Give a dog in need a home

Learn what you can
It's critical to learn as much as you can about the dog and what responsibilities come with it. Increasingly, humane societies are educating prospective dog owners, discouraging impulse adoptions and helping ensure that people choose a compatible dog. "We want people who have thought about it and are prepared to make a lifelong commitment to the animal," says Roney. When the match works, he adds, "it's magic."

Now living in Courtenay, B.C., Dr. Lynn Slaby and her dog, Timber, were a good match right from the start. Slaby adopted the German shepherd-Labrador cross from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) when he was six months old and she was a veterinary student in Saskatoon. Found abandoned in the wicked cold of a Prairie winter, he became her constant companion. Good natured and sociable with people and other dogs, Timber had no behavioural problems; Slaby suspects that his previous owner simply couldn't cope with his phenomenal energy level. "I got a lot of exercise!" she says, laughing. After a couple of years, Timber slowed down somewhat, but until then "he was a busy, busy dog."

Slaby's adoption of another shelter dog, Sage, wasn't as smooth. The beautiful collie cross brought along some serious baggage. "Timber worked out wonderfully for me," Slaby says, but adds that helping most new pets make the transition requires patience. If you've got dog trouble, she recommends that you ask your veterinarian for assistance or consult a trainer whose approach you're comfortable with -- and read a good book on dog behaviour. Try to understand what makes your pet tick; it's all about communication. (Click here for info on dog training.)

Let your dog adapt
It's normal for an adopted dog to need some time to adjust to its new home. Shelter dogs may display separation anxiety, the result of having been abandoned at least twice (by their original owners and then by the shelter that becomes, for many, another home). Such dogs can get highly agitated and engage in unwanted behaviours, such as barking, chewing your shoes or peeing on the carpet, when left alone. If you need it, ask for help, advises DeZeeuw. You can usually work things out once you know how.

Shelters have lots of great dogs just waiting for a chance, says Slaby. When you make your choice, use your head as well as your heart and do your homework. Spend time with the dog at the shelter and find out everything you can about its history and behaviour. Shelter staff can help you. Caring and knowledgeable, they work to ensure a happy lifelong home for every dog.

Shelter dogs may have lacked love, training, socialization and exercise, but once established in good homes, they can be the very best of companions -- and extraordinarily loyal. "They're so grateful for anything you give them," says Slaby, "because they haven't had very much."

Visit our forums to chat with other readers about pets.

For more information on finding the right pet for your family, visit the CFHS website.

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