Subject: CLASS: Homechecks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:47:54 -0400
From: hhe - hhe@UCS.NET

I don't know if this was already mentioned but swimming pools and pesticides are major concerns for me.

I turned down a family because their fenced area for the dog also surrounded their in-ground swimming pool while their children's play equipment lived outside the fenced area.

My neighbor (until recently) has chemlawn come to spray her yard on a take no hostages program. She also ties her shi-tzu out every day so he can lay either on the cement stoop or on the weed and bug free lawn. No way would I intentionally place a rescue dog in either such situation.

Helena

Subject: Re: CLASS: Homechecks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 07:43:05 -0400
From: Judy Marion - iluvdogs@HUSKYNET.COM

At 12:47 AM 9/13/98 -0400, you wrote:
I don't know if this was already mentioned but swimming pools and pesticides are major concerns for me.

Now this IS a good point that was not mentioned! Thank you!

NoVa Rottweiler Rescue League, Inc/MD,DC,VA
http://waikaloa.huskynet.com/rottirescue/rescue.htm

Subject: CHAT: Home checks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 08:27:03 -0400
From: Jean Burk-Ujvary - twina@tempest.NAC.NET

I have only done a handful of home checks and most of them have been requests off of this news group. This class is very informative with allot of helpful suggestions so I thought I would add mine. When asked by another group to do a home check for them I ask that a copy of the adoption application is faxed or e-mailed over to me. Once I get it I go over the application and then I call my contact, at the rescue group, and ask them what concerns or special things they may want me to look for in the home. I have found that the rescue contact has an idea of what the perfect home for the dog they have is and it is hard when you are now the eyes and ears for them in the prospective home. I make notes on the adoption application, so I don't forget, and bring the application to the prospective home with me. One comment made by Shannon hit home on this point of why to make notes I have and always have owned large dogs and would not consider a dog door a negative thing, if it leads out to a secured fenced in area but for her breed it may not be a good thing. So it is very important to get some what of an understanding of what the needs of the breed you are doing the home check for are. As pointed out so many times in this class "What does your gut say in the first three minutes in the home!" Thank you for this wonderful class and this news group that allows us all to share information with one another.

Jean Burk-Ujvary
Boxer Rescue Service of NJ

Subject: CLASS: Homechecks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 06:50:47 -0700
From: Mary Beam - beam@erinet.com

I am new to rescue, and want to thank everyone for all this good information and to tell you all that I feel I am learning so much that I can barely keep up with it all.

I may have missed this, but what about neighbors to the family where the rescued dog is being placed? Do any of you check to see if their may be problem neighbors, neighbor dogs running loose and coming into yards or jumping fences? And, neighbor children?

We just placed a TFT, that I and a friend rescued, in my daughter's home. While we were there I asked about the neighbor children. When my son-in-law found one of the boys poking sticks through his fence, he replaced it with 6' wooden privacy fence so there could be no teasing of the little rescued dog that they dearly love.

This was not something I had thought about, in advance. It just came up.

Thanks,

Mary and The Fox's

Subject: Re: CLASS, CHAT: re: one VERY important question
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 07:26:36 -0700
From: Steward & Kathy Robbins - stewardrobbins@WORLDNET.ATT.NET

At 09:33 PM 9/12/98 -0400, you wrote:
This is a really timely topic:) I have a 6 year old sheltie of my own - she's wonderful with all people (she's a therapy dog). However, she does NOT accept most dogs and it seems that she is protective of food, her space and me - not necessarily in that order.

Dear All,

The above is a case where the better the owner knows her Sheltie, the easier it will be for her to introduce the new dog. SOME dogs don't act by the book, so the introdictions have to be creative. We have a super dominant elderly bitch who would be extremely intolerant of all other dogs ON NEUTRAL TERRITORY. She has always been "Different" so when we brought our new rescue dog home (a young neutered male of laid back, sweet temperament), my husband got creative about the introduction. We had previously had another male who had died about 6 months before. In some ways our bitch was enjoying the attention of being the only dog. When we pulled into the garage, my husband ran in and got Jolie leashed up and took her out the front door for a short walk. I brought the new guy in and let him sniff around and explore the house unimpeded. Then I took him and sat in the family room with my arm around him. When Steward came back with Jolie, be both started with happy voices saying things like, "Look whose here! Look who finally came!" Jolie took one look at him from above on the stairs, cried the most mournful dry you have ever heard, and ran down to us, licking him all ove his face. We released them and carefully supervised their play. She, of course, played the dominatrix, but we gently redirected her if she got too emphatic. She was too old to play like that anyway, and would pay the next morning. From them on it was like he had always lived here. She is almost 13 now, and Finn is two and a half. We knew his temperament from his foster Mom, and she too, had a dominant bitch. We knew her from experience. The ideal home for any dog knows their existing dog very well. Sometimes its is good to be creative in these cases. As for Jolie, she never met a dog on neutral territory that she liked, but had been raised by our older male and adored him. We figured out that with here, OUR pack is the good one, ergo ALL OTHER dogs/packs must be evil. So we just made sure she knew the Finn was the new member of OUR PACK. Any other creative introductions out there?

Kathy Robbins

Subject: Re: CLASS, CHAT: re: one VERY important question
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:07:37 EDT
From: Janine Peters - NenePeters@AOL.COM

On 9/13/98 Kathy Robbins writes:
So we just made sure she knew the Finn was the new member of OUR PACK. Any other creative introductions out there?

I have my lazy ladies way to introduce a bunch of quarky dogs to lots of others as I usually have new dogs going through here all the time!

I will have the new dog crated and away from the general crowd, but then put them out and let the new dog run all over the house and get comfortable! He leaves his scent everywhere and when he goes out and the crowd comes in their noses are going wild! They sniff and sniff!

After several sessions, his smell gets blended and they are not so excited about him!

then I introduce him to whoever I think he will get along with. This is a personal decision! I usually let the most dominant one drag a lead for a while, once they are having fun, off comes the lead.

Then I gradually add the others. Meanwhile the crowd is smelling this newcomer on everyone. I have gotten some real tough cookies to accept many different dogs this way. It takes a while, but has done well with us! Works with introducing cats too! ;>

Janine Peters
Louisiana
Basenji Rescue and All Breed Rescue much of the time! ;>

Subject: CHAT,CLASS: Homechecks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 10:01:53 -0500
From: Bryce & Joyce Peckham - jbpeckham@RURALNET2.COM

I for one am enjoying the classes, it is interesting to hear others and how they go about the business of rescue. I do rescue on a very small scale, the local HS calls me when they have a boxer and also send people to me who are looking for a boxer, plus a few of the local Vets call on me. I usually go and screen the Boxer, if it is amiable to other dogs, and seems adoptable, I take it to my Vet, he health checks them and gives them all of their shots(I have a running rescue account). If they are healthy, they are spayed or neutered while he has them. Then I bring them home, I have a separate area in my dining room(really my bird room) that is baby gated and has a large crate. The first few days are spent evaluating the dog's socialization, does it like other dogs, cats, men, women. The crate is in a quiet area and I take into consideration how much stress these dogs have had in a short time. When I am satisfied that I know as much as I can about the dog, I start matching the dog to a home. I am not shy about turning people down(politely). I know that each dog I rescue could end up here forever, or coming back. The last dog I had for about 3 weeks, He knew nothing, had never been in a house, didnt know come, had no manners. But he was smart and dying to please, when he went to his new home, he had all of his basic obedience down pat and was housebroken. To me time is the biggest investment that I make in these dogs, I want each placement to be a success both for the dog and the new family.

Joyce Peckham jbpeckham@ruralnet2.com
Kansas USA ICQ# 868550 Boxer Rescue
http://www.natenet.com/silas

Subject: Re: CHAT,CLASS: Homechecks
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 07:33:20 -0400
From: Judy Marion - iluvdogs@HUSKYNET.COM

If anyone needs any help from this point on, you can contact me privately. My week of teaching is now officially over. A new class will begin on Monday. But if there are things I can help with please feel free to contact me private email.

Judy
NoVa Rottweiler Rescue League, Inc/MD,DC,VA
http://waikaloa.huskynet.com/rottirescue/rescue.htm

End of Week Two

Week Three