I searched Pet Finder by weight and age. A huge dog wouldn't be good in our house/backyard. Also, I had a terrier in the past and wanted to have a dog a little bigger than her. I also didn't want a puppy since they can more easily find homes, but I wanted a fairly young dog that was still active and I could still see it mature. I looked at tons of photos and read many stories, but I just fell in love with Ruby when I saw her photo. She was so unique looking... and so beautiful! I knew she was the one So we drove way out to her shelter to meet her. She was perfect