An indulgent, permissive owner is not necessarily a bad match if your foster dog is extremely sweet and submissive, but would not be a good fit for a dog who needs more structure. Conversely, an owner who believes he needs to be a harsh, unforgiving "alpha" is not a good fit for ''any'' dog. And be wary of anyone who claims that previous dogs never had a single solitary health problem or annoying quirk. There is not a dog on the planet who hasn't at least pooped in the house or eaten a book once.

An indulgent, permissive owner is not necessarily a bad match if your foster dog is extremely sweet and submissive, but would not be a good fit for a dog who needs more structure. Conversely, an owner who believes he needs to be a harsh, unforgiving "alpha" is not a good fit for ''any'' dog. And be wary of anyone who claims that previous dogs never had a single solitary health problem or annoying quirk. There is not a dog on the planet who hasn't at least pooped in the house or eaten a book once.

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 a puppy in need of intensive training. At that point, the dog might become a burden rather than a joy, and is likely to be returned to the rescue or dumped. If the children often have friends over, a shy dog or one who tends to guard the home against unfamiliar people may not be a good match; a gregarious, never-met-a-stranger pup would probably be a better choice.

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 a puppy in need of intensive training. At that point, the dog might become a burden rather than a joy, and is likely to be returned to the rescue or dumped.