09/23/2026
Behind the Kennel Door 🐾
My advice isn't to ignore your heart when you adopt. Let your heart choose—but let your lifestyle help you make the right match.
Eight weeks with Della.
There really isn't a big milestone to share this time. We're still taking baby steps, but those baby steps are pretty amazing. Della is learning how to show affection, not just receive it. In the beginning, she would come over to be petted and then walk away. Now she wants to sit on our laps, and she's learning that affection goes both ways.
Della is still skittish, and sometimes we forget that. We have to remind ourselves that the trust we've built with her doesn't automatically extend to everyone else. We don't allow strangers to approach her because the wrong move can still set her trust back.
Watching Della's personality come out has me thinking about something else: What should you really be looking for when you adopt a dog?
It's easy to walk into a kennel and immediately notice the size, the breed, the color or the dog that catches your eye. But I think there's something much more important to consider: Who is this dog, and will their personality fit the life you're going to give them?
We've actually learned this lesson before Della. We once adopted the quiet dog sitting in the corner—and she ended up being the most rambunctious dog we've ever had. 😂 So I try not to make too many assumptions based on what I see through a kennel door.
The same goes for breed. Many shelter dogs are mixed breeds, and you may never know exactly what combination you're looking at. But breed traits can still give you clues. Dogs were developed for different jobs, and those instincts can influence their energy, behavior and needs.
A hound may be driven to follow a scent and have a strong desire to run. A herding dog may be energetic, intelligent and always looking for something to do. Sporting breeds were developed to work alongside people in hunting and retrieving. Working breeds can be strong, watchful and protective.
That doesn't mean every dog in a particular group will behave the same way. Breed can give you clues, but the individual dog matters most.
And smaller doesn't automatically mean easier, while bigger doesn't automatically mean harder.
The question isn't, “What breed do I want?” The better question may be, “What kind of dog fits the life I can give?”
Do you want a dog who is happy going on long walks and adventures? Are you looking for a dog who will curl up beside you most of the day? Do you have the time and energy for a dog who needs a job, training or a lot of exercise? Are you looking for a dog who naturally enjoys being close to people—or are you comfortable giving a more independent dog the space they need?
And then there's the heart.
Because after all the questions, sometimes you meet a dog and something just clicks.
So my advice isn't to ignore your heart when you adopt. Let your heart choose—but let your lifestyle help you make the right match.
Don't choose only the biggest dog, the smallest dog, the prettiest dog or the breed you've always wanted. And don't automatically pass over the dog hiding in the corner or the one bouncing off the kennel walls.
Take a little time. Ask questions. Watch their body language. Find out what the shelter knows about their personality, energy level, behavior and needs.
Because the dog you meet in a kennel may not be the dog who eventually sleeps beside you, follows you through the house, brings you a toy, climbs into your lap or becomes your best friend.
Sometimes you just have to look beyond the kennel door, look into their eyes, and see the dog waiting to be discovered.
Della is proof that sometimes, the best part of adoption is getting to know the dog you couldn't see at first.
Eight weeks in, we're still getting to know her.
And honestly, I think that's one of the best parts. 🐾
📍These dogs are waiting for their chance at Tri-county Animal Rescue Center, Pennsylvania
Clarion County, PA
