# scmr anyone rescued a dog from them



## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

I'm thinking of getting another maltese and I was looking on petfinder and southern comfort maltese rescue has alot of them, they aren't in my area but I would like to rescue a maltese. Has anyone rescued a maltese from them before?
How is the experience? Northcentral has some also but they are even father away. I live in florida


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Don't get discouraged by the fact that Northcentral is based in Wisconsin. They are a national rescue and place Maltese all over the country. They have their own director on the East Coast. They also have an amazing group of volunteers who transport all over.

If you are interested, you should begin by filling out an adoption application. Most of the dogs you see listed on Petfinder are the ones that are harder to place, seniors, special needs, etc. Most that come in are placed in their forever homes after going through foster "boot camp" to adoptees who have been pre-approved.

I don't know much about Southern Comfort except that they take in and place mostly puppy mill dogs it seems. Puppy mill dogs are the ultimate "special needs" dog as they come with so much baggage. They are not for the faint of hard and should only be adopted by those who truly know what they are commiting to.

This is from the Puppy Mill Rescue site:

They can be hard to potty train. It maybe very trying to deal with some of their issues, like poop eating, excessive fear, or excessively needy dogs. They tend to be frightened of sudden moves, loud noises, and sometimes even the touch of a hand. 

They can go from being very scared to being totally dependent upon you, in such a short time. During this time, they may not want to be separated from you. They can become very stressed if they are boarded. They remember their life in the mill and they feel as though they have been placed right back into that situation when they are boarded. You have to be willing to take time out of your current lifestyle to help this poor unfortunate soul who depends solely on you. 

These dogs have many needs and they have been through heck living in a small cage, not getting enough to eat, not knowing understanding, love, patience, or the gentle touch of a hand. Some have spent their entire lives living in a cage with their feet never touching the ground. They do not know what the feel of grass is beneath their feet. They have never been walked on a leash so you will have to teach them just as if they were a small puppy.

It may take several months to get the puppymill smell out of the dog. No matter how many times that you wash the dog, the smell may come back. This is embedded deep into the pores of the dogs and it will take time and good food and care in order to rid the dog of this smell. 

These dogs do not really know how to act like a dog. This is something that they will learn over time with patience and understanding.

Caring, patience, no preconceived notions of the perfect dog, or the perfect dog in a week or a month, dealing with the dogs' issues, and being willing to wait till the dog is ready for touch, not you, pooping or peeing on the floor, hoarding toys or food, growling, or barking. 

Some dogs may also be somewhat food aggressive. Any and all of this might be in your future with a puppymill dog. These dogs are not "perfect".

So if you are not up to a challenge, then a puppymill dog is not for you. Just remember that you are learning the same time as the dog. So do not get frustrated if it has some set backs right after you get it.


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## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

Thank you for the info I'll check out northcentral.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Northcentral also has a Yahoo group you might be intersted in joining. It's a wonderful group of people, including Mary Palmer, the founder, and most of her volunteers, plus many people who have adopted rescues. 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MalteseBehaviorandTraining/


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## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

Thank you I put in my appl. waiting to be approved for yahoo group.


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## Laceys mom (Nov 12, 2004)

I checked into resues when I was looking for a maltese. I was turned down. My backyard is not fenced in. Since then I have meet a wonderful woman who rescues Bichon's and she has told me anytime I want one just call her and she would gladly give me one. She says I am a wonderful pet owner. It still hurts my feelings that I was turned down. I know I shouldn't take it personally, they are just trying to find wonderful forever homes, but still...I am a good mommy! I tried explaining that my development does not allow fences, but I was told I couldn't have a maltese, even if I went outside with a dog. Oh well, I wish you lots of luck. They ask lots of questions to make sure you know what you are getting into and if you can handle it. I have lots of respect for people you can do it...takes a special kind of person.


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Laceys mom_@Sep 16 2005, 02:11 PM
> *I checked into resues when I was looking for a maltese.  I was turned down.  My backyard is not fenced in.  Since then I have meet a wonderful woman who rescues Bichon's and she has told me anytime I want one just call her and she would gladly give me one.  She says I am a wonderful pet owner.  It still hurts my feelings that I was turned down.  I know I shouldn't take it personally, they are just trying to find wonderful forever homes, but still...I am a good mommy!  I tried explaining that my development does not allow fences, but I was told I couldn't have a maltese, even if I went outside with a dog.  Oh well, I wish you lots of luck.  They ask lots of questions to make sure you know what you are getting into and if you can handle it.  I have lots of respect for people you can do it...takes a special kind of person.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=100314*


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Yeah we don't have a fence either...we would have trouble through a rescue site or spca. -_-


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Laceys mom_@Sep 16 2005, 03:11 PM
> *I checked into resues when I was looking for a maltese.  I was turned down.  My backyard is not fenced in.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=100314*


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Gosh, I'm surprised they require a fenced back yard for a Maltese. That just doesn't make sense. I have a fenced in garden area but K&C are outside just a few minutes a day and that is when the weather is not too hot or too cold .... and they do all their playing and bathroom stuff inside. Requiring a fence leaves out a lot of people including people who live in high rises, etc. It just doesn't compute!


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)

We don't have a fenced yard either, but I ALWAYS take the dogs out on a leash. I wonder what they would say to that?


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## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

Well we have a fenced in back yard, so hopefully we won't have trouble. But we also have a golden retriever and 3 cats so that might mess things up. I'll just keep my fingers crossed.


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Nichole_@Sep 16 2005, 03:21 PM
> *We don't have a fenced yard either, but I ALWAYS take the dogs out on a leash.  I wonder what they would say to that?
> 
> 
> ...


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Me too....

Well, not the lab...she stays in the yard. But the bassett has to be on a chain or leash. Brinkley is always on a leash when he is outside with us.


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## Laceys mom (Nov 12, 2004)

I tried explaining that a maltese would be on a leash when outside but I was told I had to have a fenced in yard. I would never leave Lacey outside by herself even if I did have a fenced in backyard. I understand that they are trying to find forever homes for these little ones and they didn't know me at all. Lacey goes outside without a leash, but I or my husband is always with her. It took a lot of work (training) to make sure she stays with us. But she is my little velcro strip so she is always with me. Good luck. Those little ones need lots of attention and love and a forever home. I would love to get another maltese but I don't think Lacey would do well with another maltese in the house. I have had dogs that had no problem with having another dog in the house but this little one is very attached to me and I think she would not adjust well at all. She is my baby so that is okay.


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## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

Well Mary from NorthCentral e-mailed me they don't transport the dogs to you







You would have to go to them. So maybe they will get more dogs closer to me. A foster mom from scmr e-mailed me and said she a wonderful dog ,Gabriel on petfinder. He is 5 years old, 10 lbs. housebroken. She would meet halfway. She lives in South Carolina I live in Florida, so I'm thinking about that


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