The last dogs to be adopted?

[lute]

What do you think are the last dogs to be adopted?

[DrKym]

By far in 25 years of rescue work with many of the so called aggressive breeds ( Rotties, dobies , pitts etc.) and many mutts. The hardest to place are those that need lifelong med care or are visibly handicapped :(

[Sophist]

Actually, in my experience, the correct answer is "seniors". :(


But statistically, I know it is the big, black dogs.


Third? Maybe hounds.

Whenever I have volunteered at a shelter, the handicapped pets had to have owners very carefully screened because so many people attempted to adopt on an impulse due to pity. Even with extra careful screening, they never seemed to stay in the shelters long at all.

[Kfamr]

I think it's a tie between black dogs and bully breeds.

[k9krazee]

I think it's a tie between black dogs and bully breeds.

That's what I was thinking too.

[BC_MoM]

Actually, around here.. the "bad" breeds are almost the first to go! From what I've seen, it's the black dogs that are last.. seniors not too far behind. :(

[Miss Z]

At the shelter I volunteer at it seems the largest dogs are the last to go. Not particularly large as in muscular, but large breeds in general. The staffies and small breeds actually get rehomed fairly quickly. There's sadly been a German Shepherd and a rottie there ever since I started, which is over 2 months now. The other dogs, such as Akitas and American Bulldogs seem to take a long time to rehome too.

[luvofallhorses]

labs, bully breeds especially pit bulls, and black dogs. don't forget hounds, too. nobody wants a hound here anyways. :( we have a hound at the shelter where I volunteer that in an ex-hunting dog and I would bring her home if she was good with cats.. she's just miserable. :( the small dogs and pups go fast around here! and the seniors go slow, too. :( We have a senior GSD at the shelter where I volunteer and she is soo sweet.

[K9soul]

It probably depends some on the region, but my vote had to go for black dogs based on watching my local humane society's page. It's become somewhat of an addiction since I was looking before I ended up with Raven.

I would say dogs with special needs or senior dogs are close. There was a pure dachshund with a lot of special needs and health quirks but she was a red dapple color and she still got adopted quickly. There was a young pitbull there with luxating patellas who needed an owner willing to help pay for the surgery and she was adopted quickly. She ended up being returned because she was chasing their chihuahua. She was adopted again 24 hours later.

Hounds and sporting types get taken up quickly here as well. This is an outdoorsy state overall though and sporting and hunting breeds are very popular. Purebreds get adopted fairly quickly, and small dogs and usually puppies although I've seen some black puppies spend some time there, Raven did herself.

The day I got Raven they had just gotten in some bully mix puppies the day before (fawn colored). I was adopting Raven when the last of the litter of 6 was being adopted already, where Raven had been there over two weeks. My shelter always has an overabundance of black dogs.

[Glacier]

I think it will vary by where you live. Around here, a rottie, bully breed ect is fairly unusual and gets adopted quickly. Most small dogs never even make it to our shelter website. They are adopted in hours usually. A black and white husky cross is going to stay at the shelter for a very long time. Even a puppy is likely to grow up there; an adult is going to be there for months or years.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Bully breeds. Roxy was one of those, and she was on her last day before we thankfully adopted her.

[pitc9]

Big black dogs. :(

[dab_20]

I also think it depends where you live. It's usually Bully breeds around here, and many older dogs.

[Giselle]

Around here, non-pitties rarely stay over a week at our shelter. I've known some pitties who spend years at the shelter. Without a doubt, pitties are the last to go. Goes to show you how stereotypical and presumptuous people can be.

[Twisterdog]

We actually always had a waiting list for any pit bulls we happened to get in. I had never seen hounds stay too long at our shelter either. Maybe because there aren't too many of either in this area.

Far and away, the last dogs to be adopted were large black dogs. Most of them around here were either lab mixes or border collie mixes. Those two mixes probably comprise easily 75% of the dogs in our shelters and animal controls at any given moment.

[Suki Wingy]

around here usually large black dogs and dalmatians (because how the movie 101 dals ruined their reputation)

[Sophist]

Actually, around here.. the "bad" breeds are almost the first to go! :(

Same here... every little punk wants a pit to look tough and make them feel like they are tough, too. The converstions I have heard from some of the people wanting bullies just for the image have been frightening. I do not think they screen carefully enough, but I understand that they're often between a rock and a hard place. Still, they don't have too much trouble getting out of the shelters. It would just be nice if you could know that they were really going to a better place when they left... :(

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Probably Pitties/bully breeds, big black dogs, seniors, and handicapped dogs. :( :(

[Danegirl2208]

big black dogs...its sad :( ...but i for one happen to be quite partial to big black dogs ;)

[angelbow20]

When we rescued Sandy ( german shep/ huskey mix) it was her last day there. It even said on her cage that if nobody was going to adopt her that day she was going to get PTS, and she was about 9 weeks old!!! She was sooo cute, she was alittle brat as a pup and ate everything and chewed everything, she even got into rat poison once! But now she is the best dog I have ever had and I love her to death and im so happy we chose her instead of the little puppies up in the front room! We always have bigger mixed breeds, Labs and hound dogs for adoption.

[wolf_Q]

Whenever I visit the local shelter there's ALWAYS several labs (all colors) and some other sporting breeds like german shorthair pointers, border collies/mixes, german shepherds/mixes, and bully breeds/mixes. There's always a couple of small breeds (I've seen several purebred beagles and cocker spaniels as well as "designer" breed poodle mixes) and occasionally puppies too. Many of the dogs are purebreds and the vast majority are big dogs. I've seen several senior dogs which makes me so heartsick, I can't imagine having a dog for so many years then just dumping them. :( I haven't noticed a particularly large amount of black colored dogs, though I've heard statistically that is usually the case.

This is a sporting/farming area so there's a TON of sporting breed dogs like labs and herding breeds like border collies/aussies. I voted "big black dogs" and I'd say just any large breed dog is the last to be adopted here. If anyone wants to adopt a lab, just come here you'll find any age/size/color you want I guarantee it. I really have not seen many hounds or malamutes/huskies in the local shelters.

[Pogiebate]

I think big black dogs. They are so common most people want dogs that stand out. Not all people of course.
As for me I love big black dogs :) Of course I love all dogs LOL.

[dukedogsmom]

Actually, in my experience, the correct answer is "seniors". :(


But statistically, I know it is the big, black dogs.


Third? Maybe hounds.

Whenever I have volunteered at a shelter, the handicapped pets had to have owners very carefully screened because so many people attempted to adopt on an impulse due to pity. Even with extra careful screening, they never seemed to stay in the shelters long at all.
Wow. Dasher must be really lucky then. He's a big, black senior dog.

[Sophist]

Wow. Dasher must be really lucky then. He's a big, black senior dog.

Very, very lucky.

Big, black and senior is a triple-whammy for a shelter dog. Glad he found someone who saw past that!

[K9soul]

I'd hazard a guess that around 80%, if not more, of the dogs that end up in my local humane society are labs and lab mixes (most commonly black as well). There are just so, so many. The vast majority of "oops" litters are lab mix litters too.

Dasher is very blessed to have you Val. I know he loves you deeply. He's got a wonderful momma!

[Chilli]

Around here its the hounds.
Mainly because there is such a large number of hounds up for adoption around here. And alot of people who live in the city think a hound wouldn't be suitable for them.
I can't say how many times I've seen redbones, black & tans, beagles, and other hunting dogs not get adopted.

[Babyboonie]

That's quite a difficult one. I thought it would be the handicapped dogs as vet bills are naturally going to occur quite frequently...however, from reading the replies and looking at the results of the poll, it seems that big black dogs are the last to be adopted. Personally, i'm not sure why?

[luvofallhorses]

however, from reading the replies and looking at the results of the poll, it seems that big black dogs are the last to be adopted. Personally, i'm not sure why?

read http://www.blackpearldogs.com

[dukedogsmom]

read http://www.blackpearldogs.com
That is so horrible. I had no idea the stigma attached to big, black dogs. Makes me want to just adopt them. Very sad. I know I've sure got a pearl with Dasher.

[K9soul]

That's a good link Krista. I was reading more about it too. Here is another good excerpt I found:

(Black Dog Syndrome - Ace Atkins)

They are always at the shelter waiting to get noticed but seldom do.

They’re usually Labs or Lab mixes; often, they have a little crest of white on their chest if not completely black. We get entire litters of them. We get them when they’re older. We get them at six months. Almost always they are put down because they’re never adopted.

People in the dog rescue business call it the Black Dog Syndrome. There are a bunch of theories to why black dogs are the least likely to be adopted. Many think it’s because their photos don’t show up well on websites or adoption fliers because they’re too dark.

Others even note that it may be a stigma attached to black dogs that goes back to ancient myths. See the website blackpearldogs.com – an entire site dedicated to the forgotten dog -- for that theory and others.

But anyone at the Oxford Lafayette Animal Shelter (down on Highway 7 near the Yocona Basin for those who don’t know) will tell you the black dog is the most underappreciated.

Right now, we have numerous black puppies who will be passed up and several black dogs who won’t get noticed.

This site's page tugged at my heartstrings too:

http://www.centexhumanesociety.com/html/black_dog_syndrome.html

[tikeyas_mom]

i'd say Black dogs, bully reeds, or seniors.