When you finally decide to take the leap and adopt a new family member, many things need to be considered. Of course, most rescues will go over some common ground with you on your first visit, but I want to cover those issues here.
As far as finding a rescue, you can search online or go to your local county shelter. Make sure to check if the rescue will take the specific dog back if it does not work out for whatever reason. You should also make sure you are allowed to have a fence in your yard, as many rescues require this for their dogs.
If you want a senior dog, keep in mind there is a chance they may have some medical problems. Some rescues will require you to bring the dog back if it has major medical issues, so be sure to discuss this with them before bringing one home.
Some of the issues that you might face are:
Diet Issues In Rescue Dogs
The rescue should go over with you when you meet your new family member. They should also have you buy some food when you get your new dog home. You should also find out if they have any allergies or sensitivities before feeding them something different. If their stomach does not agree with new food, it can make them very sick and sometimes cause damage due to diarrhea it causes.
Ask the rescue center what they feed and make sure you get a bag of it to take home. Ask if your dog is allergic or has any issues with any food before you purchase anything else.
Stress Issues In Rescue Dogs
When you bring your new family member home, they may have some issues caused by stress. If this is the case, they will most likely go away on their own in a short amount of time. There is also the chance that there could be medical problems coming from the rescue or shelter.
Unfortunately, rescues and shelters are often limited in terms of medical testing on the dogs. If you notice anything out of the ordinary with your new family member, make sure to take them in to see their veterinarian.
Aggressive Rescue Dogs
If your rescue dog shows signs of aggression, it may have some issues that need to be worked on before being around other pets or people. If your new rescue dog shows signs of aggression, you should not hit or punish them as it will only worsen the problem.
It would be best to try to figure out what is causing the aggression and address that issue before allowing anyone near your pet. Some common causes of aggression can be rough handling at a shelter, being in a kennel for a long period, being in a kennel with barking dogs, and even the presence of other animals.
House Training A Rescue Dog
Rescue dogs will also have issues when it comes to housebreaking. You should make sure you get any advice from the rescue before bringing your new family member home, so you know what to expect.
Most rescues will give you a list of items to get and instructions on what to do to housebreak your new rescue dog. Most dogs will require about 7-10 days before they can be completely housebroken, so this is something you will need to keep in mind when adopting a rescue pet.
Leash Reactivity Issues
If you have a rescue dog with leash reactivity problems, you can expect some issues when walking them on a leash. If your new family member has this problem, the rescue should have already addressed this issue with you before taking your new pet home.
The best way to address this is by attending some training classes with your rescue dog. You should also make sure you are using a harness instead of a collar when walking them. This will help the dog learn to walk without pulling on the leash.
Nervous & Shy Rescue Dog Behaviour
Sometimes rescues have dogs that are very shy or fearful. While some can overcome this with much love and patience, others may never fully get over their fear. If you already have a dog at home, it is good to get one that is not shy or fearful because your current pet will try to protect the new family member even though they are scared. This can hurt the other dog if it does not back off when you try to intervene.
Dog Anti-Social Behavior
Rescue dogs may also come with some issues that make them not like other animals or even people. While you should work to socialize your new rescue dog as much as possible, knowing what you are getting into before adopting one is good. They can hurt other pets and loved ones if they do not get along with other animals or people.
If you already have a pet at home, getting a rescue dog without any anti-social issues will help avoid any problems in the future. This also makes it easier to keep your rescue dog from being lonely when alone during the day.
Lack Of Discipline / Dog Obedience Training
Finally, if your rescue dog is not showing any interest in obedience training, it may be that they do not like to follow orders, or you are not giving them the right kind of commands. It is important to find out why this is before bringing your new family member home.
The best way to deal with this issue is by working with a trainer that can help you figure out why your rescue dog is not listening. Most rescues should give you any information on the dog’s Behaviour, so make sure to read this before taking your new pet home.
If you have problems with your rescue dog at home, it is important to get some professional advice immediately. Dogs can become aggressive if left with behavior problems, so make sure to get them some help right away. It is also important to let the rescue know what you are having issues with, as they can advise you on dealing with specific behaviors.
Summary
In some cases, your new rescue dog may not come with as many issues as you thought it would. In other cases, your new family member may come with a few more than you realized and will need your help and patience to overcome them. By knowing what to expect before bringing them home, you can help prevent any problems in the future.
On a concluding note, When bringing your new rescue home, make sure that you have everything ready to go before bringing them into their new environment. You should also expect some behavior problems with your new pet even though the rescue will do all they can to prevent this.
If your rescue dog has some behavior problems when you bring them home, be sure to address them quickly and effectively to avoid the problem from getting worse. I hope that this article has helped you understand some common issues with rescue dogs.