Over the years we have adopted several dogs from rescue centers, most have turned out to be great pets/companions, and it makes you wonder why they were there to begin with?
We currently have three dogs and a cat, I bought the German Shepard so she could be trained as a therapy dog used in teaching kids to read, the others a miniature schnauzer and poodle were rescue dogs. The cat is a stray that showed up on my front porch one cold December day with it’s right eye hanging out. The wife tried to turn it in to the rescue folks but they couldn’t take it, we nursed him back to health, saved his eye and just kept him. We live in a rural area and use to have rats and mice in the sheds and barn, I haven’t seen one since the cat showed up.
This past November we lost our old Schnauzer after 14 years (also a rescue brood bitch from a puppy mill). Three weeks ago I stopped the SPCA to drop off a load of aluminum cans and spotted a young lady bringing in a small female Schnauzer (about three years old); she had been found along a busy highway. I looked her over and knew immediately I wanted her, she stayed for two weeks to see if they could find the owner, when no one showed up to claim the dog they called me. I brought her home and she was accepted by the other dogs and the cat, today it’s like she has been here all her life, just one happy pack.
As I said, it is hard to understand why these dogs are not claimed, the Schnauzer is exceptionally smart, evidently someone spent a lot of time training her, she is well mannered, will sit, stay, fetch and do other tricks. When I get rteady to go out she fetches her leash to go with me, she loves riding in the truck.
Yes, there are lots of good dogs in shelters, I recommend looking there first when shopping for a new pet/friend.