My husband and I just adopted our second dog from Okandogs. The application process is detailed, but we appreciate that they work hard to find the best possible match. Both of the pups that we adopted have been amazing additions to our family. We previously lived on the west side of the state and did not have access to the selection of great dogs that are available through Okandogs. I am now a proud Okandogs volunteer also!
Long read but worth it!
We have been looking for a new dog to add to our family for awhile and found a puppy we thought would be a great addition. We filled out the application and after 2 phones calls with Shannon (She was great), and raving reference checks we decided to do a meet and greet. We drove the 3 hours 1 way with anticipation to take this little girl home, we were ready with newly bought crate, food, toys and harness. We adopted our current dog from another rescue and it was a great experience this was NOT!
As we arrived there was not much direction on how this process works, we were kind of greeted through the barking of several other dogs and saw the pup we were interested in, we have kids (4 and 7) and our current dog so everyone had some extra energy after the long car ride, we met the pup we were interested in and feel in love with her, especially our 7 year old. After the meeting Jan said ok lets go introduce to your dog, so she got a led for the pup and we got our dog (18 month old medium size dog) out and they meet. It was great they were not super interested in each other but smelled each other and were fine, co-existed together very well, our dog did not bark and we went for a walk up the hill, then went into the fenced grass area to see how the dogs interacted. Its like the dogs were very comfortable with each other and did not feel the need to have to play. Both had NEVER been in the area before and it is huge so lots of smells and things to explore, again they co-existed very well but comments were made such as "it is weird they do not want to play together and I can tell that your dog doesn't know what to do, and that he isn't formally trained, he is a linebacker and too powerful" and "your boys are very busy". I was blown away by these comments and felt very judged because we are a family with young kids who have a well behaved dog but not professionally trained. It felt like the play between the two dogs was forced to see how they interact and then when they did start running together and the puppy feel and tumbled a bit and started to whimper as our dog jumped over her so he did not hurt her, she just got frightened. As soon as the puppy tumbled Jan said "Nope, I can tell you right now this is not going to work" and kept saying how bad it was that we have not professionally trained our dog, who did not once bark, sits, shakes, lays down and is amazing with our children, unlike many of the other dogs we encountered at her rescue. I honestly think she wrote us off the moment we got there and the feeling I got from her was just not pleasant. I am honestly not sure the response she wanted from two dogs that had just met in a place they have neither been before. We would have loved this new pup and worked with both dogs to be part of our family. I feel like if you want a dog from this rescue that you cannot have another dog and no kids which is unfortunate as we would have given this puppy an amazing home!
Not sure exactly how they help animals. Which dogs are most important to you to help? Family and breeders? My dog's weren't AKC and we're strangers so I couldn't be helped. Don't call Okandogs, just find a veterinarian and get the bill. I have no clue what his "non" profit does as far as helping dogs medically when something spontaneous happens and the family has nowhere to turn. Thank you for helping the breeders though, that's real care there.