There are thousands of dogs and puppies that need a good home. These dogs are not necessarily homeless because of behavior problems. There are a variety of reasons why dogs end up in this situation: the family moves and cannot take the pet with them; the owner does not have the time to spend training the dog; a family member develops an allergy to the fur; or the dog does not get along with other pets in the home.
Spend Time with the Dog
All shelters and rescue groups will allow a potential adopter to spend time with the dog, playing with it and introducing it to family members and other pets. This is an important step. It will allow the adopter to ascertain the personality of the pet and whether it fits with their needs, and discover possible behavior problems. Another important step is to examine the dog for potential physical problems. The future dog owner shoudl spend some time looking at the dog's paws, legs, ears, and eyes. Examine its teeth for dental abnormalities.
Pre-Trained and Ready for Home?
If the dog was a stray or from a home where the owners were unable to keep the pet, the dog or puppy may already be housebroken. This is a definite plus - no taking the dog outside every few hours or going through the crate training process. Some dogs may already know simple tricks such as "shake" or "lay down" helping it warm up to more advanced training. In addition, may shelters provide dog training classes either free or for a nominal fee. It is adviseable to make use of this service. A dog that needs additional training will greatly benefit from the expertise of a professional dog handler.
Where to Locate a Dog for Adoption
There are shelters and humane societies in almost every country and province throughout the United States and Canada. There are several online sites that list adoptable dogs and puppies in a given region. Petfinder.com and Dogster are just two sites that maintain a national list of adoptable dogs. These sites allow the user to search by gender, size, age and breed of dog.
"Best Friend" for Life
Being caged or even housed in foster care can be a scary or difficult sitution for a dog. Bringing a dog into a permanent home, showing it love and affection, and providing it with its own toys and a place to sleep can eventually lead to the pet displaying a life-long loyalty to its "master." The dog or puppy wants to please its new family, especially when it realizes that its surroundings are permanent. This is when the dog connects with its new owner, becoming a best friend for life.
