i really agree about how hard it can be to figure out what a good home is for a dog. some rescues have these really strict rules governing who can adopt, but even if you “pass” that doesn’t really mean you have the best home for the dog. it would be so much better if this was regulated somehow and if all rescues were able to do home visits (i know that’s really hard to find staff/time for)–and if there were some sort of rule/law/policy in regards to training the dogs once they get home.

i know some folks who really don’t understand what a dog needs to be balanced and happy, but they have a nice home and good jobs and can provide for the dog in that way and have had dogs as kids and were given a reference, so the rescue let them adopt a puppy. the dog went to puppy school, but none of that work is kept up–and nothing more has been done–and the dog doesn’t get enough exercise and (for my taste) is left home alone too often. and these are people who consider the dog a family member and not “just a dog”, so i understand how it can be so so so difficult to assess who is adopting. i don’t know that i if i were in charge somehow that i WOULDN’T have let them adopt a dog, ya know?

it’s too bad there’s no checks and balances in place for down the line. much like i think you should have to retake your road test and written test for a driver’s license every ten years, i think it would be amazing if the rescue/shelter/breeder were able to check on the family every few years to see how things are going.

I definitely agree – seems like they run the gamut. I definitely wouldn’t give up based on one rescue (and I rather hope the one I volunteer with would find me acceptable). 🙂

I volunteer with several different rescue groups and each has it’s own set of rules and each works within (or outside of) those rules in their own way. I would recommend that if you run across a rescue that won’t work with you, just try another one.

Before we got Delilah we were turned down for a puppy because we didn’t have someone home during the day. Not even a call to ask if we could make arrangements to come home for a break or have someone come in for a break.

Sampson was crate trained and we both worked and he turned out to be a wonderful dog, he got one break in the middle of the day by my mom and she would take him outside when it was time for me to come home so he could greet me.

I know a woman who does Newf rescues and won’t place the dog unless the house has a fence. Sometimes I just don’t get it.

You know, I wonder sometimes what will happen when we decide to adopt a second dog. We got Bella almost 10 years ago – we were living in an apartment at the time, too, and it didn’t seem to be a problem at all. But if I go to a different (or even the same) rescue group, is there something about me that would be a problem? I have a house with a fence now, but who knows if I have some other “problem” that would make me unfit!

Really interesting post… it’s hard to determine what makes a “good” home – as you point out, there’s more to it sometimes than purely objective factors. It’s such a subjective determination, in a way – there are “right” answers, but when it comes down to it, how are we to know if a loving and wonderful relationship will develop? We can only use our senses to guess what might happen. Of course there are warning signs and red flags, but I do think that often there’s a gray area in between. For example, if a prospective adopter isn’t going to feed raw, should that be enough to foreclose the possibility of an otherwise wonderful match? I hope not, but I guess it’s up to the particular rescue group.

According to rescues, we are not a good home because we cannot have a fence. 🙁