🐾 Adoption Expectations 101

We are a rescue, not a pet store. The dogs in our care are not blank slates, showroom-perfect, or “easy.” They are living beings with histories, personalities, trauma, resilience, and heart. They’ve survived abandonment, neglect, hoarding, abuse, and being labeled “unadoptable.” You are not adopting a product. You are committing to a life.

If you expect a dog to:

• Settle in immediately 
• Obey like a trained service animal 
• Sleep through the night without incident 
• Instantly get along with your other pets 
• Read your mind and your household routine
   

…within a few days, please don’t adopt. We are not placing dogs for your convenience—we’re placing them for their safety and future.

🕐 Most dogs need 

 3 days to decompress,
3 weeks to settle,
3 months to bond and feel secure.
This is a process, not a test.
 

This is not a “try before you buy” situation. If you are not prepared to deal with barking, nervousness, accidents, or confusion in the first few days, please opt for fostering or wait until you’re truly ready. Dogs are not disposable when they don’t meet your ideal immediately.

Unless you are a professional trainer working under a medical directive, we do not adopt dogs out with the expectation of becoming service animals. A rescue dog needs stability—not pressure to perform for your needs before their own are met.

Even our easiest dogs may:

• Bark at strangers 
• Be unsure around other dogs 
• Need leash work 
• Have crate anxiety 
• Need housebreaking help 
• Have trauma triggers
   

That doesn’t make them “bad.” That makes them real. We disclose everything we know, and we match as best we can. But we cannot predict everything that will surface in a new home, and neither can you.

• Patience. If you’re expecting a fully adjusted dog in 48 hours, this is not the rescue for you. 
• Communication. We are here to support you, but only if you reach out. 
• Commitment. Adoption means sticking around when it’s inconvenient, messy, or difficult. 
• Integrity. Don't say you’re committed if you're not. These dogs have already lost everything once.
   

Good. That probably means you’re not here for convenience—you’re here to give a dog the life they’ve always deserved. We welcome you with open arms, full honesty, and continued support.

If you’re looking for instant perfection and zero inconvenience—try Build-A-Bear.

With respect,
Rockstar Rescue
Because rescue isn’t easy—and neither are we.