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| - Freckles was our second attempt at adoption and I could not be more happy with my best friend. She fills our home with love and kindness every day. She is the most obedient, wonderful dog ever. That said she was our second. The first dog we brought home, Pluto, a large male, had been impounded for over two months. Staff told us that he had been fostered and was good with kids. However when we brought him home I left him outside with my child only a brief moment and he had my 7-year old daughter on the ground pulling out her hair out and ripping her clothes off with his teeth. He was simply so excited to be out and have room to play he did not know limits. He was not aggressive but posed a threat to our safety. Following this incident I hired a professional trainer and attempted to work with him for two more weeks. However when he did the same thing with my 14-year-old son and eventually myself I decided that he was no longer a fit.
When I returned him to the shelter because I was no longer comfortable with him around my kids I felt judged by staff. I explained to them that I hired a trainer to come over at $150 an hour and trainer advised that the dog was not safe around my children. I also shared photos of our injuries. I did get some pushback when returning him which is why I am giving this experience three stars. It was my mistake not knowing better leaving him alone with a young child, but if I had one piece of advice for the shelter it would be to distribute some literature to help new dog owners understand the on-boarding process. Bringing a shelter dog home is a very delicate situation. After this incident I did my own research and I feel like they should provide some educational materials to adoptive parents.
During the tearful return process of dog number one, a lady entered the shelter lobby with a very scared female dog. It was evident she had just had a litter of puppies and was starving. I looked at my daughter (through tears) and said "that's the kind of dog we should've adopted".
Two weeks later, we returned to the shelter and looked for a new dog. I inquired about nine dogs before I got to Freckles. Even though she was marked as ill, we took her outside to play and I signed the paperwork to adopt her. After we got her home my daughter reminded me that she was the same dog we'd seen in the lobby two weeks before. It was strictly coincidence.
It was a bit of trial and error, but we found the most wonderful dog on the planet. Returning the first dog was incredibly painful but the right choice for our family. Dog #1, Pluto, scratched and bruised myself and our three children and was just not safe. He would have been an excellent dog for the right owner. But we ended up with the most beautiful dog in the world, Freckles.
I'd like to say thank you to the staff member who helped me with her adoption. He sent us home with a dog sweater, a bag of food, and a million compliments about her personality. (She had participated in an event with the Girl Scouts and the staff loved her!)
We have since moved to Florida and live in A beautiful golf cart community by the beach. She spends her days riding around on the golf cart and sitting near the ocean. I'm happy we were able to help her and she returns the favor with love each and every day all day long!
My words here are to encourage those that are skeptical or may have had a imperfect experience to try again. I would also encourage anyone looking to adopt to do the research beforehand. I made a lot of mistakes bringing the first dog home and giving him a lot of freedom. My instinct was to give him free reign of a huge yard (which we lived on acre+). In retrospect that did more harm than good. It's advised you bring a dog home with a kennel ready to go. Set boundaries early and be kind but firm.
Maricopa has so many animals and they are so easily adoptable. Take your time looking, be prepared and find your best friend. I know I found mine!
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