Sometimes, our four-legged family members develop bad habits, or end up being more than the family bargained for when bringing them home. Herding dogs can be especially demanding of training, socialization, and exercise. Ultimately, it is our goal (and should be the owner’s) to resolve the issues a dog may have and keep the dog in their home. However, we understand that this is not always an attainable goal, and when that situation occurs, we will attempt to help as best we can.
If you are experiencing problems with your herder’s behavior, the first place you should look is to training or to your veterinarian. Vets can help pinpoint health issues that might be causing the behavior, and trainers/behaviorists can assist you in changing your own methods while also conditioning your dog to act appropriately. You can find a list of trainers in the Carolinas that we work with here, but you should also do your own research and find a trainer that works best with your family and lifestyle.
After you have exhausted those remedies, you may still wish to find your herder a new home. If that is the case, CHAR may be able to help. You can find our owner surrender FAQ here, as well as our surrender form. We will not consider dogs without a surrender form from the owner. Also, we can only take surrenders as foster space permits, and we will not accept an owner surrender if a shelter dog needs that foster space. Preference is given to purebred Australian Shepherds, then to other purebred herding breeds, then to mixes in that same order.
We will also occasionally help with unwanted litters, provided that they are mostly Aussie or another herding breed, and provided that the owner agrees to alter the parents they own. We will not, however, purchase puppies.
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