#170 Reactive Rescue Dogs: The Truth

Reactivity in rescue dogs is an important topic that potential adopters need to understand before committing to adoption. Rescues often adopt out dogs with reactivity, fear, or aggression without fully disclosing these issues, which can lead to mismatched expectations and lifestyle changes for new owners.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Reactivity in Rescues
• 1:08 Understanding Reactivity Challenges
• 1:57 Important Questions for Adopters
• 3:08 Making Informed Adoption Decisions

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to the 5-Minute Dog, the mini-podcast that delivers practical training advice in less than 5 minutes. Today I want to talk about something that's not always easy to bring up, but it's important Reactivity in rescue dogs. A lot of adopters walk into a shelter or foster situation hoping to bring home a dog that they can take to wineries, to the park, out with friends, a companion they can integrate into their everyday social life. But here's the thing Rescues often adopt out dogs with reactivity, fear or aggression, and they don't always disclose it. And that might be because they don't want to scare off adopters, or maybe they just haven't taken the time to truly evaluate the dog in different settings, or maybe they just underestimate the amount of training and management that will be required to address the issue. Either way, reactivity can be a problem, and owning a reactive dog can change your lifestyle, and reactivity is usually a serious training challenge. It often means barking, lunging, growling at other dogs or people, difficulty going to busy places or having guests over, needing specialized training, which can be expensive and time-consuming, and, for some adopters, a major lifestyle adjustment. This doesn't mean that reactive dogs aren't worth adopting. Many of them make amazing companions in the right home. But that is the key in the right home.

Speaker 1: 1:57

So you need to know what you're signing up for, because surprises in behavior can lead to frustration, heartbreak or, at worst, rehoming. So if you're considering adoption, here's what you should ask have you ever seen any signs of reactivity, fear or aggression in this dog? How does this dog respond to new people, new dogs, new places? Have they been tested in situations like busy sidewalks, meeting visitors or being handled at the vet? And if the rescue can't answer these questions or brushes them off, that's a red flag. This may mean that you're getting ready to adopt a fearful or reactive dog, and this may be fine if that's what you're looking for. But if you're looking for that happy-go-lucky companion that will integrate easily into your social life, that will enjoy hanging out with your friends and one that looks forward to that day trip to the busy winery, a reactive or anxious dog is probably not the answer. So remember, as you meet and greet shelter and rescue dogs, ask a lot of questions and don't be rushed into a decision. Adoption is a commitment, so transparency shouldn't be optional.