by EcoWellDog– The Natural Leader in Grooming & Wellness
If you met Leo, you’d find it hard to believe he has no home and no family. Leo is a beautiful 12 month old Border Collie mix with the sweetest nature. He loves cuddles, and all he wants is to be someone’s best friend. Leo is currently living with a foster carer until his new forever family comes along.
There are lots of adult dogs like Leo in animal shelters and foster homes all around the country. When you are thinking of bringing a dog into your family, why not contact your nearest rescue group and give a dog like Leo a second chance at life?
Choosing Your Dog
One of the benefits of adopting an adult dog is that there are few surprises. You know how big he will get, and how long his coat will be. This allows you to make the right choice of dog for your family.
Leo has the typical Border Collie coat, and needs regular brushing. He loves to go for runs and walks so is best suited to an active family who loves to go hiking or running. Anyone who adopts a dog that loves the outdoors as much as Leo does, really needs to have the Dirty & Hairy OUTDOOR spray. Regular use will keep his long coat clean and smelling fresh between baths. You may not be into exercise, and be reluctant to spend more time on your dog’s hair than you do on your own. If that’s the case, then think about adopting a quieter dog with a short coat that is easier to look after.
Bringing Him Home
If your dog was kept in a shelter environment, his coat may be dirty and have a bad smell. A dog that has been living with a foster carer tends to be cleaner because he has been allowed inside their home. Either way, it’s a good idea to give him a bath before you bring him indoors. A gentle wash with Bubbles n’ Beads will clean his coat, and the micro beads of conditioner will leave it soft, shiny and healthy. Give him an after-shampoo massage with Ruff to Smooth leave-in conditioner and your new dog will smell and feel great, and be a delight to cuddle.
Easing the Transition
Leo is a very even tempered, adaptable dog and nothing seems to faze him. However, your new dog may have quite a different temperament. Don’t be surprised if he is a little nervous at first. This is not the time to throw a welcome home party for him; that can wait until he is more comfortable in his new home.
Keep a bottle of Sleepytime Tonic on hand for those first few weeks, and put a few drops of this honey flavored liquid in your new dog’s mouth twice daily. Its all natural herbal ingredients and Bach Flower Remedies will reduce any anxiety and help him to settle quickly into his new family.
If you can give a forever home to Leo or a dog like him, you’ll be rewarded every day with a loving loyal companion who seems to really appreciate what you have done for him.
One reply on “Could You Welcome a Homeless Dog into Your Family?”
We found our Chihuahua Shadow outside of a Dollar General store on July 2, 2014. We had three Chihuahua’s already, so it wasn’t hard to get him settled in. He now fits in flawlessly with the two we have left (the third ran away and we couldn’t find him). Shadow loved to run, jump, and play. He is young, so when he feels the need for a nap, or just wants to cuddle, he absolutely loves to just jump onto my lap and will situate himself however he wants. He generally won’t move until I do.
The first few weeks after we brought him home, he hated to be seperated from me. He would sit by the door and cry or he would lay down at wait for me to come home. I could be gone for 20 minutes or 5 hours. He was always so happy when I walked back into the house, he wouldn’t leave me alone.
Now, he will watch me as I leave and then go back to whatever it was he doing until I get back. He still doesn’t like it if I’m gone for more than 5-6 hours, though. But he has his Forever Home with us. <3