DOGS: Deserve a chance

I don’t know what made me think of this, but I wanted to share some experiences we’ve had with the various dogs we’ve adopted over the years. Mainly, that it takes time for everyone — you, your family, the dog — to adjust and bond. It’s a new normal all the way around, but especially for the dog, who is having to learn a whole new set of rules, what’s acceptable and what’s not, and is most likely very scared and nervous and longing to get it “right.”

We’ve had many dogs, almost all rescues, and several who were older and had lived in other homes by the time they came to us. These have turned out to be phenomenal dogs, but it took time to bond with each one. In our case, about three months. Then something just clicked and we knew that dog was ours for good. We even had a dog who was 5 and so anxious and destructive when we first got her, that we found her another home after about three months. But at the last minute, something “clicked” and we kept this little dog. We had her for 11 more years!

So please, imagine yourself being moved from home to home and having to learn the boundaries all over again, and give these animals a chance.

ANN ADAIR

Coeur d’Alene