Is it true that we need to get a puppy in order to be able to trust the dog around our children?

Actually, no. Many of the adult dogs in our care are quite tolerant of children and may have been raised around kids in their previous homes. In fact, when you consider an adult dog, you are looking at a mature animal whose temperament is established, so if it does well around your children at the shelter, it is not likely to change its attitude once it goes home.

 Of course, there is no guarantee (with a puppy or an adult) that you won’t see some personality traits or behaviors at home that weren’t apparent at the shelter but in general, an adult is more predictable.

We have small children, so we probably should get a small dog, right?

Surprisingly, most often a medium to large sized dog works best in a home with small children. Small dogs are more vulnerable to being mishandled or injured by youngsters and are often quicker to protect themselves. Also, many small and toy breeds have a surprising amount of energy and can be too rambunctious around children.

There are certainly some small dogs that enjoy children and would do well in a home with them, but more important than size is temperament!

I’m looking for a house dog, but many of your dogs seem so big.

 

Don’t you have any dogs that will be good for living in town as inside dogs?

Absolutely! Many large breed dogs make wonderful house dogs. In fact, we prefer to place the dogs as indoor companions. Dogs are pack animals, which means that they need regular companionship and should not live a solitary outside existence. Experience has shown that dogs kept inside are more accessible to their human family and receive more attention and socialization in most cases. In fact, behavior problems like boredom barking, can often be resolved by simply spending more time with the dog!

Don’t overlook a dog because of its size. While it is true that a large dog can not always do well in a small apartment or mobile home and those bigger pooches need longer walks than a smaller dog to get adequate exercise, many of these dogs are couch potatoes! In fact, in some cases a larger dog is actually less active than a smaller one might be.

When you look at the dogs, keep in mind that it is not fair to bring a 100 lb dog into a one-room apartment without a yard or multiple daily walks, but that same dog might do quite well in a small house with a fenced yard and one walk each morning, especially if there is not a lot of activity in your home. Plus, if the dog is a little older, it may be ready for a more sedate lifestyle and be happy to just curl up at your feet for the evening once the initial “Welcome Home” is over!
If your living situation or physical abilities do make it important to keep looking for a smaller-sized dog, check in with us frequently, because we often get calls on small dogs, but they tend to get placed quickly and sometimes don’t even have to come in to the shelter before finding a new home.

How do I decide on the right animal for me?

Thank you for taking the time to research this important decision! The first step is to review your lifestyle. . Know yourself, your needs, and your expectations. Also, think about what you can offer a pet and what it is fair for the pet to expect from you.

You might want to talk to a veterinarian, dog trainer, cat sitter, or friends who have good relationships with their pets. Learn about different breeds. Then, get to know the animals at the shelter and decide on one that fits your lifestyle.
You might have to visit more than once, and you might want to check back every few weeks to meet the new dogs and cats that have come in to the shelter since your last visit or to see if the one that tugged at your heartstrings last time is still there hoping you’ll pick him.

Most people wouldn’t dream of buying a car after just a few minutes looking at one dealership; they research several makes and models, check out magazine reviews, compare pricing, and test drive a few vehicles, yet they only drive that car for 5-6 years before trading it in for a newer model. Remember, this is a lifetime commitment– this animal will live with you for 10-20 years, so you should spend some time exploring the different choices you can make. You cannot trade in your cat or dog if a more desirable one comes along!

How to Select a Pet

 

What do I need to know before I consider acquiring a pet?

Bringing a pet into your home is like gaining another family member and not a decision to be made lightly! You’ll want to ask yourself a few important questions before taking on that responsibility.

1. Are you prepared to take the animal with you if you move? To spend the time and effort necessary to find a place to live that will accept pets?
2. If you live in an apartment, are you sure that your lease allows you to keep a pet?
3. Are you able and willing to make the financial commitment to provide your new pet with the medical care it needs every year? If necessary, are you able and willing to provide emergency medical care if the situation ever occurs?
4. Have you considered that this cute, playful puppy or kitten, with the childlike features and antics, will soon turn into an adult animal with its own personality? And that it could very likely be with you for the next 15 to 20 years?
5. Are you able and willing to spend time playing with, exercising, and loving your new family member on a daily basis?
6. Are you aware that this new pet may chew or scratch furniture or other items in your home? Are you willing to work with it to teach it not to do these things?
7. Are you prepared for hair on the sofa and carpet, scratch marks on floors or furniture, and for the fact that your house can no longer be kept faultlessly clean?
8. Are you prepared to clean up fecal matter or urine, or vomited hair balls, without getting angry at the animal?
9. Can you ensure that your new pet will not be left alone at home for more than 8 hours a day?
10. Have the other people in your household consented to the addition of a new pet?
11. Do you have relatives, friends, or neighbors, who will care for your pet while you are on vacation? If not, are you prepared to make suitable boarding/pet-sitting arrangements?
12. If you have children, can they understand that a pet requires time and attention every day? Are you willing to take over total care of the pet if the children lose interest?

If you can gladly answer yes to each of these questions, you will be rewarded with many years of loving companionship from your new pet.

Introduction to Minichat's paws~

Hey hey hey~ Something I drew especially for FA, and I like how it turned out x3 Second time ever drawing paws, and I can't wait to draw more paws already !

The giant here is my fursona, nicknamed Minichat. It's his first time being featured in one of my pics, so I had to make him look surprised by the tinies' attraction to his paws.... he'll get used to it eventually

 Hopefully everyone likes it, I had a lot of fun drawing it ! And a special super thanks to   beherit for being my inspiration, I used his awesome art as a ref to draw paws <3

Paws and Claws

Cool dogs

…and cute cats.