Best site for finding a dog?

@John Howard I am not sure what kind of dog you are looking for but I know that just doing a cursory check

On the Petfinder site (random sampling of dog breeds):
Hounds - 3,167
Beagle - 3,995
Labrador Retrievers - 13,389
Border Collie - 2,017
Dachshund - 3,027
German Shepard - 3,742
Pitt Bull Terrier -15,346
Chihuahua - 10,588

So it doesn't surprise me that a Chihuahua or a Pitt Bull Terrier are some of the most prevalent dog breeds/mixes in shelters every where.

As baselines I did some quick runs looking for beagles and beagle mixes (I also threw in some other good "low to medium energy family lapdog dog" breeds/mixes):

Austin, TX:

Beagles-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33557800
https://www.wimberleywagrescue.org/adopt/our-dogs

Basset Hound-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34017406

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33301666
Mission : Houston Street Dogs

Dallas, TX:

Beagles-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34034215
Animal Details

Mini Schnauzer/Beagle-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34155808
Dogs – Canine Soulmates

Basset Hound/Beagle:
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33850946
Noel's Web Page

Mini Schnauzer Mix-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33999892
Pets Available for Adoption @ Fuzzy Friends Rescue, Waco, Texas

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34155352
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33734620
http://www.msrh.org/#!for-adoption/c1mk7

Huston, TX:

Dachshund/Beagle Mix-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34160439
Adoptable Dogs & Puppies

Australian Shepherd/Cavalier King Charles Mix -
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/34161843
Adopt

Australian Terrier/Norwich Terrier Mix-
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33247825

Thanks for all those links. Basically my search criteria was

Type: Dog
Age: Baby or Young
Gender: Female (wife demands this)
Search Radius: 500
Size: Small

As far as those number statistics go, I would say about 50 to 60% of dogs listed as Lab, were either Lab/Pit or just pure PIT. When it comes to small dogs, oh my gosh, 95% was chihuahua mix of some sort, even if they were listed it as being something else. Probably 30% Chihuahua/Dachshund.

I really stopped going by what they were listed by, as I dismissed most of what was listed as a sneaky attempt to pass a pit or chihuahua off as something else. As far as the small criteria goes, well, a good portion of what I saw listed as small, was small because it was a puppy, and not because it was a small breed.

As far as beagles go, I have never owned one and just like the way they look. I finally got a call back from a shelter yesterday (only one), and the lady seemed very knowledgeable about dogs and told me that Beagles have a higher BITE average then most other dogs according to bite statistics (she said I could find this somewhere online). Well, with grandchildren and 36 great-nieces and nephews that come visit me, I cannot have a dog that will bite.

Honestly, I like dachshunds, but have heard that they are not good for small children because the potential for back injuries, and I will soon have a baby grandchild that will be living with us for the foreseeable future.

Again thanks for all the link. I really appreciate them and will look into each one.

John Howard said:

Man! I really liked that beagle/bassett mix Noel you listed, but the shelter is insane. You got to go through a month of interviews and then they actually choose a dog they want to give you. That's a bunch of bull. I am a grandfather, not a teenager. I have earned respect, and I will not put with that kind of disrespect.

Thanks, but if that is how all these shelters act, I want no part of them. They can keep their dogs.

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Some shelters are extreme, most aren't.

Most shelters want to know who is in the home, any other pets you have, what happened to past pets, if you have a fenced yard (and if not how you plan to exercise the dog), and a vet phone number for a reference - I've never had a shelter actually call, they usually just want to know you have a vet to take the pet to. All reasonable things. Some require a home check, which I'm also fine with.

Then there are pounds that let you take the dog as long as you have the cash.

Personally, I don't like the over the top shelters but I DO like them to have a questionnaire and criteria to adopt. That shows they not only care about where their dogs end up, but it often indicates they know the dogs a bit better and whether or not that individual dog would be a good fit in your family.

John Howard said:

As far as beagles go, I have never owned one and just like the way they look. I finally got a call back from a shelter yesterday (only one), and the lady seemed very knowledgeable about dogs and told me that Beagles have a higher BITE average then most other dogs according to bite statistics (she said I could find this somewhere online). Well, with grandchildren and 36 great-nieces and nephews that come visit me, I cannot have a dog that will bite.

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This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard said about Beagles. Aside from bite statistics being the most unreliable stats I can think of, Beagles are good natured, tolerant dogs. For goodness sake the main reason they're tortured in scientific experiments is because they're so sweet they're less likely than other breeds to attack their abusers. Any breed of dog can bite, but by breed generalization, I would pick a Beagle to be around children over many others. However yes, Dachshunds do have a low tolerance and can be snappy.

Have you considered Poodles or Bichons? They might be good fit. And while the breed is probably not just Pug/Beagle on that dog you posted a photo of (I actually believe those are two big possibilities, but something else must be there for the brindle color), what was that dog like? Pugs are small and typically good family dogs as well. Shih Tzus are nice as well. You will also expand your choices if your wife opens herself up to the possibility of a male dog. I don't know if she's scared of marking or what, but gender usually doesn't have much differences, especially when they're neutered.

And yes, some shelters and rescues have very poor people skills and are so strict with their adoption policies that they scare people away. Just keep trying, unless you have the money to buy a purebred from a good breeder. Just don't go to a pet store or get one online!

John Howard said:

All the dogs I liked at our insane fanatical shelters that won't even talk to you unless you have filled out an adoption application (no wonder I can't any responses from them), and then only after they have reviewed your application and talked with your vet first. It's insane!

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I don't consider an application and speaking with your vet insane or fanatical at all. I think that's a reasonable starting point. If someone has had pets in the past that did not receive annual check ups and routine vet care, I wouldn't adopt an animal to them either.

Human resources at these places are limited. Most are volunteers so they cannot speak with every person that shows an interest. Applications typically will tell them if you live in a house or an apartment, if there are young children or other animals involved, if you've ever owned a dog, etc. These are all questions they would need to ask if they were on the phone with you... it's a time/resource saver.

Example of an insane requirement: I saw a rescue that had the requirement that if you wanted to adopt a dog from them, you couldn't work out of the home for 8 hours/day Personally, without my job, I couldn't feed a dog so....

John Howard said:

All the dogs I liked at our insane fanatical shelters that won't even talk to you unless you have filled out an adoption application (no wonder I can't any responses from them), and then only after they have reviewed your application and talked with your vet first. It's insane!

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I had to have a filled out adoption application and give approval for them to talk to my vet before they would talk to me about my dog. Then I had to have a home visit and sign papers saying that I would leash my new dog while he was inside my fence till he was comfortable so he didn't run away. I waited for 6+ months for this whole process to be completed meanwhile my dog was sitting in a high kill shelter for part of that time and then a dog day care the rest of the time. But this rescue doesn't have dog returns, it doesn't have dog run aways, and they truly care about the animals.

I am glad I jumped through the hoops because Trucker is an AWESOME addition to my life. But the hoops do make you feel like you are a child but they are trying to protect the animals (animals who have already had hard lives).

Each shelter and rescue is different. They all set their own policies, adoption process, fees, etc. If you don't like the process at one, then look at others.

Fwiw rescue groups and ''no kill'' shelters tend to have a more involved adoption process and requirements. Open door (''kill'' shelters) tend to be far easier to adopt from.

I've adopted 4x from a local open door shelter. The process there is pretty simple and straight forward. Go in and visit. Staff help with meet and greets (gets dog, may direct you to dogs that meet wants, etc). Fill out the app for the animal you are interested in. Includes name, vet if you have/had other pets (do verify with vet that you are a client if you have or had other pets), other people living in home, basic info on all pets owned during the last 5 years ( type/breed, current pet or past, what happened if a past pet), housing type (need verification of landlord approval if renting), some info on how the animals will be cared for (daily life type stuff - how long left alone, indoor/outdoor, exercise, etc.) Also require that all people and dogs living in the home meet the potential pet. If staff feels it's an ok fit and vet and landlord (only for renters) checks out, adoptions are approved. Dog is scheduled for spay/neuter if not already done and goes home the following Tuesday. No home visits, nothing too invasive. Generally know if approved the next day the shelter is open.

John,

It's really a trade-off. Where I live (southern California), it's very, very easy to adopt a dog through any city or county shelter with a driver's license and a check, and that's the route I've taken. The downside is that the dog will come with very little useful information.

The first dog I adopted was a Great Pyrenees mix. It cost me $87 to adopt him, and I remember naively thinking what a terrific deal I had gotten. A couple of days later, I took him to the vet and discovered that he had a broken canine tooth, which cost me over $600 to extract. It also became very apparent that he had never received any training, had never been inside a house before, and would chew and destroy anything in sight. I spent a great fortune on doggy day care, took him to obedience classes, and even hired a private trainer. Still to this day, I've never added up the costs because they were substantial. I still have, for example, over $500 in damage to my car, which I haven't fixed yet. After two months, I concluded that he needed a new home, for his own good and for my own sanity, and with much effort and luck, was able to place him in a no-kill shelter, from which he was adopted by another, more suitable family.

So, yes, you can go that route and find a shelter that will take a quick look at your driver's license and take your cash. However, if you're willing to pay a slightly higher adoption fee and provide more information about your home and family, you can adopt a dog that's been fully vetted and has been fostered in a home setting. You'll know what you are getting in terms of the dog's health, personality, and behavior.

In retrospect, I could have saved myself much stress and at least a couple grand if I had gone through a rescue group instead of a shelter with my first dog.

Well, after looking at thousands of dogs, you finally find one and then you are met with this garbage insanity.

"Adoption procedure. The first step in the process is to complete an Adoption Application. YOU MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND BE APPROVED PRIOR TO SPEAKING WITH NTBHR ABOUT A PARTICULAR BASSET THAT APPEARS ON OUR WEBSITE

The Application is forwarded to our Adoption Committee. You can expect to be contacted within one or two days by our volunteer regarding the status of your application.
During this period the volunteer is busy reviewing the application details and speaking with your veterinarian for reference purposes. As soon as all the details are in place, you can expect a call from one of our volunteers to discuss the details of your application

If you are approved, our adoption volunteers will begin to review the bassets available for adoption and match the right basset with your lifestyle. Not every basset will be the right one. Through the evaluation of our foster homes, we are able to assess each basset for particular traits and dislikes. The basset that “speaks to you” from our website may not be suitable for your home. We will discuss each available basset before placing them in your home."

You will then be able to speak to the foster home for the dog you and the Adoption Committee agree best matches your preferences.

If the foster home agrees that you are right for their foster dog, a home visit will be arranged. If all parties agree this is the basset for you, the adoption can take place the same day and you can take your new family member home with you."


This is fanaticism on cultic level if you ask me!