I Don't Want My Dog Anymore - What Should I Do?

I don't want my dog anymore. What should I do?

I’m struggling with my 3-year-old Border Collie and am considering rehoming her, but I’m not sure where to start. I want to make sure she goes to a loving home that understands her needs. What are the best options for rehoming her responsibly, and how do I know which one is right for her? Should I try to re-home her myself, or would it be better to go through a rehoming organisation or breed-specific rescue? The idea of giving her up is really stressing me out and I feel really overwhelmed.

If you have decided that it might be best for your dog to be rehomed, then we can support you. There are several options to consider finding them the loving new home they deserve.

Private rehoming – this is when you find your dog a new home yourself, and can ask friends and family for help, or advertise the dog in your local area. To rehome responsibly, you must be honest with your reasons for doing so, give any interested parties all the information about your dog, good and bad. It’s also fine to ask people to pay a fee to rehome your dog, rather than give them away for free, as you want potential new owners to have thought though their decision to rehome a pet properly. When you find the right new home for your dog, you can always then waive the fee, but at least you know people were informed and prepared to make a payment for them.

Relinquish to a rehoming centre – an organisation, such as Woodgreen will responsibly rehome your dog for you. They will assess your pets’ individual needs and match them with a new owner, giving them all the information and support required to help them settle the pet in their new forever home.

With rehoming to an organisation, dogs can be taken into kennels, housed in a foster home, or some places will allow you to keep your pet until they have found them a perfect match.

Breed rescue – if your dog is a pedigree, you may want to contact a breed specific rescue, as these organisations are often well informed and well placed to rehome your dog to the right person or family with experience of the breed.

Whatever you decide is best for your dog, be prepared to wait. Many rehoming organisations will have a waiting list for intake.

If you are struggling with your dog’s behaviour, medical bills or to feed them, please get in touch with us. We can offer advice and help and support you in a non-judgemental way.

For any behavioural issues, you can book an appointment with one of our specialist behavioural experts here: https://woodgreen.org.uk/book-an-appointment/

To rehome your pet with us, please follow the link below to complete a form which will ask for details about you and your dog. Giving up your dog | Woodgreen Pets Charity

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Carla

📍 Wales

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Dog age: 3 years

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I was struggling with my dog's anxiety, especially when we had to leave the house. Thanks to Woodgreen's advice, I've made some changes that have worked wonders. By sticking to a consistent routine, my dog knows what to expect each day, which has significantly reduced her anxiety.

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📍 Sussex

Dog breed: Cavapoo

Dog age: 1 years

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This advice really helped me and my new pup! I tried teaching recall without your guidance and struggled. Woodgreen's step-by-step dog training videos break each action down for you and I'm happy to say we finally made progress!

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I don't want my dog anymore. What should I do?

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