Adopting Golden Retrievers
Golden Retriever Adoption
| Adopting Golden Retrievers from animal shelters |
Their signs plead, "Save a life. Adopt one of our dogs!"
Each evening, you pass the animal shelter on your way home from work. Should you consider adopting a Golden Retriever, rather than buying from a breeder?
An important consideration for many prospective owners is money. Shelter dogs cost $25 to $100, a far cry from the $400 to $1500 asked by breeders!
But what kind of Golden Retriever
will you be getting for fifty bucks?
- Maybe the best dog in the world.
- Maybe the worst dog in the world.
| The biggest disadvantage of animal shelters and humane societies is the unpredictability of what you'll find inside. |
| Why dogs are dropped off at the animal shelter |
- "We're moving to an apartment that doesn't allow dogs."
- We're getting divorced, and our lives are all mixed up."
- "My husband (wife, child) has developed allergies."
- "We have a new baby and don't have enough time for a dog."
- "We've changed jobs and need to work full time."
- "He's not housebroken. He chews things. He barks too much."
Most of these reasons have to do with changes in the owner's life or family circumstances -- not with any fault in the dog.
Some dogs at the animal shelter have NO behavioral problems.
| The Golden Retriever of your dreams could be sitting in an animal shelter right now, hoping someone will give him a chance to prove what a wonderful companion he is. |
| But go in with your eyes open -- not just your heart |
- Owners do lie.
- On the shelter cage, you may see a tag that proclaims a dog "housebroken" or "great with kids." This may or may not be true. Owners do lie about their dog when they drop him at the shelter. Because they want him to be adopted, they may not admit that he barks a lot, or chases cats, or isn't housebroken.
- Bad genes
- Many dogs at the shelter may have poor genes. (Of course, so do plenty of dogs sold by breeders!)
| Don't underestimate the importance of a dog's genes -- they have an affect on how he acts and behaves.
You may be under the impression that a dog is entirely what you make of him, that if you raise any dog with love and patience, he will turn into a wonderful pet.
Sadly, that just isn't true. Temperament is carried on genes, as well as being influenced by environment (raising and training). Simply because of the genes they were born with, some dogs will turn out anti-social or aggressive or fearful even if you raise them well, socialize them properly, and love them dearly. |
- Risky health
- Virtually ALL of the dogs at an animal shelter come from parents who were not screened for any genetic health problems. When you bring home such a Golden Retriever, you're taking a big risk that he may develop some inherited health problem such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, eye diseases, heart disease, etc.
| Then again, much of life is risky, isn't it? And uncertain. A Golden Retriever of unknown background needs a good home as much as any other dog, and the satisfaction and joy that come from giving such a dog a loving home -- for whatever time has been allotted to him -- may well be worth it to you. |
"I've raised puppies on many occasions - forget it! Give me the settled, laid back, all together, well-mannered, grateful, devoted, loving adult who knows what life is all about, who respects my authority, defends my property instead of chewing it to pieces, is grateful for everything I do, and gives so much in return. He may not be around as long as a young one. No matter. The quality of love he gives makes each day a special blessing. While the young dogs are running the fence, barking, digging, chewing, playing, ignoring my call for silence, the older dogs stand quietly at my side, content just to be with me. Oh yes, I'll miss them when God decides he needs them more than I do, but the memories and the lessons in love and devotion they are teaching me will live forever." - Author Unknown
| Adopting Golden Retrievers from breed rescue groups |
Rescue groups may specialize in one breed (they accept and offer for adoption only Golden Retrievers) or they may accept and offer for adoption all breeds and even mixed breeds.
Rescue groups have an advantage over animal shelters. They maintain a network of foster homes. A Golden Retriever turned over to a rescue group is placed into a temporary foster home, rather than going into an animal shelter cage. In the foster home, the dog's temperament and health can be carefully evaluated, and some basic training, socialization, and health care provided while the rescue group searches for a good permanent home.
Thus, a "rescue dog", as opposed to a "shelter dog", has been evaluated in a home setting. The foster home can tell you about his day-to-day habits and behaviors. They know for sure if he is housebroken, if he barks a lot, if he likes children, if he gets along with other dogs and cats.
| Just be prepared to answer as many questions as if you were trying to adopt a child. Rescue groups want to place their dogs in permanent homes, so they'll evaluate you very carefully before handing over a dog. |
| Finding animal shelters and rescue groups |
A Google search is your best bet. Type: "Golden Retriever rescue"
To find local animal shelters, type: "animal shelters" + the name of your state
If you click on the following links, they'll open in a new browser window:
 Petfinder
Search through Petfinder's national online database of animal shelters and rescue organizations. Search by breed, sex, age, and geographic location.
 Hearts United for Animals
This long-distance adoption specialist places their dogs in qualified homes all over the country.
|
