I know this stance will not make me very popular, but if you’re not willing to take the time, or invest the money in training, then maybe a rescue is really not the type of dog you need. You might be better off going to a good breeder who has started the training for you; someone who has already done the beginning of socialization and has raised the puppy in a loving family environment that will fit in with your lifestyle. You will still need to invest time and money in training but you know you are not dealing with a dog that has been abused or mistreated.

A great article to read before going forward with pet adoption is this one from the Humane Society: Are You Ready To Adopt A Pet? Ten Questions

That said, there is no better feeling than taking a rescue dog and working with that animal to help it overcome its past — to watch an animal that has been abused learn how to be a dog, learn how to be a pet and learn how to be well behaved part of your family. What a wonderful feeling when you see this animal blossom; but don’t think that comes without a lot of work and money. Sometimes you will have to hire a private trainer or someone who specializes in animals with behavior problems. But being a rescue is not an excuse for animal to continue to misbehave.

Before you adopt a dog that has been abused or traumatized you need to take a good look at yourself and your family situation. You need to be honest. How much time are you willing to dedicate to this dog? How much money do you have to put into rehabilitation? How much experience do you have? One question that I think is overlooked most of the time is whether the whole family has agreed to be part of the rehabilitation of this animal. These are questions that should be answered before anyone takes on an animal that has behavioral problems.

If you don’t have the experience, the patience, or the money, then you need to give a second thought to rescuing a dog that has emotional problems. It does not make you a bad person or any less of a dog lover, it’s just a reality. The last thing we want is to add to the problems this animal already has. Try and make sure that the dog that you adopt does not have problems that you are not ready to handle. After all, it’s a lifetime commitment.

Here is a great website for training rescue dogs and a great place to start out: Rescue Doggie

Be safe and have fun!

Gwinnett County boasts one of the largest park systems in Georgia. At the national level, it has one of the most successful greenspace programs in the country, made possible by the one-cent sales tax of SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax). Fortunately, the efforts of the Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Department have not gone unrecognized. The National Recreation and Parks Association presented the county with the 2008 Gold Medal Award for its excellence. In 2009, Park Pride announced Gwinnett County as a winner of its inspiration award.

In this series we will be exploring Gwinnett County’s Parks from “a dog’s eye.” We will be taking a look at how pet friendly they are and all the cool things you can do at each of them. We will also keep you aware of upcoming events that you and your dog(s) might enjoy.

Below is a map of the parks in the Gwinnett County area. Take a look, I’m sure you can find one close to where you work, live or play. Let us know what’s going on in the park that you frequent the most.