Give a Dog a Home Rescue

Give a Dog a Home Rescue Give a Dog a Home Rescue helps pets in need through sheltering, adoption, education, spay/neuter, and community outreach. We do NOT transport.

Our MISSION STATEMENT

"Give a Dog a Home Rescue is committed to saving the lives of dogs from high-risk shelters, providing them with safe, comfortable care in Maine, and matching them with loving forever homes. Our mission extends beyond rescue; we are dedicated to strengthening our community by supporting and preserving the bond between pets and their families. Recognizing the high need and imp

ortance of keeping pets and people together, we offer innovative programs such as the Feed the Need Pet Pantry, Wellness on Wheels Low-Cost Pet Services, Humans and Hounds Social Club, Let's Go for a Walk Doggy Day Out, and the upcoming Preserve and Provide Program. These initiatives enhance the well-being of both animals and people, ensuring pets can stay with their families during tough times, and fostering a compassionate and inclusive community."
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If you would like to start the adoption our process is below:

Just a reminder - as it states on every animal's bio - all animals are located at the rescue in Sebec, Maine. If you live 8 hours away, then you must be prepared to drive 8 hours here and then 8 hours back. This is your choice to make BEFORE completing the adoption application. Please note the rescue is run by a volunteer and is very busy. Do NOT constantly email or phone, if you need to email or call, please send just one communication and wait for someone to respond. Please ensure you have read all the information on the dog in the bio and that you understand all dogs are located at the rescue in Sebec, Maine where, if approved you are required to travel to meet the dog. Submit Application with two personal references and a vet reference. If you have never had pets and do not have a vet, we will need THREE personal references. Ensure references are people who know you and your lifestyle well. Applicant MUST inform vet and references that someone from GaDaH will be calling. As long as we are able to contact your vet and references, it takes just 1-3 days to process and hopefully approve applications. If you rent we will need an approval letter for the breed of dog you are wanting to adopt from your landlord on official letterhead paper or email. This means a letter or email, not copy of your lease! Rescue processes and hopefully approves applications. Once approved, rescue invites applicant to come to the rescue to meet your chosen dog/s, spend time with him/her and then hopefully take him/her home. We do NOT hold dogs so if you are unable to come within a week or so of submitting your application the dog will still be available for adoption to other families. For Canadian adopters, all that is needed to get them across the border into Canada is a current rabies certificate and proof of adoption, which is the adoption contract. Both of which are included in the medical file you will get when you adopt. (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/by-country/pettravel-canada)

Ensure ALL Fields are filled in, if something is relevant, then put n/a or something in so it recognizes an entry. We do not recommend using a phone or iPad since these applications for some reason don't tend to come through and you will have spent a lot of time on the application for nothing as it will need to be re-done. Once we have you approved, we can schedule an appointment for you to come to meet him/her at the rescue in Sebec, Mane and then hopefully take them home to start your new life. I just have to work on an appointment basis. Please understand I run a dog rescue with a lot of dogs, this means I am not sat around waiting for the phone to ring, or able to drop everything and answer phone calls. Link to Dog Adoption Application
https://giveadogahome-rescue.rescuegroups.org/forms/form?formid=5838

Link to Cat Adoption Application
https://www.giveadogahome-rescue.org/forms/form?formid=6368

OK people - these precious sweet souls will be arriving in Maine on Saturday. I am about to post them on the rescue webs...
07/17/2025

OK people - these precious sweet souls will be arriving in Maine on Saturday.

I am about to post them on the rescue website and adoption sites with the information I have

*** PICTURES are a over a month old ******* so those tiny puppies are not going to be "as tiny". I have provided the only information I have. I will process applications as they come in for families looking to adopt now.

Please read ALL INFORMATION as I will not have time to answer questions that the answers have already been provided. The link to the adoption application is on the rescue website and every dogs bio.

Lots of midgets and pups - lets get them homes and hope the new attention will find families for our unwanted precious souls here at the rescue.

VOLUNTEERS wanted - FRIDAY, 18th July - 5pm - Yard Clean UpThank you to those people who reached out offering to help - ...
07/17/2025

VOLUNTEERS wanted - FRIDAY, 18th July - 5pm - Yard Clean Up

Thank you to those people who reached out offering to help - I think to make best advantage and "LESS" work and to fit in with everything I have going on - if anyone that is able to help can come to the rescue for 5pm on Friday.

I will have the rescue gate open so drive down and I will meet you outside ready to tackle the mission.

There are still the DEMON black flies so please be warned.

Hopefully the more people, the less work - and maybe I can get a bit of help in other areas I need bits of over-grown grass chopping down.

Please comment if you are able to come and help - the more the merrier there is always something to do.

I might not respond as the next few days - just like the past few weeks are incredibly busy so don't feel ignored, just understand I have a lot going on and truly appreciate people reaching out to help.

THANK YOU and hope to see lots of people :-)

In an effort to get the grass cut in the back play area so that the dogs can get to play out again and also as I need to...
07/16/2025

In an effort to get the grass cut in the back play area so that the dogs can get to play out again and also as I need to section off the area outside the door for some of our NEWBIES that are arriving on Saturday - it turns out - pretty much as I expected...

The grass is too long for the rider mower - it is basically just flattening the grass

I cleared up most of the toys and such I could find last week, but there are still holes the dogs have dug that I got stuck down once and lifting the mower out took every bit of strength I had left in my body

And... I went over a stick or something hidden and the blades won't turn.... hopefully just something jammed - I didn't look - just came away to try and cool down and cry.

So - I NEED HELP... I need someone to come and get the grass cut down, be that with a magic machine, strimmer or something - but I just need help.

I am not available during the day tomorrow morning I have an appointment and Friday I have to drive two dogs two hours for a vet appointment - yes I am now driving down to Topsham, as I did last week to get a vet appointment - but I was incredibly happy with the vet and staff there - I will share that with you all and definitely recommend that vets when I have time.

BUT for now I just NEED HELP - preferably early evening, tonight, Thurusday or Friday. Anything after that is too late!

Another excellent post - and don't put a shock collar on a puppy or dog because you want a quick fix, you don't deserve ...
07/15/2025

Another excellent post - and don't put a shock collar on a puppy or dog because you want a quick fix, you don't deserve a dog if that is your first go to - build a relationship and understand that training, just like anyone learning something new takes time, takes repetition and regular practice.

If you are not willing to invest in the time in learning and teaching your dog, you have no business having one.

“It’s Not Me, It’s You!” – A Dog’s-Eye View on Undesirable Behaviour (That’s Actually Perfectly Natural)
By Simon, with a little help from your dog

Let’s start with a simple truth:
Most of the behaviours we humans class as “undesirable” are, from the dog’s perspective, entirely reasonable, even commendable.

Barking? “I’m doing security work!”
Chewing the sofa arm? “You left me no enrichment and that bit of furniture smelt delicious.”
Lunging at the Labrador across the road? “He gave me the side-eye, and I don’t trust anyone with that many teeth and no eyebrows.”
Digging up the garden? “Mate, there could be a badger down there!”

You see, from the dog’s point of view, they’re not being naughty. They’re being doggy. And all too often, undesirable behaviours don’t appear out of nowhere, they develop slowly, subtly, often with our unintentional encouragement or neglect.

Let’s break this down properly.

The Slow-Burn of Behaviour

Undesirable behaviours typically don’t explode onto the scene like a bad soap opera plot twist. They build. Little by little. A nip that was cute at eight weeks is a liability at eight months. A bark for attention becomes a full-on karaoke session every time you leave the house. A tug on the lead becomes a full-body drag through the high street.

These issues develop and they often develop under our very noses.

What Causes “Bad” Behaviour?

Let’s not beat around the bush. A dog doesn’t wake up one morning and think, “You know what? Today’s the day I become a menace to society.”

Here are the usual suspects behind the behaviours we call “bad”:

1. Inconsistent Training

One minute Fido’s allowed on the sofa, the next he’s being shouted at for it. Sit means sit… unless it’s raining… or there’s a guest… or you’ve got a glass of wine in your hand. Inconsistency is confusing and confusion breeds frustration. And guess what frustrated dogs do? That’s right: They act out.

2. Lack of Socialisation

Imagine never being taken anywhere as a kid, then suddenly being plonked into a busy shopping centre as an adult. Sensory overload, awkward interactions, possible aggression, it’s no different for dogs. Poorly socialised dogs often struggle to cope with novel situations or unfamiliar dogs and people, leading to fear-based behaviours or reactivity.

3. Inadequate Exercise or Enrichment

A bored dog is a dog with time to kill and sofas, skirting boards, cushions, and your best slippers are all fair game. And let’s be clear: exercise doesn’t just mean physical. Dogs need mental stimulation too. Sniffing, searching, problem solving, these tire out the brain and reduce frustration-based behaviours. You can’t exhaust a dog by chucking a ball for an hour and then expect them to chill. That’s just cardio. You’ve created a super athlete with no off-switch.

4. Unclear Boundaries

Dogs crave structure. Without clear leadership, they’ll fill the void. Not because they’re plotting a household coup, but because someone has to make the decisions and if it’s not you, it’ll be them. And their decisions might not be ideal for harmonious living.

Let’s Be Fair: From the Dog’s Perspective

Dogs don’t come into the world understanding the rules of human life. They don’t know that toileting indoors is frowned upon. They don’t understand why barking is bad when it clearly alerts the house to incoming post. They certainly don’t get why the vacuum cleaner is allowed to make a racket but they’re not.

In other words, dogs aren’t being “bad.” They’re behaving in ways that are:
• Normal for their species
• Reinforced (knowingly or unknowingly) by their environment
• Developed in response to their emotional state, which is shaped by us

Take lunging and barking on the lead. We see a “reactive” dog. The dog sees a threat, feels trapped (because of the lead), and tries to make the threat go away. When the other dog walks off, your dog thinks, “Brilliant! My shouting worked!” and so the behaviour becomes learned and reinforced.

Or let’s talk about biting. Dogs use their mouths, to explore, to play, to defend, to communicate. If a dog hasn’t been taught appropriate bite inhibition, or hasn’t had clear boundaries, or is feeling cornered or unsafe, biting is as natural to them as swearing is to a frustrated teenager.

So What’s the Solution?

1. Start Early, Be Consistent

Whether it’s a pup or a rescue, from day one you need to show them not just what not to do, but what to do. Don’t just say “no.” Say “no, but do this instead.” Redirect. Reward. Reinforce. Rinse and repeat.

2. Provide Proper Enrichment

Mental stimulation is just as important as physical. Sniffing games, food puzzles, hide and seek, scentwork, tracking, even a good old-fashioned training session. A fulfilled dog has less need to seek out “fun” in your furniture or flower beds.

3. Set Clear, Fair Boundaries

Your dog isn’t a mind reader. If the rule is “no jumping,” that needs to apply always, not just when you’re in your nice clothes. Clarity breeds confidence. Dogs relax when they understand the rules.

4. Train for Real Life, Not Just the Living Room

Can your dog listen to you in the park? Outside the school gates? When someone rings the doorbell? Train in real-world situations, not just on the kitchen mat. Reliability is built through proofing, not hoping.

5. Watch Your Own Behaviour

Dogs are experts at reading us. If you’re erratic, emotional, or inconsistent, your dog will pick up on it. Be calm, fair, and confident. That’s leadership. That’s what dogs respond to.

A Word on Patience

Behaviour takes time to build and time to unpick. If your dog has had months (or years) practising an undesirable behaviour, it’s not going to vanish overnight. But with consistency, structure, and understanding, progress will come.

And remember: most dogs aren’t “bad.” They’re just doing what dogs do, in a world that often misunderstands them.

Final Thoughts (from your dog)

“I bark because you never told me when not to.
I chew because you didn’t leave me anything else.
I pull because the world is exciting and you walk like a sloth.
I lunge because I’m scared, and no one taught me to feel safe.
I misbehave because I’m lost, not defiant.

I don’t need shouting. I need showing. I need structure. I need you. I need you to lead me”
“ Because if you don’t I’ll have to try and figure it out myself!”

So next time you look at your dog and think, “Why are you doing that?” flip the script and ask, “What have I done to help you know what to do instead?”

Because behaviour isn’t built in a day. But nor is a brilliant bond.
And the good news? You’ve got all the time in the world to make it right.

www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk



Does anyone have an enclosed trailer that they are not using and would be willing to loan to me until end of August-ish....
07/15/2025

Does anyone have an enclosed trailer that they are not using and would be willing to loan to me until end of August-ish. Doesn't have to be a HUGE one!

I have a bunch of stuff I need to move at the end of August/September and would love to start moving things out of the way, so I can do it over time and then just take the trailer to where it needs to be unloaded - unload and that will be that.

So - it needs to not leak and you definitely don't need it until September.

Greetings people of the pack - we have ELEVEN saved souls that have been at the rescue for over 6 months and no interest...
07/14/2025

Greetings people of the pack - we have ELEVEN saved souls that have been at the rescue for over 6 months and no interest in them at all.

I would love to find them their perfect forever families, but a wonderful foster family would be just as great - let them learn how to have a family that loves them, spoils them, teaches them, gives them a regular routine, walks, adventures....

Do we have any true dog lovers that are willing to inconvenience their lives a little and make a huge difference in one of these sweet dogs lives, to help prepare them for their families, to make families more confident in adopting.....

Please reach out if you really want to be a part of making a difference..... it just takes a big heart and commitment.

[email protected]

07/12/2025

🐾 Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers — we couldn’t save lives without you! 💛 Want to join the pack? Lend a paw and make a difference today! www.caninepetrescue.com

07/08/2025
07/07/2025
Another EXCELLENT post from Professional Trainers back in Scotland, I encourage EVERYONE who has a dog, or wants a dog o...
07/06/2025

Another EXCELLENT post from Professional Trainers back in Scotland, I encourage EVERYONE who has a dog, or wants a dog or just likes dogs to follow this page - they provide such critical and relevent information - not always about training, but about dogs in general - go to their website, find their blogs it is incredibly interesting to learn why dogs react ways they do, why breeds act differently, about how they hear, see and smell.

There is so much information out there for FREE if people really want to learn and become better pet parents.

Dumb It Down: The Case for Keeping It Simple in Dog Training
In the world of dog training, there’s a phrase that needs dusting off and given the respect it deserves: “Dumb it down.” Not because dog owners or dogs are incapable of learning complex things, but because clarity beats cleverness every single time.

Coming from a military background, I’ve always valued the KISS principle—Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s not an insult. It’s a rule for success. Whether it’s planning an operation, briefing a team, or training a dog, the simpler you make it, the fewer things go wrong.

And in dog training? That principle should be tattooed on every lead.

Why Simplicity Matters, for the Dog and the Human

Dog training is not about impressing others with fancy terminology, over-engineered cue systems, or fifty-step drills. It’s about effective communication between you and your dog. That means speaking in a language your dog understands.

You might have an eight-year-old Labrador with years of life experience, but cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally, you’re working with something more akin to a two or three-year-old child. That’s not an insult to your dog, it’s a biological reality. Dogs live in the moment, process cues visually and tonally, and rely on clarity and consistency to make sense of the world.

When you talk too much, cue too much, or complicate the task, you lose the dog.

Common Ways People Overcomplicate Training

Let’s take a look at some of the typical pitfalls:
• Too Many Words
If you say, “Come on, let’s go, this way, come on now, heel up, walk nice,” your dog hears white noise. If you simply say “Heel,” and pair it with a clear action and reward, you’re building understanding.
• Changing Commands
Telling your dog “Down,” then “Lie down,” then “Settle,” and expecting them to respond the same each time is asking for confusion. Choose one word. Stick to it.
• Unrealistic Criteria
Expecting a young, energetic Spaniel to lie calmly on a mat for 30 minutes in a busy café when they’ve only just learned the “Place” command in the kitchen is setting them up to fail. It’s not the dog’s fault, it’s a human expectation problem.
• Lack of Clarity in Body Language
If your body says “stay” but your voice says “come,” your dog will do neither confidently. Your body and voice must align.

The Power of Keeping It Simple

Here’s what happens when you dumb it down properly:
• Your dog becomes more confident because it understands what’s being asked.
• Your training sessions are shorter, more successful, and more enjoyable.
• You reduce frustration for both you and your dog.
• You build a stronger, clearer communication channel that supports trust and reliability.

Put simply, you become a better handler, and your dog becomes a better learner.

How to “Dumb It Down” Effectively

Here are five practical ways to apply the KISS principle in your training:

1. Use One Command per Action

One word, one meaning. “Sit” means sit. Not “sit down” or “sit now please.” Say it once. Follow up with action and reward.

2. Train in Clear Steps

Break every behaviour into tiny, bite-sized steps. Don’t jump from A to Z. Go from A to B, then B to C. Build success.

3. Remove Background Noise

Don’t train next to a barking dog park when you’re introducing a new cue. Control the environment. Reduce distractions. Make it easy to win.

4. Slow Down Your Expectations

Just because a dog did something once doesn’t mean it knows it. Repetition, reinforcement, and proofing in different places are key. If your dog doesn’t respond, don’t assume defiance, assume lack of clarity.

5. Use Simple Rewards

Don’t overthink your reward system. Food, play, praise, pick what your dog values most in that moment and use it. Avoid gimmicks or excessive “marking noise.” A calm “Yes” or a click will do just fine.

A Final Word: If Your Dog Looks Confused, It’s You

Let’s be honest. If your dog’s staring at you like you’ve just asked it to recite Shakespeare, you’ve made it too complicated.

Your tone might be off. Your timing might be late. Your reward might be unclear. Your cue might be muddled. But the responsibility lies with you, not the dog.

The good news? You can fix that immediately, by dumbing it down.

Summary: KISS Your Dog Training

If in doubt, always fall back on the KISS principle. Keep it simple, stupid. It’s not about dumbing down your training. It’s about distilling it to its purest, most effective form.

Because training a dog isn’t about being clever. It’s about being clear.

So next time you step out with your dog, remember: fewer words, clearer body language, smaller steps, smarter training.

And above all, keep it simple.
www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk



SAMSON is back in the kennel once again waiting for his forever home.I just want to make clear I have an indepth applica...
07/06/2025

SAMSON is back in the kennel once again waiting for his forever home.

I just want to make clear I have an indepth application process, when I talk to references, I tell them about the dog their friends are interested in adopting, I tell them potential concerns, in his case he is big, he is strong, he is not good with small animals and does have prey drive for them, and of course I go through the same in a lot more detail with the families.

Families then schedule a time convenient to them, I am incredibly flexible and then they spend time with the dog - they can take them for a walk, hang out or whatever they like and again we chat, if I have any concerns - in his case his size, his prey drive I always reiterate it.

I explain all new dogs need to decompres, they need to learn who their new families are, learn their new home, the new rules, the new everything and most importantly learn to listen, to respect and to do as they are told.

So - what happened here is Samson was brough back because he jumps up and he was charging at neighbours dogs - it turns out he was on a run (never do I recommend these especially when a dog is new as you have no control to correct and I just think they can be dangerous) someone would walk by with their dog and he would run and bark - he would jump up on his new owners - something which he did whilst they was meeting him and I explained this needs to be stopped and is very easy just push him down and tell him no - he is a very personable dog and listens and understands.

Then apparently he had followed them upstairs last night - but was scared to come down - I explained during our phone conversation that not all dogs are familiar with stairs - again training and working with them and I encourage everyone who thinks a dog should automatically run down a flight of stairs to get on their hands and knees and go head first down a flight of stairs.

So, 24 hours and some of those hours night time, no training, no working with him on the most basics of having a dog. I made such a big deal about his size and how strong he is - he walks beautifully on a leash, someone taught him down rather than sit and just given a few days to settle, to decompress and to learn he would have been amazing.

SO - from being excited and happy he has finally found his home, I am left picking up the pieces of a dog that is stuck in a kennels that needs a lot more than he is getting here.

So, yes I get up set it is an emotional roller-coaster, my heart breaks for these dogs and I have no support, there are no trainers or groomers or any kind of professional offering to come over once a month or whenever.

People tell me don't give up - but where are all those people when I ask for help ?? Those posts get ignored, never has anyone said - hey me and a few friends want to come over and do a deep clean on sunday to help you out - or whatever. No one has ever said on my birthday, or the rescue anniversary, or any day hey you have a day off, we will come over and clean the kennels for you. I am going to stop here as it is what it is - but please don't tell me to keep going when no one is in sight actually helping. Yes his forever family will find him eventually, but how many people are actually taking the time to share him and any of the other dogs - other than when I have the time to post.....

So yes it sucks for Samson and it also sucks for me and I am sad for him and having my own little pitty party for me.

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Sebec, ME

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