Lessons in adopting second-hand dogs: What I wish I had known

In what feels like a different lifetime, but in reality was a mere two weeks ago, we adopted our black Labrador Ruaridh (pronounced “Rory” — it’s Gaelic) from a rehoming centre. Specifically, from the Dogs Trust — a UK charity that takes in dogs from the stray pound and from owners who can’t look after them anymore, and finds them new “forever homes.”

Almost without exception, the adoption centre staff were kind, practical and helpful in supporting us to find our ideal dog. Ruaridh’s an absolute dream, and we wouldn’t be without him for the world. What I found, however, was that dog owning manuals almost exclusively talked about “choosing your puppy from a litter,” and “bringing your new puppy home.” They were of little help in preparing us to visit a hectic, deafening kennel, adopting an almost-fully-grown, bouncy adolescent who’s almost as strong as me, and dealing with two years worth of ingrained good and not-so-good habits. Here’s what I wish I’d known…

1. Be realistic, and go prepared

Every dog you’ll see at a rehoming centre has a “heart-strings” story. Some have been abandoned, some neglected, some separated from a lifelong owner. Without doubt, some of them will be hugely troubled, high-maintenance, badly damaged dogs. Unless you’re super-experienced, have all the time in the world, or are Mother Teresa, many of the dogs you’ll see will simply not be suitable for your lives. You owe it to yourself to adopt the right dog for you, not just the one with the saddest eyes.

We spent a lot of time thinking about the type of dog we wanted (how old, how active, how big), which enabled us to be quite logical amongst the emotion-overload of the adoption centre. Walking down rows of kennels reciting “too old, too small, too bitey” feels like the cruellest thing in the world, but was actually invaluable in narrowing down an almost overwhelming number of dogs.

And, if you don’t see the dog for you… walk away. It will almost certainly take a number of visits before you find “the one.” We found the kennels busy and hectic at the weekends — visiting midweek might give you a wider choice and a calmer environment.

2. Don’t be shy (and don’t expect privacy)

The job of the centre staff is to find the right sort of home for each of their dogs — ultimately, to stop the dogs being placed with unsuitable owners and ending up back at the centre.

As such, prepare to be quizzed. We were asked about our home, our working habits, our plans to have children in future… things you don’t necessarily expect to be asked by a complete stranger. They also came to check out our house and garden. (Tip: Don’t lie — we were sorely tempted to exaggerate the height of our garden fence to make it sound more secure than it was — you’ll be pleased you told the truth when the inspection man gets the tape measure out).

Equally, they expect you to ask questions of them. Try to think ahead and take advantage of the opportunity; it’s pretty much the only chance you’ll get to spot potential problems before you get your new dog home. Ask how your potential new dog behaves around people, other dogs, cats, kids, when being left alone, ask whether they’re house-trained, and ask to see a copy of the vet check report. Forewarned is forearmed, and better to be aware your new dog hates small furry things before it pounces on next door’s cat.

3. Give it time

When you’ve found a potential new member of your family, try to see them away from the noisy, stressful environment of the kennels. We found that incredibly loud and bouncy dogs would calm down almost instantly when you got them out of the kennel environment. We were able to walk Ruaridh for an hour or so on our own, and to sit with him in a summerhouse room where he (and we) could relax in a more normal environment. It helped enormously in getting a sense of how he’d behave at home.

And when you get home with your new dog, give it time. Whilst we fell in love with Ruaridh on day one (and, we like to think, him with us), it took us a while to get to know each other and understand how to get the best out of our relationship. And, on that note…

4. Get help

Obedience classes, without doubt, were the key to Ruaridh’s happiness and our sanity. You may have more experience with dog ownership than we did (which was, precisely, none). But we found training classes an absolute lifesaver in socialising Ruaridh with other dogs, learning how to get the best out of each other and, perhaps most vitally, to realise that we absolutely weren’t unique. The trainer could not have been less fazed by the issues we had, and it was beyond reassuring to meet lots of other owners going through the same stages with their dogs. Try not to feel guilty if your dog barks, pulls on the lead, steals your food and ignores your commands — just seek help and you’ll more than likely find it available in abundance.

Thinking about a new best friend? Do it, and absolutely do it with a rehoming centre. Places like the Dogs Trust save thousands of beautiful dogs from being destroyed, and may well have the perfect dog for you. But it’s not your standard “buying a puppy” experience.

So fellow dog adopters, what else do you wish you’d known in advance?