After you have been approved for adoption, and a potential match is made, your adoption application and phone number will be given to the foster home where the dog is currently living. The foster home will then contact you. Please ask any questions that you might have to the foster home. The foster home may make arrangements with you to meet the dog. Please be aware that we have many dogs to choose from. Not every dog will fit into every home. After speaking to the foster home, you or the foster home may decide that this is not the right fit. Our foster homes know the dog very well, and will make he final determination as to whether this is the right dog for your home. If the foster home determines that this is not a good fit, all that means is that this particular dog is not right for you. It is not a personal reflection on you or your family.
If we are unable to find a match for you right away, please be patient. The right dog will come along any day. You will get first chance at any dogs that come in that meet your/their needs. Many times we have people waiting for a particular age/type dog. After you have been approved, you will get a chance to learn more about them even before they are posted on the website.
Once an adoption has been made, we are here to assist you in any way that we can in order to insure success. We have a behaviorist that you can contact if you experience problems. Our foster homes are a great resource as well, as they have also had the dog with them in their home. They may be able to answer questions you have about your basset, or a particular behavior. In some cases, obedience training/classes may be needed.
There are a few things that you should know about before you bring your new basset home. Here are a few tips in order to insure a successfuladoption:
Introduce your Basset slowly to new people, sights, and sounds while observing his/her behavior. This will be your best guide in knowing how quickly or slowly to proceed. Some rescue bassets (and puppies) have not had a wide range of experiences and most will adjust more easily if they receive plenty of patience, reassurance and praise. Give them plenty of time to learn the rules in your home using positive reinforcement.
BBR strongly recommends obedience-training classes for new dog owners. These classes can help you learn what to expect from your Basset (and vice versa) in the years ahead, and cover a wide range of topics such as health care, proper feeding, first aid, etc.
Adjustment Period: Your new Basset will need time and patience to adapt to his/her new family; usually 2-3 weeks. Until your Basset has completely bonded with you and the new surroundings, he/she may show some separation anxiety by standing or crying at the door or window, as though "ready to go", or by following you closely from room to room. You may find that the first several days/nights, your basset may be very restless and may even cry or howl. Depending on the dog and his/her history, this could be mild to severe. They usually settle in within the first few nights. Some dogs take a little longer. A crate can be a safe and welcome place for all parties involved.
During this adjustment period, you may see signs of stress such as panting, pacing, shedding, or a more frequent need to drink or urinate. An occasional accident can occur during the first few days. These initial accidents do not indicate a lack of housetraining, but are a clear reminder of how confused and/or stressed these dogs can be during this transition. If your basset is showing these signs of stress, you may consider confining them to a single room, such as the kitchen, and slowly, over several days, allow them to explore other areas of your home.
Be particularly careful not to let your Basset off leash near an open door for the first several weeks, as he/she may try to push past and make an escape. Children should be especially careful of this.
Give your Basset a place he/she can get to and be alone if desired; many Bassets like to use their crates. It is completely natural for some Bassets to prefer to sleep in a nearby room by themselves. Do not force your Basset to interact with you, your children or other visitors. Respect signals that he/she prefers to rest or be alone.
It will help your basset adapt more quickly if he/she can count on some routines. Even people appreciate having routines in their lives, especially when faced with the stress of being in a new situation. Some examples of routines:
- Feed the same brand and quantity of dog food, in the same place and at about the same time each morning and night. If you change to a different brand of dog food, do it gradually (mix half-new & half-regular food for a few days before making a total switch). This will help prevent stomach upset or loose stools.
- Keep your Bassets bed in the same place and go to bed about the same time each night.
- Have regular obedience training sessions at home to work on simple commands like Come, Sit, Stay or walking (without tugging) on a leash.
- Have a regular schedule for taking care of business. Dogs usually have to eliminate more frequently if they are under stress (such as being in a new environment). Most need to go out the first thing in the morning, immediately after playtime, shortly after dinnertime, when they first wake up from long naps, and just before bedtime. Begin by walking your Basset frequently, then at gradually lengthening intervals as your trust level increases and he/she settles into the routine.
Children: It is exciting having a new dog, but be careful your basset doesn't get over stimulated during the initial adjustment period. Do not leave your Basset unsupervised with small children (ages 6 and under).
Collars: As soon as possible, get an ID tag with your name and address. Your new Basset has a BBR ID tag and collar which should be left on at all times. Prong or choker type collars can easily strangle or injure a dog by catching on fences, crates, etc. Never leave these types of collars on outside of training sessions.
Crates: BBR strongly encourages the use of crates for training puppies and adults. The large 20 x 30 plastic crates are preferable to wire crates because they are escape proof and provide a more den-like home. Plastic crates can, however, retain heat and should be placed in an area with moderate temperature, not too hot or cold. Remove all training collars before placing your dog in his crate to prevent injury or strangulation. A crate should never be used as punishment.
Toys: Make sure your Basset has indestructible or completely edible chew toys, especially if he/she will be alone for several hours each day. Consult with a reputable pet store or veterinarian about the best kinds of toys to have available. Rawhides can be choking hazards and should not be used without supervision.
Training/Safety: As with any new pet’s arrival, safety issues cannot be over-stressed for family members, friends, current pets, and the new Basset. It is best to err on the side of caution until you and your new Basset become completely familiar with each other in all kinds of circumstances.
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CURRENT PETS
- Cats: If your Basset is not used to living with a cat (or vice versa) it may take several weeks or even months before you can safely leave them alone together. Leave a short leash on your Basset and if he/she tries to chase the cat, give a short jerk on the leash and say, NO! It is important to be consistent as you try to correct a powerful chase instinct. Be sure your cat always has a safe escape route and do not leave them alone with the new Basset until you are completely certain their relationship is safe.
- Dogs: If you have more than one current dog, introduce them one at a time to your new Basset, preferably your most dominant dog first. Both dogs should be on leashes, on neutral ground such as a neighborhood sidewalk or park so your current dog won’t feel obliged to protect his/her territory. Do not allow the dogs to rush up to each other with their entire bodies; let only noses touch first and be prepared to separate them quickly if necessary. After the initial sniff session, take both dogs on a walk together, then let them enter your house together. Your current dog will need more reassurance and praise during this period of adjusting to a newcomer and should be given the benefit of the doubt if a dispute arises. In other words, if the dogs fight, put the new Basset in a Time Out. It is the newly adopted Basset that must learn to adapt to the current rules of the house. Help your current dog understand he/she has not been de-throned in your heart and home. Do not leave the dogs alone together until you are completely certain their relationship is safe.
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OUTDOORS
- Never let your Basset off leash outside of a fenced area. Bassets think with their noses and if they pick up the scent of another animal they will wander away and not find their way back.
- Make sure fence gates are locked and secured so your Basset could not be easily stolen from your yard if unattended.
- If you live near water or have a pool, remember that Bassets are not good swimmers and can easily drown. Do not give your Basset access to the pool/water while unattended. Install barriers or use other measures to prevent your Basset from falling into the water or through a pool cover. Teach him/her how to get out of the water using the stairs. Consider putting a life jacket on your basset if they are going to be spending time around a pool or water.
- Many foods, plants, or substances can be harmful or deadly to dogs (such as chocolate, avocado seeds, onions, poultry bones, and antifreeze.) Check with your veterinarian for a complete list of these toxic items.
Our dogs come from a variety of backgrounds. BBR strives to match the right dog to the right home, however, a dog may or may not exhibit the same behavior in every home. Once a dog has been placed into his/her new home, there is an "adoption pending" period. These means that during the first 7 days after being placed, adopters should be closely observing the dogs behavior and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that the placement and transition is a good. Adopter(s) should contact BBR immediately if they have any questions or concerns about the dog or his/her behavior. Please remember it may take 4-6 weeks for your dog to settle into his/her new home and they should be given this amount of time, along with plenty of patience, love, and gentle guidance.
