Don't expect perfect behaviour from a dog who has suffered abuse, neglect and abandonment!
Don't go to a rescue centre and pick a dog, take it home, offer it love and affection then when it does something wrong take it straight back where it came from!
I am so mad - 2 of my friends recently took on rescue dogs - the first had a Shitzu, 2 yrs old, ex puppy farm breeder and about a week later it bit her pedigree lab puppy so she packed little Mabel straight back to the rescue centre! Today another friend brought home freya, who on first reaction to the strange cat and dog already residing in the family home, she "went for them" I don't know how badly but Freya, like Mable has been sent back to the rescue centre after only a few hours of freedom!
I am so ashamed of them and I don't know how I am going to face them when I next see them!

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Zeus my little Staffy 14-02-2011

Trouble a you say a lot of people expect perfection. No dog is perfect, and it isnt just rescues out of the 6 Ive owned five were rescues one purchased from a breeder and guess who had the most issues and took the longest to sort out. Another thing a lot of people dont always realise is that a lot of the problems are caused by human intervention too, especially in multi dog or animal households in fact full stop a lot of the time.

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One of the main reasons why I wouldn't have a rescue dog. The rescue can assess the temperament of the dog in the centre, but when the dog is in a home environment, they can turn. I'm sure the rescues in both of your friends' cases assessed the dog and homechecked too, so they were sure that the rescue dog would be fine with the animals in the home.

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I OWN A CHOCOLATE ROAN COCKER SPANIEL
RIP David xx Run free at the bridge. Love you always xx 19th February 2011
RIP Jack and Mickey xx Run free at the bridge. Love you forever xx 20th June 2011

on the other hand...

I think these dogs have just had a lucky escape.

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I just don't think that in the cases of my friends that these dogs were given enough of a chance to settle in and were perhaps taken in for the wrong reasons. The first friend has since bought another shitzu from a breeder and the other already has 3 small kids one dog, several cats and has just acquired some chickens and I don't think she has the biggest garden so what she wanted another dog for - I don't know.

I got my rescue dog the same day as my first friend and I have had teething problems, she has gone for my cat so I kept them separated and introduced them gradually and in their own time. Today I have reaped my reward. We managed to have an afternoon nap on the sofa with the dog curled up behind my legs and the cat lying down my side all snoring away in harmony!

quite possibly - at least now they can go to homes that do deserve them!

Most rescue dogs wouldn't just turn, it does give the wrong impression of rescue dogs - many have been signed over due to marriage breakdowns, people having to move house into rented unable to take etc. There is also the option of many rescues who use foster homes so have been able to do that extra assessment.

Alot of the times I think it can be peoples expectations - my dogs are allowed for example to behave as per my house rules, if they go somewhere else they might do things that others see as a problem, when all they need is to be given time to learn the new house rules.

I know there are genuine cases where dogs need to go back and there are also many where people expect the dog to fit in from day one, i.e. have talked through building up time left, gone out for hours on day one and the dog has chewed something up; or not been careful around toys with the new and existing dog so they have had a little spat...

Yes cats may be another one, people who do it how you did slowly and sensibly often can get thime to mix but throw them in all together and it can go wrong.

I know my first dog settled in from day one, but my second dog was manic and we were all a bit raw around the edges but it came together in less than a week !

This has really made me smile, it's not rocket science, just hard work and perseverance!

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You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

Harvey the Labrador X German Shepherd 12.2.08
Bella the Alaskan Malamute 1.8.09

U also have 2 consider the type of rescue centre u take a dog from, 4 my breed I would only take from a breed specific rescue where I know they r temprement tested and assessed over a period of a month, they r also fostered out 2 expereinced homes and again assessed within the home environment, I would never take on a rescue from the likes of the RSPCA or council run rescue 4 my breed, as they don't assess them and often don't have much on their history nor understand the breed traits

I took my boy at at 8mths old, he'd had no training or boundaries, couldn't even walk on a lead (and he was a huge boy), I took him from a so called breed specific rescue, but learnt the hard way he had resource guarding issues, a basic behavior problem in my breed and should have been assessed but wasn't

He had other problems, but took me 2 years of obedience training twice a week 2 get him sorted, the saying goes u get out what u put in

I would rescue again as i enjoy a challenge and can offer a good home, but I would also do my homework on the rescue centres to make damn sure they were doing their upmost to re home 2 the right people!

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"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way."
Martin Luther King Jr.