This is Part 2 of a 4-part blog series focusing on what we, as dog leaders, can do to prevent dogs from being returned to shelters.
There are two times of year when shelters see a spike in the numbers of dogs and cats being returned. The first time of the year when people return their pets is in the summer, when they realize that they’ll have to either bring their dog with them on vacation, or pay a professional to take care of them. The second time of year comes right after the holidays, when puppies, who have been given as presents, are returned for well, just being puppies!
Here is the link to Part 1:
In 2018, Canadian shelters took in approximately 30,000 dogs and 81,000 cats! Of the 30,000 dogs, 35% were surrendered by their owners. There are no statistics available on the number of those dogs that were given as gifts.
Many surrenders could be prevented.
How?
What if I shared the secret with you right now? Would you pass it on?
The SECRET to a SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION is matching the ENERGY level of the OWNER to the ENERGY level of the DOG. More specifically, the energy level of the dog should be the SAME or LOWER than the people who adopt them.
Here’s how it works.
Dogs can be loosely grouped into four energy levels: low, medium, high, and very high. Anyone who wants to adopt a dog needs to look closely at how they spend their time, and select a dog that suits their lifestyle.
If you are single and like to go hiking and biking every day and/or LOVE playing fetch, perhaps a Husky mix, Rhodesian Ridgeback, or Russell Terrier. These dogs require HOURS of exercise EVERY DAY, so if you’re very active and enjoy the outdoors, these breeds and mixed-breeds may be worth some research.
If your family loves the water and spends weekends at the cottage, a Labrador Retriever, Barbet, or a German Shepherd X could be a lovely addition to your lives.
If your family likes to chill in the house and watch movies all weekend, perhaps a less active, older rescue dog or retired breeder would fit in well. These dogs still need daily walks, but will tire out faster than dogs with high and very high energy levels.
Psst! Did you know? All dogs require daily walking and exercise, regardless of energy level. Some dogs need more walking and running time, while others need less.
Interesting fact: Although the numbers of dogs and cats being returned annually to Canadian humane societies and SPCAs seems very large, the number of animals being taken in is actually trending downward!
Let’s help continue this trend, by spreading the word about what it takes to meet the needs of a dog.
If you, or someone you know is looking to adopt a dog and would appreciate some help selecting the perfect fit, please get in touch with us.
Have a fantastic week, everyone!
Alyssa
This week’s photography by: Bharathi Kannan (Puppy-dog eyes), and Jakob Owens (French bulldog inside Santa’s hat.)