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The Right Dog

Helping people get the rescue dog they're looking for in the UK🐾❤️
Sharing tips to stand out, be chosen and get the right one!

05/04/2024

Every time you apply for a rescue dog and you don’t hear back, they are not saying anything about you. The only thing they are saying is that you, probably ,are not the BEST candidate for THAT particular dog. Period! So 👇

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03/04/2024

Are you a young family trying to rescue a dog that can live with children less than 8 years old? By now, you probably know that they are the hardest dogs to find out there. They represent less than 1% of all the dogs available for adoption. Not only that, the majority of dog rescues are not going to rehome dogs to families with kids younger than that age. So how can you adopt one?

If your children are younger than 4 years old, the rescue way will be almost impossible. It is just too risky to place a new dog with kids that young. Although some rescues will still rehome dogs in this case, you should be very careful about their process and how they have assessed that dog. Keep in mind that the majority of bites happen at home with the family dog to children less than 4 years old. And if you are thinking about a puppy, they are constantly nipping, so they can be too much for such young kids too. But if you are set that you want a dog at this precise moment in life (don't ask me why, it sounds like you have enough on your plate 😜) buying from a reputable breeder would be the safest option, in my opinion. You'll have a better idea about what you are getting (regarding full size and upbringing) and the puppy will get used to the hustle and bustle of your home. If you go down this route, have a look at where you can find plenty of very useful information when introducing dogs to very young children.

If your kids are a bit older, between 4 and 8 years old, you will be able to adopt a puppy or even a small/medium dog that has lived with children and is still happy about it. Keeping in mind that the majority of young dogs in rescue are there because someone bought them and then realised that they weren't as resilient with their kids as expected, it is not surprising that the rescues now can't put them through the same again. To be honest, in all my years assessing dogs in rescue, I can't remember a single time I signed off a dog as ok to live with kids that young, but there are a few now and then. In this case, the best option will be finding a rescue that has a waiting list, so you can join it and as soon as they have a litter, they can contact you to adopt one of the puppies. The option of an adult will be a bit more complicated, just because there are just a few and very sought after, but if you have the patient to wait until you find the right one, it will be the best outcome. Call me weird, but I have never liked the idea of puppies and children 😅
I know that it wasn't probably what you were expecting to read, but you are in the most complicated place in order to rehome a dog at this stage in life.

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30/03/2024

If you work full time and don't have the chance to work from home, be very specific about:

- How long the dog is going to be alone as a continuous period

- What are your plans to not leave them longer than 4-6 hours a day: pop in for lunch, take them to day care, hire a dog walker, join Borrowmydoggy, take them with you to work, depend on family or friends

- How are you going to cope with the settling period? There is a time, usually around 2 weeks, that your new dog is going to need you around all the time. Can you take time off work? The majority of times this is the authentic deal breaker when trying to rescue working FT.

Are you already trying this and not hearing back? DM and I'll give you some individual feedback to break the cycle.

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28/03/2024

Can you relate?

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26/03/2024

When filling out an application for a rescue dog, you need to be specific. Telling them "I have had dogs all my life" doesn't explain anything. How many? Which breeds? Were they rescued or bought as puppies? Did you learn anything from them? What have you overcome? What have they achieved? Any particular problem or quirk that you can share to prove you understand what they are looking for? The easiest way to choose an adopter is by picturing them with a similar dog before. Help them to make the decision, be clear about what you know!

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25/03/2024

Are you applying for dogs, but they keep turning you down?

You are not the problem! Check out these 3 common mistakes

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14/03/2024

Everybody knows about how important a good socialisation is, but the teenage fear period is far less known and I'd say, almost as important when thinking about adopting a young dog.

If you ask me which were the most challenging dogs while working in rescue, without a doubt I'll say: teenagers! Forget about particular breeds, age is what makes the difference. They were the dogs that were returned several times, making them less and less adoptable each time. And they are so popular! everybody wants a young dog. I think this is because people see young dogs as puppies, but they are not.

The teenage fear period is more variable than the socialisation one, but it occurs as a 2-3 week period in late adolescence. The problem is that during this particular developmental stage, the dog’s brain is on a hair trigger, very sensitive to anything “bad” that may happen. A single frightening or painful experience during the fear period can have a lasting impact for the rest of the dog’s life.

And guess what? These dogs that end up in rescue at that sensitive age can develop serious issues as their brains are still developing.

So if you are thinking about getting a young dog that can learn and bond with you, maybe you would like to consider a young adult, more like 3 year old plus, with plenty still to learn, but with a fully developed brain.

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12/03/2024

Every time you apply for a dog, a rehomer (the person that will do the first screen), has to check your questionnaire and decide - in just a few seconds - if you will be the right adopter for that dog. It is all about possibilities, how likely are you to stick to that dog or return it if anything goes unplanned?

So, after meeting all the criteria, the second best option to is being personal and specific. What do I mean by that? First of all, be honest! If you are looking for a coach potato that you can stroke all the time, that's fine, but don't apply for a dog that needs plenty of exercise. The more information you can provide about your expectations and what you are planning to do with that dog, the easier it will be for the rehomer to picture you and see if it can be a good match. Think about if you want to walk the dog for miles every day or take them to work with you or you work from home and can provide lots of attention. Let them know!

The second part is about your experience or your willingness to learn. I loved when people described very similar dogs to the ones they were applying to, because I could picture them clearly overcoming any issue. If you have had a similar dog and you are willing to take another one, yep, they will call you. Be detailed! Did you overcome any issues with your previous dog? What did you really enjoy? Don't mention just the breed, as every dog is an individual. Explain why that particular breed or that particular dog appeals to you and what you have learnt from them in the past. Also, what can you provide for that dog that can make a difference? A quiet environment, lots of training, another dog, an active home,...

On the other hand, if you don't have previous experience or you have never had a rescue before, make sure that you do your homework, learn everything you can about dogs and be open about being advised by the people that know the dog the most. I have worked with wonderful adopters that had no experience, but they were very committed and willing to learn. You need to show that in order to be chosen.

Think about it like you are applying for a job, you will learn as much as possible about what that particular job needs (in our case, that particular dog, their criteria), you will explain your skills accordingly (how your lifestyle and expectations match their needs) and talk thoroughly about your previous experiences or what you have learnt. And I don't know you, but I have done plenty of applications before getting an interview for the job I loved, so keep applying to the dogs you like until you make the match 🤓

11/03/2024

Do you watch Location, Location, Location on Channel4?

Well, if you are a fan like me, you'll know that it doesn't matter how good a house is if it is not in the right location. Well, when applying for a rescue dog, I'm afraid, it doesn't matter how good your home is if it does not meet the criteria for that particular dog. That's it. PERIOD!

So the first and most basic thing that you could do to is making sure you meet the criteria for that dog.

And if you are thinking... but Cristina, that's obvious meh! Well, you can't imagine the number of times that I have rejected people straightaway because they didn't even bother about reading the profile for the dogs. Don't waste your time, don't waste their time, only apply if you meet the criteria!

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It can be very frustrating to offer a lovely home to a dog in need to find out that rescues can be quite picky. I've been there, many times, but just on the other side. I was one of those people picking and choosing adopters for the dogs I was working with. I’m Cristina and, for the last 13 years, I have worked for big rescue organizations helping special dogs find their right people. Now I'd like to help special people find their right dog. Let me put all my experience and knowledge into your service, to help you find The Right Dog for you!

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