At what point is a rescue no longer a rescue?

[snowbunny]

For those of you with rescue/shelter dogs, at what point do you stop calling them that? I see so many people saying "my rescue dog, who I've had for x years...". Why is this? Is it because people are proud of the fact they have taken the dog from the shelter? Is it to apologise for less than perfect behaviour? Or some other reason? Why do people feel the need to put the label on their dogs?

I'm sure I've done it myself; I know I've said in the past all our family pets growing up were from rescue. Do I do that as a matter of showing we were "good" people, or simply to say they came to us when they were adults? Of course, people are interested in Ginny's history and I'm not saying it's wrong to explain where she came from. But, at what point does she go from being "my rescue dog" to simply, "my dog"?

 

[Cath]

My first dog came from a rescue, but I only said that if someone said where did you get him from. I really never thought of it until you mentioned this. He was just my boy who I loved very much.

 

[Selina27]

Gosh... now that's very thought provoking.!

I've no idea, I'll be interested in the replies here.

 

[Charlie]

Never because that's where Charlie came from a rescue centre, he's a rescue and that's his history to me. xx

 

[Aitch]

I don't think of Alex as a rescue or shelter dog. I do sometimes think of him as "the forum dog" because I wouldn't have got him without the people here. He is just Alex, my lovely, clever, bonkers little chap.

 

[snowbunny]

Never because that's where Charlie came from a rescue centre, he's a rescue and that's his history to me. xx

I understand that, but I don't say "This is my dog X who I've had since a puppy". It seems like an unnecessary label to me, and I am just wonder why people feel compelled to add it on. I'm not saying it's bad or wrong to do so, but we wouldn't say "this is my adopted child...", so why do we do it with our dogs?

 

[kateincornwall]

I rarely refer to Nelly as " My rescue dog " . I suppose the exception is when people ask questions about her that I cant answer , such as " How small was she as a puppy ?" . x

 

[Selina27]

this is my adopted child...

Exactly what I thought.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I think it's context. I'd say Brogan was a rescue if someone asked me where he came from ("rescued during a dog fighting ring bust in Los Banos"). Or if they asked if he was a purebred, in which case I'd say, "I don't know, he came from rescue." But I wouldn't introduce him as "This is my rescue Rottweiler Brogan".

I've found something interesting with Carbon. People often assume he's a purebred from a breeder (yeah, those of you with ACTUAL Labs from good breeders will find that rather humorous, but there you are...) and cop an attitude if they don't agree with breeding. Especially here in Regensburg where most people that I run into with dogs have rescues, the idea of having a purebred is looked down upon. It's interesting to see how fast they change their tune when they find out he's a rescue.

And by the way, I don't say he's a rescue, rather I explain his Spanish name and in the course of that ("He came with that name from the shelter in Spain, I know it's a bit different") the light comes on for them and suddenly they are much friendlier to me.

For Mama Jodhi, my pretty pittie girl back in California, I didn't have to ever mention rescue. Everyone just takes it for granted that's where pit bull mixes come from.

 

[Charlie]

Is it because people are proud of the fact they have taken the dog from the shelter? Is it to apologise for less than perfect behaviour

For me it's this I guess. I do apologise quite a bit for Charlie's errr ... less than perfect behaviour as people are mostly supportive and non-judgemental with the word "rescue". Maybe that's my own failing and lack of confidence. xx

 

[Boogie]

I was very proud that Boogie came from Battersea Dog’s Home!

My two Cavaliers were rescues but I never mentioned it. They came straight from the breeders, both at six months old - six months apart, different Mums. (she couldn’t sell them due to heart problems). I was told Callum would only live 18 months so I took him on as a kindness - he lived 15 happy years!

Tatze is my only dog I’ve bought as a pup. My husband wanted a big dog and I didn’t feel confident getting a big dog from rescue which may have had issues.
.

 

[snowbunny]

I do apologise quite a bit for Charlie's errr ... less than perfect behaviour

I'm always apologising for my Labs' less than perfect behaviour and I have no rescue excuse there - Ginny is the best behaved of the bunch

 

[kateincornwall]

The other question which prompts me to mention her past, is when asked how long Nelly has been deaf . She is family , just as much as every other dog I`ve had the pleasure of owning x

 

[Xena Dog Princess]

I think people just like talking about their dogs, and maybe you can get more mileage out of rescue chat than you can out of breeder chat? There's a family who I regularly see at the park who have a recently adopted Greyhound, and an older Pointer. Our chat is almost always about the Greyhound, not the Pointer. Rescues definitely seem to lend themselves to interesting conversations. If I came across you randomly, Fiona, I'd want to know all about your exotic-looking tripod, not so much the Labs (sorry Labs, you'd get cuddles and coos, don't worry).

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Rescues definitely seem to lend themselves to interesting conversations.

Definitely agree! Everyone loves a good survival story. Ginny must get a lot of attention, too, just for being a tripod, then those ears and wise face...not to mention how she sticks out among your other three.

 

[snowbunny]

Definitely agree! Everyone loves a good survival story. Ginny must get a lot of attention, too, just for being a tripod, then those ears and wise face...not to mention how she sticks out among your other three.

She gets a LOT of attention. Especially when she's being a bonkers idiot like this morning

I'm thinking more about when people introduce their dogs in text; FB and the like. I see a lot of "I have a 2-year old collie, a 3-year old Malamute and a 5-year rescue Lab, that I've had for four years."

 

[Charlie]

I think it's also a case of a 'feel good' factor, to have taken a dog away from a miserable or cruel environment or a dog with behavioural issues and given it a loving home. You must feel that with Ginny @snowbunny so it must make you feel good? You have that Ginny is adopted on your avatar settings so why is that?! You haven't stated what breeder your Labrador's came from as pups. xx

 

[snowbunny]

I think it's also a case of a 'feel good' factor, to have taken a dog away from a miserable or cruel environment or a dog with behavioural issues and given it a loving home. You must feel that with Ginny @snowbunny so it must make you feel good? You have that Ginny is adopted on your avatar settings so why is that?! You haven't stated what breeder your Labrador's came from as pups. xx

I know, I'm not saying it's wrong, or done for wrong reasons, and I admit I do it at times. I am just wondering why so many people feel the need to do it when the dog has been with them a long time. I do feel good about taking Ginny away from the horrible life she was in, but I don't normally like to toot my own horn, so I don't think it's that for me. And on reflection I think it takes something away from her to label her as "a rescue dog". That part of her life is over and I think I should draw a line under it. So I don't know why I sometimes do it; was hoping someone would be able to shed some light on it for me

 

[Charlie]

Maybe it's just out of habit. I'm not bigging myself up either for adopting Charlie, it's not in my nature, it's just something I say without really thinking about it. Maybe I shouldn't x

That part of her life is over and I think I should draw a line under it.

Is that part of their lives ever really over? I don't think so with Charlie. There are still certain things that must have happened in his previous life that still happen no matter what we do to positively help, yes we have reduced certain things a lot but they are always there on some level. x

 

[edzbird]

And when is a rescue a rescue? I'm not sure that's what my 2 are/were. They were handed over and adopted, not rescued from anything. Or are they rescued from the kennels? I wouldn't even call it a shelter. They were nice kennels where they were walked 4 times a day and played with and given enrichment activities.

When they are being difficult in public, I do/did pull the "oh he/she is from Ard Jerkyll" and people would smile and nod sympathetically rather than be annoyed. They might even come out with their own tale of an adoption. But that stops after a while, because I don't feel I can use that as an excuse 12 months down the line.

Belle was a stray we adopted fro the council kennels in Birkenhead. I don't think I ever really thought of her a rescue, just "this is our dog, Belle". She was never a difficult dog. I suppose if asked I'd say she was a stray from the pound.