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During the past months we’ve answered the most frequently asked questions about adopting a cat and now in this part three of our FAQ in English -series we tackle some key questions on dog adoption. This concludes our Frequently Asked Questions -series.

What does your dog adoption fee cover?

Each dog in our care is either neutered or spayed, dewormed, vaccinated and given a microchip that we register at Siruhaku.fi with the new owner’s contact information.

Do I need to have previous experience with dogs when adopting from Rekku Rescue?

Previous experience with dogs or any animals is, of course, always an advantage but we do also occasionally rehome dogs that don’t necessarily require an experienced dog owner and are therefore suitable as a first dog.

When considering adopting a dog, it is important to understand the long term responsibilities that come with pet ownership. A dog will be your family member for many years to come and you will need to find adequate time for them at every turn in life, even during unexpected circumstances.

Our adoption coordinators have lots of experience in owning dogs as well as rehoming them, so please turn to us in any problem situations or if you need additional information on any dog related issues. Our adoption coordinators will also help you find a dog that is just right for you, even as a first time dog owner.

What is your adoption process?

All of Rekku Rescue’s currently available dogs can be found on our website’s homeless dogs page. After you’ve found a dog that interests you, please read their introduction carefully and consider whether this particular dog is right for you, your everyday life and circumstances. If after this you’d still like to consider adopting the dog, you can contact their adoption coordinator, whose details are found on the bottom of the dog’s page. Each dog has been assigned an adoption coordinator who is familiar with the dog, its personality, needs and background. The adoption coordinator will, together with you, determine whether the dog in question is suitable for you and if it seems like you might be a match, a visit to the dog’s foster home will be arranged.

Our adoption process is designed to make sure each dog finds a forever home and that the adopter has thoroughly considered all aspects of owning a dog. Therefore we never release a dog to its potential new owner during the home visit and instead require all adopters to think their decision through overnight. The dog’s adoption coordinator will make the final decision regarding the adoption and will contact you after the home visit.

Before we can release a dog to its new owner, the adoption fee needs to be paid in full to Rekku Rescue’s account. We unfortunately can’t accept the payment in installments.

Can I adopt a dog into an apartment?

This depends on the dog. If they are already used to living in an apartment building, then there are usually no problems rehoming them into one. Many dogs however do experience separation anxiety, that can cause the dog to be noisy when left alone, and in these cases the dogs cannot be placed with a family living in an apartment.

On our website you will find all our adoptable dogs and a description of each of them. We always write the introductions very carefully and include all information we have of the dog, so by reading through these, you will often be able to determine whether a dog is suitable for you and your living situation.

Why can’t some of your dogs be rehomed into families with children?

Our priority is that neither our dogs or their new families need to compromise on welfare or safety due to the adoption. When possible we will consider rehoming dogs to families with children, if the home is otherwise compatible with the dog’s needs.

Some dogs however are not suited to living in a home with children, for example if they’ve had previous adverse experiences or haven’t had the chance to get used to kids. In order to prevent possible future problems it is safest to rehome these dogs into homes that don’t have any children. When rehoming dogs we take into consideration many factors and if it is already known, that a certain dog gets stressed in the company of children or has had to leave their previous home because of problems related to children, it would simply be wrong to put the dog under the same kind of pressure again.

Why are some of your dogs not suitable for homes with other dogs, even friendly ones?

Sometimes we receive inquiries as to why we won’t adopt out a certain dog to a home with another dog, even one that is kind natured and sociable. This is because in order to make a good match, both dogs should be socialized and used to the company of other dogs. Since many of our dogs come to us from difficult backgrounds where they haven’t been properly socialized, often the best way to prevent problems is to rehome them to homes where they can be the only pet.

During their time in foster care, we aim to assess each of our dog’s suitability for living with other dogs. However our main goal is to find our dogs homes that are just right for their individual needs and some dogs simply prefer not to share their living space with others. With such cases we prefer not to cause unnecessary stress to the dog by trying out different homes and instead opt for, in the best interests of the dog, the safest option.

I adopted a dog and now its behavior is different from what it was in foster care. What should I do?

It is not unusual that moving to a new home causes a dog some stress. Therefore upon arrival your new dog might be restless as well as exhibit other signs of stress, such as whining, panting, drinking lots and urinating or defecating inside. All of this is quite normal behavior in a dog that has already had to move once before, or possibly even several times, and is not a cause for concern. The situation usually improves within several days once the dog realizes it is safe.

Each dog is an individual and each takes their own time adjusting to a new environment. There are however a few ground rules you should remember when bringing a new dog home:

You should never let the dog go free during its first days in the new home even if it seems that the dog is responsive to commands. New surroundings with new and exciting smells can cause even the most obedient dog to wander off and this can result in the dog being lost.

You should wait at least a week before having any visitors, and even after this introduce your dog to strangers slowly, inviting people over either one by one or in small groups.

Be prepared to have a long adjustment period if your new dog has a timid nature. It might take many weeks or even months before visitors can even be considered.

Should you still have concerns or feel overwhelmed we warmly encourage you to be in touch with the dog’s adoption coordinator or foster home. Our organization has many years’ experience in rehoming rescue dogs so we will certainly be able to give advice and assess the situation with you.

Minna Monto