LBDR Adoption 101

The first step in adopting a Doberman is to do background research on the breed. Dobermans are a working breed, and as such, they have higher intelligence, energy, and creativity than many other dogs. This means that a Doberman won’t be happy if he’s left at home unattended for long periods of time, or if she doesn’t have a meaningful purpose in her life. As many a Doberman owner can attest, an unhappy Dobe can make an unhappy owner, for energy improperly channeled can lead to destructive behaviors.

So, before deciding to get a Doberman, you need to be able to answer these questions:

• Am I ready to take my dog to obedience training?

• Am I prepared to have a dog that is intelligent enough to rival most human toddlers?

• Do I have patience, kindness, and empathy for others?

• Do I have time to dedicate to bonding with my dog?

• Am I prepared to exercise my dog without fail at least twice a day?

If you’ve answered yes to all of these questions, a Doberman may be just the dog for you!

How to Start the Adoption Process

We don’t show dogs to people who haven’t been approved for adoption, so the first step is to turn in an adoption application. You can download an adoption application packet from our website on the Forms & Policy page, or you can email us and ask for one to be sent to your mailing address. Then you can either scan and send it back to us as a .pdf or image file, or you can send it to our mailing address, which is conveniently written on the application packet.

Processing the Adoption Application

It generally takes us 10-30 business days to go through each application packet. We know that might seem like a long time to you, but we’re an all volunteer organization, and we go through every single application very carefully. If we have a dog available that matches your household, we will contact you to take the next step, and initiate the home visit and introduction with the dog.

• If we don't have a dog available that matches your household, your application will go onto our wait list, and we will notify you when a dog comes in that matches your needs.
• In the case that your application is denied, a representative will be available to talk to you and tell you why. Please keep in mind, if we’ve denied your application, we have YOUR safety in mind as well as the dog’s.

What does Pending Approval mean?

Linn Benton Doberman Rescue requires mandatory home visits for all adoptions. If you’ve received a phone call to tell you your application is pending approval, that means we have called your references, talked to your veterinarian, and now the only requirement is to do a home visit. If you are applying to adopt a specific dog, we will usually do the home visit with that dog, although we usually don’t leave the dog with you on the first visit.

What to Expect After Approval of Your Application

Now begins the fun part! You've gotten to meet your prospective new best friend, and you’re cleared to begin the 30 day trial period of your dog’s adoption. Linn Benton Doberman Rescue will do a 2 week check up/home visit to see how the dog is adapting to life with your family, and then a 30 day follow up to find out if you want to make it a permanent match.

• For out of state adoptions, we may arrange with another rescue to do the home visits and follow ups for us, and in very rare instances, we may accept phone interviews, photos, and videos of your dog.

At the end of the thirty day trial, if you’ve decided that this is the dog for you, we send you the dog’s medical records, your copy of the adoption contract, and any registration papers we may have for AKC registered animals. We also like to ask if you would be willing to let us take a photo of your family and your new Doberman, or if you would be willing to make a public statement about your new addition, which we can post to our Success Stories page on the Linn Benton Doberman Rescue website. If you decline, we will not publish any information about your family at all, and we NEVER sell your personal information or share your address, phone, or email with others.

Adoption Fees

The adoption fee is $200, and if you live outside of Linn or Benton Counties, there is an additional transportation fee. It’s nothing fancy, just 50% of our transportation costs, and it goes directly to cover the costs for the volunteer who does the home visit and transports the dog to your home. This fee is mileage based, and does reflect current gasoline costs.

• In very rare cases, we may waive part of the adoption fee in order to place a Special Needs or Advanced-Senior Doberman with a qualified home.
• Additional donations are always welcome, whether they are for the transportation costs of our volunteers, or for the care and costs of our beloved Dobermans.

What the Adoption Fee Covers

Here at Linn Benton Doberman Rescue, we understand that you have the choice to adopt a dog from a county facility for a lower price than from our rescue. However, we offer many services for your adoption fee, and our dogs are given a level of care that traditional shelters just can't provide. Every single Doberman is fostered for a minimum of 30 days, which allows us ample time to see what sort of personality they have, and in the case of dogs with behavioral problems or physical issues, they are fostered for as long as it takes to bring them back to full health. In addition to this, we provide for each dog:

• Spay and Neuter services
• Full vaccination services, including DHHP, Lepto, and Rabies
• Flea & parasite treatment, including heartworm treatment if necessary
• A full annual veterinary exam, including bloodwork for seniors
• Advanced medical treatment as needed for malnutrition, injury, and special needs
• Microchipping through the Home Again service.
• Bathing, nail trimming, and dental assessments