Pets
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Adopting a rescue - questions
Hey all. FI and I are starting the process of trying to adopt a rescue dog - yay! The rescue organization we are applying to does a mandatory phone screening and home visit prior to approving the application. I'm just wondering if anyone has gone through this process, and what some good questions might be to ask the rescue people/dog foster while we are going through the screening process. Anyone have any tips or wisdom to share?
Thank you!!
Re: Adopting a rescue - questions
Ask what the adoption fee covers (spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip are typical - our shelter also includes a sample-size bag of kibble, 48 hours of free clinic care and a free month of ShelterPet health insurance).
Ask if they provide any post-adoption support - many animals' behaviors change once they are settled in a home, some for the worse, some for the better. I had a foster dog who was "shut down" in the shelter and his dog aggressiveness didn't come out until he was "comfortable" in my home. I also fostered a dog who seemed "wild" in the shelter, but in my home with regular exercise, he's a normal dog. Anyway, the shelter I volunteer for has a dog behavior team of volunteers (lead by the staff behaviorist) who respond to emails from adopters with behavior questions. The dog's foster mom may be willing to help with this, too.
Ask if they have any recommendations for vets or trainers, if you haven't chosen them already.
Ask the foster about any preferences the dog has toward toys, treats, etc. Ask about his routine in his foster home. If you can replicate that at your home for at least the first couple of weeks, it may make the transition easier on him.
As a foster this is what I'm looking for: I want to know the dog is going to receive regular medical attention like vaccinations, yearly vet visits, but also that if it starts showing signs of an ear infection or something horrible happens and needs a $3,000 surgery, that the people will take care of it. I have pet insurance for the big ticket stuff and I highly recommend Pets Best. I like to know the dog will be inside during the day in a safe environment, whether this is crated, babygated, or allowed free roam depends on the dog. I want to know the dog isn't going to be chained outside or left in the yard all day, that it will not be outside unsupervised (you can watch from your kitchen window but don't leave the dog out 24/7 or while you run errands). I want to know the family is going to appropriately correct negative behavior, how they will train the dog, that they would consult with a behaviorist if the dog showed sudden anxiety or aggression. I want to know the dog isn't going to be put in situations where he is set up to fail, that if they move they will take the dog with them, and that it will be treated as a beloved member of the family.
For the home visit I'm looking to make sure people haven't lied about anything regarding the house, that it isn't completely squalid and that it is safe. The last one I did I actually brought the dog b.c. he was kind of anxious and I wanted him to have a chance to explore the house with me so he felt safe. I looked at their yard to make sure their fence was safe and saw where he would sleep and play. I know people who have gone on home visits only to find that people had blatantly lied (chains and doghouses outside when they said they'd never owned an outdoor dog), unneutered dogs and cats in the house, no fence, etc. It may also be that if you're looking at a specific dog and that dog has specific needs, they want to make sure you understand those needs and your house is safe. I also usually use the home visit as an interview process.
Things to ask: I tell everyone about behavioral issues, I give out a written schedule for their day, explain training methods we're using and show how we do them, what food they eat, where they are on medical care, any personality quirks, any history we may know on the dog. As an adopter I want to know if they're potty trained, what their potty signals are, schedule, if they walk on leash, how they interact with other animals, how they interact with other people, training method being used, food, medical stuff. I also want to know what the rescue's adoption policies are.
Very exciting!
Both my dogs are from rescue groups where they lived with a foster. One rescue group just did a phone screening and the other did a home visit. They were both very relaxed. They just want to make sure the dog is going to a good home and that the family is prepared for the committment of having a dog. If there is anything on your application that requires clarification, they might ask. They also might ask you "what are you looking for in a dog?" to make sure that you are a good fit for the dog that you applied for.
Definately a great time for you to ask questions too. As you probably already have the information about what the adoption policy includes, I'd focus my questions on the dog(s) that you are interested in - especially if you get to talk with their foster. You'll want to know if they are a good fit for you. What training are they still working on? (ie. barking, house-training, basic obidence, leash)? Are they good off leash? Are they good with other pets, small children, strangers etc? What are they currently eating ? (it's a good idea to change their diet slowly by mixing the old food with the new food - they might give you a sample of the old food). What kind of toys do they like etc?