The Rescue Process

So, not sure if this is the right place to put this but...

I've been reading up on the rescue process and I understand most of it.
I do have one question about the home investigation process...
I live in a one bedroom apt with my cat. Its a roomy enough place but we don't have a backyard. There is a dog park nearby that I'd love to enjoy with my possible future rescue and I come home everyday from the office for 2 hours in the middle of the day for walks.

Before I start the process I'd like to know if my home would be suitable for a pug. Is there anything I can do to make my home more suitable for a pug home?

Sure, it could be for the right pug. I have had fosters that would do great in those circumstances, but I have also had fosters that would not potty on a leash and needed a fenced yard. Pugs that had separation anxiety and could not be left alone all day. You likely want a pug that is a little older and more calm so that the apt would not be an issue. That is the great thing about rescue is that they can help you pick a pug that would be the right fit for you.

TNPUGMOMOF3 wrote:Sure, it could be for the right pug. I have had fosters that would do great in those circumstances, but I have also had fosters that would not potty on a leash and needed a fenced yard. Pugs that had separation anxiety and could not be left alone all day. You likely want a pug that is a little older and more calm so that the apt would not be an issue. That is the great thing about rescue is that they can help you pick a pug that would be the right fit for you.

Yep--What Marcy said, Varies alot from pug to pug. I've had pugs in care that were great in apartments and pugs who would have had the neighbours phoning the police in the first 10 minutes in an apartment. Some won't potty on leash, some can't be left alone for long periods without yodeling their heads off (Pippin). Etc. Really depends on the dog.

What's crucial is that you can prove that your apartment building allows dogs......

Nope, they definitely allow dogs and cats.
Just no aggressive breeds (pitts, boxers, rotties, etc)

Pugs aren't considered an aggressive breed... right?

Most rescues will want you to submit your rental agreement stating that you can have a dog/size restrictions/ etc. with your application.

PerkyPug wrote:
Just no aggressive breeds (pitts, boxers, rotties, etc)

While I understand where the landlords come from with this, it's very sad that these dogs have been tagged as aggressive. Really sad. Talk about racial profiling in the canid world.

Frankly, my most aggressive dog is my pomeranian.

I agree.
I think that their reasoning is that if a pitt or a rottie bite, its gonna be a bigger deal than if a chihuahua or pom bite. But I agree, little dogs tend to be more aggressive.

PerkyPug wrote:I agree.
I think that their reasoning is that if a pitt or a rottie bite, its gonna be a bigger deal than if a chihuahua or pom bite. But I agree, little dogs tend to be more aggressive.

Yes, a big dog that bites does more damage, it's true.
And little dogs, in my opinion, are often aggressive because owner's don't train them at all and think the behaviour is "cute". Drives me nuts.

I just feel badly for some of the breeds that have been labeled as aggressive. Bad owners, bad breeders and bad training account for so much of it. Yes, some dogs have historically been raised for certain functions which MAY heighten their tendencies, but pitties have historically been bred NOT to be aggressive to humans. If you want a fighting dog then you don't want a dog that will turn on it's owner. It's a shame what's been done to them. There are some breeds that I am cautious around when I'm doing evaluations--akitas, chows, some of the mastiff types.

I can't speak for the US, but in Canada, it's dachshunds, chihuahuas, JRTs, labs and golden retrievers followed closely by the doodles that lead the breeds in biting. Partly because there are so many of them. Supposedly, Pitts, and Rotts lead the list in terms of fatalities.

And statistics on biting breeds are often sketchy since many people mis-identify the breed that bit them. Often if a dog is big/black/has any kind of cropped ear, they get called a pittie, rottie or dobie.

Lawsuits, Blanche. It's all lawsuits. Just like warning labels on practically everything we buy, all doggie-type limitations in apartments or insurance are purely driven by which breeds derive the most lawsuits. It's the American way.

Don't have much more to add on the rescue process than what the others say. The right pug, the right neighbors, the right property manager, the right work schedule all contribute very successful apartment living with a pug. My husband and I lived in an 800 sq.ft one-bedroom apartment with a pug and it was some of our happiest years.