The moment is appropriate to bring a furry family member into your home if you decide you have the room, time, and money to care for a dog. There are still more choices to be made once you’ve made the decision to bring a worthy shelter or rescue dog into your house.

Age-Related Factors

Are you looking for an adult, senior, or puppy dog? Consider carefully if you have the time and patience to watch, potty train, and obedience teach a puppy before deciding to have one. Keep in mind that you could only keep an adult or senior dog for a limited period of time. Can you manage a short-term partnership?

Additional Features to Take Into Account

Once you’ve decided on an age, you need to decide on other things like mixed-breed or purebred dogs, as well as what size, gender, and coat type (which should be taken into account for allergy sufferers). Your mission starts when you make those choices. While purebred dogs are sometimes seen at shelters, mixed breeds are more common. Visit your neighborhood shelter with your list of necessities in hand.

Adoption Procedure

Examine the staff’s sincerity and familiarity with their canines, as well as the hygiene of the shelter. Applicants must complete an application prior to seeing the available canines for adoption. The application might be lengthy and include questions like these:

• How come you’d want a dog?
• How will the dog improve your life, in your opinion?
• What prior dog-related experiences do you have?
• What caused your last dog to pass away and how long did he live?
• Do you live with any other dogs or cats?
• Does anybody have a dog allergy in your home?

Additionally, you will need to provide the contact details for references, which should include your landlord (if you rent) and veterinarian. These references will be verified. Additionally, they could send a volunteer to inspect your house to make sure the dog is safe and that you are who you say you are, rather than to find out whether you are a good cleaner. Although this may seem like a lot, the staff wants you and the dog to be happy and wants to ensure that their pets are put in appropriate homes.

Selecting the Ideal Dog

See how each dog interacts with the others as you go around the kennel. Is he leaping ferociously toward you or is he bent over at the rear of the run? It’s probable that you should stay away from canines that exhibit strong emotions. When you find a well-mannered dog that seems to fit all your needs, ask to spend some time alone in a room with him. Examine your relationship with the dog and if you feel a connection with him.

Make sure he’s had a checkup, had his immunizations on time, been neutered or spayed, and had a behavior evaluation done by a specialist. Find out the dog’s genetic background. Knowing the personality of various breeds will aid in limiting your options.

You may not feel a connection with any of the dogs, or you might want more time to consider a certain dog. It’s okay to walk away and return another day.

Rescues of Purebred Dogs

You may contact a breed-specific rescue group if you’re looking for a purebred dog due to temperament or coat type. There is a rescue organization for every breed, often connected to a breed club. These volunteers for rescue are enthusiasts who are mostly looking for permanent homes for adult dogs of their favorite breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) website has a search function for rescue groups. To find one, go to the “Breeds” page and choose “AKC Rescue Network.”

Don’t assume that every dog on this list exhibits problematic behavior. Many of their owners have gone through life transitions, such being sent to serve abroad or being forced to live in a nursing home. For the same reasons that a shelter would, the rescue organization would interrogate you in the same manner. Because the rescuers are so knowledgeable of each dog’s unique nature, they will recommend that you meet the dog if they believe you would be a good fit.

Getting a dog via adoption is a great alternative. You get to save a life and get a lifelong companion in this win-win scenario.