# How to get to know our new dog during shelter visit?



## nekomi (May 21, 2008)

We're going to go meet our new dog next Saturday at the shelter. It's a large no-kill shelter with lots of room, so I'm curious what you guys do when meeting a dog for the first time in a spacious environment? Do you try to walk the dog, play any games (throwing ball, etc), or do any "evaluation" type tests on the dog's temperament? 

Ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!


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## KelliCZ (Aug 1, 2008)

When we went to pick out Casper (we looked at 3 possibilties) They were being fostered at a boarding kennel 

we took them out to a run out front and saw how they interacted with the family (me husband and 4 year old daughter) we then brought out our current dog to see how they reacted to him. 

We walked them on a leash, played a bit, let the dogs interact and Casper just seemed a good fit. The other 2 dogs the female was to keyed on our dog to interact with us once he was introduced. The other male was way to barky and also not as gentle with us as Casper.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

As a shelter volunteer and a dog owner who has rescued her last three dogs, I have to say that I have not yet found a way to determine a dog's real personality while it is still in the shelter environment. Definitely get the dog in a smallish enclosed area where you can interact off leash. Definitely try an on-leash walk. Talk to the volunteers about fearfulness, biting, jumping, escape attempts, grooming, food, house training, obedience, and why the dog ended up at the shelter. If you get a good feeling, take the dog home. And be prepared for the dog to change immeasurably once it realizes it is there to stay!


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