Dan and I have always wanted a dog, but being renters we knew it wouldn’t be the best idea. In our area, many rentable places do not allow pets, have restrictions on the types/breeds of animals, and/or have outrageous pet deposits or even pet rent. Since we were moving every 2-4 years we didn’t want to bring on a dog just to run into a situation where we couldn’t move into a potential home because of our pet. Now that we own our home and have been home much more due to Covid we decided now would be a great time to adopt a dog. With two small children, it took us a little longer to find our perfect dog but we found him. Scroll down to keep reading our pet adoption story and how we welcomed Beau into our family!
Pet Adoption Story: Introducing Beau
Once we decided to get a dog we had to determine whether we would go through a breeder and get a puppy or go through the pet adoption process. Normally, there would be no question of adopting, but with little kids, I knew getting a puppy from a reputable breeder who knew the temperament of the parents and actual breed of the dog would be the easiest way to go. However, we also don’t have the time or energy to train a puppy properly and there are so many wonderful dogs out there who need a home. Ultimately we decided to adopt.
Since we were so specific in our needs for a dog that was good with young children, we reached out directly to several animal shelters with our requirements. We filled out applications in case the “right” dog came along. We were looking for an animal that had been in foster care with kids or other small animals for longer than a few weeks.
When we got the call about Beau, the organization was adamant that Beau needed to be in a home with children so we decided to go meet him. He is a sharpei/lab mix and we read up on the breeds so we would be prepared to ask questions.
When we arrived at the foster’s house, Beau was so sweet and gentle with the kids. We took him for a walk and he behaved well. The foster had him for 3 months and said he was the best foster dog she has had and he has been great with her kids, dogs, and cats. We took him home that day.
We have had Beau for almost three weeks now and he is the biggest love bug!
We will start training him with the help of a professional trainer this week and I think that is going to be great for all of us. We decided before we went through the pet adoption process, that no matter what animal we chose we would work with a trainer just to make sure we are being the best pet owners and because all dogs have their quirks and we wanted to be able to manage those if and when they present themselves.
Pet Adoption Tips When Adopting with Young Children
If you are considering adopting a dog with young children it is definitely possible, it will just take a little more time and thought. Here are my top tips for adopting when you have children:
- Be specific in what you are looking for and upfront with animal rescue organizations you are working with.
- Be prepared to say “no” if you meet an animal that is not the right fit. We said no to a couple of wonderful dogs before adopting Beau.
- Look for a dog that has been in foster care with kids and other small animals, or one where the shelter knows the history of the dog.
- Be familiar with dog breeds and find an animal rescue organization that does testing on the breed. You can also buy tests online to determine breeds.
- Ask a lot of questions and take your time when you meet the dog. You don’t want to end up with an animal that doesn’t fit for your family.
We are excited to share some of our adventures with Beau on the blog!
What about you? Have you adopted a dog? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
