News Archives - Paws for Life, LLC

Holidays are the times we typically think of getting and giving new pets. While it’s quite exciting for the giver and the receiver, there are a few things that should be considered before giving dogs as gifts.

1. Dogs are a huge responsibility

Is the new dog parent willing and capable of caring for the dog both financially and physically? Are they committed to spending time with the dog? Are they willing to put in time to train the dog? Are they committed to taking care of the dog in the event the dog becomes ill? All of these things must be considered.

2. Dogs should be matched with the right family

Is the dog a right fit for the receiver? Consider the potential dog parent’s lifestyle. Are you giving a dog whose energy matches theirs? If you give an overly energetic dog to a person who prefers to stay at home and watch tv, that isn’t a good match. Are you gifting a puppy to someone who is busy and won’t have time to spend with the puppy? These are the main reasons dogs are rehomed and surrendered to shelters.

3. Dogs have emotions like humans

They can also respond to stressful situations like rehoming and neglect in the same way as humans. The majority of behavior cases that we see are dogs who have been ignored, rehomed multiple times, or just neglected. Before giving someone the gift of a dog, be sure that they truly understand the impact their actions can have on the dog. Have a backup plan in case it doesn’t work out.

Never give a dog as a gift to a child. Most children are not responsible enough to care for an animal and the adult will still need to be the primary caregiver. Dogs should never be given to a child to teach them responsibility. Typically when the child doesn’t care for the dog, the dog is surrendered.

If you have any questions about this or other dog training/behavior questions, please contact us today!

Rescues have a tremendous impact on the lives of dogs in need. It is impossible to tally up the countless hours their volunteers spend in helping these helpless animals. Today, we focus on a very special pup currently under the care of Team Stinkykiss Shelter Rescue. I have been working with Neo for the last few weeks and will continue to do so until he is emotionally healed. Here is his story as told by his foster mom, Tamara.

On March 3, 2017, while working a rescue situation in North Augusta, South Carolina, this beaten and battered soul wandered into one of our humane traps. It could have been accidental, it could have been hunger, or it could have just been plain exhaustion. Whatever the reason, his life changed in ways he hasn’t yet begun to understand.

This nameless, trapped dog was terrified and in severe pain. He was immediately taken to the vet, where the extent of his wounds became painfully clear. His right ear was almost entirely severed. He had scars over most of his body from old wounds. His back legs appeared to be permanently deformed. Most of his teeth were missing and the remaining teeth were worn down and flat. He also had prior leg fractures that had been left to heal on their own.

It didn’t take long to figure out that this poor boy had been used as a bait dog, and with that realization, our hearts were shattered. (Learn more about dog fighting here.)

Don’t kid yourself – dog fighting rings DO exist. The dog fighting business is alive and prospering. We regularly encourage people not to leave their beloved pets outside for lengths of time without supervision. Cases like this are one of the many reasons why!

Now named Neo, Greek for New and representative of his new life, he has a long road to recovery, but we are committed to get him there! He is now in a home with a foster mom and dad who adore him. He has every reason to despise humans, and yet he is the most docile dog you could ever meet. He has made some great strides already and is slowly learning to trust. He is very accepting of the other dogs in the house. We know there is an awesome boy inside there and we are going to hang in there with him until that happy, confident, and trusting boy comes out!

To keep up with the latest on Neo, Like his Facebook page. To follow Team Stinkykiss, check out and like their Facebook page! If you need help with your dog, please call or contact me today.