[Dailydrool] Rehoming ex-breeding bassets

[Adelaide Dawes]

Hilary,

I was recently browsing through a rescue site in the UK, probably the same
one you are referring to (after Becky posted about the three hounds up for
adoption), and noticed their policy on rehoming of ex-breeders.  It was
particularly interesting to me because of the 61 bassets Golden Gate Basset
Rescue recently took in.  I understood it was probably because they are used
to being with other dogs in a kennel environment, not for 're-training'
purposes.  At GGBR we don't have a policy as such.  We hopefully can
recognize when a home is the right home for a particular personality of
dog.

Many of the dogs we took in are under-socialized, being very timid and I can
see where being in the company of at least one other dog could be
reassuring.  However, although many of the dogs we took in were placed in
homes with other dogs in the foster situation, that honestly doesn't seem to
have affected their adjustment to life outside the kennel.  In some cases,
we can definitely say they need to be with other dogs.  In many cases, we
find that some dogs need the human contact instead and couldn't really care
less about there being other dogs around.  We have a couple of extreme cases
that are very worrying to us, where, despite having constant company of both
one other hound from the same kennel (plus existing, very well adjusted,
hounds in the homes), and at least one person, the dogs are very stressed.
One paces constantly, circling around the room as far away from people as
she can, and the other spends most of her life hiding in the yard, refusing
all temptations to come in and relax in the comfort of the foster home.

So, I don't think it is an essential feature of helping the hounds adjust to
life outside.  I don't think the rescue you refer to means they need to have
another dog to learn from.  And, personally, I don't think their policy is
correct.  There can, and should be, be exceptions to every rule.

We are treating all the kennel dogs as if they are pups, having to learn
everything anew.  Some have adjusted perfectly and very quickly.  What we
are doing is trying not to place any of these dogs in homes where they will
be left ALONE for any great length of time.  That is probably the worst
thing for a dog that has spent its whole life so far in the company of other
dogs.

Addy


Message: 3
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 07:10:35 +0000
From: Hilary Stevens <hilaryjane at msn.com>
To: "dailydrool at dailydrool.org" <dailydrool at dailydrool.org>
Subject: [Dailydrool] Rehoming of ex breeding bassets
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I'd be really interested in the views of rescues on this. When it
comes to rehoming ex breeding bitches, or dogs for that matter, is it
better that they go into a home that already has another dog
presumably that they can learn from? We have a all breed rescue in the
UK that seems to enforce this rule without exception and good and
knowledgeable homes - not me - are being overlooked as a result. Any
thoughts?

Thanks, Hilary

-- 
Addy Dawes
Secretary
Golden Gate Basset Rescue
http://ggbassetrescue.org
650 924 0144
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