* '''A trained dog is more likely to keep her new home.''' Many of these dogs have already lost one or more homes because their people couldn't be bothered to teach them anything. And while most people who adopt dogs do so with the best of intentions, they may not be prepared for the real-world work of training, especially if their lives are already crowded with other commitments. Between work, family, and everyday life, even the best-meaning adopter may find it overwhelming to train a puppy or adolescent from scratch. No one ''wants'' the dog to be returned, but it can happen. And every time a dog gets bounced back into rescue, she becomes harder to place. People are wary of dogs who have been returned multiple times; the dogs are prone to developing separation anxiety and behavioral problems as a result of that instability. Giving your foster dog a strong foundation in the basics reduces the odds that she'll be returned. | * '''A trained dog is more likely to keep her new home.''' Many of these dogs have already lost one or more homes because their people couldn't be bothered to teach them anything. And while most people who adopt dogs do so with the best of intentions, they may not be prepared for the real-world work of training, especially if their lives are already crowded with other commitments. Between work, family, and everyday life, even the best-meaning adopter may find it overwhelming to train a puppy or adolescent from scratch. No one ''wants'' the dog to be returned, but it can happen. And every time a dog gets bounced back into rescue, she becomes harder to place. People are wary of dogs who have been returned multiple times; the dogs are prone to developing separation anxiety and behavioral problems as a result of that instability. Giving your foster dog a strong foundation in the basics reduces the odds that she'll be returned. |