I am getting frustrated!!

Go Dogs wrote:
Some of these criteria are out there. One acre of 6ft fenced property per dog? No females to existing female adoptions? No adoptions to homes with children under 12? One-pet homes, only? The shelter that I volunteer at, have had dogs for over a year, because no one could meet the criteria. I don't agree with that. Not everyone is dog-ignorant. In some instances, exceptions should be made. If the dog is so unadoptable because of behavior problems-someone should make the tough decision.

Special needs doesn't mean the dog is unadoptable. It simply means that the adoptive home needs to be selected carefully. Remember, many of these dogs have come from tough places - they're not always a fluffy little happy lap dog - at least not for awhile, until they learn to trust again. That's why they're in rescue.

All three of my dogs fit into this category. My boxer, Jackson, isn't good around other big dogs while on leash, but gets along famously with my little dogs, as well as all people, young and old. He also does well at a well-supervised off-leash doggie day care. He's in love with my infant granddaughter and checks on her frequently when we're babysitting her. He came from the mean streets of a bad side of town, so God knows what he went through before being taken to Animal Control; big dogs scare him, even though he's big himself.

My toy poodle, Sunny, lived in a hoarding situation for 7 years before being rescued, and he's frightened of humans. I was supposed to be his foster, but soon realized he needed a special home. A happy go-lucky poodle lap dog, he's not. After almost two years with us, he's making small strides. Do I want to rip my hair out sometimes? Yes, but that won't help Sunny improve. He's been a great teacher of patience, that's for sure.

My little maltese/westie mix, Maddie, is an alpha female and gets along better with males, who she can boss around - lol. I won't foster a female because I'd rather avoid potential problems. It doesn't make me a "weak" owner, just a cautious one!

So... I guess, in your opinion, my dogs should all be put down because they have issues? No, they just needed careful placement with someone willing and able to deal with them. Since each has different problems, and none of them conflict with each other's problems, they all get along well.

Please also keep in mind, that all of us on this forum are experienced dog owners, and we know how to handle and take care of our dogs. The average person who walks up to a rescue and wants to adopt a dog from a rescue doesn't have the experience we do. Therefore, a rescue acts very cautiously and requires proof of responsibility to avoid the dog going though another bad situation and being returned.

With that being said, yes, some rescues are over the top in their requirements. If you run into one of those, move onto another one.