We are trying to adopt a young dog and the adoption agency is coming to our house.?

I have actually got tears in my eyes reading your question, I'm so so sooo happy that someone is putting so much thought into getting a dog, adopting rather than buying from a breeder and rescuing an animal that will have been through so much stress.

I don't know what questions they will ask but I don't think you will have any problems it sounds like you have a perfect environment for a dog.

Please update after the placement agency has been to let us know how it went.

Good luck although I really don't think you will need it.x

* Thank you for the update and the pictures, ♥she is gorgeous♥ I love terriers they are so nutty, intelligent and lovable I'm sure she will have a wonderful life with you and your family.

I have been checking back regularly to see how it went...now I can relax! :)

I help with the Golden Retriever rescue. First, THANK YOU for adopting a dog and giving her a loving forever home! Mainly they will look at the surroundings to see if you have a clean, safe place for her. Room to eat and sleep, and room outside where she can explore. A fenced yard is needed. No dogs should be chained up ever and this is severely frowned upon. In some states, it's illegal and it should be in all states. The dog should be allowed inside for the main part of the day and if let outside, it should be a secure area with shade and access to drinking water. I've never heard of an adoption for people who want to keep the dog outdoors. To me (and the adoption agencies), that is so cruel. Dogs are pack animals and enjoy and need the companionship.

They will look to see that there are no young children who might unintentionally harm the dog. You won't have an issue with that! They may question you about the other dog. Does it get along well with other animals? How much has it been exposed to other dogs? And they will take into consideration how well the adopted dog gets along with other pets. They should know her temperment by now and so that shouldn't be an issue since they know you have another dog.

They will ask you some questions that will determine how much love and attention you can give the dog. Can you afford the vet fees? What if she gets ill? How often would you walk her, take her out, take her for rides, on trips, etc. Based on your post, I seriously doubt if you will have any problems so don't be nervous. They will look at your other dog and see how well taken care of it is and that will be one factor.

I think we will soon have to congratulate you on your new family member!

Oh! Sweetie, don't be nervous! I do home visits all the time for our local APBT rescue. Like a couple people already pointed out; they allready like you, think you are a good candidate and just wanna make sure that you are going to mesh well! It is important to us in rescue that the dogs fit in where we place them...the first time around! I have only turned one family down after a home visit in 5 years and over 30 adoptions! Just the ones I did, not the other kind souls giving time and money as well! It was a case of extrordinary circumstance, which I am sure you need not worry about! LOL....anyway, if something isn't perfect, we are happy to tell you, and in some cases, even help you resolve the issue so all involved can be happy!!! Relax, be yourself....don't be shy, show off how much you love your other pets. Have them perform their tricks...all dog lovers love this! That is the best advise I can give.....you will do fine! : )

There's no reason to be nervous about a homevist. If you got that far, the adoption agency already thinks you would make a good home for a dog. They just want to see where the dog will be sleeping, eating, playing, etc. and get a feel for the dog that would fit best with your family. The most important thing to make sure of is that your fence is secure. If you have any loose boards or gaps, make sure to patch them up. Also, make sure the fence latch/lock is secure so the gate will not open easily. If the adoption agency thinks your fence is not secure enough they will just tell you that you need to fix it before you can adopt. Making sure it is secure before they come will allow you to finalize the adoption faster :o)

It's not "just a dog" and anyone answering here shouldn't give you any attitude like that. If they do, they shouldn't be trying to answer in a pet column! You are right - she will be a member of your family and you want to do all you can to make sure it is the right fit for her and for you.

Your home sounds good - fenced yard, room, a 15 month old dog for company, older children... They'll want to see if your other dog is happy, healthy and well-adjusted. They'll want to know your training methods, how much exercise the dog will receive (not just playing in the yard, but walking and interacting with you and your family), what you feed your other dog, where the dog will sleep, how long it will be left alone - that sort of thing.

Your home sounds fine, it will be the quality of life that you can give the dog which they will be most interested in.

Good for you for opening your home to a rescue dog! I have one myself who is 5 1/2 months old. Depending on the dog and how rough their experience has been, you may have to prepare yourself for a dog that is a bit more stressed and less playful than you'd expect a 6 month old pup to be. I got mine at 4 months and she was afraid to even go outside. We've made great strides, but it's been more work than most puppies. Make sure you are ready to commit for the long haul if she is. Your other dog will likely be a great comfort to her too.

Good luck! You sound like a wonderful, concerned dog person and I think that will come through to the agency.

I've done homechecks for rescue. We want to see where will the dog live and sleep, is your yard completely fenced and dog escape proof. They want to meet the whole family and make sure you are all in agreement about getting the dog. They want to get a sense of who you are so they can decide whether this dog is the right one for you or not and whether or not you seem responsible and truthful. They will also want to meet your current dog.

Sometimes you just get a vibe about people. When I interview at the back of my mind is: Would I leave MY dog with these people.

I advise you to double check the fence, make sure there are no areas where the dogs can get out, make sure the latch is secure. Do any repairs before they come.

I do home visits for rescue all the time. We don't go in and do a white glove test to see if your house is clean or anything like that. Just what kind of environment the dog will be living in. Questions we ask our home visitors to be on the lookout for are:

Are there dogs running loose in the neighborhood?

Does the house have securely latched doors?

Is the fence in good shape?

Are there any possible escape routes with the fence? (Broken slats, gaps, dog house too close to the fence so the dog can go up and over, etc.)

Where will the dog be kept?

Are there household cleaners anyplace the dog can get at? (garage, basement, unsecure cabinets, etc.)

The home visitor will usually talk to you some about the dog you're interested in and general dog care.

Overall, most home visits last 30 minutes or so.

Good luck and thanks for adopting!

What the rescue is looking for are mainly two things....

1. That you have been truthful with them

2. where the dog will be if you do not hold up your end of the bargain

Alot of things factor into it, but if you've been truthful to the rescue then you haven't a thing to worry about.

When I place animals and come for a home visit I'm looking to make sure it's going to be a good fit with the whole family and that everything I've read on the adoption application and discussed with you about your living situation is true. I don't care about dust in the corners (soon there will be dog hair added to it anyway :o) windows washed or floors vacuumed, the minor stuff. I just want to see a home that is prepared for the animal that will be placed in your care.

Possible problems will be discussed and I'll get a feel for how willing you are to adapt your household to the dog.

ie- I notice nobody puts up toys and shoes, and there are alot of electrical cords exposed-are you planning on crating the pup when he can't be supervised? No? Well lets make sure you are prepared to start putting this stuff out of reach or can you live with a few "puppy customized" shoes? I don't want to re home this dog again because he chewed up a pair of $200 shoes and you won't change your habits to accommodate the puppy stages. That sort of thing is what they are looking for.

They also want to know where he is going to be for future check ups. Dogs maybe not so much as horses (my rehomed rescues) but I will often drive by when I'm nearby just to get a glimpse of them in the pasture just to see they are fat and sassy. It does my heart good to know they are happy. For any animal that has been in a bad situation the last thing we want is to see it there again! I want to know where my guys are at all times if things ever start to go downhill for them again. I will also check out other pets and their general health and well being. Are they happy? Well adjusted? Believe it or not your other dog will say alot about how you will be with the new one. Chances are the new guy will be getting the same treatment.

If you haven't been asked for it already you may want to have your other dogs shot record on hand. Other than that relax.

Unless you have left out something blatant like the fourteen chained mix breed fighting dogs you have starving in the back yard, you have nothing to worry about. (and that was sarcasm for anyone who can't figure it out for themselves)

If no one else has, let me say THANK YOU so much for giving a home to this pup! Rescues make the best pets!

We had to do a home visit thing when we adopted our beagle from a Beagle Rescue. They made it seem like it was much more of a big deal than it was.....

They pretty much just came in, took a tour of the house (looking for any hazards I suppose) and went in the backyard. We had 2 other dogs at the time, so they met them and saw their demeanor and whatnot.

They didn't really ask too many questions since we had already talked to them a few times before and did paperwork as well. They just wanted to see the environment he'd be in.

That was pretty much it, a week later we went to pick him up and he's been just as happy as can be for about 2 years with us now....

Good Luck, don't be nervous!

Yeah, my girlfriend's roommate got a dog from the shelter, and they came and did a house call too.

All they are gonna do is make sure you didn't lie about anything on your paperwork, like how high your fence is, how old your kids are, etc. They'll probably give you some tips too. I've had dogs my entire life (though none from the shelter) as well as volunteered at a shelter and when I hear someone say what you did, "I know it's just a dog, but she will be a member of our family for years to come and we'd all just love to have her", I know without a doubt they will be great owners.

Don't worry about it. As long as you told the truth on your paperwork, you've got absolutely nothing to fear.