If you pay close attention to the adoptable pets section of the website, you may have noticed a couple of pint-sized pups becoming available over the last couple of weeks. That includes pets like Destiny, an 8-year-old mini poodle who was a part of a large-scale rescue from a commercial breeding operation thanks to CHS’ partnership with the Bissell Pet Foundation and National Mill Dog Rescue.

Pets who have had a tough start to life often lack the socialization and life skills (like house training, leash skills, confidence, and more) that pets from more typical backgrounds have. But after 8 long years (or any amount of time, really) in a commercial breeding facility, there’s nothing pets like Destiny deserve more than a patient companion and a loving home.

The behavior team here has been keeping busy with these 23 pups who arrived at CHS early last month, not only through preparing these pets for adoption medically and behaviorally but also through counseling new adopters in making the transition home for these pets as smooth as possible. Here at CHS, ensuring the right pets match with the right people is half of the goal. The other half is ensuring that people have all the resources they need to keep their pets at home.

Adopting a pet who has had a tough start to life can come with several unique challenges, but it can also be a deeply rewarding experience. When you bring home a pet from such a background, it’s crucial to start building trust from day one, but to also understand that a transition like this for a dog who has only known life inside of a cage may take weeks or even months.

While Destiny and the other pets from this recent rescue in collaboration with the Bissell Pet Foundation and National Mill Dog Rescue may always have some fearful tendencies, with patience, positive reinforcement, and dedication, they can learn to enjoy life alongside their new family. Through love and understanding, adopters can work with their new companions to build positive associations with the world around them, making their transition into their home a success.

If you’re considering adopting one of the cuties from this recent rescue effort, visit CThumane.org/Adopt to learn more!

And congratulations to Hank, Crush, Darla, and all the other pups from this recent rescue effort who have already made their way into their very own homes!