With such a big uptick in adoptions over the past year, we wanted to share a few tips from an expert to help guide the adoption process!

Meet Kate Perry. Once voted Best Dog Trainer in NYC by New York Magazine, she’s been featured on Today Show and The Daily Show among others and is the author of Training for Both Ends of the Leash. Aside from running her own business KATE PERRY DOG TRAINING, Kate also mentors dog trainers for Animal Behavior College and volunteers as a board advisor of the non-profit Rock & Rawhide.

What are Kate’s tips for adopters?

  1. Know your own lifestyle & limitations. “If you’re a couch potato, don’t rescue a high-energy breed that demands a lot of exercise & stimulation. Many dogs end up in shelters for that reason.” Kate continues, “Are they Party Animals? Sensitive Artists? Workaholics? Methodical Thinkers? Look for a good match for your own personality. Adopting a pet is like adopting a child. Ask yourself, ‘Am I capable, emotionally and financially?’”
  2. Give time for any behavioral issues to emerge, and be patient when they do. Kate recalled working with a 3-year-old Jack Russell Terrier named Tucker, who was an angel the first few weeks after being adopted. One day, he started becoming circumstantially aggressive. It took a whole year to help him overcome this issue, but the hard work gave him 10 happy years with his family. “The true nature of the dog isn’t going to manifest itself until six weeks later,” Kate says. “They’re in a bit of a shock at first. Even with a puppy, you’ll get another layer to the dog two months in.”
  3. Train, exercise, and socialize! “When you rescue, you are rehabbing a dog. It’s an investment, but it’s very rewarding,” Kate says. “But no matter what dog you have, they need proper mental and physical stimulation.”