Adopting A Rescue Dog on The eastside?

Your Redmond, WA guide to dog adoption.

This post will seek to address common challenges faced when adopting dogs, and will give you ways to prepare in advance or quickly address existing problems.

Adopting a rescue dog can be a wonderful experience, but it also comes with its challenges. Many rescue dogs suffer from anxiety, behavioral issues, and boredom, all of which can be overwhelming for new pet owners: especially if it’s your first rodeo. In this article, we will discuss some of the common challenges associated with adopting a rescue dog, and we’ll offer suggestions to mitigate these challenges.

Table of Contents

• Challenges of Adopting a Rescue Dog
  • Behavioral Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of Exercise
  • Boredom
• Solutions to These Challenges
  • Structured Physical Activity
  • Dog Walking
  • Hiring a Dog Trainer
• Conclusion
• Local Dog Rescues On The Eastside (Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland)

Challenges of Adopting a Rescue Dog

Behavioral Issues

One of the most common challenges with adopting a rescue dog is dealing with behavioral issues. These issues may include barking, biting, chewing, digging, and aggression towards other animals or people. These behaviors can be caused by a variety of factors, such as lack of socialization, abuse, neglect, or anxiety.

Anxiety

Many rescue dogs suffer from anxiety due to their past experiences. This anxiety can manifest in a variety of ways, such as separation anxiety, fear of loud noises, or general nervousness.

Lack of Exercise

Another challenge with adopting a rescue dog is ensuring that they get enough exercise. Dogs require daily exercise to maintain their physical and mental health. Without proper exercise, they can become bored, anxious, and destructive.

Boredom

Dogs are social animals and require mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy. If a dog is left alone for extended periods of time without proper mental stimulation, they may become bored and resort to destructive behaviors.

Solutions to These Challenges

Structured Physical Activity

One of the most effective ways to address these challenges is through structured physical activity. Dogs require daily exercise to maintain their physical and mental health. This can include walks, runs, hikes, or any other physical activity that gets them moving.

Dog Walking

For those who may not have the time or ability to provide adequate daily exercise, hiring a dog walker can be a great solution. A dog walker can provide the necessary physical activity and mental stimulation that a dog needs while their owner is away. A recent study from PLOS highlighted that only 38% of people are running with their dogs. Does your dog need more exercise, and are their bad behaviors something that would resolve with scheduled exercise? We’re here to help!

Hiring a Dog Trainer

In some cases, behavioral issues may require the assistance of a professional dog trainer. In other cases, it’s a bit like using a sledgehammer to hang a painting. A dog trainer can provide specialized training and behavior modification techniques to address specific issues such as aggression, fear, or separation anxiety. However, it’s important to note that hiring a dog trainer should only be considered for extreme cases, and doesn’t necessarily need to be used as a catch-all solution for all behavioral issues.

Conclusion

Adopting a rescue dog can be a rewarding experience, but it also comes with its challenges. By providing structured physical activity and mental stimulation, owners can address many of the common challenges associated with rescue dogs, such as behavioral issues, anxiety, lack of exercise, and boredom. Hiring a dog walker can also be an effective solution for those who may not have the time or ability to provide daily exercise. While hiring a dog trainer may be necessary for extreme cases, it’s important to remember that most behavioral issues can be addressed with consistent exercise and positive reinforcement training. With patience and commitment, rescue dogs can become wonderful additions to any household.

Local Rescues On The Eastside

We’ll end our post with the top locations that you can adopt a dog. Please consider using lesser known methods of finding dogs. This can include “lost dog” Facebook groups (who are often dumped without ID) and you can actually intercept dogs before they even enter the shelter system, which can be quite stressful for dogs. This method avoids fees,

The DIY Method

Dogs are dumped in parks every day. One of our clients rescued a dog dropped off in Marymoor Park before animal control could take possession of the animal.

We want to warn you in advance: this poses risks that shelters will often address for you: fleas, rabies, and of course getting bitten by a scared dog! We ask that you exercise caution before you attempt a “self-rescue”, however, we do want to address that this is probably the most ethically sound way of adopting pets in the region. Thankfully, you don’t have to do the “dog trapping” because good Samaritans are doing it for you. The challenge is that there’s no one to take ownership of the dogs, and these folks often end up dropping them off at overcrowded kill shelters.

Facebook Groups

Lost dogs of King County – these dogs are often dumped across the region. Kind folks will pick dogs up and take them to the vet, where they’re often unchipped. The good Samaritan’s who pick these dogs up could be stuck with the vet bill. Consider directly communicating with anyone who finds a dog and isn’t able to find the owner: you may be able to arrange for a meet and greet.

Nextdoor – If you’re unfamiliar with Nextdoor, it’s essentially a big Facebook Group for your local neighborhood. People use Nextdoor for selling items and giving away their unwanted dogs.

Craigslist – On local craigslist you can frequently find puppy mills, unethical breeders, and people who simply can’t take care of their dogs. You can sign up for craigslist alerts, maybe try “free dog” or “free puppy”. We’d ask that you don’t give these people money, as they’re often running puppy mills themselves. These pups are out there, and you don’t need to go to a shelter to find them. Another benefit of using Craigslist for adopting a rescue is that you can sign-up or “craiglist alerts” on search terms like “free dog”, so that you can get an email whenever a post is made.

OK, Maybe I’ll Just Go To a Rescue.

Managing the entire adoption process isn’t for everyone, and there’s nothing wrong with going to professionals who’ve already handled the intake process for animals.

So you’re asking yourself: where’s the best place to adopt a dog near me?

Well, we’ve compiled a list:

Redmond, WA

1. Homeward Pet Adoption Center – This organization has been serving the Redmond community for over 30 years and offers dog adoption services. They have a wide range of dogs available for adoption, and they provide resources and education to new pet owners.
2. Motley Zoo Animal Rescue – This animal rescue organization is located in Redmond and offers dog adoption services. They have a dedicated team of volunteers who work to find homes for dogs in need. https://www.motleyzooanimalrescue.org/
3. Seattle Humane Society – While not located in Redmond, Seattle Humane has an adoption center in nearby Bellevue and offers dog adoption services to residents of Redmond. They have a large selection of dogs available for adoption and also provide training and behavioral resources.

Kirkland, WA

1. Pawsitive Alliance – This organization is dedicated to ending pet homelessness and offers dog adoption services in Kirkland. They work with a network of animal shelters and rescues to find loving homes for dogs in need.
2. Dog Gone Seattle – This non-profit organization is located in Kirkland and offers dog adoption services. They specialize in rescuing dogs from high-kill shelters and finding them forever homes.
3. Motley Zoo Animal Rescue – In addition to serving Redmond, Motley Zoo Animal Rescue also offers dog adoption services in Kirkland. They have a large network of foster homes and work to match each dog with the perfect forever home. You can find their current adoptable pets on Petfinder here.

Bellevue, WA

1. Seattle Humane – This organization has an adoption center in Bellevue and offers dog adoption services. They have a wide selection of dogs available for adoption, and they provide training and behavioral resources to new pet owners.
2. Homeward Pet Adoption Center – While located in Redmond, Homeward Pet Adoption Center also serves the Bellevue community and offers dog adoption services. They have a team of experienced staff and volunteers who work to find loving homes for dogs in need.
3. Ginger’s Pet Rescue – This non-profit organization is located in Bellevue and offers dog adoption services. They specialize in rescuing dogs from high-kill shelters and finding them forever homes with loving families.

We hope this guide helped you prepare for your future pooch!