S/O on pets post...
We have two dogs: a Jack Russell Terrier and a lab/hound mix. The lab is great, she's very gentle and has never shown any signs of aggression. The Jack Russell is, well, a JRT. He's very small so he has big "little man" issues and worst of all we've had issues with other kids in our neighborhood (scratching and nipping). So far he is fine with DD but I'm worried about when she gets big enough to crawl and walk, which won't be all that far away. We found a couple in my parents' town that really wanted him but they have a young niece and he was not good with her (didn't attack her but barked and growled at her). We live in a townhouse and he would do so much better in a SFH with a yard and no kids.
Anyone have experience finding a home for a JRT? Obviously our DD comes first but we've had him for about 4 years and we know if he goes to a shelter he'll probably be put down, that's the last thing we want. He's a huge cuddle monkey with people who likes dogs... I guess I just need advice/support/whatever you can offer.
Re: S/O on pets post...
That's a very tough situation to be in but I agree with you that DD comes first. I know that there are many situations where young children have been hurt by animals and I commend you in being proactive in terms of thinking about the future with JRT before anything happens.
When I was looking to adopt a dog, there are two agencies that I really liked in the NOVA area. Lost Dog and Cat Rescue is where I adopted my dog from. I'm not sure how they work with people who need to give up their pet but here's their link.
https://www.lostdogandcatrescue.org/
I had also looked at some animals through HART. I believe they do home visits for all new owners and they specifically have a program for people who need to give up their pet. The link is here:
https://www.hart90.org/generalinformation/HOAP.htm
Depending on who adopts your animal, they may be willing to keep in touch with you. When I adopted my dog, I emailed the original owners to ask them a few questions and I also send them an update and pictures every 6 months or so. I think that made the transition easier for them.
Good luck with your situation. I know it must be a very difficult decision but hopefully you will find a solution that works best for all involved.
We have a JRT too and sometimes I worry about how he'll be with the baby. Good luck trying to figure out what you will do! I know there are some JRT rescue groups, so you might want to go through them rather than a shelter.
FWIW- I grew up with a dog and when I was 2 I decided to take the dog's bone away- and as many dogs would do, he retaliated by nipping me on the nose- not enough to cause damage, but enough to scare a 2 year and teach me to steer clear of dogs with bones! My parents didn't get rid of him for being a dog, but they worked with me to teach me how to act around dogs. Granted this happened when I was a todder and when I could begin learning appropriate actions, but still...
There's definitely a lot to think about as as a parent and lover of animals. The way I think about it is that my child will not be alone with the dogs until they know how to act around them. At that point they will know better than to yank a dog's tail- and the dog will be extremely comfortable around my child. Obviously I can't predict how my dogs will respond to a baby/toddler/child, but this is my plan right now.
Good luck!
Russell Rescue, Inc. has a Virginia contact email VArussellrescue@gmail.com
https://www.russellrescue.com/