Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I adopt a dog?
- How much does adoption cost?
- What does the adoption fee include?
- How long will it take to adopt a dog?
- I live in another state. Can I adopt from you?
- I want a puppy. Do you have any?
- How many dogs do you have?
- Where do you keep the dogs?
- Can I come look at the dogs?
- How do I arrange to meet the dogs?
- Where do the dogs come from?
- Do you take owner surrenders?
- Do you take mixes?
- Will the dog like my children, cats, other dog?
- Are the dogs spayed/neutered?
- Are they healthy?
- I live in a condo or apartment. Can I adopt a dog?
- Do I have to have a fenced yard?
- Are your dogs trained?
- What if the dog I adopt gets sick?
- What if I can’t keep the dog?
- Can I introduce my dog(s) to the new dog before I adopt?
- Why do you have to do a home visit?
- What will you be looking for during the home visit?
- I work long hours. Can I adopt?
- What if two people want the same dog?
- How do you know if a dog is right for me?
- Can I pick out a dog as a gift for my friend or relative?
- Do you receive government funding?
- How do I adopt a dog?
You can read about our adoption process here.
- How much does adoption cost?
A typical dog costs us over $600 for medical bills, microchip, grooming, etc. A dog with a health problem that requires surgery or other specialized care can cost thousands. We ask you for $150 – $450. We’ll be grateful for any donation you can make to help with our expenses.
- What does the adoption fee include?
Our adoption fee includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, heartworm test, deworming, microchip, grooming, and 30 days of health insurance. It also includes appropriate treatment for any known health problems prior to adoption.
- How long will it take to adopt a dog?
The time it takes to adopt a dog from us depends on the dogs we have available and your flexibility. If you’ll consider either a male or female, a middle-aged or older dog, or a dog with special needs, we may be able to match you with a dog fairly soon. If your heart is set on a puppy or young female, it’s likely to be a long wait.
- I live in another state. Can I adopt from you?
We offer our adopters advice and support for the lifetime of the dog and take our dogs back at any time if the adopters can’t keep them. To make this level of support possible and enable us to get the dog back if necessary, we place our dogs only in Northern California.
- I want a puppy. Do you have any?
We rarely have puppies available for adoption. When we do, we always have multiple people clamoring to adopt them. Raising a puppy to be a good canine citizen is an enormous amount of work and responsibility! We carefully choose adopters who have the experience and lifestyle to give a puppy all of the care and socialization that puppies need.
- How many dogs do you have?
Sometimes, we have several dogs available. At times, we have none. It all depends on how many dogs we’ve placed and how many dogs need to be rescued. Sometimes, we go weeks with no new dogs, and then suddenly, we’re scrambling to rescue 2 or 3 at once. If we don’t have a dog for you right now, the perfect dog could arrive at any time. We never know when we’ll get a call about a dog who needs to be rescued!
- Where do you keep the dogs?
Our dogs are all fostered by volunteers in private homes, where they’re treated as members of the family. Living with our dogs keeps our dogs happy while they await their forever homes. It allows us to get to know each dog and evaluate their needs and personalities in a home environment, usually with other dogs, and often with cats and other pets.
- Can I come look at the dogs?
We’re a small, 100%-volunteer organization. We don’t have a shelter where people can come to look at dogs.
- How do I arrange to meet the dogs?
You’ll need to be an approved adopter first. Then, if we have a dog who appears to be a good match for you, we’ll arrange for you to meet the dog. You can read about our adoption process here.
- Where do the dogs come from?
Many of our dogs come from shelters, where they were lost or abandoned. Others come from owners who are unable to care for them. Our volunteers watch the shelters and other listings to provide every Keeshond in Northern California with a safe place to go to wait for their forever homes.
- Do you take owner surrenders?
Yes! Most owner surrenders come to us because of major changes in their person’s life or health. We know how hard it can be to have to give up a beloved dog. We’re here for you! You can read about it here.
- Do you take mixes or other breeds?
We occasionally take Keeshond mixes and other Keeshond-related breeds. We must have foster space available, and the dog must look and behave enough like a Keeshond that our adopters would be interested in adopting the dog.
- Will the dog like my children, cats, other dog?
The typical Keeshond is good-natured and friendly and gets along well with other dogs, cats and children. Our dogs live in foster homes, so our volunteers are able to get a good sense of each dog’s personality. Many of our foster families have dogs, cats and other pets, and will make an effort to introduce the dog to children and other people. We’ll let you know what we’ve experienced with the dog. Our goal is to match you with a dog who’s right for you!
- Are the dogs spayed/neutered?
Yes. California law requires us to spay/neuter all of our dogs before adoption.
- Are the dogs healthy?
We evaluate our dogs’ health very carefully. All of our dogs are examined by our veterinarian, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and tested for heartworms. Living with our dogs in foster homes enables our volunteers to watch each dog closely for any signs of illness or injury. We follow up with our veterinarian, provide additional health screening and treatment as needed, and keep the dogs in foster care as long as necessary to nurse them back to health. We’ll tell you about any ongoing health issues that we’re aware of, so you can make an informed decision about adoption.
- I live in a condo. Can I adopt a dog from you?
Yes! We’ve placed many dogs in condos. The Keeshond’s size and desire to be near his people can make him an ideal dog for condo living. You’ll need a dog who won’t disturb your neighbors by being too barky. We’ll take this into consideration in matching you with a dog.
- Do I have to have a fenced yard?
Many of the dogs we’ve rescued have been strays. We do require that your yard be securely fenced for the dog’s safety. If you don’t have a fenced yard, you’ll need to show us that the dog will be safe in your home.
- Are your dogs trained?
Puppies and adolescents will need lots of training! Most of our adult dogs have basic house manners, but some will need work. We take the dog’s behavior into consideration in matching you with a dog, and we’ll let you know what his training needs are. We’ll stay in touch with you and offer advice if you have questions after adoption. We encourage our adopters to take their dogs to reward-based training classes – it’s a great way to establish your relationship and help your dog bond with you!
- What if the dog I adopt gets sick?
We do our best to make sure your dog is healthy, and we’ll let you know about any ongoing health issues we’re aware of. Our dogs are eligible for 30 days of health insurance after adoption. You can always call us for advice, and we’ll take the dog back if you can’t care for him. However, owning a dog is a serious commitment. You are responsible for maintaining the dog’s health after adoption. Please check with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.
- What if I can’t keep the dog?
Sometimes, things happen. We understand this. If you are ever unable to keep the dog, we’ll take him back. All you have to do is call.
- Can I introduce my dog(s) to the new dog before I adopt?
Of course! We insist on it! We want to make sure the dogs get along.
- Why do you have to do a home visit?
Our dogs depend on us to choose their new forever homes. They have to live with our decision. We owe it to our dogs to make sure we place them in homes where they’ll be happy and safe for the rest of their lives.
- What will you be looking for during the home visit?
The home visit is an opportunity for us to meet your family in person and talk about your dog experience and expectations. It gives you a chance to ask us questions, and helps us understand who you are, so we can match you with the right dog. We’ll also be looking for safety concerns. Often, we can point out things that you may not have noticed (such as toxic plants) and make suggestions to enhance the dog’s safety and help the dog adjust to your home more smoothly. We enjoy meeting our adopters during the home visits, and we hope you’ll enjoy it, too.
- I work long hours. Can I adopt?
The Keeshond has been bred for centuries as a companion dog. Like a border collie is bred for herding, the Keeshond’s job is to be someone’s friend. Each breed is selectively bred for the traits that make him good at his job. As a result, the Keeshond is a very people-oriented dog who needs to spend a lot of time with you. Like a border collie with no work to do, a Keeshond who spends too much time alone will develop behavior problems. You’ll need to show that your family can spend enough time with the dog to meet his needs, as well as yours. If no one is home much of the time, a Keeshond may not be the dog for you.
- What if two people want the same dog?
We carefully evaluate each application, paying attention to the type of home, children and other pets, the family’s lifestyle and previous dog experience. We compare this to what we know about the dog, based on our evaluation of his personality and his exercise, training, and other needs. After careful consideration, we choose the home that we believe is the best match for the dog. If you’re not chosen to adopt the first dog you’re interested in, please visit our website often and let us know if you see another dog that you think might be a good match for you.
- How do you know if a dog is right for me?
We put a lot of time and thought into getting to know you and each dog, so we can find the ideal match for both of you. By the time we make arrangements for you to meet the dog, we’re pretty sure you’re a good match. But we don’t know for certain until you and the dog meet and make sure you like each other. When you meet, we’ll be looking for the “spark” that happens when you and the dog are right for one another. We want you and your dog to be happy together!
- Can I pick out a dog as a gift for my friend or relative?
We don’t place our dogs as gifts. Owning a dog is a major, long-term commitment of time, work, and money. When you give a dog as a gift, you are making that commitment for someone else, who may not be ready for a dog emotionally or financially. Even if they’re ready to give a dog the time and attention it needs, each dog and person is an individual – we can’t be sure they’ll like one another until they meet. Dogs who are given as gifts often end up in shelters and rescue because the person wasn’t ready to make the commitment or the dog wasn’t the right match for them. If your friend or relative is ready for a dog, we’ll be happy to work with them and try to match them with a dog.
- Do you receive taxpayer funding?
We receive no government funding. We rely entirely on adoption fees, tax-deductible donations, and fundraising projects to cover our veterinary bills, shelter fees, grooming, and other expenses. We have no paid staff – volunteers do all of our work. Every penny we raise goes to support our dogs. Can you help? Please click here.
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