PUREBRED RESCUE DOG ADOPTION REWARDS AND REALITIES Liz Palika PUREBRED RESCUE DOG ADOP TION A L P LSO BY IZ ALIKA FROM H B H : OWELL OOK OUSE All Dogs Need Some Training The Australian Shepherd:Champion of Versatility The Australian Shepherd:An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet The German Shepherd Dog:An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet PUREBRED RESCUE DOG ADOPTION REWARDS AND REALITIES Liz Palika Copyright © 2004 by Wiley Publishing,Inc.,Hoboken,New Jersey Howell Book House Published by Wiley Publishing,Inc.,Hoboken,New Jersey No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,scanning or otherwise,except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act,without either the prior written per- mission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600.Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department,Wiley Publishing,Inc.,10475 Crosspoint Blvd.,Indianapolis,IN 46256,(317) 572-3447,fax (317) 572-4447, E-mail:[email protected]. 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SF428.55.P35 2004 636.73—dc22 2003016101 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C ONTENTS Introduction VII 1 Too Many Dogs and Not Enough Homes 1 Dog ownership has increased in the United States,but so has the number of dogs given up by their owners. 2 Purebred Dog Rescue 7 Purebred dog rescue adoptions can take some of the pressure off local shelters and make it easier for purebred dogs to find new homes. 3 Is a Rescue Dog Right for You? 15 Adding a dog to your family is a big decision;make sure you think it through. 4 The Adoption Process 26 A rescue group can help you find just the right dog for you and guide you through the adoption process. 5 Before You Bring Your New Dog Home 37 Make sure your house,yard and family are ready for your dog before you bring him home. 6 The Big Move 46 You,your family and your home are all new to your dog.Help her make this transition. V vi Contents 7 Building a Relationship 55 Your new dog doesn’t become your best friend automatically. You need to build a relationship with him. 8 Introducing the Dog to Your World 62 A happy dog is acclimated to the sights,smells and sounds of the world around her.Take your rescue dog to meet the neigh- bors and explore her new town. 9 Housetraining Your Rescue Dog 70 Many rescue dogs are well housetrained,but some need a little remedial training.Handle it with care. 10 All Rescue Dogs Need Some Training 80 Training is an important part of building a relationship with your new dog,as well as teaching her how to live in your house and behave with people. 11 Working Through Problem Behaviors 91 Almost every dog has one or two behaviors that their owners would like to control or change. 12 Aggression 107 Aggression is a catchall phrase for behaviors that could be threatening or dangerous. 13 When It Just Isn’t Working 118 Sometimes a newly adopted dog just doesn’t fit in with his new owner and family.How to make the decision to give the dog back to the rescue group. 14 Do You Want to Do Rescue Work? 122 Purebred dog rescue can be very rewarding volunteer work,but it can also be heartbreaking.Here’s a look at what’s involved. Appendix:Internet Resources for Purebred Dog Rescue 128 Index 131 I NTRODUCTION Watachie was a purebred rescue dog.He and his littermates had been abandoned in a rural area and survived by eating road kill.The four sur- viving puppies (at least three had been hit by cars) were taken in by German Shepherd Dog Rescue,as the puppies appeared to be German Shepherds and, to be honest, one of the group’s volunteers had a soft spot for puppies! Infested with internal parasites,suffering from bron- chitis,skinny and wary of people,the puppies were not in the best of shape.I adopted one of them only after the rescue volunteers warned me of the special care he would need. As he grew, it became very clear that he was, indeed, a purebred German Shepherd. He was handsome, quick thinking, funny and wanted to please me. He thrived in obedience training, competed in Frisbee contests,learned to pull a wagon and learned agility on a police dog obstacle course.He became a certified search and rescue dog,and with an AKC ILP (Indefinite Listing Privilege),earned his Utility Dog title with several High in Trials and High Combined Scores. Even though I had owned dogs before,I had never had a relation- ship with a dog like I had with Watachie.I was the center of his universe; he made me feel like I was someone worthwhile and incredibly special. Watachie died too young,at the age of eight,leaving me with a gap- ing hole in my heart.But looking back,I know he accomplished what he set out to do.Not only was he a wonderful companion,but Watachie showed me my life’s work. I found I enjoyed training dogs and loved teaching people how to train their own dogs.My article about Watachie and his early death was my first published article,and the responses to that article were my first “fan mail.”I learned my writing could touch peo- ple.And, because of Watachie, I found out about purebred dog rescue. Because ofWatachie,dogs became my calling,my joy and my profession. Thanks,Watachie.I miss you still. Love,Liz VII