Rehoming a Dog
Discussion
Can anyone suggest any good dog rehoming places in Surrey?
Myself and my girlfriend are looking to rehome a dog we have a house with a large secure garden.
We have been to Battersea registered and had a home visit all passed with flying colours, however it seems that the type of doge we're looking for (small terrier) need experience of the breed.
We've had these type of dogs (yorkies, yorkie X, etc.) all our lives but have recently move in together and want a dof of our own. It seems that experience of having a dog in a family environment doesn't count. So we're in a catch-22 we need experience but to get the experience we need a dog!
So really we're looking for other places in Surrey where the decisions aren't so black and white and some discretion can be used. I really think we can be a good loving home to a dog that needs a new home, its just so frustrating when you find one you really like to be told you cant have it.
Myself and my girlfriend are looking to rehome a dog we have a house with a large secure garden.
We have been to Battersea registered and had a home visit all passed with flying colours, however it seems that the type of doge we're looking for (small terrier) need experience of the breed.
We've had these type of dogs (yorkies, yorkie X, etc.) all our lives but have recently move in together and want a dof of our own. It seems that experience of having a dog in a family environment doesn't count. So we're in a catch-22 we need experience but to get the experience we need a dog!
So really we're looking for other places in Surrey where the decisions aren't so black and white and some discretion can be used. I really think we can be a good loving home to a dog that needs a new home, its just so frustrating when you find one you really like to be told you cant have it.
Gazboy said:
Only pet 
Only pet??? What is she doing now then? she's in a dogs home with 400 other animals ffs! We met every criterea (list of 20 things) except we already had a 7 month old male staffy.
We checked up on her a month later to see she still hasn't been rehomed.
its quite stupid. she would have a better life living together with a companion that you already own. (although one would need a snip
).We found the perfect dog in there for us everything was perfect except they decided you needed to have experience of the breed. We tried to argue that we do have experience when the other halfs parents go on holiday we look after the dogs etc etc. they didnt want to listen.
I even told them of all the reaearch we'd done bought books etc still not good enough. There seems to be a big grey area that they ignore ie Someone whos had dogs before but is a poor owner doesnt walk them etc. or owners who havnt had dogs of their own but have researched thoroughly and have lots of experience of looking after a family pet.
I even told them of all the reaearch we'd done bought books etc still not good enough. There seems to be a big grey area that they ignore ie Someone whos had dogs before but is a poor owner doesnt walk them etc. or owners who havnt had dogs of their own but have researched thoroughly and have lots of experience of looking after a family pet.
We got our Greyhound from Battersea about 3 1/2 years ago, but had a lot of trouble with Battersea as they are so picky about who has what dog. They wouldn't let us have about three of our other choices 'cos the dogs were 'difficult', 'challenging' etc.
We are both experienced dog owners but Battersea are very "nanny" about their dogs. i.e. we were told our greyhound would always have to be muzzled, could never be let off the lead as it would chase anything small and furry etc.
This was all BS as within a couple of weeks he walked perfectly off the lead and we took the muzzle off the day we got him and he never wore it again! We have a house rabbit and he just lies on the floor and ignores her except when she bites his feet!
We are both experienced dog owners but Battersea are very "nanny" about their dogs. i.e. we were told our greyhound would always have to be muzzled, could never be let off the lead as it would chase anything small and furry etc.
This was all BS as within a couple of weeks he walked perfectly off the lead and we took the muzzle off the day we got him and he never wore it again! We have a house rabbit and he just lies on the floor and ignores her except when she bites his feet!
I have had the opposite experience with the Dogs Trust and can kind of see where Battersea are coming from.
We got a Lurcher from them in late 2003 - they told us the only history they had on the dog was that he had been in a family environment but that due to another baby, the family felt they could no longer give him a good home and all the exercise a lurcher needs. We asked all the right questions, any history of aggression - no, good with other animals - yes, good off the lead - yes etc. etc.
All well and good, we passed the (cursory) home inspection easily and paid (sorry, donated....) our £100.
He was great around the house at first, after a couple of days we had him off the lead and exercising. After a week or so he started to become aggressive towards other dogs, we had tried to socialise him but he wasn't having any of it, and would put his hackles up and bark, baring his teeth.
So we began to walk him at times we knew other people wouldn't be out.
Then he became aggressive with people, anyone visiting the house would be subject to constant barking and growling - we specifically asked for a good 'family' dog as although we don't have children ourselves, we do have a lot of visitors, many of whom are children.
Then one day, on a walk where Kate had him on the lead, he jumped up and bit a rambler (can't fault his choice of victim, annoying self-righteous buggers, but hey....) completely out of the blue. After than we decided enough was enough, and contacted a local dog behaviourist to come and take a look at him. We were told that being in the kennels with no stimulation for so long (we later learned that he'd been in and out of the kennels for over a year, more of that below) that he'd become nervous-aggressive and as he became more comfortable in his surroundings, the aggression came out. The guy (Richard Grant of K9 Help - highly recommended) does a lot of work with Battersea and in the US and told us that in most places, if a dog is not re-homed after 3 months of solitary (which is what most dog's homes do, dogs are in virtual solitary confinement) the dog is destryed as it's mental state will deteriorate due to the pack nature of the animal. Dog's Trust do not do this, they pride themselves on never destroying a 'healthy' dog (does mental health not count?), hence the large number of returns they suffer.
We dedided there and then to take him back, whereupon we learned from an assistant that in fact he'd come in as an abused dog initially and that they'd farmed him out to 3 previous owners who'd all brought him back when the aggression started to show, in fact she said she was surprised we'd had him so long (3 months in all).
So it seems that not being too fussy about all the details has it's own pitfalls too, perhaps Battersea have had experience of the Dog's Trust way of doing things and would rather their dogs went to less homes but never came back. Food for thought surely?
Afther my experience with the Dog's Trust, I was put off owning a rescue, and began looking for a reputable breeder. However Kate found a place in Wales (Lizzie's Barn, again highly recommended) who treat dogs differently and don't keep them in cages (they run in a pack around the farmyard and greet visitors as they arrive) and she only takes in and rehomes a few dogs each month - so after the M4 protest last year, we carried on down the motorway and we now have a beautiful, gentle, obedient and loving collie cross who we both love to bits.
We got a Lurcher from them in late 2003 - they told us the only history they had on the dog was that he had been in a family environment but that due to another baby, the family felt they could no longer give him a good home and all the exercise a lurcher needs. We asked all the right questions, any history of aggression - no, good with other animals - yes, good off the lead - yes etc. etc.
All well and good, we passed the (cursory) home inspection easily and paid (sorry, donated....) our £100.
He was great around the house at first, after a couple of days we had him off the lead and exercising. After a week or so he started to become aggressive towards other dogs, we had tried to socialise him but he wasn't having any of it, and would put his hackles up and bark, baring his teeth.
So we began to walk him at times we knew other people wouldn't be out.
Then he became aggressive with people, anyone visiting the house would be subject to constant barking and growling - we specifically asked for a good 'family' dog as although we don't have children ourselves, we do have a lot of visitors, many of whom are children.
Then one day, on a walk where Kate had him on the lead, he jumped up and bit a rambler (can't fault his choice of victim, annoying self-righteous buggers, but hey....) completely out of the blue. After than we decided enough was enough, and contacted a local dog behaviourist to come and take a look at him. We were told that being in the kennels with no stimulation for so long (we later learned that he'd been in and out of the kennels for over a year, more of that below) that he'd become nervous-aggressive and as he became more comfortable in his surroundings, the aggression came out. The guy (Richard Grant of K9 Help - highly recommended) does a lot of work with Battersea and in the US and told us that in most places, if a dog is not re-homed after 3 months of solitary (which is what most dog's homes do, dogs are in virtual solitary confinement) the dog is destryed as it's mental state will deteriorate due to the pack nature of the animal. Dog's Trust do not do this, they pride themselves on never destroying a 'healthy' dog (does mental health not count?), hence the large number of returns they suffer.
We dedided there and then to take him back, whereupon we learned from an assistant that in fact he'd come in as an abused dog initially and that they'd farmed him out to 3 previous owners who'd all brought him back when the aggression started to show, in fact she said she was surprised we'd had him so long (3 months in all).
So it seems that not being too fussy about all the details has it's own pitfalls too, perhaps Battersea have had experience of the Dog's Trust way of doing things and would rather their dogs went to less homes but never came back. Food for thought surely?
Afther my experience with the Dog's Trust, I was put off owning a rescue, and began looking for a reputable breeder. However Kate found a place in Wales (Lizzie's Barn, again highly recommended) who treat dogs differently and don't keep them in cages (they run in a pack around the farmyard and greet visitors as they arrive) and she only takes in and rehomes a few dogs each month - so after the M4 protest last year, we carried on down the motorway and we now have a beautiful, gentle, obedient and loving collie cross who we both love to bits.
Not sure how far you are from Biggin Hill? But you could try www.foalfarm.org.uk/ they have alot of doggies waiting for new homes!
Whish I could get another!
Whish I could get another!
Gazboy said:
Then one day, on a walk where Kate had him on the lead, he jumped up and bit a rambler
Christ, had that been my dog (or any bulldog breed), it'd be in the news, and destroyed by dinner time.
Kate pulled him away before he really sank his teeth in thankfully, he didn't get throughthe woman's coat or punture the skin - that was it for us though, either he could be fixed or he was out - best advice told us he was damaged permanently.
There's a Westie at Lizzie's Barn (as recommended above) at the moment - give them a call.....
Gazboy said:
www.dog-rescue.co.uk/contact-us.html
They don't update their adoption list like Battersea, so you'd have to contact them for what they have.
Thoroughly recommend these people. We got both our dogs from them. Friendly, knowledgeable people who really care about their dogs and give them absolute care during the time that they are with them.
I'm also based in Surrey and went through a similar excericise last summer, having previously successfully homed a English Springer pup via RSPCA and a standard Yorkie pup via the Dogs Trust.
Got in the car one weekend, with the whole family and set out with the intention of approaching all the recognised rehoming centres within a 50 mile radius of Guildford. As one expects, on arrival, a great number of the adult dogs in stock had 'issues' or 'history', with many not suitable for children. Having a young daughter, our preference was to start with a 'blank canvas' and acquire a pup to train up. So with that in mind, we registered our details and requirements with those centres that we felt had the right ethos towards rehoming. There recommendation is that if you are after a puppy, you really need to be there as and when they first arrive, otherwise they're taken! Although sadly, that may not be a problem at this time of year.
As the weeks lapsed and we found ourselves frustrated by no contact whatsoever and us instead having to contact them (I appreciate that they get a lot of time wasters and dreamers), we decided to scour the Surrey Ad for a puppy locally. I didn't take long before we spied a Jack Russell/ Border Collie cross in an adjacent village. Several visits later whereby we met the pups parents (essential) and they vetted us as to our suitability as custodians, we now possess a perfectly healthy dog with a cracking temperament.
If your happy to provide a home for a cross-bred, then I'd recommend scouring the local rag. Initial cost is similar to a 'donation' but be mindful that you then have to factor in, initial vet inspection, microchiping, intial innoculations, (if not done) and the subsequent cost of castration, which are costs that are invariably included with the RSPCA/Dogs Trust package.
Get the right dog and you'll be blessed; however, get it wrong and you could be cursed! Good Luck!
apprentice
Got in the car one weekend, with the whole family and set out with the intention of approaching all the recognised rehoming centres within a 50 mile radius of Guildford. As one expects, on arrival, a great number of the adult dogs in stock had 'issues' or 'history', with many not suitable for children. Having a young daughter, our preference was to start with a 'blank canvas' and acquire a pup to train up. So with that in mind, we registered our details and requirements with those centres that we felt had the right ethos towards rehoming. There recommendation is that if you are after a puppy, you really need to be there as and when they first arrive, otherwise they're taken! Although sadly, that may not be a problem at this time of year.
As the weeks lapsed and we found ourselves frustrated by no contact whatsoever and us instead having to contact them (I appreciate that they get a lot of time wasters and dreamers), we decided to scour the Surrey Ad for a puppy locally. I didn't take long before we spied a Jack Russell/ Border Collie cross in an adjacent village. Several visits later whereby we met the pups parents (essential) and they vetted us as to our suitability as custodians, we now possess a perfectly healthy dog with a cracking temperament.
If your happy to provide a home for a cross-bred, then I'd recommend scouring the local rag. Initial cost is similar to a 'donation' but be mindful that you then have to factor in, initial vet inspection, microchiping, intial innoculations, (if not done) and the subsequent cost of castration, which are costs that are invariably included with the RSPCA/Dogs Trust package.
Get the right dog and you'll be blessed; however, get it wrong and you could be cursed!
Good Luck! apprentice
If you know what particular breed you want then check out the breed rescue societies. I contacted PDSA hedquarters in Telford. They keep a list of breed rescue societies and can put you in touch. I got a super Cairn Terrier form my local society and he has been brill for the last 12 years. Bit old now but still a great pal. I will certainly consider getting another rescue when the time comes.
I have experience of three rescue dalmatians, I always wanted a dal, nothing to do with the films but naturally dalmatian rescue are a bit cautious. Anyway registered, a lovely copule came round to check out house and brought their two biggest and naughtiest dals and let them run amoke. They said my reaction to these two told them more about my future as a dal owner than any amount of vetting, questioning and previous experience of the breed. But did recommend that I started with a younger bitch which I duly got. Mate loves her and got one of hbis own, similar vetting process and a then a so called "troubled" dog which has been no trouble since.
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