QUESTIONS TO ASK AND BE ASKED
A reputable rescue group will ask you a lot of questions to insure that their Doberman is going to a safe, loving, responsible home.
There will be an application form to complete and a volunteer will want to visit your home. Don't be offended or put-off by these questions.
Take it as a sign that they care deeply about the dogs that they place and that they want to make sure that both you and the Doberman are a good
match. If the process is more like "Here's your dog, where's our money?" then take that as a bad sign.
Likewise you must ask the rescue group questions - to satisfy yourself that you are dealing with a group that is being upfront about the dog and
will also stand-by its contract. A group that will be there to assist you should you need it down the road.
Here are some questions you should ask your prospective rescue group
- How many years have you been rescuing Dobermans? (The longer, the better.)
- What is the average length of time that a dog stays in your rescue program prior to placement? How many dogs does your group typically place in a year? Is your rescue group a registered non-profit organization and/or an IRS 501(c) organization? Does your state require licensing and, if so, can you provide supporting documentation?
- Do you have an Adoption Contract and may I see a copy of it? (All rescue groups should have an Adoption Contract.)
- Are you willing/able to take this dog back at any time during its life if I am no longer able to keep it? If yes, is this addressed in your Adoption Contract?
- Can you show me about the history of this rescue dog? (e.g. Did this dog come from a shelter or was he an owner surrender? What was the cause of his surrender?)Has this dog ever bitten or shown unprovoked aggression (toward a human, another animal)?
- What is the reproductive status of this dog? (All rescue dogs should be spayed/neutered unless they are: too young yet for the procedure or have some underlying medical condition that prevents surgery.)
- What is the approximate age of this dog
- How long has this dog been in your rescue program? hat kind of environment has he lived in while in your program (e.g. kenneled, free roam of the home, etc.)Is he housebroken/crate trained? Does he have any obedience training?
- Has this dog been examined by a veterinarian? If so, can you provide me with copies of his medical records? Is he up-to-date on his vaccinations and can you provide proof (especially involving rabies vaccinations)? What health issues, if any, are you aware of regarding this dog?
- What type of temperament does this dog have? How does he interact with people, Children, other dogs, cats etc.
- Does this dog have any behavioral issues of which you are aware? (e.g. Bladder/bowel accidents in the house? Excessive barking? Excessive guarding behavior? Fence jumping? Hyper-energetic? Excessive timidity?)
