First call the breeder, rescue, or person you originally got your dog from.
Responsible breeders will either assist you in finding a new home or take the dog back to rehome themselves.
Many rescues have in their contracts that the dog is to be returned no matter how much time has passed.
If the dog can not be returned - evaluate your dog's adoption potential.
You need to be realistic - older dogs (older than 4 yrs), larger dogs, dogs with health issues or
leery of strangers usually take a long time to
find a new home (possibly many months) - do you have the time to find the dog a proper home ?
Make a list of what you feel is most important for your dog. Then get real. No home will be perfect of
course, so you'll have to make compromises. What kind of people are you looking
for? What will you be willing to compromise on? Once you have a firm idea of what
you're looking for, it will be easier to plan your search and get the results you
want.
Get your dog ready!
Your dog will be much more appealing if he's clean and healthy. First,
take him to the vet for a full check up - if he hasn't had one in the last 6 months/ his shots haven't been kept up to date.
If your dog isn't spayed or neutered, do it now! The only kind of "breeder" who'll
be interested in your dog will be a puppy miller or a dog broker. Brokers
seek out unaltered purebreds for resale to puppy mills or research laboratories.
That's not the kind of future you want for your dog.
Having the dog spayed or neutered is the best way to insure that a
family who wants a best friend and family member will adopt your dog. If you
can't afford the cost of surgery, check with your vet, local shelter or check into the Pet Overpopulation Patrol - a mobile inexpensive spay/neuter vet.
Groom your dog - a bathed dog with trimmed nails and clean ears is much more desirable to potential adopters than an unkept dog.
Set an adoption fee. You can't expect the new owner to pay the same
price for a "used" dog as they would for a brand new puppy - but it helps ensure that they are really ready for the cost of dog ownership.
A reasonable range
might be between $75-150, which helps offset your advertising and veterinary
costs. If they aren't willing to pay an adoption fee or complain that it is to high - will they spend the necessary dollars if the dog has a minor injury / illness ?
ADVERTISE!
Word of mouth doesn't go very far. Don't be afraid to use classified ads
to advertise your dog, flyers in local stores or several web sites with various rescue groups - if they offer this service.
Never include the phrase "free to good home" in your ad even if you're
not planning to charge a fee. This usually generates the wrong type of people interested in a dog - and often they can say all the right things.
Screening callers
You are under no obligation to
give your dog to the first person who says he wants him or her. You have every
right to ask questions and choose the person you think will make the best new
owner. Don't let anyone rush you or intimidate you.
First of all, get your
applicant's name, address and phone number. Deceitful people may call you from a
phone booth or give you a non-existant address. Ask for information that you can verify.
Make sure all people in the home are in agreement with a new pup / dog coming into their home. If the potential adopter is
renting be sure the landlord/apartment complex allows pets (confirm with the landlord/manager) - especially of a certain size/breed.
References: Get the phone number of their vet (if they've had pets
before) and three other personal references. Call those references! Explain that
John Doe is interested in adopting your dog and you want to verify care, annual
vaccinations and heartworm preventative.
Once you've chosen a family (or families) that you feel
are good candidates, make an appointment for them to see the dog, and one for you
to see their home.
There are some things you need to explain to the new family before they
take your dog home: The dog will go through an adjustment period as he gets to
know his new people, learns new rules and mourns the loss of his old family. Most
dogs adjust within a few days, but others may take longer. During this time, the new family
should avoid forcing the dog to do anything stressful - taking a bath, obedience
training classes, meeting too many strangers at once, etc. - until he's had a
chance to settle in. Tell them to take things easy at first and give the dog time to
bond to them. The dog might not eat for the first day or two. Not to worry -
he'll eat when he's ready. Some dogs temporarily forget their training. A
well-housebroken dog may have an accident during the first day in his new home.
This isn't unusual and rarely happens more than once.
Paperwork
Have the new owner sign an
adoption contract one with a waiver of liability. Here is a Sample Contract.
Keep a copy for your records. A contract will help
to protect the dog and the waiver of liability helps to protect you. You don't
have a crystal ball to predict what your dog might do in the future. Remember - a
waiver of liability will not protect you if you have lied or misrepresented the
dog to his new owners.
Tell the family they should call you if the adoption
doesn't work out. Let them know you want to keep in touch and will call them in a
few days to see how things are going. Tell them to call you if they have
questions or problems. Be willing to take the dog back home if things don't work
out the way you both expected.
Good luck n your search for a new home for your dog/puppy. The effort that you put forth now will be worth it when you find a great home for him/her.
