How to Adopt a Dog From a Rottweiler Rescue

By Debra Driza

Instructions

Step 1:
Spend some time getting to know the breed. Do your research first, and make sure that a Rottweiler's personality fits in with your needs. Then, try to get up close and personal with a few Rottweilers before applying for a rescue dog. Local dog shows can be a great place to meet the breed. Rescue organizations will expect you to be very familiar with the temperament and training challenges of the Rottweiler before allowing you to adopt a dog.
Step 2:
Plan ahead on how you will care for your rescue dog. Rescue organizations have stringent requirements on who they approve as families for their dogs, since they don't want their dogs to end up back in rescue a year or two later. The organization will want specific details about how much time you have to devote to a dog, where your dog will sleep, how you will exercise it and if you have a fenced yard, just to name a few. Be sure you have thought through every aspect of your dog's care, so you're prepared to answer questions honestly and intelligently.
Step 3:
Check into your homeowner's insurance policy. Due to recent bad press, many homeowner's policies will not cover you if you own a Rottweiler. Before you adopt, look online or talk to a local Rottweiler owner to find out where you can get coverage.
Step 4:
Decide if there are any certain requirements you have of a rescue dog. For example, you may decide you want a puppy or an older dog, a male or a female, a healthy dog or one with special needs. Just realize that Rottweiler puppies are highly desired by most people. If you want to improve your odds of getting a dog quickly, consider taking in an older dog, or one with a health issue.
Step 5:
Find a local Rottweiler rescue group and start the application process. Usually, you will have to go though several steps before being approved as a suitable home for a Rottweiler rescue dog. Expect to talk with a rescue volunteer over the phone, fill out a detailed questionnaire, provide references and have a volunteer come check your home, at the very least.
Step 6:
Be patient. Rescue volunteers work very hard to match each dog to just the right home. Also, the influx of dogs varies all the time. Depending on how many applicants they have, the specific type of dog you're looking for, and the amount of dogs they have in rescue, it could take quite some time for them to find you the perfect dog.
Step 7:
Be available when the rescue facility calls. When volunteers do find a dog they think might be a good match for you, they'll expect you to make time to meet him without delay. It's always a great idea to visit the dog on neutral territory, such as a park, rather than at the dog's foster home, where he might be more protective. When you meet a potential new pet, make sure to ask any questions you may have, and always raise any concerns about the dog's behavior.
Step 8:
Be prepared to pay a substantial adoption fee. Rescue groups are not-for-profit, but have to average each dog's fee to cover the health care and expenses associated with injured and sick dogs as well as the healthy ones. Therefore, you can typically expect to pay a few hundred dollars when you adopt a dog.

Tips & Warnings

Be polite, but persistent. Rescue workers are volunteers, and can sometimes overlook things or get busy. Sending the volunteers a weekly reminder that you are still interested in adopting a dog is a great way to stay on their radar when new dogs are acquired.
Offer to be a foster home. If you are an experienced Rottweiler owner and have the time, then consider taking in rescue dogs until they find a new home. Chances are, one of them will be perfect for you, and as a foster owner, you will usually get priority.
Do not take on more than you can handle. Rottweilers are not suitable for everyone. If you aren't an experienced large-breed dog owner, consider a different breed.

Resources

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