Debunking Rescue Dog Myths

It is National Rescue Dog Day, and we want to give a big shout-out to all of the pet parents out there who gave their rescue pups a forever home. According to the ASPCA, over 3.3 million dogs are taken in by shelters across the United States over the course of a year, and millions of dogs live in shelters across America every day. If you are thinking about bringing a dog into your family, adopting a rescue dog is a great way to make a difference. However, there is a lot of misinformation out there about who rescue dogs are and the mythical mayhem they may bring to your home. 

We want to debunk and clarify a few of the biggest myths about adopting a rescue dog so that you and your family can feel confident when you adopt a rescue pup:

All rescue dogs have behavioral problems 

While some rescue dogs are taken or surrendered to shelters because of abuse or neglect, behavioral problems are rarely the root cause of why they are there. Dogs always adopt the energy of the environment they are placed in, so if they are placed in an aggressive or abusive environment, dogs will show aggression because they are scared. The same goes for dogs who are brought home and given free rein of their house and never taught how to behave. If you choose to adopt a dog who has a traumatic past or was surrendered because the previous owners never trained them and their behavior got out of hand, you will need to take some time to help your pup feel safe and loved in their new home. Once you build that love and trust with your new dog, then you will be able to help them grow into the good boys and girls they can be. 

I won’t be able to adopt the right dog

No matter what kind of dog you want to adopt, there is a rescue for that specific kind of dog. There are Poodle rescues if you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog, or toy dog rescues if a smaller dog is what you are searching for. Unfortunately, there are a lot of mixed breeds, especially Pitties, in shelters because of the misconceptions about their dispositions–Pitbulls are actually some of the sweetest and most loyal dogs out there. After the holidays, there is always a surge of dogs of all breeds surrendered to shelters because of people who “gift” a puppy to their kids or partners without realizing the commitment that comes with being a pet parent. While you think you might know what sort of dog you want, fostering is a great way to see what sort of dogs might be the right fit for your life–and to see if your life might be a good fit for them! All shelters have fostering programs if you are interested in testing out life as a pet parent before bringing home a new family member. 

I don’t have the time or money to care for a rescue dog 

Adopting a rescue dog requires the same amount of time and monetary commitment as adopting a puppy from a breeder. In fact, adopting a dog from a shelter may end up costing less in the long run because of the low adoption fees. All dogs need some sort of training when they first go to their forever homes. Like we said earlier, if your dog comes from a traumatic background, they may require a little more patience or training, but the shelter you are adopting from will make sure to communicate everything you need to know to set your dog up for success. Most dog shelters and rescues want their dogs to go to safe and loving homes, and they want them to find them quickly. Shelters offer help for pet parents through adoption consultations and training classes. Again, the shelters want to help the dogs find the right fit, so many have a pretty rigorous adoption process including family meetings or home visits. They will make sure that the adoption is the right fit for everyone involved, human and canine, and with that assurance behind you, you can feel confident you have everything you need to give your rescue pup a happy and healthy life. 

All dogs deserve loving homes, and if you’re reading this, it’s likely because you already love pups and maybe have some already. If you’re inspired to begin a fostering journey or want to rescue a dog now, you can take a look at rescues near you via a quick google search. There are so many pups looking for a home and one of them might be your new best friend!