Why Would You Get Rid of a Dog?

Life is complicated. It brings challenges to your door that you would never ever expect. You can tackle the issue at hand, delay it, ignore its existence, pass it on to others and what not. You know what I mean. Depending on your core values and your resources you’re going to have to make choices and very often, difficult ones. Like having to get rid of your dog. I know some people will throw rocks at me because in their opinion, it is simply unthinkable. I don’t want to make a stand and take any position on this issue as I have made that choice once and it broke my heart but in the same time, it was the best thing for him as much as for me. Anyway, why would you get rid of a dog? The answer is yours. I am not one to judge and I prefer someone who can admit that he’s in over his/her head and does what’s best for the dog. I’d rather find a pooch in a rescue center than in a ditch or in very bad living conditions, don’t you agree? Older Boston Terriers Sale or Rescue Boston Terriers, call it what you want, as long as we take care of them.

So, I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a dog shelter ad and I started to wonder if there was any rescue centers dedicated to Boston Terriers specifically. Turns out there are many of them!! I think that’s great even though I’m not a ”Dog Racist” per se. Yes, that’s right, Dog Racists exist but that’s a topic for another day 🙂 For today, I will concentrate on what is a good shelter and provide links.

What Is a Good Dog Shelter?

A good shelter is, in my opinion, a place where you feel at ease from the get go. I have visited a few and I have seen what I believe to be both end of the spectrum. The weirdest moment I had was in this place where the people were very heartwarming but the place stank and was filthy. Half of me wanted to save all the dogs while the other half didn’t want to get a dog from such a place! That was an awful experience! I wish you never have to go through that.

• A good dog shelter will be transparent about the animal you want to adopt. They will tell you the whole story and provide you with guidance on how to deal with this dog, individually.
• There should be enough place for dogs to exercise
• The dogs should have visited the vet and the staff/owners should provide you with a full medical report.
• they should be well-fed, comfortable and have their execrates taken care of, not lying around everywhere or in their cages.
• They should allow you around the cages and living spaces. If you feel they are sneaky or secretive, address the situation or leave, depending on your personality 😉 They should offer some kind of walk-thru and you should be allowed to take the dog you’re interested in for a walk or to test play.
• Free dogs shelters don’t exist! Well, I have never seen one and I would not trust them. It costs so much to operate, it doesn’t make sense. Avoid any scam by not responding to any Free Dog Rescue Shelter, Free Dogs Animal Shelters, Free Puppy Adoption Shelters, Free Pet Adoptions Animal Shelter are all ads that won’t lead you anywhere or they will eventually cost you a fortune. STAY AWAY!
• They should provide references or have some kind of “Wall of Fame” where you can see successful adoptions and happy dog owners. They usually tend to follow up on their breeder/provider/rescue centers and send them news and pics of their “protégés”.
• See what their adoption process is. It should be harder than easier. I mean, it won’t be instantaneous. If you have to go through a few steps and application forms, they are probably good because adopting an older dog is not easy

Nowadays with internet it is very easy to find what you’re looking for. In the mean time, too much choice is as bad as none so how do you do this? Well, I’m a firm believer in going in person. A good research will send you in the right direction but ultimately, there is nothing like showing up in person, when no one is expecting you. Remain within the working hours though, be respectful, you never know if this is going to be the right shelter for you. I know it’s been harder to visit in the past 2 years with Covid and all but you can always drive by to give you an idea. Ask for references on your Facebook, Twitter or other social media. Join discussion groups and see what you can find for your area.

Older Boston Terriers Sale… not really.

It usually isn’t a sale as there are a lot of feelings involved in the process. I admit it, the title was just to get your attention. Yes, this post deserves your attention because too many people think you can just rescue a dog and feel good about it. There is a lot more involved. You have to realize that you’re not raising a puppy so your new friend might have a few triggers that could spark a variety of reactions. Some reactions might be violent but with the Boston Terrier’s temper, chances are the reactions will be more on the terrorized side. Adopting a rescue dog will require a lot of patience, time, love and some more patience. If possible, once you commit to a rescue dog, please sick with him (unless it’s dangerous for you or your loved ones). It is really important to get help from professional trainers if you seem to not have good results. We don’t want to send him back to a shelter. Take your time in the decision process.

One of the websites I have seen and would look into is Boston Terrier Rescue Canada . I really like how they have good policies and that it is all on a volunteer base.

If you’re located in USA, I would also check out this website Adopt a Boston . It seems pretty similar.

In Conclusion

Since I did not get Ivar from a shelter, I will stop here but I would really appreciate comments or that you would share how your experience in a shelter was. I will probably add more links to this post from the information I will get from you. I also want to use this post to say a big THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO to every volunteer whose work in shelters allows the less lucky ones to get a second wind.

Thanks for reading and come back soon!

J-F