Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | To anyone thinking about ADOPTING a dog

For anyone considering getting a new dog, please consider the following----

Puppies, as you see from what Cara is going through, are cute, but are a lot of work. They are essentially babies for about 2 years---and thus, take a lot of time and effort. Housetraining is a gradual process, and the chewing problem can last for 18 months to 2 years.

I don't mean to discourage anyone from getting a puppy, but I would like to ENCOURAGE you to consider adopting a dog (not a puppy) from a reputable rescue society. Although most of these dogs will have an adjustment period, it usually only takes a short time, in comparison to the puppy training period.

Most rescue societies will allow you (after being approved) to take a dog on a trial basis---and if the dog doesn't work out, you are allowed to return it to them ---and they will place it in a home that's more appropriate for it. You can't return a puppy if after all that hard work you decide its personality is not right for your family!

Rescue societies also can tell you the dog's temperament (whether it's laid back or active), whether it's housetrained or not, and how the dog reacts to other dogs, cats and children. So you know what you are getting---unlike when you take in a puppy!

Think most dogs at a rescue center are unworthy of a new home? This is a common misconception. Many times the beautiful and sweet dogs they have are there for simple reasons---their owner lost their job and couldn't afford to keep them, their owner moved overseas or into an apartment and couldn't take the dog with them, or someone in the family was allergic to the dog. That's all!!!! They are not rejects, but dogs that are homeless because of the unfortunate circumstances of their owners.

And no, most of these dogs are not OLD, they are many times, 2-3 years old---which is, guess what? Just past the puppy stage!!!! Someone else has already gone through the whining, chewing stage with them---and now you get to enjoy the dog!

I've worked with the beagle rescue society and watched these dedicated volunteers take in "foster" dogs into their homes temporarily until a permanent home is found. Because these people have lived with the dog, they can tell you what the dog is like and can help you with the adjustment period.

We have adopted 3 beagles and they've all been wonderful additions to our family. Two of them were completed housetrained and had a very easy adjustment period. The third beagle was much harder because we don't think she had been properly socialized as a puppy. She was afraid of everything, including people. But after lots of love and attention, she is precious---and the easiest to tend to because she wants to please others! (she's now my favorite).

I'm going to have to get my son to post a photo of my beags. Maybe that will encourage you to give one of these rescue dogs a loving home!

Good luck--and thanks for listening!

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