I’ve always loved dogs, and I’ve been known to be partial to Great Danes because they’re big gentle giants, but loving a shelter dog back to life has been one of the greatest privileges I’ve ever experienced. There’s something so very special about adopting a homeless dog.
If you’ve never rescued a shelter dog, it really is one of those personal experiences that changes your life and must be felt to be fully appreciated. I can tell you about my experiences with shelter dogs for hours, but something changes when it’s you who is doing the rescuing personally. For me, it was almost like a piece of my heart had been missing before I brought home Emma, and I never even realized I wasn’t whole until she came into my life. The second I saw her, I just knew it was meant to be, and she’d never spend another night feeling alone and unloved.
If you’re considering adopting a shelter dog but are unsure if it’s right for you, I’d like to encourage you to take that step of faith. I always worried I wasn’t a good enough dog mom or versed enough in how to properly train a shelter dog with “issues”. But Emma showed me that we were good enough for each other just as we were, no upgrades required. She had a few issues, and so did I, but we had enough love for each other to overlook those bumps in the road. Here’s what I’ve found to be true about loving a shelter dog:
- Shelter dogs help broken people. Even if you’re broken and having difficulty with loving people or even yourself right now, a shelter dog can help you learn to love again. I truly believe they are God’s training wheels for life to help us learn to relate to other people. They teach us to love by loving us deeply- the way only a dog can. And no dog appreciates the love you have to give better than a shelter dog.
- Shelter dogs deserve good homes. Yes, some shelter dogs come with problems created by abuse, neglect, and poor care and training provided by previous “owners”. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a loving home. Shelter dogs have experienced hardships many of us can relate to, and it makes them all that much more deserving. They deserve a second chance at a full life filled with love and care.
- Shelter dogs change. That shy, cowering pup you see in that shelter cell is not the same dog you’ll have a week from now in your own home. Shelter dogs are known to come out of their shells and flourish when put in a loving and stable environment. When it comes to shelter dogs, you really cannot judge the book by its cover because that book will adapt to the new story you are writing the second you bring home a shelter animal.
- All those “issues” don’t really matter. I was worried I’d fall in love with a dog with all kinds of complicated issues that I wouldn’t be prepared to handle like peeing on the carpet every time she heard a loud noise, intense fears of being left alone, a compulsion to chew on my furniture to relieve stress, or serious medical problems that I wasn’t qualified to handle. But I soon found out all my fears weren’t as serious as I had thought, and just like bringing home a new baby, once I saw that sweet face, I knew I’d do whatever that fur-baby needed with all the love in my heart and it would all work out okay.
- We can learn from shelter dogs. The incredible spirit that a shelter dog exhibits is truly inspiring. They’ve experienced so much pain and heartbreak, yet they’re still willing to give unconditional love to anyone willing to give them a second chance at a good life. Many are mixed-breeds with goofy characteristics that make them undesirable to someone looking for perfection, but those flaws add up to a dog a with intense character and an indomitable spirit that will inspire you to do more than you thought possible. One floppy ear or a crooked tail just makes them all that more endearing to us who love them.
If you’re bringing home a shelter dog, I’d like to help you take the very best care of your new fur baby. Shelter dogs can sometimes be a bit underweight and often have dental issues that require a little extra TLC. TruDog’s SPRAY ME doggie dental care spray can help treat gum disease in shelter dogs and BOOST ME raw dog food booster is terrific way to help add extra nutrients and the power of a raw diet to your dog’s meals without changing his food and upsetting his digestive system. BOOST ME can help your shelter dog gain back the weight he needs without additives, grains, fillers, and chemicals that can cause problems like allergies, hot spots, and decreased energy. TruDog’s COMPLETE ME doggie supplements with Omega oils is a must-have for any dog- especially those recovering from a high-stress situation or a previous period of neglect or abuse. And if your new family member needs a little help adjusting to the newness of living in a new home, CALM ME natural dog calming supplements can make a world of difference. Not all pet care products are alike, and I personally worked to help develop TruDog’s line of products and I give them to my own loves.
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