ADOPTING A DOG: THE REALITY
Dogs are intelligent animals that have feelings, emotions and needs. To understand your dog, you need only to think how you would feel if you were in the same situation. Please read the following checklist to see if you are ready for a dog in your life:

Do you have enough space?
Do not get a large or active dog if you live in a small apartment.

How much exercise can you give a dog?
Do not get an active dog if you cannot give it enough exercise. Even some small breeds are energetic and require space to run and play. The most common breeds that are abandoned for this reason are Cocker Spaniels, Beagles and Miniature Pinschers. Be realistic about the time and facilities for exercise that you have.

How much time do you spend away from home?
If you are out at work all day and there is nobody at home, DO NOT GET A DOG unless you have more than one and they have access to toilet facilities and room to play together. Even if you have a garden, be aware that many dogs bark when left on their own and your neighbours will hear even if you can't.

Do you have the time and patience to train a dog?
All dogs love attention. Dogs that are ignored and left to their own devices (such as being shut away in a room on their own) will become bored, depressed, and suffer mental (and also often physical) problems. Unless you want your dog to be part of your life and your family, do not have one.

Are you prepared for the mess?
Dogs are dogs, that is, they have usually have fur which sheds every year, they may pick up fleas and ticks, they go to the toilet, get bad breath, wind, and all the other things that might be socially unacceptable in human company! They have no inhibitions, so if this will offend you, don't get a dog.

If, after reading this you still want to help save a dog's life and give it another chance, please contact:

Sally Andersen Tel: 9448 1128 or Kirsten Mitchell Tel: 9490 2061

How do I adopt a dog through HKDR?

First of all, we will need to know what type of dog you are looking for. The sort of accomodation and area that you live in is important. If you live in a highrise apartment in a built-up area, then a large dog that requires a lot of exercise would not be suitable. Even some smaller dogs such as spaniels or beagles need a lot of exercise and space to run.
We will also need to know how long a dog would be left alone for. If everyone is out at work all day leaving nobody at home, you should not even consider adopting a dog. Dogs are pack animals and as such they need company. Dogs that are left alone for long periods become very depressed and more often than not develop behavioural problems such as barking, destroying furniture and self-mutilation. This is probably the most common reason for a dog being thrown out of its home. Keeping dogs in cages is also not acceptable.
There are other things that need to be taken into consideration, such as whether there are children in the house, or other animals. Some older dogs would be unsuitable for homing with cats, for example. Some dogs enjoy having other dog friends, while some like being the only one.
Once we have established what sort of dog would be suitable, we can send details of those we already know of, or we will check with kennels and other rescue organisations. Invariably, there are always more dogs than homes so we can be pretty sure of finding a good match.

Puppy or adult?
If you have young children, it is usually advisable to adopt a puppy (up to a year old). However, you must be prepared for normal puppy behaviour and to have the time and patience for training. Do not expect a puppy to come ready trained, any more than you would expect a baby to be. They need to be taught how to behave. Remember that the puppy stage can last for up to a year, although basic things like toilet training can be achieved very quickly. You must expect that your puppy will chew, and do all the "naughty" things that puppies do. If you do not want to have to live through this stage, then adopting an adult dog would be a better option.
Although it is very common for dogs that have been abandoned to have some initial anxiety problems, we have found that these soon pass once the dog has established itself in its new home and feels confident that it won't be abandoned again. There is almost no problem that can't be overcome with love and patience. Unfortunately, some dogs that have been poorly treated resort to biting, and some breeds are prone to such behaviour. We endeavour never to home dogs with this problem.