So You Want To Adopt A Terrier?

Our terriers come from shelters, owner surrenders, government seizures, stray pickups, breeders.  Anywhere there is a need and we can help and are contacted to help, we do our best.

People give up terriers for the same reasons people give up any dog. Some of the reasons we hear most often are: death, illness, divorce, moving, allergies and financial problems. It is not unusual to have even the most loving household experience health or personal problems that necessitate the placement of their pets. The most common reason is that the owner doesn’t have time for the dog. As a result, the terrier could develop behavior problems from lack of attention and training. Some are abandoned on the streets, some are turned in to shelters that are only able to hold dogs a day or two, while others are obtained through auctions or kennel closures.

It is very important for people to do research before getting any breed as a family member. Terriers of course, require extra effort because they are headstrong and usually really smart. If someone doesn't do research, they won't know what to expect from the breed and turn the dog over for its natural behavior.

Fortunately, terriers are a very adaptable and adapt well to new situations with the proper care and training.

Yes. It is preferable for the adoptive family to travel to the foster home to adopt the dog. Occasionally, the adoptive family and the foster caregiver will each travel part of the way and meet in between at a specified location. Of course, this will depend upon the schedule of the foster caregiver and his/her ability to travel. Not all foster homes can travel to transport their foster dogs. When any of our volunteers (including the foster home) helps transport the dog any portion of the journey to its adoptive family, we ask for a 15¢ per mile round-trip NON-tax-deductible donation to help defray the cost of rescue and transportation. We are not transporting dogs via cargo at this time or for the foreseeable future due to airline policies. Bringing your dog home in cabin is an option as is using a commercial transport service. Both of these options must be arranged and paid for by the adoptive home. Commercial transport is subject to the approval of CCTR for safety reasons. We ask that you give careful consideration to the rescue dog’s location and how you might be able to transport him or her to your home should you be approved to adopt.  We can adopt to all the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. Canadian adoptions require that the adoptive home travel to the US.

Terriers can make excellent family pets. However, because the rescue’s life history and prior experience with children is rarely known, CCTR normally does not adopt rescue terriers to families with children under the age of 10 unless we have a detailed history of the rescue and its history with children and the family has current or recent experience with small terriers. 

Our rescues have already suffered at least one, and often more than one disruption in their lives. Our mission is to assure that their placement is a successful one. Virtually all rescues come into rescue with at least some emotional “baggage,” and terriers being terriers, will attempt to find their place in the family “pack” shortly after being adopted. Usually this happens over a month or so and the true nature of the dog will be seen.  Loving and gentle children, who have been raised to treat animals with respect and care, will help the new dog fall into place in the family “pack”.

It is also important to note that small dogs in general, and terriers specifically, can become over-stimulated around small children who run, scream, cry, pat them on the head, pull their fur, ears, tails, or make sudden movements. Terriers who have not been raised in a household with children can become agitated or over-protective when they hear children’s high-pitched, excited voices or hear them crying. Terriers were bred to chase, hunt, and kill vermin, therefore they have a very strong “prey drive.” This instinct, which is virtually impossible to train or breed out of them, results in their chasing anything that runs or moves quickly, as children often do. It also, sadly, can lead to tragic accidents if children inadvertently leave doors open or ajar. Terriers will instinctively chase rabbits, squirrels, bunnies, birds, etc., as well as bicycles, rollerbladers, scooters, papers fluttering down the street and other moving objects, animate and inanimate. Therefore, close supervision and secure containment as well as being ON LEASH at all times is paramount to their safety.

Puppies and dogs under the age of two don’t come into the Rescue program very often.  But when they do, there is usually a long list of folks waiting for that age range, and a puppy may be spoken for even before the dog is officially listed on our website.

Many of our Rescues are escape artists, which is how they came into Rescue in the first place. Electric fencing is NOT recommended for anyone with a Terrier (Rescue or otherwise) for two primary reasons:

1. Terriers will often take the electric-shock “hit” if they see something they consider prey (like a squirrel or bunny), but they will NOT take the “hit” to return to their yard. Therefore, they’re in danger of being lost or killed by a car.
2. Electric fencing does NOT prevent other dogs or wildlife from entering the dog’s property; small dogs are sometimes killed or severely injured by animals from which they cannot escape. 

All our dogs must be ON LEASH at all times or they must be contained by secure fencing. Therefore, we do not adopt our rescues to anyone with electric fencing as their primary means of containment.

The major expense of caring for a dog is its food and medical care. Some terriers are sensitive to wheat, corn, or beef and need a special diet, such as lamb and rice. This type of food can be found in most pet supply stores, but generally not in grocery stores.

Dogs may also develop common canine diseases such as rabies, distemper, kennel cough, or worms just through contact with other dogs or the fecal matter of other dogs. Also, during warm weather, dogs are susceptible to heartworms that develop from being bitten by mosquitoes in some parts of the country. Appropriate vaccinations and medication can prevent all of these problems. Use of Heartworm medication is required to adopt a dog from CCTR.

Terriers should also be groomed to maintain the health of their skin and coat, so if you do not plan to do this yourself, you should add a groomer's fee to your expenses.  

Of course, you will want to have the proper leash and collar and toys to keep your dog out of trouble. After a dog is properly housebroken, he will need some type of bed if he does not sleep on yours or in his crate.

If you travel and your dog does not go with you, you will also need to figure in some type of care for him while you are gone.

We would like to remind you that a dog of any breed may develop diseases the same as humans such as cancer, heart problems, arthritis, diabetes, incontinence, etc. These diseases are not transmittable to humans. We bring this issue up only to make you aware that you might want to consider how you would handle the situation if your dog develops problems due to age or illness.

As a rescue we promote and support spaying and neutering your pets.  All of our rescues with the exception of puppies younger than 6 months are spayed/neutered. No female puppies can be adopted to a home with an intact male dog.