I'm working from home today and was going to spend some time cleaning
before the rescue volunteer arrives, but I'm thinking that he is probably
going to want to see the house in its pet friendly, kid friendly, VERY
lived in goodness. Does this even matter? I am even more nervous than I
was for my last round of job interviews!

- Lynne, always looking for an excuse to avoid housework

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:25:47 -0500, Lynne
wrote:

I'm working from home today and was going to spend some time cleaning
before the rescue volunteer arrives, but I'm thinking that he is probably
going to want to see the house in its pet friendly, kid friendly, VERY
lived in goodness. Does this even matter? I am even more nervous than I
was for my last round of job interviews!

Don't sweat it. It's a visit with the family, not a home inspection.
Some rescue folks might be concerned that if it's too spic and span,
you might be a clean freak.

Some years back, I did a home visit with potential adopters who have
since adopted three greyhounds and become personal friends. I didn't
find out until recently (and not from her) that she cleaned the
basement before our visit! Needless to say, I did not go into the
basement, or the bedrooms, or the bathrooms...

Mustang Sally

"Lynne" wrote in message:
I'm working from home today and was going to spend some time cleaning
before the rescue volunteer arrives, but I'm thinking that he is probably
going to want to see the house in its pet friendly, kid friendly, VERY
lived in goodness. Does this even matter?

I tell people before I do their home visits that I'm not going to check
their closets or wear white gloves for the inspection. For us at least, the
idea is to get a good feel for the people, what sort of lifestyle they have,
what preference they have in the dog they want, whether that meshes with
reality, if they have kids, how the kids treat dogs, if they have other
critters how they look/act, if the existing dog is dog friendly, if there is
a fence, whether it is tall enough in good enough condition, etc.

I am even more nervous than I
was for my last round of job interviews!

I'm sure you'll be fine. I've been at both ends of the HV, and I know that
I was pretty nervous too.

Suja

"Lynne" wrote in message
m...
I'm working from home today and was going to spend some time cleaning
before the rescue volunteer arrives, but I'm thinking that he is probably
going to want to see the house in its pet friendly, kid friendly, VERY
lived in goodness. Does this even matter? I am even more nervous than I
was for my last round of job interviews!

- Lynne, always looking for an excuse to avoid housework
============
I would not worry about it. When I adopted my Rottie, someone came to my
house also. They were basically looking to make sure I had a fenced in yard
for the dog. He also brought along his Rottie and the dogs played together
and it turned out to be a nice visit. He did come into the house, but never
looked around the rooms or walked around the inside of the house. It is
just something they have to do.

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:55:49 -0400, sighthounds & siberians
, clicked their heels and said:

Some years back, I did a home visit with potential adopters who have
since adopted three greyhounds and become personal friends. I didn't
find out until recently (and not from her) that she cleaned the
basement before our visit! Needless to say, I did not go into the
basement, or the bedrooms, or the bathrooms...

To note - impressed by house and impressed by PEOPLE are not the same
thing. A very novice home-visit volunteer did the visit with a family
who wanted to adopt my last foster puppy. She had glowing reviews -
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful and then some. When I visited, not
only was it going to be a bad match due to my pup's personality
combined with the habits of the existing dog, but the people didn't
have a clue. They couldn't figure out why a 12 week old puppy, may
pee on the white carpet when they left him totally free in the house,
because they had no interest in crating him. When I said "well, he's
12 weeks old an has only lived in a house for a week, that we know
of", they said "oh - it will only be a day that we'd have to worry"!
Wow - speed housebreaking! They also anted him to sleep freely in
the daughter's bedroom, which was literally wall to wall, floor to
ceiling stuffed animals. Yeah - that would work.

The home visit person was right - beautiful and lovely and immaculate
home (except for a plethora of rawhide chips, a major problem with
this particular puppy), and a lake house as well! But once the father
HIT my puppy, nothing else mattered.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:14:09 -0400, Janet B
wrote:

To note - impressed by house and impressed by PEOPLE are not the same
thing.

Many times, if I'm too impressed by the house, I worry.

The home visit person was right - beautiful and lovely and immaculate
home (except for a plethora of rawhide chips, a major problem with
this particular puppy), and a lake house as well! But once the father
HIT my puppy, nothing else mattered.

This was a puppy he hadn't adopted yet? He hit while you were right
there? For what? Not that that matters.

Mustang Sally

"Janet B" wrote in message:

To note - impressed by house and impressed by PEOPLE are not the same
thing.

Totally, although you could be impressed by both.

I think I have mentioned here about how I went to do a home visit out in the
boonies, and had serious misgivings when I saw the condition of the house -
there was stuff everywhere, I had to jump over piles of stuff to make my way
to the couch, and move some magazines to sit down. But, all that changed
when I sat down and talked to the family, even the two teenagers, multiple
piercings, weird hair and all. I even got a tour of their former dog's
favorite things, saw his pictures on the refrigerator, where they wound hang
up the leash, where he was fed, etc. Couldn't find anyone who cared more
for their dog, if you ask me. It made my day when at an adoption day,
someone who looked vaguely familiar came over and said 'You probably don't
remember us, but you did our home visit, and we got such a wonderful dog
from you that we're back to get him a buddy'.

The last HV I did, I was impressed with both the people and the home. One
male adult, two boys 7 and 12, and the house was immaculate, although I did
their HV on very short notice, and he wouldn't have had time to clean up. A
very sensible man with two equally sensible kids; they were so good with my
dogs, I was actually surprised by it. It isn't every day you get to meet 7
year olds who do poop patrols.

Suja

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:25:31 -0400, sighthounds & siberians
, clicked their heels and said:

This was a puppy he hadn't adopted yet? He hit while you were right
there? For what? Not that that matters.

Yes - this was just a home visit with the dog they wanted to adopt.
For snapping at the adult Golden over a rawhide chip when she tried to
take it. I needed to know how they would react to such a thing. He
SLAMMED the puppy on his side/butt. I was so taken aback - I just
never expected such a thing. The puppy was really an object guarder
with other dogs, and had attacked Franklin 3x in the first week he was
here (we nipped that totally though). It was a huge concern for a new
home. As it is, I placed him with another Golden who is a totally
non-confrontational beast - wouldn't try to take anything from another
dog for anything. OTOH, I brought Rudy to visit, and sure enough,
foster dog got snarky over a squeak toy. Rudy let's that stuff roll
off his back, but we put the toy away.


--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:09:46 -0400, Janet B
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:25:31 -0400, sighthounds & siberians
, clicked their heels and said:

This was a puppy he hadn't adopted yet? He hit while you were right
there? For what? Not that that matters.

Yes - this was just a home visit with the dog they wanted to adopt.
For snapping at the adult Golden over a rawhide chip when she tried to
take it. I needed to know how they would react to such a thing. He
SLAMMED the puppy on his side/butt. I was so taken aback - I just
never expected such a thing. The puppy was really an object guarder
with other dogs, and had attacked Franklin 3x in the first week he was
here (we nipped that totally though). It was a huge concern for a new
home. As it is, I placed him with another Golden who is a totally
non-confrontational beast - wouldn't try to take anything from another
dog for anything. OTOH, I brought Rudy to visit, and sure enough,
foster dog got snarky over a squeak toy. Rudy let's that stuff roll
off his back, but we put the toy away.

How about the people you did the initial home visit to - - did they
get turned down?

Mustang Sally

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:16:21 -0400, sighthounds & siberians
, clicked their heels and said:


How about the people you did the initial home visit to - - did they
get turned down?

yes. they bought from a breeder. good luck to them.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com