How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Dog?

One of the best ways to welcome a dog into your family is to adopt from a shelter or rescue. Every one of the millions of dogs awaiting homes would be thrilled to keep you company for the rest of their lives.

The dogs in shelters need loving homes desperately, but the organizations that care for them temporarily want to ensure they end up in good hands. They have an application process that involves submitting references, undergoing home visits, and passing background checks, among other things.

The adoption requirements and the process vary, but every little thing lengthens the timeline until you can finally bring home a new dog. That said, how long it takes to adopt a dog changes depending on how the organization handles the adoption process.

While the paperwork and the interviews may seem like a hurdle, it ensures the adopted dogs go to a happy, caring home. In this article, we’ll detail how long it takes to adopt a dog from shelters, rescues, and breed-specific nonprofits. Read on to keep yourself informed of the estimated time frames for adopting a dog.

Finding a Dog to Adopt

Adopting a dog starts with finding one in the first place. The quickest way to find a dog to adopt is to visit your local animal shelter. You can also check the online profiles of dogs available for adoption before the trip.

However, most animal shelters don’t have the resources or staff to update their websites regularly. It isn’t uncommon to call an animal shelter and inquire about a particular dog only to find out they found a forever home weeks or months ago. So, it’s best to go there and meet the dogs in person.

There are also rescue groups and nonprofit organizations. Some specialize in rehabilitating and finding homes for specific dogs, like Old Dog Haven for senior dogs. These organizations can help you narrow down the options in finding the dog you want to adopt.

Even with all these ways to adopt a dog, there isn’t a guarantee that you will find a dog to adopt immediately. Consider filling out an application form that states your preferences. The shelter or the organization can contact you when there’s a good match. As you can expect, this will lengthen how long it takes for you to adopt a dog.

The timeframes depend on many factors from the moment you decide to adopt a dog, but there are usual wait times. Here is how long you’re likely to wait before bringing home a newly adopted dog from a shelter, rescue, and breed-specific organization.

How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Dog From a Shelter?

Adopting a dog from a shelter is often the quickest method. There are even cases where you walk in, choose your new four-legged friend, fill out the paperwork, go through an interview, and walk out with the dog the same day.

While this can happen, you may need to wait several days, possibly up to a week or two, when they need to verify your information. Unless you have previously adopted a dog from there, the shelter staff may run a background check on you. They may also want to do a home visit to ensure you can provide the conditions you said on your adoption form.

All these should take a few days from the moment you choose which dog to adopt. Considering over three million dogs are in shelters, you’ll have no trouble finding a furry friend who will love you unconditionally.

How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Dog From a Rescue?

Rescues run differently than shelters and usually have a lengthier adoption process. Most animal rescues have various requirements in place for adopting a dog. While it can take a few days to adopt a dog from one rescue, another may put you on hold for weeks.

Typically, rescues require prospective adopters to submit an online application first. This application includes information about the adopter’s lifestyle, home, and dog-handling experience. You then have an interview with a coordinator.

If all goes well and you meet the requirements for the dog you want to adopt, you may be able to adopt the dog in a few days. However, when there are home visits, background checks, and waiting periods, a few days can turn into weeks.

How long it takes to adopt a dog from a rescue group finally depends on the organization. Before adopting a dog, you can ask about the average waiting times, and the volunteers would be happy to fill you in on their process. Nonetheless, expect to wait a week or two in most cases.

How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Dog From Breed-Specific Nonprofit Groups?

The adoption process through breed-specific nonprofit groups is mostly similar to rescues. The difference is most have requirements related to the needs or well-being of their individual dogs.

Since they may need to check for these requirements, adopting a dog through them usually takes longer than from shelters and rescues. For example, the organization may require you to have a fenced yard if they are fostering retired police dogs.

A home interview or videos proving these checks, along with the verification process all add up to the time you can bring home the dog.

Like rescues, how long it takes to finalize an adoption process for breed-specific nonprofits differs. It isn’t uncommon to wait months for them to find you an appropriate dog and weeks to process your application afterward.

Helping a Newly Adopted Dog Adapt

Dogs at the shelters can wait months or even years before a wonderful person like you welcomes them into their family. This waiting can take a heavy toll on their mental health, and adjusting to the life of a loving pet can be overwhelming initially.

They might even forget how to dog after a period of time – often seen in rescue dogs that end up in shelters for long periods. Although organizations rehabilitate and train dogs, you’ll do the heavy lifting as a new dog parent.

Here are some must considerations when helping a newly adopted dog adjust to their new life.

• Ask questions: The shelter staff or volunteers would be happy to answer all your questions and inform you of the dog’s personality, habits, feeding schedule, favorite snacks, and games. Based on these, you can create a smoother transition from cage to crate.
• Establish a routine: Knowing what you know about your newly adopted dog, create a routine and introduce new things (including people and other pets) gradually as you go. Dogs thrive on consistency, and a regular schedule of feeding, potty breaks, walks, and playtime will help the adaptation process.
• Avoid forcing: Let your dog approach new situations at their own pace. Avoid pushing interactions with new people or pets. It’s important to give them time to become familiar with their surroundings and family members.
• Start training: Crate training, in particular, is an excellent way to train a newly adopted dog. Not only will it help further training, but it will provide them with a secure place where they feel safe, making them more comfortable in their new home.
• Bonding activities: While training is a perfect way to bond with your newly adopted dog, daily walks, play, and showing affection are also great for bonding. Prioritize activities that build trust and create a connection between you and your new furry friend.
• Be patient: Even when you nail everything just right, dogs can take time to adapt. Be patient and give enough space and time to your dog – soon, they will blossom and let you know by getting the zoomies.

Be Prepared to Wait and Get Ready to Welcome Your New Dog

There are some occasions where you might be able to find a dog to adopt, start the adoption process, and bring the dog home the same day. However, these are few and far between. Adopting a dog usually takes days, if not weeks. It’s important to understand that this is for the good of the dogs looking for loving homes.

As you wait for the process to be completed, use the time to learn more about dog training and plan bonding activities to do together. Dogs of all ages and backgrounds can learn new things, and training is an excellent way to establish a connection between you and your newly adopted dog.

Check our online courses to learn how to train your new dog at home.