Elizabeth says, I previously used to attend dog Obedience classes and agility when my first two dogs, Sam and Judy, were young dogs and was seriously considering taking up the hobby agai. I had always wanted a Rottie to return to this hobbie – we often chatted over the benefits of another dog for Bella and Sula as one would get some peace and the other a new playmate, and how new dog would benefit from obedience classes.

We started to look very seriously into the breed and considered buying a Rottie from a breeder.  However we had always had rescue dogs and felt very strongly that if you research the type of dog you are looking for and work closely with charity adopting you definitely get the dog for you.  We visited DogsBlog.com and other adoption sites regularly for a long period of time when a friend made me aware of Fife Rottweiler Rescue and remembered had also seen this through DogsBlog.  We contacted Gail at Fife Rottweiler Rescue – where we discussed why we we looking to re-home a Rottie and also looking to start obedience classes again.  Gail worked very closely with us and was dedicated into finding the right dog for our family and dogs.  We initially thought another female, however as Gail had been observing our current dogs closely on home visits she felt that we would be better with a male to suit the dynamics of the dogs together.

Elizabeth continues, Myself, Alfie and my youngest son Lewis (12 years old) attend Dog Obedience Training in Leven, where we are working towards silver in obedience, the experience for both myself and son in training and handling a dog and the socialisation and structured positive discipline for Alfie is priceless.  We are aiming towards obedience competitions and agility once Alfie has fully grown.  As for Bella and Sula they are not left out they go for long hike with Ian my husband. I would recommend to any person or family to adopt a dog as there are unfortunately to many out there waiting on an ideal homes rather than breeders that may be churning puppies out for the money.  However on the serious side do your homework on what type and breed you are looking for to suit you, your family and house, listen to the advice from the professionals and trainers that you would have available to you through adopting.  Just because you have had dogs previously, does not always mean you know best in choosing a dog and take all advice on board – we took advice from Gail in choosing best for us and we have had dogs for over 19 years, you are always learning.

To try and debunk the myths about dog adoption and encourage dog lovers to consider adopting, DogsBlog.com and UK family company, Butcher’s Pet Care, are launching National Dog Adoption Month this September with the emphasis firmly on spreading the message that breed research is the most essential preparation any potential dog owner can do. Understanding the unique quirks and habits particular to a specific breeds enables even the most experienced owner to make a better judgement about the compatibility of their lifestyle and any new dog they intend to bring in to their home.

Visit www.dogsblog.com to find the dog of your dreams – bring joy, adopt a dog!

The site, which is partnered with family run pet food company Butcher’s Pet Care, acts as a central hub for thousands of homeless dogs in the UK, making them visible to potential owners all over the country from the comfort of their own homes. Dog owners can browse the site by breed, making it much easier to find a dog that is suitable for them.

DogsBlog.com was established to help under pressure animal shelters and rescue organisations find permanent homes for the growing number of dogs in their care. It is completely free for both the charity seeking to rehome the dog and individuals looking for a pet. The recession and recent credit crisis has caused a spike in the number of dogs being abandoned, adding extra burden to already over stretched welfare sector.

Speaking about reaching the landmark of 10,000 dogs rehomed via the site, co-founder Ryan O’Meara said:

“I’m delighted for Axis and his new owners and I’m extremely proud that he is the 10,000th dog we have helped. But I’m equally proud of the assistance we’ve been able to give to the welfare sector. We have so far relieved the dog welfare industry of £24,272,500(2) of financial burden.”

With a firm belief that dog owners should be prepared to travel for the right dog, rather than simply finding a dog that is local, DogsBlog is keen to ensure that people are committed before they even visit their potential new pet. DogsBlog.com has a strict policy of not enabling users to search for dogs by location. What would at first glance seem like a barrier to success, is actually part of why the service works. Making it difficult for casual browsers or impulse buyers has created a system that weeds out those least suitable for dog ownership.

Kim Bruce, who manages the site with daily doggy updates explains, “People who have bought a dog on impulse are among the main contributors to the harrowing dog abandonment figures. Making the site work in a way which means people may have to travel ensures that only those serious about dog ownership will enquire. This reduces the chance of that dog returning to the rescue system. We had a couple travel take a 700 mile round trip from Orkney to Middlesbrough to bring their new dog Jake home.”

But for those dedicated owners that are prepared to travel, the rewards are worthwhile. As well as finding themselves a new best friend, DogsBlog estimates that they have saved British dog owners approximately £50m(1) in total over the last three years.

What began as an idealogical experiment soon turned into an invaluable service for dog rescue centres around the UK.

Ryan explains: “I’d always been fascinated with Channel 4′s Pet Rescue programme and how after showing a dog thousands of calls would flood in to rehome him and so with the web taking such a prominent position now and people adapt to searching online, I thought why can’t the web do the same thing?” Over the past 3 years the innovative website has grown from strength to strength and is proud to be partnered with a family company that prides itself in having fed generations of family dogs. The partnership between the two companies works because dogs can find themselves in the animal welfare system due to behavioural problems that can be related to a poor diet. With Butcher’s variety of products containing fresh meat, natural ingredients and all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs there is no better dog food for keeping your dog “as fit as a Butcher’s dog”.

DogsBlog and Butcher’s Pet Care will continue their efforts to help more dogs find new homes through National Dog Adoption Month this September.

References
(1) Based on the number of people adopting a dog rather than buying a dog, multiplied by the average cost of a dog (Labrador £500)
(2) According to annual kennelling costs of £6.65 per dog per day published by *** January 2008

What The Stars Think of DogsBlog.com

Kate Humble, Wildlife TV presenter & rescue dog owner: “DogsBlog is a great place to start if you are thinking of adopting a dog. The site has lots of helpful advice and can put you in touch with a range of re-homing centres right across the country. If you can give a dog a good, loving home, adopting a rescue dog is fantastically rewarding. I did exactly that a year ago and it is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

LBC Radio’s James Max: “Whilst I am a big fan of computers and technology, what children and families benefit from more is interaction. What better way than with a dog? Exercise, fun and companionship all in one. And by taking on a dog that hasn’t got a home you’ll be doing a good turn too. DogsBlog.com is a brilliant way to find out what dogs need a home so before you shell out hundreds of pounds on a pet, why not think about adopting a dog instead?”

Kristin Bauer from hit TV show, True Blood: What a beautiful site! Very friendly, open, easy to use and every single dog I felt I knew from their wonderful profiles and photos. If you are looking for a new companion this is a great place to go. It’s the eHarmony of the rescue world, connecting you with the right companion for you. So many gorgeous, sweet furry guys that want a best friends. I know as I have two best friends in my home that rescued me AND www.DogsBlog.com has found new homes for 10,000 dogs! Thank God for sites and people like this in our world.

Let’s Meet The 10,000th Dog Rehomed

Axis is an 11 week old German Shepherd cross Akita who found himself looking for a new home at such a young age and after being a part of three homes and three families, found himself looking for a new home and his fourth – and final – forever home.

His new owners, Kim and Will O’Brien found out about Axis online and that he was only minutes away. Since finding his home with them, he’s settled in really well and his new family have even re-arranged their furniture showroom’s office to give him his own ‘work space’ so he can visit daily and spend quality time with his new family day in and day out.

To try and debunk the myths about dog adoption and encourage dog lovers to consider adopting, DogsBlog.com and Butcher’s Pet Care, are launching National Dog Adoption Month this September.

Visit www.dogsblog.com to find the dog of your dreams – bring joy, adopt a dog!

A sentiment comedian Dave Spikey agrees with, “I’ve rescued dogs for many years, National Dog Adoption Month stands for everything I’ve discovered – dogs in rescues are just normal dogs, they usually find themselves there through no fault of their own and adopting a dog can give someone a second chance and fresh start. With over 100,000 dogs across the country just now waiting for that opportunity, please consider adopting a dog. It’ll give you a relationship to treasure for years to come.”

Dave, pictured here with wife Kay and dog Pippa, who they rescued, is also a patron of  Pet Rehome, an animal rescue who rehome in/around Greater Manchester.

Visit www.dogsblog.com to find the dog of your dreams – bring joy, adopt a dog!

Baz came home with us on 20th February 2010. I must confess, once we let loose this seemingly enormous Rottweiler in our home, I though ‘Oh My God’ what have I done! He had no manners at all, would knock you down barging through doors, and his greed had/has no bounds. In the beginning we had to shut him away at mealtimes or he would have literally been on the table. He also had a bad habit of grabbing peoples feet when they passed.

However, with training and patience and love, all his bad habits have significantly decreased. He will wait at doors, he will pace about a bit at mealtimes but is getting better and definately doesn’t try to get on the table any more thank goodness. He will occasionally grab my 11 year old sons foot but only when he gets over excited. He is also prone to growling and jumping about if someone goes upstairs. We have been working on that, and it is also improving. It seems to be a nervous behaviour as opposed to aggression.

If you let him upstairs with you, he charges about checking all the rooms – I’m sure he thinks a bogey man lives up there. He was very inquisitive with our old cat, that settled down in a day or so, and was fine with our other dog, a 5 year old Staffordshire bull terrier who quickly established herself as the boss. He is now much calmer, and very obedient (mostly). I have found him a dream to train, very quick to learn, although incredibly stubborn if he so wishes but I believe that is a breed trait rather than a personality disorder.

At first, there were lots of things he was afraid of, like the vacuum cleaner, and believe it or not, a dog bed, I don’t think he had ever seen a dog bed before. He is also now crate trained, which took a bit of doing. trying to persuade a 6 stone Rottie he wants to go into a cage. He had also never been taught to walk on a lead, another task we took on board. He was a worried dog when he first came home, didn’t trust us, wouldn’t let me look in his ears, or check his feet. Now he is a happy boy who trusts us to take care of him. And in return he has learned, among other things, to walk on a lead, sit, down and wait on command. He also gives a paw (hard to teach that to a dog who didn’t like me touching his feet!) and catches biscuits when you throw them. That last one was easy!

I have owned several Dobermanns over the years, and when my last girl died in July 2009 I was distraught. When I felt able to think about giving a home to a new dog, my first thought was to rescue an adult because by then, I had realised how many dogs were in rescue kennels, its a desperate situation. I had actually been home checked by the Dobermann Welfare Association and was waiting for a dog that suited our family when I was idly looking up rescue dogs online and found DogsBlog.com.

My husband happened to mutter in the background that he fancied a Rottweiler so I typed it into the search box. Hey presto our boy popped up, I showed him to hubby who fell instantly in love with him and the rest is history. I was entrusted to his care because of my background in obedience training, as Baz (or Kaos as he was appropriately named in the kennels) had the foot grabbing and over excitability problem. Full of nonsense was his apt description!

I would without hesitation, search on DogsBlog.com for my next dog, and would recommend the site heartily. To anyone considering taking on a rescue dog I would advise that they think carefully as it is a huge responsibility for all the family – I think its important for ALL the family to be equally committed to bringing a rescue dog home. Even though my husband and son wanted Baz, they were both losing patience with his dominance and foot-grabbing habit for a while. Everybody has gotta pull together to show the dog how to behave. If you have the time, patience and leadership skills it is a tremendously rewarding experience. My boy Baz would be dead if it wasn’t for the Fife Rottweiler Rescue and I can’t imagine life without him even if he is still full of nonsense. Full of nonsense = full of life.

He is still learning and improving every day, as am I.

Our funniest/scariest moment with him was six weeks or so after he came home with us. I had just started letting him off lead in a field close to us. He had been running about beside me fine, then he scented something and took off. He stopped at a little car, ran round and round it, still scenting the air. I had almost caught up with him by then, but he took off again up the street. I found him a few houses up the street, sat on a front door step in front of a gentleman who had one hand on his front door and one hand clutching his chinese takeaway with a rather worried look on his face.

I was completely mortified and apologized profusely to the gentleman who took it all in good stead. We believe that Baz had been fed a lot on takeaway food. Needless to say after that incident, we did a little training walking past the local Chinese takeaway and learning it was NOT acceptable to grab white plastic bags off people as they walked past so now passers by can keep their shopping safe.

Baz has been an experience I wouldn’t change for the world. I even traded in my lovely convertible sports car for a sensible dogmobile. I would encourage anyone looking to bring a dog into their home to consider adopting, it’s everything you could hope for – and much, much more!

To try and debunk the myths about dog adoption and encourage dog lovers to consider adopting, DogsBlog.com and Butcher’s Pet Care, are launching National Dog Adoption Month this September with the emphasis firmly on spreading the message that breed research is the most essential preparation any potential dog owner can do. Understanding the unique quirks and habits particular to a specific breeds enables even the most experienced owner to make a better judgement about the compatibility of their lifestyle and any new dog they intend to bring in to their home.

National Dog Adoption Month helps raise awareness about the benefits of adopting a dog as well as bringing to attention the problems of increasing dog abandonment in the UK.

The number of puppies being abandoned over the past 12-months has doubled according to worrying statistics revealed by the UK’s largest dog rehoming website, DogsBlog.com.

The recession and general belt tightening has been cited as a major cause for the upward trend, however the rapid rise in the number of dogs between the ages of 7 weeks and 12-months of age suggests more dog owners are taking on pets when they are ill equipped to fulfill the lifelong commitment to the animal.

Financial hardship and relationship breakdowns are the two most commonly cited reasons for dog abandonment and this has become especially pronounced over the past two years as people have been hit by the recession.

With over 100,000 dogs currently residing in the UK’s over-stretched welfare system and each dog costing the animal charity sector £6.65* per day, experts are concerned that any further pressure on shelters and charities will be unsustainable and a tipping point already appears to have been reached as one major charity (Battersea Dogs and Cats Home) recently announced they were putting to sleep many healthy dogs as they struggle to cope with the sheer number of surrendered animals.

Co-founder of DogsBlog.com and former professional dog trainer, Ryan O’Meara, believes a radically different approach is required to bring about a shift in attitudes toward dog acquisition and abandonment.

To try and debunk the myths about dog adoption and encourage dog lovers to consider adopting, DogsBlog.com and Butcher’s Pet Care, are launching National Dog Adoption Month this September with the emphasis firmly on spreading the message that breed research is the most essential preparation any potential dog owner can do. Understanding the unique quirks and habits particular to a specific breeds enables even the most experienced owner to make a better judgement about the compatibility of their lifestyle and any new dog they intend to bring in to their home.

O’Meara believes the increase in dogs being given up is as much to do with people failing to properly research their dog of choice as well as a growth in irresponsible breeders/suppliers of dogs who are exploiting the complete lack of regulation in producing dogs at wholesale levels.

“Sadly, we now live in an instant, must-have-it-now society. People often formulate the idea of getting a dog and before they’ve taken the time to really plan out what breed, age or even whether they’re actually able to provide a suitable lifestyle for any dog, they’ve gone out and got one. This creates a vicious cycle as responsible breeders and indeed rescue shelters will often reject unsuitable people, which in turn puts them in to the path of the irresponsible ones. So you have a situation where the have a situation where the needs of a certain breed are not matched correctly with the owner’s lifestyle and the cycle of misery and abandonment is perpetuated for the poor dogs.”

O’Meara continues:

“All too often we see small behavioural problems cited as a reason for people giving up their dogs. In many, indeed most, cases we find the owner hasn’t sought professional help but has assumed the problem to be insurmountable. This is often not the case and even the seemingly serious problems can often be corrected with the right advice and guidance. We always say it’s very similar to living with a child in the so-called terrible two’s age range. Problems may appear but they can just as easily be cured. Unfortunately, unlike children, pet parents are sometimes too quick to assume the worst and the dog finds itself looking for a new home, competing against more than 100,000 others.”

DogsBlog recently celebrated the successful rehoming of Axis, an eleven week old German Shepherd pup. But even by eleven weeks, Axis had been passed to three different homes, all of which rejected him through no fault of his own. Fortunately, Axis is now in a secure permanent home.
O’Meara believes that a lack of research in to suitable breeds is compounded by perceptions of dogs
and their adoptability when dogs reach a certain age.

In an effort to bring wider awareness to this problem, O’Meara offers a 5-step strategy to anyone thinking of getting a new dog.

1) Understand what your dog breed of choice was originally bred to do. If you like the look of an Irish Setter but don’t recognise the breed’s original purpose was to be a long distance working dog, don’t be too surprised if you find your beautiful puppy grows up to be a challenging proposition in relation to their desire to run off ahead of you.

2) Recognise that function is more important than form. In other words, if you buy a dog purely on looks alone, you may encounter several problems that you hadn’t bargained for in relation to health and behaviour. You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari to do the school run with if you have several children you need to reliably shuttle from one location to another – yet this is exactly what many dog owners do when they select a breed purely on how it looks rather than its all round suitability to live a particular lifestyle. It’s an error that can create misery down the line as the dog reaches maturity.

3) Most puppies are similar, regardless of breed. The fatal mistake owners make is in assuming a puppy will remain a puppy. A German Shepherd puppy is not entirely different to a Labrador puppy in terms of their behaviour and personality, until they start to reach maturity. Never judge a dog’s suitability for your life on the basis of how it acts and appears when it’s a puppy.

4) Seriously consider an older dog. An older dog doesn’t have to mean ‘an old’ dog. A dog of 12-months can be far, far more suitable for many people in terms of assessing its adult size, its temperament, its trainability and its suitability to live with children, other pets etc. There is a myth that in order for a dog to truly bond, you should get it as a puppy. This is completely and utterly false. Dogs can and will bond within family environments regardless of age and very young puppies, whilst cute, can actually be a real handful and a lot of work in comparison to a more mature dog. Don’t think for a second that just as much fun can’t be had with a dog over the age of 8-months…PLUS you get the added benefit of missing out on tearaway, disobedient phase that many puppies go through before they reach maturity.

5) Listen to experienced, professionals. If you go and visit a shelter – EVEN if you’re NOT considering getting a rescue dog – you can get invaluable, experienced advice that could save you (and any future dog) heartache at a later date. Never pass up the opportunity to get free, knowledge from the people who see the most common errors made by new dog owners, day in day out. Speak to shelter staff and pick their brains. You will be amazed at how much can be gained from just 10 minutes in the company of someone who’s seen it and done it over and over.

For anyone thinking of acquiring a new puppy, there is an upside to these figures. There are more puppies than ever before looking for a new home, disproving the myth that only old or badly behaved dogs find their way in to the welfare system.

We have nothing but fun together and she has settled into our family perfectly. She loves her new big sister Lucky, who has had to adjust to Mutley’s presence but has done so really well. At first Lucky was jealous but now she plays with mutley every day and looks out for her when they are around other dogs.

Mutley enjoys the fishing life very much as we travel all around Cornwall and have just got back from the Isle of White. She loves all the different smells and walks that are found on the coastline and when we fish beaches,we always have balls or sticks to throw for Lucky and Mutley really enjoys running up and down the beach.I have to be carefull though because she has developed quite a taste for our fishing bait and she is very quick to gobble it up when we are not looking!

Her confidence has grown a great deal since joining our family,she is very loving and gentle,she is a quiet contented little girl and her training is going really well as she is a very intelligent pup. I can’t thank you enough for bringing us together, DogsBlog and I hope we can give encouragement to others thinking of adopting a dog.

September is National Dog Adoption Month, run in association with Butcher’s Pet Care and DogsBlog.com – be part of something special – bring joy, adopt a dog.

Visit www.dogsblog.com to discover dogs looking for new homes across the UK.

- More than 100,000 dogs await new owners in UK adoption shelters.
- Awareness campaign aims to show the great benefits of adopting a dog.

For many, the idea of adopting or ‘rescuing’ a dog carries with it a certain image. A notion of doing a good deed, taking on a problem dog or an ill treated animal with a multitude of behaviour and psychological issues is a common perception of dog adoption. The reality is very different.

Dogs end up in adoption shelters for a wide variety of reasons such as former owners no longer having the finances to keep a dog, ill health or death of previous owner or a major change of circumstance. Within the UK animal welfare system are literally tens of thousands of dogs who would – and indeed do – make superb, lifelong family pets. In fact, choosing a dog from a shelter has many advantages over and above buying a puppy. For one, new owners can often get a great appreciation of the dog’s personality, likes and dislikes. Secondly, adopting a dog enables owner to hone their selection criteria to ensure they are taking home the perfect dog for their lifestyle.

One of the major reasons why dogs actually end up in a shelter is because people often select the wrong dog for their particular lifestyle. Any dog adoption centre will work hard to avoid this happening so owners and dogs are very carefully matched.

National Dog Adoption Month is an initiative run in conjunction with the UK dog adoption website DogsBlog.com and Butcher’s Pet Care, manufacturers of healthy, natural nutrition for dogs.

One of the common reasons owners turn their dogs into shelters is because they are not prepared for dogs who get unsettled when being left alone. National Dog Adoption Month is as much about preventing more dogs going into shelters in avoidable circumstances as it is getting more dogs out of shelters and in to new, loving, permanent homes.

During the month, National Dog Adoption Month is promoting one very simple, very important message: ‘Dogs in rescue shelters are not damaged goods. They are normal, happy, fun filled dogs who simply need a new home with a new family’.

The campaign aims to completely dispel the myth that ‘rescue’ dogs need pity or sympathy. Or that dogs in shelters are somehow there due to problems in their makeup, physical or emotional. The national dog adoption website www.dogsblog.com shows, clearly, that adoption centres are full, literally to bursting point, with all manner of different dogs of different backgrounds of various personality types. National Dog Adoption Month aims to prove to all would-be dog owners that the dog of their dreams is in an adoption shelter somewhere. All they need to do is look.

Adopting a dog is a concept supported by a growing list of celebrities. UK artist Lilly Allen has previously adopted a dog from Battersea dogs home, George Michael, John Barrowman, Geri Haliwell and Drew Barrymore are just some of the stars who have also seen the great benefits to adopting a dog.

Throughout the month there will be a number of dog adoption success stories, local fund raisers/open days held by rescue shelters and various events designed to promote the benefit of adopting a dog.