Adopt
Adopting a dog
A shelter dog is not a moment of rescue but ten or fifteen years of everyday life. The more honestly you look at your life now, the easier it will be later.
Choose for the life you live
How many hours a day would the dog be alone? Do you love long walks or quiet evenings at home? Do you live on an upper floor without a lift? Tell the shelter staff or volunteers: they know their dogs and will often suggest one whose photo would never have caught your eye.
What it costs
- Food – roughly €25–60 a month, depending on the size of the dog.
- Prevention – vaccinations, tick and worm treatments – about €150–300 a year.
- The unexpected: a vet visit after an injury or illness can cost a few hundred euros, so it is worth keeping something aside.
These are rough figures; prices vary between towns and clinics.
The 3–3–3 rule
Volunteers often lean on a simple rule of thumb that saves a lot of worrying:
- The first 3 days
- The dog is overwhelmed: it may not eat, may hide and sleep a lot. Just be around and ask for nothing.
- The first 3 weeks
- It learns the routine: when the walks are, where its place is, how the household behaves. The first habits appear – good and not so good.
- The first 3 months
- The dog starts to feel at home. Only now do you see its real character.
Before you bring the dog home: a checklist
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The first day
Before going inside, walk the dog around the neighbourhood so it can sniff its new surroundings. Indoors, show it the water and the bed, then let it explore on its own. No guests, no bath, no trip to the shop. A boring first day is the best first day.