Choosing your four-legged family member
A bond between a dog and its family is strong. Never will you encounter another living creature that loves you or your family more than it loves itself—not like a dog anyway. But finding the right dog for your family can be tricky because every dog is unique and every family has a different dynamic.
While your favorite dog breed may be a Border Collie because of their floppy ears, their curious, sideways head-tilt and their speckled, black and white coat, you need to consider all aspects of the breed before bringing it into your family.
For many families, the needs of a breed like the Border Collie are too demanding—the amount of daily physical exercise and the attempt to quell the dog’s natural instinct to herd can be overwhelming to new dog owners. Selecting the right dog for your family requires some thought and a little research. Border Collies are great dogs for some families, but not all. And the same goes for most dog breeds.
At Saving Paws Animal Rescue Kentucky (SparKY), President John Austin and other members work one-on-one with the pets and the new families to find the right dog for the right family.
SparKY is a non-profit, no-kill animal rescue agency. While SparKY takes in all types of animals– ferrets and even a pig once– the primary pets available are dogs. SparKY is not a shelter. The organization utilizes a volunteer foster home system, in which local people house and care for the pets until a permanent home adopts them.
With the foster home set up, the foster family discerns the dog’s characteristics and learns its quirks and routines. A dog’s environment can encourage it to behave differently. This intimate foster relationship with the animal helps create a synchronous switch from foster home to permanent home for both the people and the dogs.
With each adoption, SparKY members interview the new families to find their best fit.
“We have people come in and ask, ‘Is this animal house trained?’ and I’m pretty much never going to answer that question with a ‘Yes,’” Austin said. “It’s a new environment. There will be different smells and possibly other pets.”
Patience is a requirement when adopting a new pet. Some of the questions SparKY members ask assess the size of your home and the amount of time you will have for the pet. They try to make sure you will have the time, the means and the understanding to care for your pet’s health.
“We pretty much have all manners, all breeds, all shapes and sizes,” Austin said. “We want to find the best placement for the animal, and make sure we’re not setting up the family to fail.”
Questions from SparKY are not meant to deter people, rather they are meant to look out for the best interest of the dogs and their new families.
“We’re just trying to find out if these people have realized ‘I’m going to have this living being his whole life and I need to take care of him,’” Austin said.
Ask yourself these questions before adopting a pet, not only for your family, but also for the dog:
How much spare time do you have for the dog?
Caring for a dog is a full-time job, not too different from a child. Are you ready for another child? Dogs eat, drink, play, potty, misbehave and make a mess— if not more —than your kids. It’s just as essential to meet all of a your dog’s needs as if it is your own child.
Determining the amount of time you have, will tell you whether you can handle an active dog like a Collie, Dalmatian or Terrier, or maybe require a calmer breed.
Can you schedule a daily walk in your routine?
All dogs need exercise. Whether it’s a Shih Tzu or a German Shepherd, all dogs have energy they need to burn. One of the primary reasons dogs wind up in shelters or are deemed troublesome is because they didn’t get regular exercise and therefore misbehave. If you don’t have time for a prolonged walk to burn off that doggy fuel—not just a hurry-up-and-do-your-business walk—then you should avoid high-energy dogs. And, while several breeds are known to be high-energy, every dog is different.
Austin said, “A German Shepherd is going to be active—want to play, run, jump. Maybe that family might be more interested in a Beagle or some other smaller dog that won’t be so hard to contain in terms of needs and activities.”
How much space do you have in your house & yard?
Unless you’re looking to adopt Clifford the Big Red Dog, you do not need an extremely large home or yard. But certain breeds of dogs do thrive with free space to frolic.
“There are lots of big dogs that can function perfectly well inside the house,” Austin said. “I don’t necessarily buy into a lot of stereotypes that if you want an inside dog it needs to be small. But there are some dogs that need a lot more exercise and so they need a lot of space.”
Can you afford the regular, additional expense?
That does not mean just kibble and the occasional new toy. Adding a pet to your life adds a financial dedication to the pet’s well being, which includes regular visits to the veterinarian, flea medicine, grooming and possibly training.
Do you have young children?
Not all dogs are kid-friendly, and that’s not breed-specific. While you may hope your dog and son are the next Lassie and Timmy, dogs have personalities just like people, and may not be too keen on tiny tikes yanking on their ears or slobbering on their noses.
With a little research and help from SparKY members, you can find a cuddle companion that will gladly double as a mattress for your child.
Do you have other pets?
Not all dogs are cat-chasers. And not all cats are terrified of dogs. In fact, some cat-dog duos have been known to be best buds. But that variable is something to consider. Territorial pets can feel threatened by new additions.
Where will the dog go while you work?
The average family has an empty house for several hours a day. Is your new dog comfortable enough to be left alone inside? Is your yard set up to keep the dog protected from the elements?
“We want to help you look at dogs that might be a better fit for your plan,” Austin said. “We foster several dogs and we work all day. Some of them stay in crates through the day and they’re crate trained. Some dogs we can trust. They’re house trained and we can trust them through the day.”
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No matter where a family adopts a dog, it’s an exciting time and one that should be enjoyed. Austin encourages new pet owners you have patience with their pets.
“There is an adjustment period,” he said. “If we know the dog has a certain routine, we try to let the family know that. But when the dog gets to your home, he’s going to learn what you all do and you’ll have to learn what he does.”
SparKY hosts an adopt-a-thon at PetSmart the first and third Saturday of each month. Every pet with SparKY is fixed and current on vaccinations.
To learn more, visit www.sparkyrescue.com, find them on Facebook or call (270) 684-4787. [/styled_box]