Find out if there are children in the household, how old they are, and what their behavior is like. Ask if the adopters intend to have more children. A young dog coupled with young children (under 5 years) can be a recipe for disaster, especially if both parents work long hours and don't have much experience with dogs. Not only might small children inadvertently provoke the dog into biting, but it's entirely possible that the parents' attention, patience, and resources might be absorbed by the children, with nothing left over for the dog. At that point, the dog becomes a burden rather than a joy, and is likely to be returned to the rescue or dumped. Be sure that prospective adopters really understand how much work is involved in training, socializing, and supervising a new dog with their family, and that they are absolutely committed to doing the work. It is not realistic to expect the children to do that work; the adults are the ones who must be responsible.

Find out if there are children in the household, how old they are, and what their behavior is like. Ask if the adopters intend to have more children. A young dog coupled with young children (under 5 years) can be a recipe for disaster, especially if both parents work long hours and don't have much experience with dogs. Not only might small children inadvertently provoke the dog into biting, but it's entirely possible that the parents' attention, patience, and resources might be absorbed by the children, with nothing left over for the dog. At that point, the dog becomes a burden rather than a joy, and is likely to be returned to the rescue or dumped. Be sure that prospective adopters really understand how much work is involved in training, socializing, and supervising a new dog with their family, and that they are absolutely committed to doing the work. It is not realistic to expect the children to do that work; the adults are the ones who must be responsible.