Should I Go to a Shelter?

The first thing I want to say is..."WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT"

I want to keep this short and sweet. My cat Evy has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge...she was my first pet and my soulmate, so I want to give it some time emotionally before looking into another pet, and I also want to find a wonderful new home and get settled into my new home before I decide on another pet. The goal is to settle into a new home and within 3-6 months I'll consider another pet.

At this point in time, I'm interested in adopting a dog from a shelter. My dream dog is a German Shepherd, but I'm not in a position to house a big dog. So I thought, why not get a little dog or a medium size dog? But I have absolutely no idea what breed, and I thought, why not get a dog from the shelter? As far as I know, a good shelter will match me with a dog that suits me, my lifestyle, and my house. And tons of people say mutts can be the greatest dogs.

But I have no idea what to expect or how to choose a dog from a shelter. And many dogs are in a shelter because they've been abused or have major behavioral issues which is not something I could handle, to be honest. So how would I go about picking a dog from a shelter?

Does anyone have experience with shelter dogs and can explain to me the process? How do you know which is the right dog for you if you don't have a breed in mind or the breed you want isn't in the shelter?

My family has adopted several dogs from shelters and rescued them from other people, too. In our experience, while we had a certain breed/size dog in mind, it was still mostly a case of seeing which dog really “called out” to us. It wasn’t always the type of dog we had in mind, but in that way it’s like dating and finding a perfect companion in someone you swore “wasn’t your type”
You could also have some rough criteria in mind, and ask which of their dogs is most in need of a new home (I.e. has spent the longest time there through no fault of their own, or, worse, is closest to being put down if it’s not a non-kill shelter).
We already knew the reputation of the shelter we adopted from, since it’s very local, but it might help you to research this, too, if you can. Are they reputable? Most good shelters would, for example, do things like make an effort to match you with the right animal in the first place, take them back if it didn’t work out, and do home checks/a few post adoption follow ups.

Yes, shelter will be better and it'll be special too. There's the saying, "adopt don't shop" encouraging people to adopt from the shelters to save the homeless animals.

Lark, first off I'm so sorry about Evy. (*(*(*(*Lark*)*)*)*)

I am a HUGE proponent of "adopt not shop" I've gotten several of my fur babies from shelters. Like Roxanne said each of them "called out" to me. I believe the critters pick us out, not the other way around. Personally I walk the corridors at the shelter and see which ones show and interest in me. Yes, have an idea what you want, but be open to something else.

Thank you so much for planning to adopt your next baby.

How about fostering a dog for a short term period. That way you can see the ptifalls. If it works out you can adopt.

I adopted a german Shepherd (actually my brother) as a kid and it wasn't a good situation for any of us. We were all completely unprepared.

Don’t just go to a shelter and walk out with a dog that fits some preconceived idea. Go several times and let the dog pick you. A good shelter will have a good idea of the temperament and trainability of the dogs. Spend time getting to know the dogs. I volunteered at a shelter for almost 2 1/2 years before I met my guy. My financial stuff is such that I determined I could afford one cat. I worked with many and fostered many before Sir came along. We’ve been together for over 10 years now.

Thank you, LL

She was my soulmate and I loved her so much.

None of our animals came from the shelter. My family's first cat came from my babysitter, our German Shepherd came from a breeder, my brother's mixed blonde lab came from my dad's coworker, and Evy came from a couple young kids from Craigslist. They were all great animals.

So I looked online and maybe I'm mistaken or maybe it's because it's a small coastal town, but the two closest animal shelters only has a handful of animals on their website. I may need to go to the big city to have a selection to choose from.

How do I know if the dog picks me and how do I know for sure if the dog will be right for me?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiteraryLark How do I know if the dog picks me and how do I know for sure if the dog will be right for me?

I know you asked Nammu, but I'm going to answer how it works for me. Lark, for me there is some kind of spark between me and the critter. It's like our hearts speak to each other.

I’m also sorry you lost your cat; sending you