Rehoming Puppys: What to Expect and How to Prepare

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Dog Owners and their Pet Dog
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Rehoming a puppy can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation and mindset, it can be a rewarding experience for both you and the new owner.

You'll need to start by gathering essential documents, including vaccination records, health certificates, and microchip information. This information is crucial for the new owner and should be easily accessible.

As you begin the rehoming process, it's essential to consider the puppy's age and breed. Puppies under 16 weeks old require special care and socialization, which can be challenging for a new owner.

The average rehoming time is 2-3 weeks, but this can vary depending on factors like the puppy's breed, age, and location.

For another approach, see: Labradors for Rehoming

Preparing for Rehoming

Before you start the rehoming process, it's essential to have all the necessary documents ready. This includes the puppy's vaccination records, microchip information, and any relevant health certificates.

You'll also want to make sure your puppy is spayed or neutered, as this can significantly impact their behavior and health. According to the article, spaying or neutering can reduce the risk of certain health issues by up to 50%.

Make a list of your puppy's likes and dislikes, including their favorite toys, foods, and activities. This will help potential adopters get to know them better and ensure a smooth transition.

What to Pack

Credit: youtube.com, How to PREP for a RESCUE DOG | What to Expect (FIRST NIGHT)

When you're preparing to rehome your pet, it's essential to pack the right items to make the transition smooth for both you and your pet. Take your pet's bed with you to the meet-and-greet.

A copy of your pet's medical records is also a good idea, just in case the adoption process moves forward quickly. This will provide the adopter with essential information about your pet's health and any ongoing medical needs.

Make sure your pet is wearing proper identification, including a rabies tag, an ID tag with your information, and a microchip tag if they're microchipped.

Meeting

Scheduling a meet-and-greet is the next step in the rehoming process. This can be done at your home, theirs, or a neutral location such as a pet supply store, park, or vet's office.

It's a good idea to visit the prospective home to see where your pet will be living. If the potential adopters have another dog and you are placing a dog, a park setting could be a good place to arrange the first meeting.

Credit: youtube.com, 10 Tips for Rehoming a Rescue Dog

Take a friend or relative along for your safety if you're meeting at their home. Observe carefully how they relate to your pet, and how your pet relates to them.

Trust your instincts. If there are any doubts about the "fit", you can either talk to them about it or decide not to adopt them. Don't feel uncomfortable about having doubts – it's fine to be concerned about your pet's well-being.

The Rehoming Process

When rehoming a puppy, it's essential to ensure a smooth transition for both the puppy and the new family.

Offer the adopter a trial period of three weeks to gauge the placement's success.

This trial period allows the adopter to get to know the puppy's personality and habits, and for the puppy to feel comfortable in its new environment.

Give the adopter your puppy's bed, food, medicines, medical records, and favorite toys to help make the transition easier.

Create Pet Profile

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Creating a pet profile is a crucial step in the rehoming process. It will take you about 10 minutes to onboard your pet on Rehome.

By doing so, your pet will be posted on Adopt-a-Pet.com, where it can be seen by millions of visitors each month.

This will increase the chances of finding a suitable new home for your pet.

Rehoming

Rehoming is a process that can be less stressful for your pet than taking them to a shelter. You can use online services like GetYourPet.com to safely connect with potential adopters.

GetYourPet.com is an online service that keeps pets out of shelters by helping them go directly from one good home to another. They publish the pet's profile on the site, exchange messages with prospective adopters, and meet in person to assess compatibility.

Finding a new home for your pet takes time, patience, and effort, but it's worth it to keep them out of unfamiliar shelter surroundings. Anxiety and fear are natural reactions in shelters, making adoption more challenging.

Credit: youtube.com, New Rehoming Process

Offering a trial period of three weeks ensures a good match for both your pet and the new family. If the adopter can no longer keep the pet, they should notify you and return the pet to you.

Creating a pet profile on Rehome takes about 10 minutes and will post your dog on Adopt-a-Pet.com to be seen by millions of visitors each month.

Adoption and Follow-Up

You can safely rehome your puppy through online services like GetYourPet.com, which connects adopters with owners directly and keeps pets out of shelters. Their system ensures a successful match by allowing adopters to learn about the puppy from the owner and meet them in a neutral location.

GetYourPet.com's process keeps costs low, with a modest adoption fee only paid after the adopter takes possession of the puppy. This way, you can trust that your puppy is going to a good home.

After the adoption, it's essential to follow up with the new family to ensure a smooth transition for your puppy. Check in with them after 48 hours and then weekly for three weeks to get updates on how your puppy is adjusting to their new home.

Reviewing Applicants

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Reviewing Applicants is a crucial step in the adoption process. You'll want to call the prospective adopter and discuss your pet with them over the phone to get a sense of their lifestyle and living situation.

You'll want to ask the potential adopter some questions to help guide the conversation and learn more about them. Some questions to consider are: Have you had pets before? What happened to them?

Do you have other pets now? Tell me about them. This will give you insight into their experience caring for animals.

Can you describe a typical day in the life of your pet? This will help you understand how they plan to care for your pet.

Do you have children? How old are they? This is important to consider, especially if you're adopting a pet that requires a lot of attention or supervision.

You'll also want to ask about their living situation: Do you live in a house or an apartment? This will determine whether your pet will have a yard to run around in or a smaller space to adjust to.

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Do you rent or own the home? And does your lease allow pets? Are there restrictions? This will help you understand their commitment to caring for your pet.

How many hours would the animal be alone during a typical weekday? Where will your pet stay when home alone during the day? These questions will help you understand their plan for providing attention and care when you're not around.

Do you have a pet door? Where will your pet stay/sleep at night? These questions will give you insight into their plan for providing a comfortable and safe environment for your pet.

For dogs, it's especially important to consider: Does your home have a completely fenced yard? Will the dog get regular exercise? These questions will help you understand their ability to provide a suitable environment for a dog.

For cats, you'll want to ask: Will the cat be an indoor or outdoor cat? Would you consider declawing a cat? And can I come to your home to see where the animal will be living?

Adoption

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GetYourPet.com is an online service that safely connects people who want to adopt a pet with people who need to rehome theirs.

Their system of direct, home-to-home pet adoption keeps pets out of shelters and increases the chances of a successful match by allowing the adopter to learn all about the pet from the person who knows them the best, their current owner.

The adopter then gets to meet the pet in a neutral, stress-free location of their choosing, so they can witness the pet behaving naturally.

Only after the adopter takes possession of the pet, does the adopter pay Get Your Pet a modest adoption fee.

We'll guide you through the process of setting safe and pressure-free meetings with potential adopters.

Once you've found a suitable adopter, we'll provide you with an adoption contract to protect the transfer of your dog's ownership.

Once complete, your pet will have a new loving forever home.

Recommended read: Shih Tzu Puppies for Free

Post-Adoption Follow-Up

Credit: youtube.com, January 2023 Post Adoption Follow Up

After the adoption, check in with your pet's new family after about 48 hours, and then weekly for three weeks to get updates on how your pet is coping in his new home environment and how his new family is doing with him.

Ask them to call or email you with an update from time to time, and you may ask for photos. Your pet is counting on you to provide him the best home possible, whether that is with you or with someone else.

Remember to log into any websites or accounts where you had posted your pet's profile and remove it once you're sure your pet has been successfully rehomed. Contact the Utah Humane Society Admissions Department to have your online listing removed from their website.

It's a good idea to check in with your pet's new family regularly, especially in the first few weeks, to ensure a smooth transition for both your pet and their new family.

Managing the Situation

Credit: youtube.com, Adopting and rehoming a rescue dog | Puppy Coach Podcast Episode 3

The first step in rehoming a puppy is to assess the situation, which often involves recognizing the reasons behind the decision to rehome. Many people struggle with the guilt of rehoming a pet they love.

It's essential to consider the welfare of the puppy and the potential impact on its future well-being.

Rehoming a puppy is often a last resort, and it's crucial to explore all other options before making a decision.

A Common Dilemma

A staggering 6.3 million companion animals enter animal shelters across the U.S. each year. Approximately 3.1 million of those animals are dogs.

Over 23 million American households adopted a pet during the COVID-19 pandemic, but animal shelters are still experiencing an overflow of animals. Shelter intake increased by 2.5% from January to September in 2023.

Dog adoptions are down 1.2% compared to 2022, making it a challenging time for animal shelters.

No Options

We've all been there - feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do with our furry friend. A lack of options can be a major concern, especially when you're not sure where to turn.

Two Puppies on Snow
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Not only is there nowhere safe and loving for your dog to go, but some organizations, like dog rescue programs, may have vicious comments and not accept dogs with aggression issues.

You're not alone in this struggle, and it's okay to admit that rehoming your dog is a responsible decision that prioritizes their well-being over your own desires.

A shelter isn't always an option, especially if you have a specific breed or type of dog, like a German Shepherd that's shown aggression.

In fact, some shelters and rescue programs have strict criteria for accepting dogs, leaving you with limited choices and a sense of uncertainty.

Avoiding Scams

When interacting with online pet listings, it's essential to be cautious and take steps to avoid scams. Our staff reviews each listing, but we urge you to exercise caution in your interactions, as we haven't met the guardians or pets.

To flag a suspicious rehoming listing, please email us. Don't send any type of payment or deposit for a pet you've only seen online.

Close-Up Photo of a Person Petting a Cute Black and White Dog
Credit: pexels.com, Close-Up Photo of a Person Petting a Cute Black and White Dog

Schedule an in-person meeting at a safe, public location to meet the pet and its owner. This will give you a chance to assess the situation and get a better sense of the pet's temperament and needs.

Cross-reference photos using Google reverse image search to check if they're stock photos or have been published elsewhere online. Be wary of listings with low-quality or generic photos.

Request veterinary records and review the pet's medical history before completing the adoption. Ensure the owner's information recorded by the veterinarian matches the person with whom you are corresponding.

Here are some key tips to keep in mind:

  • Don't send any type of payment or deposit for a pet you've only seen online.
  • Schedule an in-person meeting at a safe, public location.
  • Cross-reference photos using Google reverse image search.
  • Request veterinary records and review the pet's medical history.

Dog Rehoming in California

Rehoming your puppy can be a daunting task, but there are ways to make it less stressful for both you and your furry friend. GetYourPet.com is an online service that safely connects people who need to rehome their pet with people looking to adopt.

It's essential to find a new home for your puppy quickly, as shelters can be overwhelming and stressful for them. Finding a new home for your pet will likely take time, patience, and effort.

Credit: youtube.com, 39 dogs found in ‘puppy mill’ taken in by overcrowded Las Vegas shelter

You know your puppy best, so it's great that you get to choose their new home. No one knows your pet better than you, and best of all, you will be able to choose your pet's new home.

If you're looking for rehoming services in California, here are some cities where you can find help:

  • Dog Rehoming in Los Angeles
  • Dog Rehoming in San Diego
  • Dog Rehoming in San Jose
  • Dog Rehoming in San Francisco
  • Dog Rehoming in Fresno
  • Dog Rehoming in Sacramento
  • Dog Rehoming in Long Beach
  • Dog Rehoming in Oakland
  • Dog Rehoming in Santa Ana
  • Dog Rehoming in Anaheim

Jeffery Skiles-Bins

Junior Copy Editor

Jeffery Skiles-Bins is a meticulous and detail-oriented Copy Editor with a passion for refining written content. With a keen eye for grammar and syntax, Jeffery has honed his skills in editing a wide range of articles, from in-depth breed profiles to engaging lifestyle pieces. Jeffery's portfolio showcases a diverse array of topics, including "Dog Breeds Originating in Asia" and "Animal Breeds Originating in Vietnam", which demonstrate his ability to research and edit complex, specialized content.

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