I want to start out by saying, I will never judge anyone for having to rehome a dog. If you are here because you are wondering if you should rehome your dog, please feel comfortable knowing you are in the right place.
Sh** happens. Life changes, people get new jobs, get sick, pass away, dogs develop health or behavior issues. When adopting a rescue dog there are never guarantees. Heck, life is never a guarantee!
This site has loads of helpful information that could help you through some health and behavior issues. If there is anything I can do to help you through this hard time, please feel free to contact me.
Rehoming a Dog Guilt
If you are unsure if rehoming your dog is the right choice, you may be feeling guilty that you cannot take care of her anymore. Or that you made a bad decision on adopting him in the first place. I can’t take away that guilt, but you can help yourself and the dog by doing some research before giving your dog away.
As hard as it may be to understand from the perspective of an outsider, sometimes a situation arises when you need to rehome your dog. As a volunteer for a local rescue, I see owner surrendered dogs all of the time.
In fact, our very first foster dog was a 10-year-old black lab, Silla, that was surrendered by her family. I admit I was confused as to why anyone would let such a sweet lab go. I didn’t know the family, but I do know they didn’t make the choice to rehome their dog lightly.
From what I do know, they lived on a farm and adopted two new herding breed dogs. The two new dogs did not get along with Silla and fights broke out. They felt that giving Silla a quiet home to retire in was in her best interest. Again, I am not here to judge. Did they feel guilty? I’m not sure, but I can only imagine how difficult that decision was for them.
Rehoming a Dog Tips
So, let’s start by ensuring you are making the right decision to rehome your dog. Why have you decided you need to give your dog away?
Rehoming a Dog Because of Life Circumstances:
- I have become too sick to take care of my dog.
If your situation is temporary, can you find a friend or family member to help by taking your dog in for a few months until you get back on your feet? - I can no longer afford my dog because of job loss.
Same as above, see if someone will help you and your dog out until you find a new job. - I am moving to an apartment that does not allow dogs.
Find an apartment that does allow dogs. I’m sorry but this is one that you do have control over. I know sometimes it can be hard, but there are plenty of landlords that do allow dogs. - We just realized my child is allergic to dogs.
Are you certain it is the dog your kids are allergic too? Have you tried bathing your dog? Brushing him more often? Keeping the dog out of the areas your child sleeps and plays? - We just had a new baby and no longer have time for a dog.
A baby may keep you busy, but it has been proven that kids who grow up with a dog are healthier. Children that grow up with a dog learn responsibility and compassion for animals. You will make time for both baby and dog. Many activities you can do with your dog and child… go for walks or play ball in the backyard together. - I cannot afford my dogs health care, because of an illness or injury.
Talk to your vet about payment options or look into Care Credit. I understand the thought of spending hundreds or thousands on your dog is daunting… trust me I do, I’ve been there. And sometimes we have to make tough decisions, but there are options out there, you just need to find them. - I got a new job and no longer have time for a dog.
Consider doggy-daycare or a dog walker. You did make a commitment to your dog when you first adopted him. Do your best to make it work.
Rehoming a Dog Because of Behavior Issues:
- My dog has bitten a child.
I understand it is really scary if your rescue dog has bitten your child. This should never be taken lightly. But please look at the situation with a clear mind. Read Why Do Family Dogs Bite and make your decision from there. - My dog has bitten another dog.
If you adopted a new dog and he isn’t getting along with your other dog, then take a few steps back and start over. Read The Best Way to Introduce a Second Dog and see if you can fix the relationship. - My dog has severe separation anxiety and has destroyed our house.
What have you tried to help your dog with his anxiety? Please read Solutions for Separation Anxiety to see if there are steps you can take before giving up on him. - I just adopted this dog and he isn’t what I expected.
How long have you had the dog? Have you given her enough time to adjust? Did you know that it could take up to 3 months for a rescue dog to feel completely comfortable in her new home? If you are certain you adopted the wrong dog, talk the rescue or shelter you got the dog from. Many times, they will take the dog back if it just isn’t a good fit.
An important note about rehoming a dog that has bitten a child or dog. Please disclose this information before giving your dog away. No matter how desperate you are, do not allow another child to be bitten. Do you really want another family to go through what you have?
Where Can I Give My Dog Away
If you are certain rehoming your dog is the right decision, where and how should you give your dog away?
No matter which option you choose, it’s important to be honest about all your dog’s issues and health concerns. Finding someone that is prepared to take care of all of your dog’s quirks, big or small, is important… or else he will just end up being returned to you or worse, euthanized.
Option 1: Contact the Rescue You Originally Adopted Your Dog From
If you adopted your dog from a shelter or rescue, start by asking them about taking the dog back. The rescue I volunteer for actually requires their adopters to surrender the dog back to them if needed at any time.
Some rescues will even post your dog on their website and let you keep him until you find a good home.
Option 2: Turn to Friends and Family for Help
I recommend you start by asking friends and family, even co-workers if they would be willing to take in your dog. This way you know the dog will be well taken care of.
Option 3: Post on Social Media
Posting a photo and your dog’s story on Facebook could be a great way to get the word out he needs a new home. I understand you may be afraid of being judged by your peers, but you’d be surprised how fast you could rehome a dog using social media.
Option 4: Ask Your Veterinarian
Your vet may have adoption resources you could turn to, or maybe even know someone looking to adopt a new dog.
Option 5: Rehoming a Dog on Adopt-a-Pet Website
Adopt-a-Pet is a well-known online adoption website, and they have a rehoming listing service too! Adopt a pet makes it easy to list by simply filling out the form online and uploading pictures. Rehome at Adopt-a-Pet also has a ton of resources for you to try and keep your dog!
Option 6: Rehoming a Dog on Craigslist
I love Craigslist, I use it to buy and sell everything from toys to furniture. But when it comes to dogs, it can be sketchy. Some very bad people lurk on the social selling site.
Let’s face it, we’ve all heard the horror stories of people getting scammed out of their houses, kidnapped or shot over a computer. And dogs being bought for reasons I’d rather not think of… bad reasons… for fighting and bait dogs.
There are also stories of puppy mills posting on Craigslist, so again, please do your research before buying or selling on this platform.
Now that I scared you, I have to admit something… we adopted our yellow lab Bear from Craigslist. Yup, that’s right we adopted an 18-month-old pure breed English Yellow Lab on Craigslist! We got lucky, the family rehoming him got lucky.
Bear grew much larger than the family thought he would… at a whopping 97 lbs, he was too big to live in a small trailer home with no yard. Plus, Bears’ previous owner was aging, had bad knees and couldn’t walk him. He was bursting at the seams with built up energy and was not a happy dog.
She realized this and came to the difficult conclusion that they needed to rehome Bear. She cried as we packed Bear’s belongings into our car, so I knew she cared very much for him and I am sure she felt guilty for letting him go.
A happy ending can happen, but you need to do your homework. Ask a lot of questions and meet the family before agreeing they can adopt your dog. Ask for a rehoming fee to ensure the new family is serious.
Option 7: Contact Your Local Humane Society or Shelter
I’d say this should be your last resort. Dogs become very stressed when dropped off at a shelter. A shelter can be a scary place for any animal. And you have no idea how long he could end up staying there.
Call ahead and find out the shelters process of surrendering a dog. DO NOT just drop a dog off at the back door! Please no matter how desperate you are, this is not the right way to handle rehoming a dog.
The more information the shelter has about your dog before rehoming, the less stress for the dog, and the better chance he has for being readopted.
Please make sure you find a no-kill shelter. Unless your dog is truly aggressive, and you’ve tried everything… does he really deserve to be euthanized?
Over to you… please share your story in the comments below. I created the Rescue Dogs 101 community so we can support each other in times of need. It could help someone else in the same situation. You may be feeling alone right now, having to rehome your dog is not an easy decision, but please take comfort in knowing you are not alone! I am here for you.
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My dog is four year old. My son moved and she was gifted to me. She has had a great life with me. Well fed and cared for. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Loved.
I hesitated to take her, but here I am. She has destroyed windows because of fireworks or gun shots(New Year's). I can't get away because I need to find someone to watch her. Well, I can get away, but I would like to just get in my car and leave for a few days, but I can't. Her behavior during fireworks and gunshots are very stressful to me. No one know what it's like.
I am beginning to think that someone else could provide a better home that could meet more of her needs.. She is mostly lab with a drop of pit. My son found her and brought her home. He moved far away and so did my ex. Them: "Can you take care of Arya?" Me: "No." I have her.
She is the sweetest dog ever. Rehome?
I always say, take care of your mental health first. If the dog is too much for you, then it’s okay to find a better suited home for her. If you do decide to keep her, here are a few tips for surviving the fireworks, etc. https://www.rescuedogs101.com/dogs-firework-anxiety/. And here are some ideas for if you want to take a vacation without the dog: https://www.rescuedogs101.com/checklist-leaving-dog-while-vacation/.
I am really struggling. My dog that I had for almost 12 years died a little over a week ago. I thought that getting another puppy would help this process. I got one yesterday and she is sweet and well behaved. I am having panic attacks and have been almost nonstop crying since getting her. I don’t know what to do. She is a great pup but I think I may have made a mistake not giving myself time to heal first. I miss my boy and do not want to neglect her due to my feelings. She is starting to get attached and I want to be fair to her.
I am terribly sorry for your loss. You need to give yourself time to grieve. Don’t feel guilty about having to take care of yourself first.
I've had shepherds, collies, mixes of both. I adopted my neighbor's golden retriever. Apparently he's got self regulation issues, gets so excited that he jumps. From what I heard, they kept him crated. I never crated dogs. He may have been hit, or yelled at.
He's bonded to me, in a really clingy way. If I'm sitting on my bed, I can't get up because he's right next to the bed and no floorspace to put my feet. My apartment has a door to the yard. He won't go out except during the night for a quick pee. There's a staircase going up into another apartment. Family live there, along with 2 dogs. He gets along with the dogs, but even if I'm up there, he goes downstairs even before I do. I feel suffocated. His need for affection is endless.
I also worry that I can't give him the exercise he needs. I have back issues. A 2 mile walk, even with a back support is tough.
And he has a drool when he's had any type of exercise. Friends have a mastiff who drools, and it grosses me out. I never had a dog that drooled, even slightly before.
On the positive side, he can be left alone and doesn't destroy anything. He has a sweet disposition. I read where golden retrievers are Velcro dogs. I prefer dogs with a bit more independence. But I'm not sure how much of this is the breed, and how much is from his prior home. I sat on the bed, far in (the only place he can't reach me), took off my shoes. I had to throw them across the room because he was lying next to the bed, so no room to put them on the floor. He took off into the other room, even though I didn't throw them near him. Knowing what I now know, if I could do over adopting him, I wouldn't.
I’ve owned dogs for many years now big ones as well just lost my staff cross to cancer at 15yrs age my sons brought me this tiny yellow Labrador cross as my heart was so broken this little dog was so energetic couldn’t even train him due to this had him when he was 0ver 4weeks old as time went on his size increased dramatically his behaviour isn’t great I managed somehow to teach him sit wait which he does so well I love him to pieces as when my previous dog died of cancer he went up to her and smothered her with licks like he knew she was dying so there is that connection but he has all her behaviour ways as my previous dog gypsy never listened and because she was a rescue dog became agresive.my new dog has no agresesin at all just not listening and pulling like a wild lion on lead his also destroyed so many household things can’t even go hospital appointment s I know his got separation anxiety but I’m left to deal with all this and I’m 62not good health if a decent home was found maybe I’d consider re homing him but I know il be a complete mess seing him go I’m stil crying like crazy over the lost of my other dog EE did everything together if my new dog at least calmed down and listened then rehousing him wouldn’t even be a option
i know this is going to sound crazy but i had to give a unch of my dogs away to the animal intake. i tried to give them away as puppies but nobody ever seemed like the right person so weeks turned to months turned to years, then one day out of the blue a friend came by i was stressed about my home because naturally the dogs were taking over and she offerd to take them to the shelter and i laid on my bed and said just do it i didnt say bye to them or anything i didnt think i could . i watched them quickly getadopted on the web site, they went quickly, but i cant get over what i ve done or do i know if i ever will.
I think I might be facing having to rehome our dog, and I'm really upset about it. We live out in the country and I thought our lifestyle would be great for a dog. Frequent car rides to the park, acreage to run on, a bunch of happy and gentle kids to play with… and I thought the kids and I would feel safer with a dog out in the middle of nowhere.
I found a dog on social media that was about to be surrendered. He was 14 weeks old and had already been bounced around 3 times. I thought he deserved a good home and that since he was already used to kids he'd be a good fit for us, and he seemed young enough to train.
He's so anxious even now, approaching a year later. He never settled in. We can't go into another room without him whining outside the door. We can't put him on a run… I tried that so we could get space from him and he chewed and destroyed our lawn furniture. He is terrified of crates and dog houses. I considered taking him to a trainer, but it's expensive to do and I have to drive him out almost an hour away. He gets car sick, so I can't take him anywhere without fasting him from dinnertime until we bring him home. Not being fed in the morning makes him panic and drool and then he sometimes throws up on an empty in the house.
I feel terrible because it's not his fault he's anxious, but and he listens to commands, but he literally cannot enjoy anything we do or give us any space, and he gets overwhelmed by too much petting, too, so we have to live around all this and it's stressing me out so much. I have five kids and my husband has a job he travels for. I can't do this anymore.
The shelters around here are just so packed, though. I'm afraid they'll struggle to find a new home for him because he is so high needs. How do I assess families online to make sure their intentions are good taking him in? Do you think I've given him enough time and it's reasonable to rehome him?
A few thoughts, if you are set on rehoming him, then assessing the interested family that wants to take him will be key. Be upfront with everyone about his history. As a lot of questions, ask for referrals, and create a contract. You may even consider visiting their home if possible.
With that said, it sounds like this dog needs a lot of structure. There are a lot of resources here on this website that can help. I also recommend joining our private Facebook community. It’s a great place to get advice from others that have been in the same situation.
Hi
i have à very unwell mother im looking afrer and have been through alot of trauma recently.
im the owner of 3 english springer spaniels who i adore whole heartly.
with everything i have gone through the last 18 months life has affected me and the way i once lived with my 3 pups.
i know in my heart with mums needs increasing that i cant give them what they once had and deserve.
Just wanting some advice and support
We have a private Facebook group community that would be a great place to get support online. But I also highly recommend reaching out to a local friend or family member to talk with. Your mental health takes priority. Maybe you have someone close that can help take care of the dogs while you go through this difficult time in your life.
I adopted a 6 year old collie/pit mix about three weeks ago. I adopted him because he was and is still very sweet. I should mention I am a first time dog owner. I have felt a bit overwhelmed with leaving him for hours on end-he does not do well in a crate but he is fine roaming my apartment with few accidents. He did destroy my window blinds when I was gone but that’s the extent of it. I also do not have a fenced in yard where he can exercise his spurts of energy.
The most concerning aspect-he has displayed aggression towards strangers, especially runners and cyclists. He jumps at them and I have to brace myself to pull him down. He tore a runner’s shirt and tore through a girl’s sweatshirt and it
could have been worse if the sweatshirt wasn’t so
thick. We’ve had training sessions and the trainer said the previous owners most likely trained that behavior. When we’re at Petco for training he growls and barks at everyone who walks in.
My dog also want to give and receive a lot of attention and that makes me think he would be better suited in a household with multiple people and a yard. I feel guilty thinking I think it’s best to re home him but he may be happier in a busier household where he can be better socialized.
Petco for training is like sending a child to kindergarten. It’s not for dogs that need behavioral training. I highly recommend checking out this article about reactivity (which is what your dog is exhibiting), and also check out Spirit Dog Training, which I mention in the article.
I became friends with an elderly man in my apartments. I helped him with his dog a lot. His last trip to the hospital he passed away. His family never contacted me about his dog. I have the dog but I’m feeling very guilty .I have two cats I have trouble affording. Shes the sweetest dog and she loves me to death .Its just so expensive and I raise my grandson on my own and I feel so guilty for even thinking about getting rid of her . She loves me so so much. She is a York shire terrier she’s fully potty trained in door . She loves walks and will go outside also. she’s just so sweet she loves going bye bye. . I work full-time my grandson is in extracurricular activities we were gone more than we’re home and I feel guilty about that. I feel she will be better off somewhere and they have a big fenced in yard for her to run and play and somebody that can be with her all the time. I’m just feeling guilty I can’t give her the time she really needs. She knew her daddy for four years and she’s known me over a year and she has lived with me full-time for almost 2 months. I don’t know what to do I feel so torn.😞😞😞
Reach out to the family of the man, they may want the dog. You are in a very unique situation, you should not feel guilty. If the family doesn’t want the dog, then reach out to friends to see if they know anyone looking to adopt a dog. You need to put you and your grandson priority.
The family does not want the dog. Where I got her haircut the lady does knows a woman who owns a big house who wants a small dog who has a big fenced in yard and another dog she stays home all the time . I’m crying writing this just thinking of getting rid of her but I know she would be happy with somebody home all the time and a big yard to play in. I do have to put us first . Thank you so much fir your time to answer me. Good Bless you.
Kimberlee
I am currently struggling with this decision and would love an opinion of people have dealt with this and think this situation could improve. I adopted a bearding mixed breed dog about 6 months ago now. I had a cat before adopting the dog, he’s almost 2 years old. Before bringing the puppy home I made sure to put up a gate to my room so my cat would have a safe space with food, water and litter. After we did the introductions I thought things would slowly get better and they got more comfortable and got used to each other. I even put my puppy through training classes to help with this situation. Now 6 months my cat hides in the room with the gate for 90% of the day. When he does come out he sits are the top of the stairs and the dog has gotten better about leaving him alone if he’s sitting there but will still randomly chase after the cat. There was also a night when the cat decided he did want to be downstairs and my dog was freaking out. She was nipping at him and trying to stand over him and put her paws on top of the cat. Anytime the cat moved the dog would immediately go after him. Since that situation the cat won’t leave the top of the stairs and as soon as the dog starts to go upstairs he runs directly to the room to hide. The dog has also learned to jump over the baby gate and keeps getting in there to eat the cats food and try to get into the litter. When the dog jumps the gate the cat hides under the bed for hours. Things have improved slightly since the initial month of having a dog in the house but my cat doesn’t come downstairs anymore and spends the majority of his time in my bedroom. Before bringing the puppy home he was always downstairs playing and laying on his cat tree. I guess in a way they are coexisting but not well. I feel guilty that my cat spends most of his life trapped in a room. Is there any way for this to get better at this point? Or is this how it will be forever? Is this even a suitable way for a cat to live? I feel guilty for considering the option of rehoming my dog but I don’t know what else to do at this point. Any advice would be helpful.
I was chosen & gifted 2 beautiful dogs via
social media free rehoming site. The lady had 2 weeks to be sure. I spent a lot of money on beds, food, toys, seat covers, etc & I drove 2.5hrs to pick them up, she gave me all their papers, microchip numbers, vet papers, all their food & belongings. I even registered them with council. Now 2 days later she demands them back. I love my new fur babies. Seems so unfair. Can she do this?
Did you sign a contract or have any paperwork for proof of ownership transfer? Even copies of your communications online could help.