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We know someone who recently made a spur-of-the-moment stop at an animal shelter and walked out a few minutes later with a new dog. A dog that wasn't housebroken. That nipped. That needed a crate (which had to be hastily purchased).
Our friend had the best of intentions -- everyone wants animals out of shelters and in homes -- but this was not the best way to adopt a dog.
The process takes planning and work. Here's a game plan for someone seeking to bring a dog home.
Think it out. The worst mistake that people make, says Karen Okura, manager of behavior and training at The Anti-Cruelty Society (anticruelty.org), is impulse adoption.
Don't pick an animal because it reminds you of your old dog, she says, or because you pity the animal, or because you lost your job and need to feel loved, or because the kids want one, or to save a marriage or relationship.
There are plenty of good reasons to adopt.
"The No. 1 objective is to save a life. People don't realize the number of amazing dogs being euthanized," says Rochelle Michalek, executive director of PAWS Chicago (pawschicago.org). "Dogs make great companions. They're great from a social perspective. Nothing breaks the ice like a dog when you're out meeting people."
Once you have a good reason to adopt, use your head.
"People should look at practical things," Okura says. "Does someone in the home have allergies? How prepared are you to do a minimal amount of grooming?"
Also ask yourself: Do you have the time to feed, train and exercise a new dog? Okura figures a puppy needs two years of intensive training; older dogs, a year. Can you afford the financial investment? Even routine medical care isn't cheap. Does the entire family approve, not just one or two members? Everyone will need to pitch in. Will a new dog get along with other pets in the home?
If you're looking at a puppy, know how big it's going to get. If it's from a shelter or one of those "free-to-good-home" ads, take your best guess and be prepared for an adult dog that's 10 to 30 pounds plus or minus that estimate.
Choosing a breed ... or not. Figure out what you want: big, small, male, female, energetic, laid-back, etc. Every factor should be considered.
Is there a purebred that appeals to you? Study up and learn more about that breed's dogs, from how big they get, to their temperament, to how much they shed. Talk to a rescue group that deals in that particular breed. It can tell you a breed's quirks -- and it might even have an animal that would be a good fit.
Two sites listing breed rescue groups are akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm and netpets.com/dogs/dogresc/ doggrp.html.
If you have no particular breed in mind, consider a mutt. There are a lot more mixed-breed animals needing homes.
They also tend to be less prone to breed-specific health problems, and there's a school of thought that they're smarter than purebreds. They're also going to cost a lot less, in most cases.
"And their personalities might tend to be a little more diverse," Michalek says.
How to find the right dog. Okura does not recommend pet shops. "No breeder worth his reputation will sell puppies to pet stores, period," Okura says.
Backyard breeders? Maybe. They could be clueless owners or they could be running their own small-time version of a puppy mill.
"Sometimes," Okura says, "it might be an oops litter. 'She's only 7 months old and I didn't know she could have puppies.' But if it's from the same address all the time, with oops litters, these are irresponsible people. Or they just do it to sell them."
Our friend had the best of intentions -- everyone wants animals out of shelters and in homes -- but this was not the best way to adopt a dog.
The process takes planning and work. Here's a game plan for someone seeking to bring a dog home.
Think it out. The worst mistake that people make, says Karen Okura, manager of behavior and training at The Anti-Cruelty Society (anticruelty.org), is impulse adoption.
Don't pick an animal because it reminds you of your old dog, she says, or because you pity the animal, or because you lost your job and need to feel loved, or because the kids want one, or to save a marriage or relationship.
There are plenty of good reasons to adopt.
"The No. 1 objective is to save a life. People don't realize the number of amazing dogs being euthanized," says Rochelle Michalek, executive director of PAWS Chicago (pawschicago.org). "Dogs make great companions. They're great from a social perspective. Nothing breaks the ice like a dog when you're out meeting people."
Once you have a good reason to adopt, use your head.
"People should look at practical things," Okura says. "Does someone in the home have allergies? How prepared are you to do a minimal amount of grooming?"
Also ask yourself: Do you have the time to feed, train and exercise a new dog? Okura figures a puppy needs two years of intensive training; older dogs, a year. Can you afford the financial investment? Even routine medical care isn't cheap. Does the entire family approve, not just one or two members? Everyone will need to pitch in. Will a new dog get along with other pets in the home?
If you're looking at a puppy, know how big it's going to get. If it's from a shelter or one of those "free-to-good-home" ads, take your best guess and be prepared for an adult dog that's 10 to 30 pounds plus or minus that estimate.
Choosing a breed ... or not. Figure out what you want: big, small, male, female, energetic, laid-back, etc. Every factor should be considered.
Is there a purebred that appeals to you? Study up and learn more about that breed's dogs, from how big they get, to their temperament, to how much they shed. Talk to a rescue group that deals in that particular breed. It can tell you a breed's quirks -- and it might even have an animal that would be a good fit.
Two sites listing breed rescue groups are akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm and netpets.com/dogs/dogresc/ doggrp.html.
If you have no particular breed in mind, consider a mutt. There are a lot more mixed-breed animals needing homes.
They also tend to be less prone to breed-specific health problems, and there's a school of thought that they're smarter than purebreds. They're also going to cost a lot less, in most cases.
"And their personalities might tend to be a little more diverse," Michalek says.
How to find the right dog. Okura does not recommend pet shops. "No breeder worth his reputation will sell puppies to pet stores, period," Okura says.
Backyard breeders? Maybe. They could be clueless owners or they could be running their own small-time version of a puppy mill.
"Sometimes," Okura says, "it might be an oops litter. 'She's only 7 months old and I didn't know she could have puppies.' But if it's from the same address all the time, with oops litters, these are irresponsible people. Or they just do it to sell them."
