What to consider before bringing a furry friend home

ROSIE Taylor-trigg, the Head Behaviourist at Cheltenham Animal Shelter makes up one of the two team behaviourists at the shelter which was founded in 1926.

She first started volunteering with rescue dogs after dealing with her own struggles with anxiety and hasn’t stopped since.

Alongside her colleague, her job involves taking behavioural assessments of each dog that comes into their care and then using this information to support their welfare and match them to suitable owners.

When animals arrive at the Shelter their most common state tends to be nervousness, typically displayed through growling or hiding.

“The sudden surge of stress can lead them to becoming a bit of a shell,” says Rosie.

“But we work very holistically,” she says, ’taking it at their own pace’ to get them settled.

In her five years working there, Rosie has made herself known with all the Shelter’s residents.

She introduced eight-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rowan who was brought over from another rehoming centre. Free to roam, he immediately bounced up to the nearest person to say hello and, led by his nose, proceeded to scour the room for any hidden treats.

Unsuccessful in his mission, he trotted between seats, this time looking for some well sought-after attention.

A dog of his breed is often thought to be dangerous and tends to spend longer looking for homes compared to dogs like Labradors or smaller breeds like pugs.

This misconception limits the adoption process massively. Rosie explains it can be a leading reason why some dogs find themselves having to be rehomed or left in the care of animal centres.

So how do you know if this is the right decision to make? Rosie stresses the importance of commitment and learning to be flexible:

“Patience is the main one and having a willingness to listen to advice. You need to think about your job and whether a dog would fit into your daily routine.

“You need to be sensible. Do you have time? Are you in the right physical environment - which has access to walks?

“Are you likely to change your lifestyle in the next five years? Do you have the money for veterinary bills?”

An advocate for adopting dogs, Rosie says it’s ‘an ethically kind thing to do’ and gives them ‘a chance with a second life.’

She added: “Adoption gives you on-going advice, the animals come microchipped, and support is provided for those who need it.”

She herself rescued Archie, a staffyboxer cross breed, who lived out the rest of his life under her care. “I just fell in love” she says. “He was the single-handed best decision of my life.”