founded 1973
HELPING YOU TO RE-HOME YOUR DOG
If you have decided that you cannot keep your dog the first course of action you should take is to contact the person you got him from. If you got the dog from a Rescue centre they should definitely take the dog back and should always be contacted. Unfortunately not all breeders take their responsibilities seriously. A good breeder should always offer to help - in fact a responsible breeder will have drawn up a contract of sale, including wording that they should be contacted in the event that you are unable to keep the dog.
A word of warning here – if the reason you are seeking to re-home your dog is because he has bitten someone please be aware that a Stafford with an unreliable temperament towards people is a liability and should be put to sleep. Whilst many Staffords may show aggression towards other dogs or animals they should NEVER show aggression to humans. Having said this, no breed of dog can be expected to tolerate being tormented so if your dog has snapped or bitten you should establish what has caused the action.
If your dog or bitch has not been neutered it is advisable to have this done before re-homing to deter anyone who is seeking to take the dog on for breeding purposes. If the dog is Kennel Club registered it is also advisable not to pass on the registration documents for the same reasons.
You should consider whether it would be better to home your dog away from your home area. It may be upsetting for you and your family to see your dog out and about locally in the future. Bear in mind when advertising for a new home for your dog the areas you choose. Suggested places to advertise would be in vet surgeries and pet shops in preference to the free-ads newspapers. You could also advertise on works notice boards or local newsagents in the areas you would like the dog to go to. Our Club will advertise your dog on our separate web page at a cost of £10 for two months advertising. We will only take advertisements for dogs that will be given to a suitable new home free of charge; we will NOT take advertisements for dogs for sale. If you would like to advertise on our Club's webpage please email for full details
When someone replies to an advertisement have a list of questions you want to ask and satisfy yourself that the answers given are acceptable. Some questions to ask:
If you aren’t happy with the answers given you are not obliged in any way to home the dog with the enquirer. Don’t feel pressured in to letting the dog go to the first person to answer the advertisement – it is vital the dog goes to a home that will be prepared to keep him lifelong.
It is advisable to be honest about the dog’s habits and if you have specific problems with him.
If
you have received an enquiry from someone, following the initial telephone or
e-mail conversation it is sensible if at all possible to arrange to go to visit
the home with the dog. This would
enable you to see the home, garden and surroundings and for the potential new
owner to meet the dog in his home to see how he reacts.
If the new home is too distant for you to visit it may be possible for
one of our rescue helpers to assist with a home-check if you are willing to pay
their fuel expenses.
When you do find a suitable home for your dog it is wise to agree a ‘settling in period’ of a couple of weeks. When you hand your dog over it can be very helpful to supply a note with his likes and dislikes and send along some familiar bedding, toys, bowls and food. Don’t forget to pass on his vaccination card.
You may also like to draw up a written agreement – if you would like help with this please ask us.
Please remember – the dog is YOUR responsibility: YOU own him and YOU owe it to him to ensure he has a safe and loving home for the future.