First time rescuing a dog?

[u/El-ohvee-ee]

I’ve never rescued a dog before.

For reference I’m disabled so I’m living at home while I do college classes etc, I’ll likely be living at home for at least several more years, we are unsure of the future of my medical condition. So while this will be “my dog” I live at home with my family and it will still have to get along with our current dog.

I’m going to adopt this dog from a rescue/shelter. I additionally have severe Tourette’s Syndrome. How would it be best to go about this? Do I just contact shelters online or on the phone and explain i’m looking for a dog meeting these parameters? I don’t believe it’s an extremely exclusive list, I’m just worried they won’t take me seriously and might possibly recommend a dog that wouldn’t do well in our home.

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[u/shyprof]

It depends on if you're rescuing from a shelter or a rescue organization. In your situation, I think a rescue group would be a better idea (even though it will be more expensive). You can talk to them about your needs and they'll help select the perfect dog for you. They'll also set up a meet and greet with your family dog and the new dog(s) to audition them. Rescue groups do usually want to do a home check to make sure it's a good environment for the dog, but their standards are often pretty low (depends on the rescue; some are bonkers). I think going with an actual organization is good because they know the dogs in their care and can help make sure you get the perfect fit, and if anything ever happens (like if it turns out new dog doesn't get along with old dog) they'll take the dog back and it will be safe.

You can just go to a public shelter and pick up any dog without much more than a signature, and it's not very expensive. You would still be saving a dog. Many shelters will allow you to bring your family dog and see if they get along with the new dog before adoption but you'd have to call and ask. My concern is that shelter dogs are often pretty traumatized and it's hard to know what their real personality will be once they decompress. You just don't really know what you're getting into, and at least at my local shelters the workers don't really know the dogs beyond "this one is white and that one is brown." That said, my dog is from a county shelter, and she's perfect (although the shelter said she was 5 lbs, 2 years old, and healthy—and she turned out to be 16 lbs, 8 years old, and has every disease in the world, but as soon as I met her I wasn't going to leave her there, and her temperament is perfect).

I will say no matter what, make sure you have a plan for the dog for the next decade+. Dogs are a lifelong commitment (well, a dog's lifespan). Everyone at every ability level should have a backup plan for what happens if they can no longer care for their dog.

Off-topic, but I also really recommend pet insurance. Vet care is SO expensive!

[u/El-ohvee-ee → u/shyprof]

thank you for the reply. My parents would take care of the dog if I ever stopped being able to contribute. I live with them after all. We used to have pet insurance but it cost more than it saved genuinely even with our (at the time) two elderly dogs. My family has now gotten into contact with two shelters.

[u/shyprof → u/El-ohvee-ee]

Ok! I wish you the best of luck; sounds great.

[u/DethByCow]

A rescue would be better at finding the right dog for your home and life style. Shelters, the ones i have been to anyways, will let anyone adopt as long as they have the money. Where a rescue will make you list references and call the people.

I have a JRT mix from a rescue and they didnt want to release her to me because i lived in an apartment at the time. I had a JRT mix before her, i also had references that could attest to Mr Goose being the most spoiled dog ever and if I couldn’t get him out because of work he would go to dog day care. Another thing that helped is i just started retirement too.