heights and weights of the breeds you are considering.
ENERGY/ACTIVITY LEVEL
All dogs need some daily exercise to stay healthy and balanced, but some dogs need more than others. If you don’t meet your dog’s exercise needs, they are more prone to behavioral problems, like chewing up things they’re not supposed to or bouncing off the walls with excitement. Be honest and realistic with yourself about the amount of time you can commit to exercising your dog.
Your personal lifestyle and living arrangements factor in too. If you live in an apartment or condo or have a more sedentary lifestyle, you probably shouldn’t adopt a high energy dog that needs to run and play every day. If you are an active family that likes to run and hike, a younger, medium-to-large sized energetic pup would be a better fit for you than a small toy dog.
You can’t rely on breed alone to gauge a dog’s energy level, because dogs have unique personalities and requirements independent of their breed. Age, breed, and temperament are all factors that impact a dog’s energy level.
GROOMING
All dogs need basic grooming, but some dogs with longer coats (Terriers, Shih Tzu, Spaniels, Retrievers, etc.) require more upkeep and routine grooming every four to six weeks. Most dogs shed, but some dogs shed all year round. Some shed in clumps for a few weeks, some dogs shed only a little bit. Long-coated dogs are beautiful to look at, but require some effort to stay that way. Short-coated dogs are easier to care for, but may still shed, and require protection in cold or wet weather. Decide how much dog hair you’re willing to put up with, and how much time and money you can afford to dedicate to grooming your dog.
WHERE TO FIND YOUR DOG
Rescue organizations like Dogs Deserve Better are a great resource to help you find the right dog fit for your family. Our dogs are fostered by a member of our volunteer team, living in their home as part of their family. This personal connection with the dog gives us a better sense of their personality and level of socialization, and helps us understand the type of home and family that will best suit them.
You can adopt dogs of every age, breed, and temperament, from purebred to mutt, puppies to seniors, and everything in between. When you choose to adopt, you save the life of one of the many wonderful dogs who are waiting in shelters and rescues for someone to love them, and make room for another animal to be saved.
Most people whose consider buying their new pet from a breeder or a pet store don’t realize the magnitude of the animal overpopulation problem in our country. Tragically, between 3 and 4 million unwanted animals are euthanized in the US every year. These are healthy, adoptable pets whose only fault is that they don’t have a place to call home.
Rescuing a dog in need is a virtuous endeavor, and saving an animal’s life is not just a good thing to do, but it will reward you in ways that you may not expect. Check out our available dogs to find your match, then fill out an application to begin the adoption process.
PARTNERS
Coming soon!
How Rescue Works
THE BASICS
DOG RESCUE 101
Animal welfare groups are not new, and have been in existence in the US since the mid-1800’s. Adopting a pet has grown in popularity over the years as animal welfare issues have become part of our public consciousness, and we’ve become more aware of the millions of animals who need to be saved.
According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.9 million dogs enter American animal shelters every year. Of these, about 1.4 million are adopted, 1.2 million are euthanized, and most of the rest are reunited with their owners. While the outlook for dogs has improved since the 1970’s, when we used to put down 12-20 million animals each year, there are still millions of dogs who deserve to find loving homes and need our help.
Team Leo Animal Rescue is an all-volunteer, nonprofit dog rescue. We are run by volunteers who love animals and want to make a difference by helping these forgotten dogs find loving families. Our mission is to provide a better life for abused, neglected, and abandoned dogs, while working work to address the root problems of animal overpopulation, and educate our community about animal welfare and the virtue and need for dog rescue.
Below is a brief overview on how Team Leo Animal Rescue operates and the process for adopting one of our dogs.
WHERE OUR DOGS COME FROM
Team Leo Animal Rescue works in conjunction with owners, animal shelters, and good Samaritans to help save dogs who have run out of time or are living in cruel or unsafe conditions.
Dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds come into rescue, from lovable mutts to striking purebreds. They take different paths to get here, but most find themselves confused and abandoned through no fault of their own. An owner may move somewhere that doesn’t allow dogs, or someone adopts a cute puppy but is not ready for the amount of work and cost involved, or a new baby enters the family and the couple decides they no longer have the time for their four-legged companion.
Too often, owners surrender their dogs because it was just not convenient for them anymore, and don’t realize the consequences. It’s a sad and unfortunate predicament for these pups.
One of the biggest hurdles we have in convincing more people to adopt a rescue dog is the misconception that they are somehow damaged or broken. This is an unfair characterization of these dogs who in many cases are former family pets who were given up on by their owners. The reality is that these dogs are very resilient, quickly adapt to new environments, and respond well to a loving home.
Rescue dogs of all ages, from all sorts of circumstances, can transition into a well-adjusted member of your family.
VETTING PROCESS
New dogs coming into the rescue are taken immediately to one of our veterinary clinic partners to have a full health evaluation. They are spayed or neutered when necessary, brought up to date on vaccines, and given a microchip that will identify them in case they are ever lost or abandoned.
Team Leo Animal Rescue requires that ALL of our dogs be spayed or neutered to address the overpopulation issue we are trying to combat, and to ensure that none can be used for breeding. A spayed or neutered dog is often healthier and will usually live a longer life, so it’s a win-win. Our dogs are also evaluated for temperament and personality, which helps us to place them in homes that are better suited to their needs, and the needs of their future owners.
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