I recommend that you get rescued. That is, when looking for a dog, let them rescue you. Sure, there are boutique and purebred dogs that need homes, no doubt. But, no one abandoned them. Shelter dogs are waiting for days, weeks, or months for the right person to save. And if you’re in the market, there is plenty of supply for your demand.
We adopted McDermott (McD) from a shelter over two years ago after the loss of my “once in a lifetime dog” Scout. I have to admit that I was too quick to get a new dog. It just didn’t feel right being home without the jingling of dog tags, and a 60 lb. hound sitting in my lap. I scoured the internet trying to fill a void, an ache, a loss that couldn’t be relieved. But, I pushed forward looking and imagining what this new dog would be like.
He was a terror. McD was putting on a hard sell when we met him. Playing with the other dogs, and running over to lick us; how could we not fall in love? I held back tears when asked if he was the right dog, because I couldn’t get Scout out of my mind. That should have been a red flag. I should have put the brakes on right there and then. But I didn’t.
After bruises, bite marks, chewed up socks, torn pillows, ripped sweatshirts, mangled baseball hats, and half-eaten flip flops – we did fall in love. McD has now matured enough so that his destruction has waned. We did try training, but I was untrainable, so that failed. However, now he has reached a maturity level, where there are less and less “surprises” when we get home. We made a solid commitment to rescue this dog, and we weathered the storm.
Time and tolerance has made this adoption work. I love McD almost as much as I loved Scout. He needed a home, and we gave him one, where he could get into lots of trouble. We had thoughts along the way of giving him back because of his unruly behavior. But, it was up to us to teach him how to be a good dog. Failure was not an option.
So, adopt a shelter dog. Shelters are busting at the seams with amazing dogs, who just need
your love and patience. They need you to teach them what it’s like to be in a loving home. A place where they can get into a little trouble and not be sent away. You may be pushed to your limit, but just dig deeper finding the strength to look forward to a new day. I know I did, and it’s paid off.
I love McD to pieces, and he fits comfortably in my lap.