Why Some Adoptable Dogs Wait Longer

Two dogs arrive at the shelter in the same afternoon. One is scooped up in a week, off to a forever home, a wagging tail in their adoption photo. The other? Still waiting. Days turn into weeks, thinking that maybe this place is their home now.

This isn't just a story—it's the reality playing out in shelters across the country every single day. And it begs the question: Why exactly do some dogs get overlooked while others practically have adopters lining up?

First Impressions Are Everything

People make split-second decisions. It’s human nature! Our brains are wired to quickly process

faces, body language and other cues. A dog who trots up with wagging tail and wide, big eyes is labelled friendly before really getting the full picture of their behavior.

That flash of connection due to the "cute factor” is the golden ticket out of the shelter environment. Dogs with baby-faced features, strong eye contact and match an adopter’s aesthetic/breed preferences get noticed more quickly. 

This means there are subconscious biases and choices being made before the search for a pup begins! Here are some of the factors that our rescue and other shelter professionals have noticed to be key indicators of greater wait times:

The (In)Visible Factors

Breed & Size Bias Some breeds come with reputations and stigma. Pit-bulls, chows and other misunderstood types can be unfairly painted as aggressive or high-maintenance, even when their daily disposition proves the contrary. Larger dogs also have a tendency for longer waits. The larger size is often perceived as harder to manage. Size limits and breed restrictions in public housing has made it almost impossible for certain dogs to go home with wanting adopters despite an increasing demand for pet-friendly housing.

Coat Color If you ask us, "black dog syndrome” is a real phenomenon. Black dogs reportedly tend to blend in or look “less friendly” in photos. It’s a bias that persists even though most know a black coat says nothing about a dog’s snuggle potential!

Age Isn’t Just a Number Puppies are adoption magnets. Seniors? Not so much. While older dogs are often familiar with manners, house-trained and simply grateful for a soft bed, they’re routinely passed over in favor of younger pups.

Labels Can Linger Descriptions like “shy” or “high energy” are meant to be helpful—but they can stick in a potential adopter’s mind in an interpretation that doesn’t always reflect the dog’s full personality. Those short indicators, as helpful as they are, can be the double-edged sword rescue shelters have to watch out for.

Shelter Environment Let’s face it—shelter and rescues can be chaotic. Even some of the best can be noisy, tough places. Meeting a dog in a kennel, or outside their daily routine, doesn’t always show them at their best either. First impressions in these settings can be misleading and not indicative of their behavior at home.

How We Tip the Scale

Marketing Makeovers A good photo really does change everything. Add in a clever bio, a cute video and suddenly, that overlooked dog becomes someone’s perfect match. The right story can also turn an ordinary adoption listing into a must-read.

Behavioral Boosts Training, enrichment and playgroups give dogs a chance to show their true colors—and progress updates give potential adopters a glimpse of growth.

Spotlighting Programs like our Diamonds in the Ruff help shine a light on senior dogs, medical cases or pups with extra needs. These initiatives help level the chance of adoption for dogs that need a little support before their adoption potential becomes undoubtable.

A Calmer Space A dedicated meet and greet room can make such a huge difference in those first impressions for a meeting!

What You Can Do

Adopters and advocates play a powerful role in helping dogs get noticed.

• Share posts of adoptable dogs to your social circles or niche communities. You might be surprised which kind of dogs catch other peoples’ eye, even if you think they aren't your cup of pup.

  
  

• Fostering is a great way to giving a dog a temporary home. It makes them not only appear more adoptable, but also helps settle into that home environment before adoption.

  
  

• Volunteer at your local shelter or help with transport and events. Events can be great for overlooked dogs so they have the spotlight "irl." On occasion, those great photos and videos can't quite capture how great of a pup they are.

  
  

• Don’t skip the shy dog, the senior or the one who doesn’t wag on cue. Socialize with them! It's always a pleasant surprise, especially if it took some work for them to warm up a little. There's always a big heart under all that fur and bashfulness.

  
  

Next time you're scrolling adoption profiles, social media or supporting your local rescue at events, pause on the dog who isn’t making the biggest scene. They are the ones that need the support and resources from their rescue and shelter community more than ever.