#2 Stop Your Dog's Chewing in 36 Hours! Watch an 11 week old puppy being taught to stop chewing in 2 days! #3 How To Stop That Annoying, Territorial Barking in Minutes! 5 simple backyard drills you can do to stop annoying barking.

Adopting a Shelter Dog

Do you think of yourself as a true dog lover and someone who has time and patience to dedicate to consider adopting a shelter dog?

If you do, consider making a positive contribution by adopting a puppy or a dog from your local animal shelter where there are so many animals in need of loving homes and caring owners.

Quite often people have preconceived ideas about shelter animals and their initial negative thoughts may put them off adopting.

This closed mind attitude could mean a dog which would otherwise make a great pet with a little attention and training, is put to sleep as a home cannot be found for the animal.

Are you becoming interested?

Although I am hardly likely to convince you overnight, I am sure with a little gentle persuasion you could open your heart and mind to the dog waiting for you at the local animal shelter in need of your loving care.

But first of all, I would like to give you some advice about the questions you will need to ask and the way in which to approach the staff when you visit the animal shelter to have a look at the dogs available for adoption.

Check with the shelter that the dogs have received at least the minimal medical treatment necessary to make the journey home with you.

Although most of the shelters will have done this, there are a few who may not have fully adhered to the strict medical guidelines.

Things to Look Out For At The Shelter

There should be a vet on duty at all times and he or she should be licensed. The work of the vet in the shelter is to vaccinate animals against hepatitis and distemper, along with taking care of any other health concerns.

Consult with the vet or another member of the shelter staff and find out if the animal you have your eye on has had a blood test for heart worms and that the skin is free from fleas and other kinds of parasites.

When adopting a dog from a shelter these are the basics to find out about. There are, of course, occasions when you have to dig a little deeper to find out everything you need to know.

An example of this is if the dog you would like to take home with you has suffered some kind of injury and is still going through the healing process.

You will need to know exactly what happened, what treatment the animal received, what kind of medication the dog is taking at the present time and whether or not any future treatment will be required.

One more thing - you need to be aware of any known information about the nature of the dog you intend to take into your home and to feel confident that the animal will successfully fit in with your family setting.

Some dogs don´t like the pitter patter of tiny feet, for example, whilst others just love to have a good chase after a cyclist or a car driver. Is the dog passive or dominant, does the dog show aggression (and if so what are the trigger points), and how will he or she react as far as territory protection is concerned?

Quite often these details are displayed on the front of the pen where the dog is kept in the shelter and it will help you to determine whether or not the dog is right for you.

Remember - ask as many questions as you feel necessary. The vet will appreciate you doing so and it´s the best way forward for you when adopting a shelter dog.

----------------------------------------

If you're interested in adopting a Labradoodle, we strongly suggest you go to IDOG (International Doodle Owners Group) Rescue which is a excellent resource - and you can find tham at the link below:

IDOG Rescue

---------------------

Article written by:

Edie MacKenzie