We just rescued a dog last fall and it was the very best thing we could have done. She was NOT AT ALL what we were looking for, aside from temperament, but she is exactly what we wanted. We went in looking for a big black lab and came out with a 50 pound pit bull mix, but she is PERFECT.
First find a shelter or rescue you support. If no kill, behavior testing, obedience training, fostering, and vetting is important DONT look at a place that doesn't offer any of it. Call around if you have to, be picky, this is a new member of your family you want the right fit.
Then go in and see the facility, leave the kids at home for this visit. If the facility meets standards, ask to talk to the staff, preferably those who work in the kennels, have been there a long time, and work with the dogs daily. They will have the best insight into the dogs that are currently there. See some dogs. If you like them then bring the kids to meet them.
Prioritize what is MOST important. If all criteria MUST be met, you are probably best off going to a specialized rescue that trains rescue dogs in the way you want. These often cost much more than shelters BUT you get a dog that needs little to no work. Or you can prioritize what is most important, maybe being good with kids, potty trained, and adult are all you really need. And then be willing to work with the dog on other habits or let them go entirely. It really depends on exactly what you and and expect.
Our wants were good with small children, gentle temperament, good with cats and livestock, big, black (big black dogs are often not adopted because they are "scary"), adult or well housebroken youngsters, preferably female.
We ended up just asking for good with small kids, housebroken, and gentle tempered, we also asked for a dog that had been there the longest that met our other criteria. We are suckers for hard cases. We found out after we brought our girl home that she doesn't really like cats, she tolerated them, but then again our cat didnt really like her either. They hated each other for a few weeks, we were very diligent about ending confrontations quickly. They both quickly learned the other was not going anywhere and they HAD to get along. Now 10 months later, they lay together in the same pillow and snuggle in the sun, they play and are the best of friends. She is PERFECT with or children, though we know she is STILL A DOG and is treated as such, and has never had an accident in the house. Her livestock manners could be better, but we are slowly making progress. She still chases the ducks when in their pen but no longer chases them from outside the pen.
Best of luck!!
First find a shelter or rescue you support. If no kill, behavior testing, obedience training, fostering, and vetting is important DONT look at a place that doesn't offer any of it. Call around if you have to, be picky, this is a new member of your family you want the right fit.
Then go in and see the facility, leave the kids at home for this visit. If the facility meets standards, ask to talk to the staff, preferably those who work in the kennels, have been there a long time, and work with the dogs daily. They will have the best insight into the dogs that are currently there. See some dogs. If you like them then bring the kids to meet them.
Prioritize what is MOST important. If all criteria MUST be met, you are probably best off going to a specialized rescue that trains rescue dogs in the way you want. These often cost much more than shelters BUT you get a dog that needs little to no work. Or you can prioritize what is most important, maybe being good with kids, potty trained, and adult are all you really need. And then be willing to work with the dog on other habits or let them go entirely. It really depends on exactly what you and and expect.
Our wants were good with small children, gentle temperament, good with cats and livestock, big, black (big black dogs are often not adopted because they are "scary"), adult or well housebroken youngsters, preferably female.
We ended up just asking for good with small kids, housebroken, and gentle tempered, we also asked for a dog that had been there the longest that met our other criteria. We are suckers for hard cases. We found out after we brought our girl home that she doesn't really like cats, she tolerated them, but then again our cat didnt really like her either. They hated each other for a few weeks, we were very diligent about ending confrontations quickly. They both quickly learned the other was not going anywhere and they HAD to get along. Now 10 months later, they lay together in the same pillow and snuggle in the sun, they play and are the best of friends. She is PERFECT with or children, though we know she is STILL A DOG and is treated as such, and has never had an accident in the house. Her livestock manners could be better, but we are slowly making progress. She still chases the ducks when in their pen but no longer chases them from outside the pen.
Best of luck!!
