by Ian Dunbar

CD111   $10.00  (60 minutes)

When searching for a dog to adopt, the mantra is: Selection! Selection!! Selection!!! The perfect dog is waiting for you somewhere, so make sure you search far and wide and “test drive” as many potential candidates as possible. Shelter dogs usually have a bit of behavioral baggage and require immediate and regular behavioral rehabilitation to make them more adoptable and to increase the success of their second chance in another home.

Make sure that all family members are in total agreement with regards which dog to adopt and that all family members, especially including children, are perfectly comfortable and able to get the dog to at least, come, sit, lie down, rollover and relinquish his toys and other valued possessions. Make sure that you know the dog’s good qualities and potential problems. And make sure you know beforehand how to retrain the dog, if she is fearful, leash-reactive, or otherwise lacks basic manners.