Dog adoption advice - local shelters

[Anonymous]

We lost our wonderful dog in 2022 when he was almost 16 and we are finally feeling like the time is right to get another dog. So now it’s been almost 20 years since I was in the market for a dog! I am looking for fairly basic advice or experiences - did you have certain shelters you visited or followed? Other local groups/pages that are helpful for browsing adoptable dogs? I’ve looked at petfinder but that’s it so far.

My preference would be for a medium (up to 45 lb) dog, and I plan to be pretty picky in hopes of trying to find a dog that will do really well with kids. I am willing to wait a while for a dog that checks the boxes. And it seems like it will indeed take a while - from what I can tell so far, lots of the dogs available are either really small (under 15 lb) or pretty big.

Any insights appreciated. I am in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Follow Wolftrap Animal Rescue on Instagram.

Maybe not super convenient to you geographically, but you could foster to adopt.

[Anonymous]

I fostered for Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation in NoVa, and they are a serious organization.

Please note that most dogs will be pit mixes. They might not look like they are, but they are. You can go to their page to know when and where they hold adoption events, and walk about or engage with the dogs there, to get a feel for their personalities, bearing in mind that some dogs do not do well in crowded and noisy settings.

Puppies usually go quite quickly, and most of the time you don't really have a good read on their character, which isn't fixed at that time, because they are responding to littermate pressure, and might behave entirely differently once they're the only dog in the house.

[Anonymous]

I foster through Lucky Dog animal rescue
Adoption process is relatively easy - you check the website for available animals, make a list, start the application process online.
If you have more then one animal you'd like to meet - attending adoption event is your best bet - you can see them in person, talk to handler (and fosters - they're often at the events as well).
Then just finish the process on site - you can take your dog home the same day (especially if you start your application ahead of time)
There will be two adoption events in MoCo this weekend - smaller in Bethesda PetSmart on Saturday (12-2, ~10-12 dogs), and larger in Rockville PetSmart (12-3, probably ~100 dogs and puppies in attendance)

There are plenty of medium sized dogs available, and not all of them pit mixes (I currently foster wonderful 42 lb 2 yo hound-looking super mutt )

[Anonymous]

I find it's better to get a dog from a rescue group that has the breed you want. I would never get a dog with fur, for example, only hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Follow Wolftrap Animal Rescue on Instagram.

Maybe not super convenient to you geographically, but you could foster to adopt.

This is perfect. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

We have adopted three dogs from Project Second Chance in Alexandria, which rescues street dogs from Puerto Rico, treats them, and places them. If you are looking for a particular breed, you may have to wait a bit, but all of ours were suitable for those allergic to dogs. The founder is picky about who can adopt - they make very sure the dogs are going to good homes. While many are older dogs, they have their fair share of puppies and younger dogs too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have adopted three dogs from Project Second Chance in Alexandria, which rescues street dogs from Puerto Rico, treats them, and places them. If you are looking for a particular breed, you may have to wait a bit, but all of ours were suitable for those allergic to dogs. The founder is picky about who can adopt - they make very sure the dogs are going to good homes. While many are older dogs, they have their fair share of puppies and younger dogs too.

PS - we are in Moco, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Follow Wolftrap Animal Rescue on Instagram.

Maybe not super convenient to you geographically, but you could foster to adopt.

This is perfect. Thanks.

If you're on IG - most rescues have active accounts there.
And some fosters have dedicated accounts as well (I started IG just to post some photos/video of my foster pups lol)

[Anonymous]

It is impossible to find a shelter dog that is not a pit bull mix. You have to go with breed specific rescues who raid puppy mills. Even then, a lot of the dogs are not pure breeds or the mix that the shelter tells you that it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is impossible to find a shelter dog that is not a pit bull mix. You have to go with breed specific rescues who raid puppy mills. Even then, a lot of the dogs are not pure breeds or the mix that the shelter tells you that it is.

Stop with that nonsense. There are plenty of not pitbull mixes in rescues (municipal shelters are different story)

[Anonymous]

Are you wanting a puppy or older dog? Wolf trap is a good suggestion but mostly young puppies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you wanting a puppy or older dog? Wolf trap is a good suggestion but mostly young puppies.

And with mutt puppies you don't actually know how big they're going to be (unless it's 2 lb chi pups 😂)

[Anonymous]

PG county animal shelter has a lot of pit mixes, but lots that are not. In the size range you described, they currently have a German shepherd mix in foster (Star), a shih Tzu mix (rocket), a corgi-dachshund (puperoni), a PBGV mix (Bella) and several others. River the lab mix is a bit bigger than you wanted but also super cute.

pg county doesn't get as many adopters and puts dogs down for lack of space, so if you foster or adopt one you are really saving its life and allowing room for another dog to stay there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is impossible to find a shelter dog that is not a pit bull mix. You have to go with breed specific rescues who raid puppy mills. Even then, a lot of the dogs are not pure breeds or the mix that the shelter tells you that it is.

Really? Every single dog? All 10 lb mini poodlely things at a shelter are definitely pit mixes?