Free Advice from Animal Reiki Shaman, Rose De Dan
Because Cosmo is emotionally needy, he is very bonded to me, even though I've only had him a few months. He came from a puppy mill where he was abused and left in a cage of other dogs to die. I hope the man is rotting in jail. Nevertheless, I have a possible family with children and a stay at home mom who wants him. I'll be meeting them in less than 2 weeks. Cosmo is a great dog but I can tell more and more he's so lonely. I cannot get another dog to be his buddy and I'm by myself, so no partner to share time with him. I take him with me as much as I can as I run errands and stuff but it's not enough. I love this dog and want him to have a great forever home, and my home is only adequate at best. Can you guide me please?
Reader Question: Would Cosmo (Cockapoo in photo) be okay if I let a family take him. I rescued him so he would not go into a shelter because his previous owner lost her house, but I'm not the best mommy for him because I have a regular job daily that keeps me gone 9 hours a day. I also have other obligations that keep me away from home some evenings and weekends. At least one day per weekend I might be gone for 6-8 hours maybe 2-3 times a month.
Response from Rose: Dear Molly, bless you for your kind-heartedness, first for taking Cosmo in and secondly for wanting to know what is best for him.
I agree with you that having a dog companion requires a certain amount of time spent together as a family/pack, however, if you felt that you wanted to keep Cosmo you could have a dog walker come in mid-day to offer Cosmo some exercise and social/play time, which would address some of your concerns.
You do not say what Cosmo's previous living situation was like, so I am going to make an assumption that as a puppy mill dog he has not had much (if any), exposure to children, and a new living situation with what sounds like young children may be overwhelming to him.
When placing an animal in a new home there are a lot of factors to take into account, which is why you might want to consider finding a rescue organization to assist you. As a former puppy mill dog, Cosmo has special needs, and a quality, no-kill shelter or breed rescue organization would be equipped to do a behavioral assessment in order to determine what type of family Cosmo would feel most comfortable with. If you know who the original rescue organization was that took him from the puppy mill they are often very willing to assist in re-homing.
Rescue organizations also have an adoption process and the legal documents that enable them to ensure that Cosmo's happiness and safety are taken into account after the adoption. Many organizations do home checks before and after to make certain that the match is indeed a good fit.
And Cosmo would not necessarily have to go into a shelter. There are many shelters out there that have volunteer foster families where Cosmo could stay until adopted; indeed it is very possible that Cosmo could stay with you until the shelter could find a suitable match.
The article Finding a Responsible Home for Your Pet from The Humane Society of the United States offers specific steps on how to find a rescue group in your area.
If you are still determined to try to find Cosmo a home yourself their article also offers guidance on what to look for in, and what to ask for from, a prospective adoption candidate.
One tip that I suggest, based on my own personal experience, is to request an adoption fee of at least $75. This will deter all but the more serious, committed applicants. You are not selling Cosmo, instead an adoption fee protects him (and you) from having to deal with applicants who may not have his best interests at heart. And if you have any further doubts, think about how much has been invested in Cosmo's care--he is neutered, up-to-date on his shots, and housebroken. All expenses that are already taken care of for his new family.
Finally, set your intention to attract the perfect match for him and don't allow yourself to rush into any decisions. Keep your attention focused on your heart, and make all decisions from there. While there are logical factors that need to be taken into account, if something does not feel right honor that feeling. Your loving heart brought Cosmo into your life; trust that it will know the next best step for both of you.
To learn more about the challenges that rescued dogs like Cosmo face I would suggest reading Saving Gracie: How One Dog Escaped the Shadowy World of American Puppy Mills by Carol Bradley. It is a moving story of woman and dog and their personal journey of transformation, one which ultimately inspired better protection for dogs everywhere.
Rose De Dan,
Animal Reiki Shaman
Disclaimer: Rose De Dan shares insights derived from spirit and through animal communication. Any advice she offers is not meant as a substitute for veterinary care.
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