Do I have any chance of adopting a dog from a dog home?

[maxthetinydog]

I have twice applied to adopt a dog from a dog home but heard nothing back (they say assume you are unsuccessful if you don't hear in a week). I have no experience of owning a dog. Despite that I have a large and interesting garden for a dog and live in a pretty rural area with loads of lovely nature walks within 5 mins of my house, both the dogs I applied for said they loved walks like these. Also have two children of older junior school age and senior school age.

Do you think not having experience of owning a dog is going against me? I have not applied for dogs who need experienced owners and only applied for dogs marked as suitable for homes with children my age. But then perhaps these 'easier' dogs are also in more demand?

The homes don't give feedback on why you were not successful as they have too many applicants they say.

Should I just give up on trying to adopt from a dogs home?

Try your local Dogs Trust. Once you have registered with them, they will arrange a follow up telephone appointment to discuss your circumstances. Then they will try and match you with a dog. You can also visit your local DT in person. Good luck.

Honestly...probably.

I can't speak for bigger rescues, but for my much smaller (breed specific) one, we prioritise those who have either breed experience or gun dog experience. It's not to say that those without wouldn't make competent owners...but the problem is we get so many with good breed experience (including handling behavioural issues) that we automatically gravitate toward them because we know the dog will be going to a home that really understand the breeds needs. Better a safe pair of hands that knows what it's doing - even with a 'stable' dog - than someone who is still learning the ropes, in our experience. We know too many rescues that re-home dogs to people and then the dog bounces back a few months later in an even worse state than before because they picked the wrong person.

And children would factor into our decision. In part because so many older children aren't dog savvy (despite what their parents think/claim) and in part because so many of our dogs, in particular, have bite histories.

The adoption market for dogs that are suitable for living with children and have no behavioural issues is so oversaturated. Everyone wants the perfect, child-friendly, dog...which I totally get. But it means that realistically, unless you have something really special to offer, you're against really stiff competition.

We had a girl a few months ago with some quite serious 'issues' (SA, resource guarding that resulted in a bite history on a child). She had 40 applications in a week. And that was an 'elderly' dog who couldn't live with children or cats and needed someone home 24/7. Our 'easy' dogs get 100+ applications. You have to be pretty special to stand-out.

My mum adopted through Spaniel Aid a few years ago. On paper she was a perfect applicant; retired, fit and active, no children living with her (although visiting grandchildren), large secure garden, experience of gun dogs and behavioural issues, no holidays outside the UK, stable finances etc. It still took her about half a dozen applications to get a dog - and even then the dog was one no one else really wanted...

That's not to say give up. Two applications really isn't that much. I've seen the same email crop up dozens of times on requests to adopt before...

Oh, and if you go to a 'big rescue' please do bare in mind most of their dogs are not properly 'home' tested and have instead been assessed inside the rescue, not in a functioning home, based off the prior owners information. Very often, prior owners lie, or the rescue lies, and they end up re-homing dogs completely unsuitable to the family. We've had a few instances in DogHouse recently of 'placid' dogs (Greyhounds, I believe) who have turned out to have quite serious guarding issues that the 'rescue' allegedly knew nothing about...

Better to go to a rescue that have dogs in foster and so the dogs are properly assessed.

Depends. Do you work full time? Is your garden secure and your property suitable for a dog? Rescues are concerned with selecting the best home for each dog.

I think they have lots of applicants, I don't think you would be considered undesirable because you haven't had a dog before. Try the smaller rescues too and any open days. Keep applying and don't give up!

I applied once and didn't hear back for over 2 months- turned out my application went into their spam folder! The two dogs were still available but I had already rehomed another two dogs by then.

I think it’s inexperience and the fact you have a junior school aged child. If you work full time that would be a no too. Many dogs in shelters require socialisation or training and they may not think you are able.

We really struggled because we have a cat - we didn’t get anywhere, so adopted from abroad instead of- Bulgaria - our DDog is lovely, great with cat and with kids, not barky or aggressive at all, very sweet
she does keep weeing in the study though…

It is nigh on impossible to adopt a dog and has been for ages, since before Covid.

My wife and I tried for years, and couldn't get one. It seems that you have to order online, go and see it, and if you don't like it (they have to speak to you I think), go home and do that all over again.

We even went to Battersea and got shown 5 dogs of the type we had specifically said we didn't want, and I know there are more than 5 dogs needing rescue at Battersea.

It is no wonder that there are so many Romanian rescues coming over here.

Honestly - not in my experience. It seems to be that so many people are interested in most of the dogs they have, and they pick and choose the most experienced person who has oodles of time to hand feed them sausages and spend hours training and walking them! I have friends who have adopted very successfully from overseas and others (like ourselves) who gave up bought puppies.

I know you said you live rurally but do you live near a road? My Mum lives in tiny village surrounded by fields but she lives right on the only, very quiet road through the village, she said they looked at her house on Google earth and despite being an experienced cat owner and having a large, secure garden they denied her permission to adopt a cat because she lives on a 'main' road she went elsewhere and was allowed to adopt two cats. If one shelter doesn't allow it try a different one. I would visit in person rather than phone or email. We got our cat from the RSPCA and they are very particular about matching the right animal with the right owner, some amimals do need an experienced owner but they won't deny someone just due to lack of experience if they have one that seems right for you.

Some great replies.. I've had dogs since I was 13, mainly border collies, 3 years ago,we had to have our great little phalene PTS,he was almost 18. My vet would happily give a reference. I started out 100 mile radius from home. We're retired, don't have holidays,200 foot garden,5.5 feet fence. Visiting grandkids,that was a no, garden not big enough, fence had to be 6 feet. Otherwise,it was very elderly dogs, complicated expensive health issues. We live on the edge of a village, farmland and the South downs a few minutes walk.,beach 10 minutes by car..I didn't even get replies, ended up with a puppy. This wasn't 100 mile radius in the end,it was England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I chat to a lot of people when dog walking, and this is why people have gone down the adopt from abroad route.

Only if you are the reincarnation of St Francis of Assisi.

Thanks everyone, especially @TheHungryHungryLandsharks (are you a Croods 2 fan as well 😁) for your detailed reply.

I must admit before this I had no idea it was competitive to adopt a rescue dog! I thought they were crying out for people to take dogs from their kennels!

Bit demoralising I must admit. Not sure I want to buy from a breeder. I have heard terrible stories from people who have bought from breeders of conditions the animals were kept in (so don't know why they still supported the breeders by buying..) and these were not even puppy farmers. I've always wanted to get a rescue dog if I did get a dog.

I do work full time but I work from home 4 days a week and only a short day on the day I am in. I live on a really quiet street too.

But I take on board my lack of experience with dogs.

Same. We’ve got one from Bulgaria and one from Alicante. Bulgarian is a large breed, great with kids and all of our other animals from hamsters to chickens. Had never lived in a house so required training and toilet training which took about a year. He is now a wonderful dog, only thing he ever does ‘wrong’ is occasionally takes food off the side if I’ve forgotten to put it away before leaving the house (both dogs free roam the house). Alicante dog is an absolute sweetheart. Was clearly loved and well trained at some point. She’s absolutely mortified if she thinks you’re upset at her for any reason. I know mn hates foreign rescues and you are taking a chance with an unknown dog, but I think you are with any other rescue and even breeders, but we’ve certainly got lucky with ours. With an actual 1 year old baby and 2 primary age children when adopting the Bulgarian, and then the Spanish one a few years on, plus other pets, we didn’t stand a chance with a uk rescue

When I applied to Dog'sTtust the follow up phone call told me there were 502 applicants ahead of me. .seeing as I wanted a ddog in this lifetime i gave up.

You also can't apply for a specific ddog..despite the time spent on uploading dozens of individual profiles....
Pointless and surely a waste of resources ?

@maxthetinydog I understand the risk re. breeders. Sounds like the people you know who bought from breeders didn't do their 'vetting' properly. Prospective buyers should vet their breeder the same way a good breeder will vet prospective buyers. Full disclosure, I breed (Golden Retrievers) and honestly all the 'good' breeders (by MN standards) I know treat their dogs better than they treat themselves. Finding a good breeder takes time, patience and determination but it's so worth it.

Good breeders will have wait lists so you might have to wait longer. But they'll also have decades of breed experience, be able to help you find the right litter (possibly not even theirs depending on their breed - not all litters are equally after all and not all litters are suitable as family pets), and be able to provide on-going support that is specific to the bred you've got. Just like humans, all dog breeds are different so having a dedicated resource there, as a first time dog owner, who can answer all your questions can be really invaluable. Plus, the beauty with a well-bred dog that you have from puppyhood is the stability of the temperament and knowing what you'll get - with younger children around, it's definitely something to consider. Rescues can be really unpredictable, particularly if they've not been in foster.

I always recommend them, but miniature poodles are (I think) the perfect first time family dog. Good with kids. Good with dogs. Robust temperament. Not high maintenance in terms of personality or grooming (just be sure you can afford a groomer every 3-4 weeks). They're intelligent ( easy to train) and incredibly loyal. Them or labrador retrievers.

Don't get me wrong, I think a rescue dog loves in a way a 'owned from puppyhood' dog doesn't (simply because they often haven't had the best start). Although of course a dog owned from puppy-hood also loves deeply. However, in terms of being a first time owner and setting yourself up for success with future dogs...a puppy is a good shout.

@Gardenisablooming DT started doing it because they found that certain types of dogs (bull breeds primarily [nb, not staffies which a great little dogs] and powerful dogs) weren't getting interest. It was a drive to try and get those dogs into more homes. It's a terrible idea to try and force people to look at breeds they wouldn't consider because 9/10 if you've discounted a breed there's usually a valid reason for it...

I'd try small, local rescues, OP. Maybe volunteer with them.
You may need to put in many applications but I don't think you should give up.
Good luck!

Absolutely agree with what sharks said re miniature poodles. Fantastic dogs.

their breed specific resdue is called Poodle Network UK

I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble trying to adopt a dog.

I got my dog after I saw a photo of him on one of the local rescue’s Facebook page. I just knew he was “my dog”. I filled in the application form, they rang and arranged a home visit, I passed and a week later we went to collect him.

So it is possible but obviously quite rare from the replies on here. If you’re anywhere near Bristol/Somerset I can give you their details.