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How early is too early to apply for dogs?

This is a special section for dogs needing new homes and for inspiring stories of dogs that have found their furever home through Dogster or through the love and energy of rescuers. This is also the place to discuss shelters, rescue organizations, rescue strategies, issues, solutions, etc. and how we can all help in this critical endeavor. Remember that we are all here for the love of dog! If you are posting about a dog that needs a new home, please put your location in the topic of your thread so those close by can find you! Make sure to check out Dogster's dog adoption center!

  
Lisa

Always my angel.		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 30, '13 10:18pm PST 
I won't be ready to bring a new dog home until mid-March. I'm both contacting a breeder I like about potentially available adult dogs and looking into foster rescues. Assuming I find a dog I'm interested in on Petfinder (or whatever), is it too early for me to put in an application/contact the rescue? Or do you think most rescues would rather I wait until I'm actually ready to bring the dog home?
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Tiller- (Skansen's- Ira in the M

I DO Exist...To- Drive You Batty		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 30, '13 11:46pm PST 
With most rescues, it would be too early. Rescues are all about placing dogs, and the unfortunate thing is that people are flaky. So some promise you will be back in one month "ready" is likely to be met with some level of caution, as if they cease marketing and you flake (of course, YOU wouldn't, I am just talking about general experiences of rescues), then there are all these would be adopters they may have lost out on and now they are starting from scratch. If you offer to complete the adoption, which means pay the fee in full, sometimes this helps. But the bottom line is that dog is taking up a slot of some kind and to move him means another slot opens. So there is that preference for the ready home. My rescue has held for several weeks on some occasions, but never without the adoption completed. Been there, done that, and it usually comes back to bite ya.

Of course, every rescue is unique. But I've worked for a number, and I think what I have just said is a fair general assumption, *particularly* when the dog is highly adoptable.
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Rigby

Dingbat
 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 4:30am PST 
Where we got Rigby from wouldn't even guarantee a hold for a day despite the promises of country living (she was from a city facility), someone home all day, and agility/obedience/flyball work.

I think looking on Petfinder now may be setting your self up for a little bit of heartbreak and disappointment.
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Samoa- SunnyBear- Bell

Happy Boy!
 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 6:31am PST 
In one way it can work. When I adopted Samoa, I got pre-approved. It was right before Christmas so I didn't really plan on adopting until the next year. I had been in contact with the shelter and when I saw a picture of a likely pup, I decided to go up and visit. I did not think they would release him until after the holidays, but there were a large number of potential adopters there on that very day. We took him out and played with him and decided we wanted him, so since I was already approved, I didn't have to go to the end of the line...

We got him and in fact took him home on Christmas Eve. A very nice holiday gift for myself!
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Lisa

Always my angel.		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 4:53pm PST 
OK, that makes a lot of sense. What I'm getting here is that it may be a good idea to get pre-approved with a rescue (if I find one I particularly like), but it's definitely too early to apply for specific dogs. Certainly get why a rescue/shelter would prefer it that way.

I think I'll stick to my usual 'idly searching Petfinder just to see what's out there' style of browsing for now. laugh out loud

Thanks guys!
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Ace

Mischief is my- middle name		 
 
Barked: Fri Feb 1, '13 9:32am PST 
Never underestimate the factor of destiny.

I was in a situation where I'd been looking on Petfinder for a while even though I wasn't ready to adopt (I was doing some traveling on and off over the summer and didn't want to rescue and then board her).

I did contact a rescue and met a dog about a week or two before I'd be able to take a dog home. I did tell them I was interested and explained the situation. But they ultimately decided as a first time dog owner, the dog I wanted was too much dog for me and adopted her out.

So, back to Petfinder I went, met Ace and the rest is history laugh out loud
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