Meet Our New Rescue Dog, Satellite!

If you’ve worked with Todd, then you know he loves German Shepherds. You may even have met one of ours at a lesson, but what you may not know is that we have fostered and rescued a lot of dogs over the years. I won’t share the exact number because then you may think we’re dog hoarders. Actually, it would just take me too long to count.

It has been awhile since we’ve added a new rescue dog to our pack, but with our pack dwindling to a mere 5 and the loss of our chi-chi, Potato, this summer; it seemed time.

What? You think my ears are big?

A few weeks ago we adopted Satellite. A 3 year old or so Chihuahua who ended up at the shelter when her home was condemned. Ever since she has been living with us we have been reminded of what it is like to bring a rescue dog into your home.

So, some tips to keep in mind if you find yourself stalking rescue group websites  and ogling over those cute furry faces:

What you see isn’t necessarily what you get. Dogs in shelters are traumatized and are likely not acting as they would in a normal house situation. They are stressed which can make them milder or wilder than they really are.

They have a history, you just don’t know it. Shelter workers do their best to assess dogs that come in to them, but often background info is scant and they have limited resources and time to perform assessments. For instance, how can they say if a dog is good with kids if they don’t know if it has ever been around a child?

Be patient and be vigilant. It will take time for everyone to adjust to the new situation, especially if you already have animals at home. You will have to figure things out as you go. The most important thing is that as soon as your new rescue dog comes home with you, you help guide it so it can learn the ropes of your house.

It is a lot of work at the beginning, but it will be so worth it.

Just in case you’re looking:

Asheville Humane Society

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue