Both of our dogs are from shelters.

Charlie, our coonhound, has a more "typical" shelter dog story. He came into a rural dog pound as a stray, spent about half a year there before being adopted, and then during the recession was returned when his owners lost their jobs. He spent about another six months there before we adopted him after seeing him on Petfinder. We drove an hour and a half out to meet him. He generally ignored us and didn't try to eat our kid -- he was way more excited about being out of his kennel and on a leash sniffing things. Getting him the car was a 15-minute ordeal, and he rode the whole way home in my lap, licking my face. He came with house manners and generally was used to being around people. Charlie is a senior, but he's still pretty active. He has his quirks, like not wanting to sleep next to anyone. It took him about three months to fully trust us and about six months to fully settle in. But, he listens to us mostly. We started out doing NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free), and training that way helped so much.

Alice came to he shelter as a stray as well, but she was only about 9 months old when we adopted her. When we went to meet her, again, she didn't try to eat our kid and Charlie generally ignored her while she licked him and tried to get him to play. Alice didn't have a lot of training when we got her home. She could sit and was crate trained, but her house training was not solid (plus she had worms and then Giardia -- her bowels were bad for a while). She instantly trusted and loved us (a bit different from Charlie). On her first vet visit, she curled up in my lap while the vet talked with me. We've bonded over continued NILIF and training classes (which really are important whether your dog came from a breeder or a shelter).

Alice obviously did not have as hard of a life prior to coming to the shelter as Charlie has had, but both are equally loving in their own ways. They are the best dogs we could ask for, even when they shred cardboard all over the house. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Adopting from a shelter or rescue group saves a life. That means one more dog can stay longer, like Charlie, without the threat of euth'ing for space (if they are a kill shelter), or a rescue has room to pull one more dog out of a bad situation. Short of some very rare breeds, you will definitely find the dog you are looking for (and a dog that needs you).

Maybe I should have waited to start this thread when it wasn't this time of the month or something because I have teard up every time I read another one of your experiences with your dogs....it's getting ridiculous now lol.

Charlie- I do believe everything happens for a reason, and I'm sure I will just know when I find the right dog. Maybe that's why when I contacted 6 different breeders, they were either shady or didn't respond to me, instead of pursuing that way I am going to keep filling out applications at the husky rescues and see what comes out of it. I did Husky Camp this morning. I am going to do Alleys angels but for some reason I can't do it on the ipad so ill try later on the computer.

Christine is that Charlie or Alice in your sig? And is it a husky mix? He or she is beautiful!

Marie<3 wrote:

Christine is that Charlie or Alice in your sig? And is it a husky mix? He or she is beautiful!

Marie, that's Alice! We don't know for sure if she is pure husky, be she acts that way and our vet and the trainers we've worked with think she is probably all husky. She's also filled out considerably since we adopted her (she was 34 pounds and is now 44), and she looks more husky and less starving timberwolf

KitR wrote:

Marie<3 wrote:

Christine is that Charlie or Alice in your sig? And is it a husky mix? He or she is beautiful!

Marie, that's Alice! We don't know for sure if she is pure husky, be she acts that way and our vet and the trainers we've worked with think she is probably all husky. She's also filled out considerably since we adopted her (she was 34 pounds and is now 44), and she looks more husky and less starving timberwolf

Wow she is so pretty, can't wait to see more pics of her! What a lucky find