Searching for a new dog can be an exciting time. It can also be rife with potential problems when future owners encounter unethical breeding practices or potentially health-adverse pedigree standards. This is why more of us than ever are now looking into the best ways to get a dog responsibly. Adoption is almost always at the top of that list.
Adoption is a fantastic way to give a dog a much-needed home. If you have kids in the house, however, the higher risk of behavioural problems could also prove off-putting. But, does this mean families should rule adoption out altogether? Not at all. While you need to be wary when introducing an adopted dog to younger children, there are ways to make it work. Keep on reading to find out what they are.
1 – Be Honest When Talking to Rescue Homes
Adoption isn’t as simple as phoning a breeder and coming home with a dog the next day. All potential adoptive owners need to undergo things like home checks, and various meetings with the dog in question. Far from being in place to catch owners out, these precautions exist to ensure the best possible pairings.
During these meetings, be honest with professionals about the age and temperament of any children in your household. While you may feel tempted to gloss over things like your child’s tendency to pull animal fur or shout, no good can come of hiding the truth. Being completely honest about the environment a dog will be entering ensures that rescue centres are far better able to pair you with a dog who is unlikely to lash out or find such an environment overwhelming.
2 – Add Kids to Your Search Criteria
These days, many searches for adoptive dogs begin online, with rescue centres typically having detailed listings of all their dogs available for you to browse. The majority of these listings will include a note on the dog’s temperament or any potential behavioural problems. Many rescue centre searches will also allow you to filter dogs based on whether or not there are children in the house.
It’s important to note that some rescue dogs often aren’t suitable for being around children. Many have experienced poor treatment and may be liable to become violent. However, that’s by no means to suggest that you’ll rule out all rescue dogs by making this search distinction. After all, some dogs in rescue centres have experienced no ill-treatment but may have instead belonged to elderly owners who couldn’t look after them anymore, or families who simply didn’t feel that dog was the right fit. By making sure to filter your search in mind of kids, you may narrow your options, but you will ensure that any dogs you do consider are 100% suitable for your household.
3 – Take Your Kids to Visit
Adopting a dog typically involves taking at least three or four trips to visit them. These visits might include taking them for a walk, playing with them outside, or simply spending time with them in a safe enclosure. Either way, while you may want to keep your kids safely at home for the first visit, it’s worth taking them along once you know they’ll be safe.
Seeing the dog and your kids up close like this is the best way to get an idea of how the dog in question reacts, and whether there’s any sign of defensiveness. It’ll also give you a better idea of how your children act around this dog, and whether you think it’s wise to move forward.
4 – Book Behavioural Training in Advance
Even with the best precautions, rescue dogs can be unpredictable, or may simply act in ways that don’t suit your current household. Booking dog training sessions as soon as you get a collection date for your new dog is, therefore, always a good idea in this situation.
Training applies to both dog and owner and ensures not only that you can immediately address any behavioural problems, but also that you get to know one another in a mutually beneficial setting. During training, your dog will learn how to respond to your calls, and can even receive dedicated training on being touched in certain trigger areas, or simply dealing with the loud noises of their new, child-filled home.
Rescue dogs can be a wonderful addition to your family, but, where children are concerned, you do need to tread carefully. Make room in your house for a rescue dog using these top tips.
*This is a collaborative post
