             |
Great Northern Siberian Husky Club
Surrender advice
Do you really have to give
up your Siberian Husky ?
There's a big difference between being forced to give
up your dog
and wanting to "get rid of them".
Search your heart for the real reason why your dog can't live with you
anymore. Be honest with yourself
Your dog is
your responsibility, they have no one else but you to look out for their
interests. It'll take effort, patience and persistence to find them the
right home.
They deserve your best efforts.
Before you do anything else,
call the person you got your dog from and ask for help.
Even if several years have passed, responsible
breeders care about the puppies they sold and will want to help you find a
new home. They may even take the dog back.
At the
very least, they deserve to know what you intend to do with the dog and
what will happen to it. If you can't remember the breeder's name,
look on your dog's registration papers. If you got your dog from an
animal shelter or rescue service, read the adoption contract you signed
when you adopted them. You may be required by the contract to return
the dog to that shelter.
To
successfully find a new home, you need to be realistic about your dog's
adoption potential.
Let's
be honest:
Most people don't want "used" dogs,
especially if they have health or behaviour problems. Your dog will
have the best chance if they're less than four years old, are healthy,
friendly to strangers, obey commands and adapt quickly to new
situations.
Look at your dog as if you were meeting
them for the first time.
What kind of impression would they make? Would you
want to adopt them?
Some
things to consider:
What
kind of home do you want for your Siberian ?
A
large fenced yard ?
Another dog to play with ?
Children ? No children ?
What
kind of people are you looking for ?
Make a list of what you feel is most important for
your dog. Then get real. No home will be perfect, of course, so
you'll have to make compromises. What will you be willing to
compromise on ?
Once you
have a firm idea of what you're looking for, it will be easier to plan
your search and get the results you want. If your dog isn't spayed
or neutered, DO IT NOW !
Don't waste your time trying to sell your dog as
"breeding stock" even if they're NZKC-registered. Frankly, no
reputable Siberian Husky breeder will want them unless they came from a
well-known show dog fancier or racing kennel in the first place. The
only kind of "breeder" who'll be interested in your dog will be a puppy
farmer or a dog broker. Spaying or neutering guarantees that your
dog won't end up in a puppy mill. It's the best way to insure that
your dog will be adopted by a family who wants them only as a best friend
and member of the family.
If your dog has never been tattooed or microchipped,
this is a great time to do it.
It's not unusual for
newly-adopted dogs to get loose and become lost. A permanent ID will
help your dog get back to you or his new owners.
Groom your dog. You want your
dog to look beautiful and make a good impression.
If you can't do these things yourself, take them to a
groomer.
Also buy a nice,
new, strong collar and lead.
Set a reasonable adoption fee, if indeed you are
asking for any money.
The key word is
"reasonable". You can't expect the new owner to pay you anywhere
near the same price for a "used" dog as they would for a shiny new
puppy. A reasonable range might be between $100-200, enough to help
offset your advertising and veterinary costs. The placing of the dog
with the right home should
outweigh any other
consideration.
Next
steps:
Word of mouth
doesn't go very far. Don't be afraid to use classified ads to advertise
your dog. Done right, it's the most effective way to reach the
largest number of people. It's easy to write a good ad that will
weed out poor adoption prospects right away. Your ad should give a
short description of your dog: their needs, your requirements for a home
and of course, your phone number. The description should include the
breed, colour, sex, the fact that they're neutered and an indication of
their age.
Hint: if your
dog is less than two years old, state their age in months, this way
they'll be perceived as the young dog they are. If they're over
three, just say that they're an "adult".
Emphasise your dog's good points;
Are they friendly ? Housebroken ? Well-mannered ?
Love kids ? Do they do tricks ?
Have they had any training ? Don't keep it a secret
but don't exaggerate either.
Knowing their name
doesn't make them "well-trained"! State any definite requirements
you might have for their new home; fenced yard, no cats, kids over 10,
etc. Try to say these in a positive way. For example, saying,
"Kids over 10" sounds better than "No kids under 10". If your
Siberian Husky doesn't like other pets, say "should be an 'only pet'"
rather than "doesn't like other animals". Always state that
references are required. This tells people that you're being
selective and that you're not going to give your dog to just
anybody. This statement will do a lot to keep people with bad
intentions from dialling your number. Never include the phrase "free
to good home" in your ad even if you're not planning to charge a fee.
If possible, don't put in any reference to a price at
all. Any people calling you about a "free" dog won't be the kind of
people you're looking for and may be people you'd rather not talk to at
all. Genuinely interested buyers know they have to pay for a quality
Siberian.
Your ad should
look something like this:
"Siberian Husky: beautiful, young
adult black and white male, neutered. Friendly, housebroken,
well-behaved.
Best with children over 10.
Fenced yard, references required.
Karen, 123-4567"
Along with your local newspaper, advertise in all
major papers within an hour and a half drive. Schedule your ad
so that it appears in Saturday's paper - the issue that's the most
well-read and widely circulated. Nearly every community also has
small, weekly "budget-shopper" newspapers that offer inexpensive
classified ads. Take advantage of them! Don't be discouraged if your
phone isn't ringing right away.
Put a phone number
in the ad where you can be easily reached or use an answering machine.
People can't call you if no one's home to answer the phone.
Newspapers are just one way to
advertise. Take a good cute photo of your dog and have copies
made. Duplicating photos can be done for as little as a dollar each
at most photo shops. Make an attractive flyer on coloured paper that
you can have copied for a few cents each. Attach the cute photo of
your dog. Your flyer doesn't have to be expensive, professional or
computerised, just neat and eye-catching.
Since
you're not paying for words, you can write more about your dog than you
could in a newspaper ad. Be descriptive! Post your flyers at grocery
stores, department stores, vets' offices, pet supply stores, grooming
shops, factories, malls, etc anywhere you can find a public bulletin
board. If you have friends in a nearby city, mail them a supply of
flyers and ask them to post them for you.
To help you along, we've included a list of questions
that we ask our callers. Make copies of this list and fill in their
answers as you speak to your callers. Get out the list you made with
your requirements for a new home and compare it to the answers the callers
give.
First of all, get
your caller's name, address and phone number. Deceitful people may
call you from a phone booth or give you a fake address. Ask for
information that you can verify.
Does the caller's family know about and approve of
their plans to get a dog? If not, suggest they talk it over with
their spouse and call you back. The same applies to people living
with a companion or room-mate. When one person adopts a dog without
the full approval of the rest of the family, the adoption often fails.
Do they own or rent their home
? If renting, does their landlord approve? You'd be surprised how
many people haven't checked with their landlord before calling you.
If you have doubts, ask for the landlord's name and
number, then call them yourself.
Be cautious about
renters, they're quicker to move than people who own their homes and
movers often leave their pets behind.
Remember, you're looking for a permanent home for your
dog.
Does the caller have
children ? How many and how old are they ? If your dog isn't good with
kids, say so up front. How many children can make a difference
depending on your dog's personality. A shy dog may not be able to
cope with several children and their friends. Very young children
may not be old enough to treat the dog properly. If the callers
don't have children, ask them if they're
thinking
of having any in the near future. Many people get rid of their dogs
when they start a family.
Have they had dogs, especially Siberian Huskies,
before ? If yes, how long did they keep them ?
These are very important questions!
How they treated the
pets they've had in the past will tell you how they might treat your
dog.
The
following answers should raise a red flag and make you suspicious:
"We gave him away when
we moved." Unless they had to because of unavoidable problems, moving is a
poor excuse for giving up a pet. Almost everyone can find a place
that will allow dogs if they try hard enough.
If they gave up their last dog that easily, there's a
good chance they'll give yours up some day, too. "We gave him away
because he had behaviour problems." Most behaviour problems - poor
housebreaking, chewing, barking, digging, running away - result from a
lack of training and/or attention. If the caller wasn't willing to
solve the problems he had with his last dog, he probably won't try very
hard with your dog either.
"Oh, we've had lots of dogs!" Watch out for
people who have had several different
dogs in just
a few years' time. They may never have kept any of them for very
long.
Do they have pets now ? What kinds ?
Obviously, if your dog isn't good with cats or other animals and your
caller has them the adoption's not going to work out. Be up front.
Better to turn people away now than have to take the dog back later.
The sex of their other dogs is
an important consideration. Usually adult, spayed females will do
better with a neutered male than another female. Often, an adult
neutered male can be with a neutered male or a spayed female without
incident.
Dog fights can be serious problems and
one dog can hurt or even kill the other.
Are their
current pets spayed/neutered ? This gives some insight into what kind of
owners they may be. It is healthier and safer to have spayed/neutered
pets. Are your prospective owners the kind of people who recognise
this ? Are they breeding their other animals for profit ?
These are important
considerations concerning the atmosphere of your dogs potential
home. Do they have a yard ? Is it fenced ? Your dog will need
daily exercise. Without a yard, how will he get it ? Can the caller
provide it with regular walks ? If the yard isn't fenced, ask how he
plans to keep the dog from leaving his property ? Did the
caller's last dog wander off or get hit by a car ? If so, how will
they keep this from happening to his next dog ? Do they understand
that our independent Siberian Huskies will likely run off if not contained
or on a leash at all times ? That they have a mind of their own and
don't like to come when they're called ? Do they know that keeping a
Siberian Husky tied up can have a bad effect on the dogs temperament
? Do they know that Siberian Huskies are often escape artists and
may learn to dig/climb/jump out of inappropriate fencing and are they
willing to correct any fencing problems should they arise ? Or
will they simply "get rid of" your dog when this problem occurs ?
Where will the dog spend most of its time ? Although most Siberian
Huskies love to be outside whenever they can, a whole life outdoors
probably isn't what you have in mind for your dog. Dogs always kept
outside are sometimes neglected, lonely and may
develop behaviour problems. Constant unsupervised time outside
may also lead to increased escape attempts and destructive behaviour. Why
is the caller interested in a Siberian Husky ? What do they like about
them ? Find out what kind of dog "personality" they're looking for.
Many people are attracted by the Siberians beauty
but don't know anything else about them. They
see the striking coat pattern, the "wolfy" look, the bright blue eyes and
don’t stop to consider the personality wrapped up in that package.
They might not have the slightest idea what a Siberian Husky is all about
and might not like its temperament and characteristics.
If their expectations don't match your dogs
disposition, the adoption is not going to work. Be honest about our
breeds good and bad points.
Is a Siberian Husky really what they're looking for
or would they do better with another breed ? Many rescues spend
a lot of time helping potential owners decide that a Siberian Husky is not
the right dog for their needs after all.
It’s better to know this before your dog is in its new
home.
And if you’re giving
up your dog for some of these reasons, what’s to prevent the next owner
from doing the same ? Be honest with yourself and prospective
owners.
References
Get the phone number of their vet (if they've had pets
before)
and two other personal references.
Call those references! Explain that John Doe is
interested in adopting your dog and you want to make sure they'll give it
a good home.
Ask the vet whether former pets were
given regular
medical care, annual vaccinations
etc.
Were they in good condition and well-groomed
?
How long have they known this person ?
If they were placing a pet, would they feel
comfortable giving it to this person ?
Once you've chosen a family (or families) that you
feel are good candidates, make an appointment for them to see the
dog. You should actually set two appointments: one at your house and
one at theirs. Going to their house lets you see whether their home
and yard are truly what they said they are and whether your dog will do
well there. It also gives you an opportunity to call off the
adoption and take the dog back home with you if things aren't as
represented, if you think there'll be problems, or if you just get a
bad feeling about the whole thing.
If the family has children, ask them to bring them to
the interview. You need to see how the dog will react to them
and how the children treat the dog. Some allowance should be
made for kids natural enthusiasm but if these children are undisciplined,
disrespectful to your dog and not kept in hand by their parents, your dog
could be mistreated in its new home and someone could get bitten.
Do you like these people ? Are you comfortable having
them as guests in your home ? Would they make good friends ? If not, don't
give them your dog. Trust your instincts.
If something about them doesn't seem quite right, even
if you can't explain what it is, don't take a chance on your dog's
future. Wait for another family!
After the interviews are over, give the new family a
day or two to decide if they really want to adopt your dog. Make
sure they have a chance to think over the commitment they're making.
While they're deciding, get a
package ready to send along with your dog.
This package should include:
your dog's medical records and
the name, address and phone number of your vet.
your name, address and phone
(and new address if you're moving)
your dogs toys and belongings ie.
(dog bed, blanket, etc.),
a
supply of dog food and special treats he loves
an
instruction sheet on feeding, special needs, etc.
some reading material about the Siberian Husky
breed.
collar and leash; ID and vaccination
certificates
Now the
decision has been made, set aside a special time for you and your dog to
take a last walk together and say goodbye. We know you'll cry. Do it
now, in private, so you're clear-headed when they have to leave.
They may be confused about being left with strangers and you won't want
your emotions to upset them even more.
There are some things you need to explain to the new
family before they take your dog home.
The dog will go through an adjustment period as they
get to know their new people, learn new rules and mourn the loss of their
old family. Most dogs adjust within a few days, but others may take
longer. During this time, they should avoid forcing the dog to do
anything stressful -- taking a bath, obedience training classes, meeting
too many strangers at once, etc. -- until they've had a chance to settle
in. Tell them take things easy at first and give the dog time to
bond to them. The dog might not eat for the first day or two.
Not to worry -- they'll eat when they're ready. Some dogs
temporarily forget their training. A
well-housebroken dog may have an accident during their first day in
their new home. This isn't unusual and rarely happens more than
once.
Tell the family they
should call if the adoption doesn’t work out. Tell them to call you
if they have questions or problems.
Be willing to take the dog back home if things don’t
work out the way you expected.