# Adopting from shelter - tips for evaluating dog?



## JKBD (Jul 17, 2014)

Hello! My family has been thinking about adding a GSD to our home, long story but we think this is the right way to "complete" our family. I definitely want to adopt and would prefer an adult, and we did fill out some adoption paperwork with a local breed rescue. In the meantime though a lovely dog came into a local shelter and we want to go meet him.

Any tips for evaluating a dog at the shelter? He was delivered as a stray so we don't know his background or even a specific age. (Which is why I would rather go through a rescue that has fostered them in home, but we don't want to miss out on this guy completely.) We do have kids and will be brining the kids with us, so we can see how he interacts. But I know that dogs in the shelter are not going to act their "normal" selves so any tips or advice on evaluating are appreciated!


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

you have a lot better chance getting approved from the shelter. the rescue prolly won't even respond.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Do you know a trainer? If so, ask that person to go with you. Or anyone from rescue? if you give your location, maybe someone can help you?

You want to test with other dogs - walk a good distance apart from someone else, first in the same direction and then opposite directions to see his reactions. Is it excited barking? Calm and neutral? Stare down (BAD!) or lunging I want to eat your face.

Cats - If they will put one in a cage for you, then take him near the cage and see his reaction. Dropping his head and staring is an instant no. Is he curious? playful? excited?

Kids - do the same thing as the dogs.

Balls/Toys - will he play? Will he give up the toy?

Body - can you touch his body all over? Including his head and mouth?

Just take him for a walk and see what his reaction to the world is.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I would echo that perhaps the rescue could help in getting someone over there to evaluate with you. They have an interest in that many rescues are probably full. 

Again echoing Jax... toy drive is a great way to train so if he likes and interacts with toys that would be a big plus. 

Good luck to you.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Behavior with the kids is the most important followed by being around other dogs. It will be easier to see the reaction with the kids then the dogs IMO. I got my male from a shelter. His temperament with me was great and has never changed. He never reacted or even barked a peep at other dogs around him and he had to walk past many to get to the visiting area. Once I signed the papers and walked out with him, he lunged and barked at the first dog he seen. It was leash reactivity not aggression, which I learned later. I worked with him for a few months and he is good now, but prepare yourself for the dog to possibly act/behave differently once they have freedom. Even with the reactivity in the beginning I'm happy with my guy and wouldn't trade him for anything.


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

I would strongly recommend Patricia McConnell's booklet Love Has No Age Limit, and maybe Sue Sternberg's Successful Dog Adoption for extra material if you feel like investing in two books. Both will give you much more thorough and carefully considered information than any message board post can.

Beyond that, I feel like anything I'd write in a post would be so incomplete as to be probably more misleading than helpful.

The only thing I do feel confident saying is that shelter evaluations are very, very limited and are frequently inaccurate (albeit in some pretty predictable ways -- for example, a dog's willingness to engage with toys is almost always dampened due to the stressful environment, the dog's unfamiliarity with you, and sometimes the dog's lack of familiarity with toys [many of my fosters had never been given any toys before and had no idea what to do with them]. Many normal dogs will be reluctant or unwilling to play with toys in that initial meeting, but not at home a week later).

Basically you can knock out some of the more obvious forms of aggression, you can get a very rough sense of the dog's overall confidence level, and you can get an idea of whether the dog seeks comfort from people when worried. That is pretty much all I ever feel sure about assessing in those initial meetings.

But of course those are all good things to know.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree with the advice you have already been given, but want to add a couple more things. As already stated, your new dog may be completely different in your home than in the shelter environment and sometimes it can take a month or more for your dog to settle down and get used to your household routine and become his/her real self. Please give it time, more than just a few hours or days and decide it's not "working out." Regarding housebreaking, no matter what the shelter tells you, we don't know whether the dogs are housebroken or not. And even if the dog doesn't foul his/her kennel, it doesn't mean for sure that it is housebroken. Also, dogs are specific, rather than general, so even if it truly is housebroken, it may not be at your house and need re-training. My Heidi was 8 years old and had been housebroken for 7.5 years, but she peed in my friend's living room the first time she visited! I would visit your potential new pet several times before making a decision, perhaps with the kids, with just your mate, alone, etc. Better to miss out on one dog than to impulsively make a bad match. On the other hand, I guess if the dog is on "deathrow" that might be a different story. Our shelter is no-kill, so if a dog is gone, you know he's been adopted!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Will this shelter let you foster him? If so, a foster-to-adopt scenario might be ideal, as you would get a great sense of who he "really" is, once in a home for a few weeks. If he ends up not being "the one," you just help the shelter find him a home by taking him to adoption events and to meet and greets. If he is, you complete the adoption papers in a few weeks, with more confidence in what you are adopting.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Great idea, Magwart!


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## JKBD (Jul 17, 2014)

Thank you everyone for the replies! There are some fantastic ideas in here. I will reach out to my friend who is a dog trainer (and will be this dog's trainer) because she might be willing to come with me, and she is a great read of a dog's personality. Also you've given me some really good things to specifically focus on when we visit. 

Luckily this shelter is a no-kill shelter so we can take our time. I am trying to be cool and smart and not rush in, maybe I should print some of your posts and read them the whole way to our visit to remind myself  I am very committed to training and working with whatever dog we adopt and there is a lot you can teach - but safety with the kids is the biggest factor that is not negotiable.

Keep the good ideas coming! So grateful to have found this forum.


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## truckola (Nov 3, 2013)

I got very lucky with Pepper. I adopted from a county shelter, two of the things I noted while she was in the shelter was when they were taking dogs out and in for daily walks lots of the dogs were agitated and barking, she was "meh", one on one she would take treats very gently even if I would not release them. She continues to be non reactive to other dogs and a lot of other stimuli and have a soft mouth.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

The Sarah Kalnajs DVDs are pretty good for teaching evaluation to someone that has some experience with dogs. I don't agree with all her assessments, but it is a good primer to help you understand what to look for.

Blue Dog Training & Behavior Madison, Wisconsin


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