Loving man’s best friend

I am unabashedly a dog lover. Do not misunderstand. I like cats, birds, any animal that comes to mind, except spiders and snakes. Definitely not spiders and snakes. But I really love dogs. I have always had a dog. Growing up we had cocker spaniels, Taffy and Winkie. Then we had a poodle, Jolie. After I got married, we had two cocker spaniels named Mr. Chips and then Tinker. Then we graduated with a golden retriever named Duncan and now we have a goldendoodle named Abby. I loved them all very much and they all had different personalities. The reason I write about dogs is that October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month.

Since the economy tanked, many people had to give up their family pets because they couldn’t afford them. Shelters are full of wonderful dogs that need a new “forever home.” Could you give them one. The beauty of a shelter dog is that they are usually already housebroken, and you can often find one that has had a lot more training than that. You just have to check them very carefully. There are books you can buy that will tell you what to look for. adopt a great dog by Nona Kilgore Bauer and Successful dog adoption by Sue Sternberg there are two and you can find more on Amazon or any other bookstore website.

Don’t forget the rescue associations either. If you know the breed you want, you can Google it. For example, I could Google “goldendoodle rescue” to find groups in my area that have goldendoodles for adoption. These particular groups try to keep dogs out of kill shelters and keep pets in foster homes until they are rescued by someone like you. They are excellent sources for dogs of all breeds.

If you are unable to adopt, fostering a pet may be an option for you. I don’t suggest you do this lightly. Certainly, it is not good for a dog to pass from one family to another, but there is also a great need for foster homes. Check with rescue groups or even your vet if this is something you would like to do. Be prepared for a long and exhaustive selection process if you try this.

If you want a pet or are thinking of getting one for Christmas, take a look at adoption. There are so many fantastic animals waiting for your loving home. Try the shelter or the rescue route!