Don't get discouraged by the fact that Northcentral is based in Wisconsin. They are a national rescue and place Maltese all over the country. They have their own director on the East Coast. They also have an amazing group of volunteers who transport all over.
If you are interested, you should begin by filling out an adoption application. Most of the dogs you see listed on Petfinder are the ones that are harder to place, seniors, special needs, etc. Most that come in are placed in their forever homes after going through foster "boot camp" to adoptees who have been pre-approved.
I don't know much about Southern Comfort except that they take in and place mostly puppy mill dogs it seems. Puppy mill dogs are the ultimate "special needs" dog as they come with so much baggage. They are not for the faint of hard and should only be adopted by those who truly know what they are commiting to.
This is from the Puppy Mill Rescue site:
They can be hard to potty train. It maybe very trying to deal with some of their issues, like poop eating, excessive fear, or excessively needy dogs. They tend to be frightened of sudden moves, loud noises, and sometimes even the touch of a hand.
They can go from being very scared to being totally dependent upon you, in such a short time. During this time, they may not want to be separated from you. They can become very stressed if they are boarded. They remember their life in the mill and they feel as though they have been placed right back into that situation when they are boarded. You have to be willing to take time out of your current lifestyle to help this poor unfortunate soul who depends solely on you.
These dogs have many needs and they have been through heck living in a small cage, not getting enough to eat, not knowing understanding, love, patience, or the gentle touch of a hand. Some have spent their entire lives living in a cage with their feet never touching the ground. They do not know what the feel of grass is beneath their feet. They have never been walked on a leash so you will have to teach them just as if they were a small puppy.
It may take several months to get the puppymill smell out of the dog. No matter how many times that you wash the dog, the smell may come back. This is embedded deep into the pores of the dogs and it will take time and good food and care in order to rid the dog of this smell.
These dogs do not really know how to act like a dog. This is something that they will learn over time with patience and understanding.
Caring, patience, no preconceived notions of the perfect dog, or the perfect dog in a week or a month, dealing with the dogs' issues, and being willing to wait till the dog is ready for touch, not you, pooping or peeing on the floor, hoarding toys or food, growling, or barking.
Some dogs may also be somewhat food aggressive. Any and all of this might be in your future with a puppymill dog. These dogs are not "perfect".
So if you are not up to a challenge, then a puppymill dog is not for you. Just remember that you are learning the same time as the dog. So do not get frustrated if it has some set backs right after you get it.
