Originally posted by clara4457

I have adopted both my dogs from shelters - I don't think they were physically abused - but I do think I rescued them because I took them from a 4X6 cage into a loving home where they are well fed, much loved, exercised and have the medical care they need. Does it make me feel better about myself - YES! Does it prevent me from teaching them manners - ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Having recently rescued Spot from a shelter (where he was almost put down) I agree with this totally...we have had him less then 3 months and already we have taken him through an advanced obdience class, and he is now able to take "competetion" level classes. We were lucky, he obviusoly had some training before we got him, but it had been neglected the month he spent inthe shelter and we felt it neccesary to get him into training right away. I think people were in schock when we came to class and said we had him 3 weeks, but if we didn't make the rules clear from the get go, it would only be harder later