I'm going to my dog shelter this weekend to adopt a dog. What should I expect??

Question

I have never owned a dog in my life before, nor have I gone to a dog shelter either. I am going this weekend. What will they ask me? Will I get to spend some time with the dog before choosing it? What should I expect? Will there be an interview or paperwork done?

Answer 1

You have received a lot of good advice already so I won't repeat any of it. As far as immunizations go.....you don't need to rush out to the vet to have those done. In fact, many immunizations are pointless and a waste of your money. You really only need to be concerned with a rabies shot. Regardless of where you adopt from, the animal MUST be spayed or neutered. Some places will already have the dog fixed already, some will fix the animal before you can take it home and some will require you to have the surgery done within 30 days from the day you adopt it. You also need to be prepared for fleas--ALL shelter dogs have fleas (even if they say the dog doesn't, 99% of the time it does). As far as Kennel Cough--yes, 99% of the time the dog will have it. The vaccination against it however is a waste of your time. Kennel Cough is similar to the flu in humans. There are hundreds of different strands of the flu and even if you get the vaccine for "this year's" flu doesn't mean you won't get last years virus and end up with the flu anyway. Give the dog echnicea and goldenseal combo and a multi-vitamin for a week and the cough will clear up.

As for don't get a puppy if you don't want to have to housebreak, not always true. The majority of dogs from a shelter were picked up as stray animals or animals that had never been indoors anyway. So even most adults won't be house-broke and you'll end up having to deal with it anyway. The same goes for hyperactivity and chewing. A lot of these dogs have been locked up in these small kennels for a long time so once you let it out, it's going to want to run and play and have some fun. Chewing--again, probably never seen a toy or bone in it's life so it's going to chew. I'm not trying to change your mind but don't adopt a 6 year old dog expecting it to act like an "adult". You'll probably still be getting the "puppy" attitude.

You want to look for the dog that comes to you as you stand at the door of the kennel. These are the dogs that really want love and attention. They'll be the most loyal in the end. As far as temperment testing or their attitudes at the shelter, you can't rely on these as being the truth. Imagine yourself as a care-free traveler--you've got a nice big house where you can come and go as you please with no one telling you anything and then immediately are thrown into a small hotel room with chain-link fencing as walls and ceilings, you're wearing a snowsuit in the middle of July outside in the hot sun. You've got people yelling and fighting two feet from you. Your reaction is stress. Dogs get stressed too. Just like you'd get angry and mean with your surroundings, they'll be angry and "mean" with the situation they are in too.

Educate yourself with some signs of common illnesses in dogs. If there is diarhea all over the cage, pass the dog up. He's sick and you don't want to deal with that. If his gums are red or nearly white, he's sick (could be dehydration or even parvo). Look for runny noses, cloudy eyes, missing patches of fur, rashes on the underbelly, "chewed up" ears or obvious skin around the eyes (these are common signs of mange).

Ask if the dog has been adopted and returned before. I recently adopted one dog--absolutely beautiful girl, she was very sweet and loving and listened to me very well. Just an overall perfect dog. Brought her home and by that evening she had attacked my cat, killed a puppy, snapped at my baby and tore a gash in my other dogs leg (even though they all got along great at the shelter).

Do you know what kind of dog you're looking for or are you hoping one will just "jump" at you and make you think this is the dog you've GOT to have? Definately do some research into the breed you're interested in and/or take a quiz on the best animal for your home/activity. You'll find a few quizes that ask simply questions like how often do you want to walk and for how long, how much grooming are you willing to do. Also you can find a list of breeds that are more suitable for your area (for example, a snow dog would not be a great idea in the south--it's just too hot).

You can expect some paperwork. Yes, some have home-checks and applications. Others let you "pick" the animal and make you sign that you agree not to use it as a fighting dog, guard dog, not for testing purposes, yadayadayada. Plan on an adoption fee too; I've seen them range everywhere from $5 to $150 plus the cost of spay/neuter and rabies (both of which are almost always required).

You can go to www.animalforum.com to find a lot of information and quizes on different breeds. You can also go to www.petfinder.org and run a search on your area code, it'll probably take you to your local animal shelter where you can view some of the dogs they have.

Good luck in your search and I think adopting is a great decision!!!

Answer 2

They will want to know about your previous pets, current pets and meet all of the people who live in your house. If you rent, they may want to call your landlord and verify that you can have a dog. Don't just go for puppies, there are many great older dogs who are already housebroken and trained and would love to come home with you too! Most of the dogs will be VERY excited and will bark, jump etc. Some will be shy to meet you but you should take it slow and give them a chance. Any dog would be happy to have a real home away from the shelter so keep that in mind when you go. Also, if you are not home during the day you might consider getting two so they can keep each other company. If you have never had a dog, you should consider getting an older, pre-trained one because puppies can be destructive if they are not properly trained and they need a lot of attention and work. Older dogs (even just a year) are usually calmer and easier to deal with.

Answer 3

I will offer this advice...do not choose a dog the first visit. Go back over several days and choose wisely. A dog will act totally different in the shelter than he would at you home. I have known too many people that have adopted a dog from the shelter and ended up with a pet they wished they would have thought more about. One girl I knew adopted a dog, kept her for a few days, then "accidentally" left the gate open. She always ends up doing these kind of things when she can't take care of something. Just make sure that you make a wise decision and stick with it. All of those animals in the shelter need good loving homes.

Answer 4

Expect to be heartbroken. There are lots of dogs that need homes. My advice, don't expect to find what you're looking for the first time. Expect to make several visits and pick a dog that will be with you for the rest of it's life. If the dog is barking and active in the shelter it will most likely require lots of exercise, attention and supervision.

If you're interested in a particular dog, take him outside and if it is an adult dog put him through a few tests. See if he will obey any commands(sit, stay, down etc.). Pick up his paws etc. to check for temperament. This way you know what you're in for. Most times the shelters know very little if anything about the background of the animals they have.

I adopted a pound puppy. He was 11 months old and is by far the best animal I could ask for. Friendly, loving and intelligent.

Here there was a questionaire with name addres occupation etc... I did not get the third degree.

Answer 5

I used to work at an animal shelter. Questions we asked included:

Do you have the space for a dog, of any size? (Mainly large ones.)

Do you rent? If so, are animals allowed in your lease?

If you have children, are they comfortable around dogs?

If you have children under the age of five, how will you teach them the dog is not a toy?

What will you do if the dog destroys something of yours?

Where will it sleep?

Do you have a recommendation for a veternarian?

What will you do with the dog if your life changes in any way? (Marriage, move to a new city/state, severe illness)

Why do you want a dog?

Are you prepared to spend lots of money should your dog become ill? (I had a dog with allergies, who required special food. Costly.)

Would you be able to have your dog euthanized should the need arise? (It is the most humane thing you can do.)

How will you discipline your dog?

What will you do to ensure your dog is not lonely?

How much time are you willing to spend with your dog, grooming him and such?

Would you be willing to volunteer upon occasion? (Most places don't ask this, but some may.)

Now, then my view on this. Since you've never owned a dog, what is your background with them? Did a close friend or relative have one? How did you get along with it? (I know some are true terrors, but still.)

Instead of jumping in right away, how about fostering a dog first? This way, if the one you chose isn't working out, there's no big deal about returning it.

Answer 6

Depending on the shelter, you may have to sign in, then you get to go to the rooms that the dog kennels are in, walk around, check out the dogs, and if you prefer to take the dog out to play you can ask to do that to see how they interact with you out of their kennel. Then if you decide it's the dog for you, expect that there will be paperwork-- there will be questions about your living arrangement **most require proof that it's okay if you are renting to have a pet**, history of pet ownership and such. There can be an adoption fee as well which can range based on where your going when I adopted my last dog I paid roughly 100 for the adoption, which included being spayed. All in all its not a bad process... and can be fun to find just the right dog for you.

Answer 7

Ask them if they do a behavioral assessment of the dogs. You should see the results of their assessment. See if the dog acts friendly to you. If he is shy or fearful, look for another dog. Many dogs wind up in shelters because they were not trained as puppies, so many will have behavioral problems such as jumping, barking, chewing, potty issues, etc. See if they offer follow up training classes for you to attend. If they don't, ask for a referral to a POSITIVE REWARD trainer, particularly one who offers clicker training. Join a yahoo list for dog owners such as clicker solutions, run by Melissa Alexander. Expect that there will be problems and learn how to deal with them. If you take home a dog, make the commitment to keep the dog - he has already been through enough trauma. They will probably want to know if your housing permits having dogs, if you can afford to have a dog. There will definitely be some paperwork.

Answer 8

whatever you do dont pick the first dog you see. there are lots of dogs that may be better for you. if you get a dog thats needs space to run around it would be mean to keep it in an apartment. i sugjest going on yahoo pets or animal planet.com to see wich kind of dog is right for you. if you do get a dog take it to get its shots and a collar imediatly and if you no what size range such as medium small or large bread go ahead and have food and water dishes ready along with leash toys dog house or bed and food. you will also want to consider getting it spayed/nuetured. when you go there i am sure it will be noisy and loud so be prepared. also try to get to no a dog before you adopt it. some places have a area were you can play with the dogs and if they do i sugest using it. also dont get a puppy if you dont want to have to house train it. also ask the staff about the dogs personality like is it obedient? yappy? dominent? aggresive? hyper? these are all things you need to find out and if you already have a dog bring it with you because you do not want two dogs that dont agree or get along.and of course make sure you see all the dogs before choosing your freind for the next 14 to 20 years.

Answer 9

I'm so glad you are going through the sheler to adopt your dog!!!!! Adoption/Rescue is wonderful. All my dogs are rescues. Just try to go in and be "color blind". By this I mean don't pick a dog because it's pretty or you like it's color. Pick a dog based on whether you take to each other or not. Just because a dog is pretty doesn't mean he/she will fit into your life. You do't want to have to turn around two months later and take the dog back. Ask to spend some time with the dogs. Shelters want the dogs in FOREVER homes so there should be no objection to spending time with him/her. Good luck!!!

Answer 10

Yes you will get to spend time with the dog before hand to see if you are a good match. Don't want to take a dog home that is ready to eat you. haha. There is an interview but you are doing the right think by adopting. Too many good dogs need homes. Oh one other thing. You will end up wanting to take them all home when they look up at you with their little doggie eyes. Ok So I love dogs. Good Luck!!

Answer 11

What to expect.. well if you are anything like me, expect to want to bring them all home!

Otherwise there is a form that will need to be filled out, they may or may not want to know if you have a yard...
( depending on the dog you choose ).

Also if you have small children they will advise against adopting a small breed of dog, due to the fact that small breeds are fragile and small children and fragile things just don't mix well :)

And as you probably already know, there is an adoption fee, however it goes directly to your animal. In other words, you (pre-pay) for Vaccinations and Spay or Neuter costs for the animal you adopt and that translates into your fee.
It is their way of insuring that those services will be provided for that animal.

Usually they will let you take as much time as necessary in order to make your decision.

Good luck!