People come from all walks of life, and dogs are much the same way. Every dog has a unique background that makes them the dog they are today. Sometimes those circumstances require a bit of extra attention on the part of an owner; this can be for a whole host of reasons, such the dog missing a limb, suffering from a chronic health issue, having a mental condition, or many others. All these conditions fall under the grouping of special needs dogs. On average, special needs dogs spend four times longer in adoption centers compared to other dogs. On some level this is understandable, if heart-breaking; providing a home for dog is already a large responsibility, and special needs dogs require even more on top of that. However, if you have the commitment and patience, special needs dogs are just as loving and caring as any other furry friend, and in some cases may be even more so.
While all dogs deserve to be loved, dogs with special needs require special attention, even more so than most dogs. While the kind of extra care you will need to provide varies greatly with the disability of the dog, you will need to make sure you can provide this extra support if you are considering adopting a special needs animal. In some cases, this support will mostly be additional time spent caring for the dog but depending on the kind of disability the dog has it can be monetary as well. Caring for special needs dogs can be immensely rewarding, but a strong commitment is needed from the get-go when making the decision to adopt one. If you are not familiar with the care routine required of a special needs dog you are considering adopting, you can ask your local vet for information about how best to handle their specific conditions.
The accommodations you will need to make for a special needs dog will depend on the conditions of the dog you adopt. However, there are some general strategies you can use that work across a wide spectrum of different special needs dogs. First, try to keep a consistent schedule. Try to feed them, let them outside and handle consistent medical issues on a regular basis to get your dog into a groove that they will find comfortable. A stable timeframe for these kinds of things can reduce anxiety that is often found in special needs dogs. Secondly, stay in close contact with your local vet. If you are unsure how to handle specific situations, ask your vet for advice. Some vets offer in-home visits; if yours does, you should consider taking advantage of this option for particularly sensitive tasks. There are also many organizations that cater specifically to disabled pets. Some can help lessen the financial burden by providing discounts for necessary equipment, and others are support organizations that connect you with other special needs dog owners to learn from and bond with. Check with your vet and on the web to find out what kind of organizations are available in your area.
The final and most important ingredient to a healthy relationship with your special needs dog is love. At the end of the day regardless of the conditions they have, a special needs dog is still a dog. Treat it with same love that you would treat any other dog and eventually it will return that love in kind. Appreciate your dog’s unique qualities as something that separates them from the pack. A happy dog doesn’t compare itself to other dogs; it’s just a happy dog, content to be as it is. Dogs come from all walks of life. Yours may just be a little off the beaten path.