Adoption Process and Application

Adopting a Doberman is an investment in a lifetime of love and care. Beyond the adoption donation, there are ongoing expenses that come with caring for this breed:

• Monthly expenses: quality food, enrichment, toys, supplies, and training

• Veterinary care: routine check-ups, vaccines, heartworm/flea/tick prevention, and unexpected medical needs

• Breed-specific health considerations: Dobermans are prone to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a serious heart condition that becomes more common as they age. For dogs over two years old, yearly echocardiograms and Holter monitor testing are strongly advised and encouraged to detect issues early

Owning a Doberman means being financially and emotionally prepared for both routine and unexpected expenses. They are not just pets — they are family members who depend on you for their lifetime.

If you’re interested in adopting a Doberman from Dogwood Doberman Rescue, go ahead and apply! You do not need to wait for a specific dog to become available before submitting your application. When completing your application, don’t worry too much about which dog you select as your “dog of interest.”

The most important thing is getting your application submitted and approved. Many of the dogs you see posted as available may already have a list of approved adopters interested in them. We work through interested adopters in order of application date and look for the best match based on each dog’s needs and the adopter’s home and lifestyle.

Once you are approved, when a new dog comes into our care that you’re interested in, simply let us know and we can add you to that dog’s list of interested adopters. The best way to adopt through Dogwood Doberman Rescue is to get your application in early, get approved, and then wait for the right dog to come along. The earlier your application date, the better your position will be when a dog is a good match for your family.

Our minimum adoption donation is $500. This donation goes directly toward offsetting the cost of veterinary care, spay/neuter, vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, as well as food and daily care while the dog is with us. To be fully transparent, intake on a healthy dog that only needs basic vetting is at least $300. However, the majority of dogs we take in require significantly more. Many arrive malnourished, heartworm positive, or in need of additional medical care that must be addressed before they are ready for adoption. It is not uncommon for dogs to cost $600 or more in vetting alone. We are never “making money” on an adoption. Every dollar of your adoption donation goes directly back into the rescue so we can continue saving Dobermans in need.

There is a $25 application donation fee. As a 100% volunteer-run organization, our team dedicates significant time and effort to thoughtfully and thoroughly reviewing each application. This fee helps ensure that only serious applicants apply, supports the operational costs of running the rescue, and allows us to continue the lifesaving work we do. We deeply value our volunteers’ time and strive to keep our process intentional and respectful from the very beginning.

Our Applications Team is typically very quick about processing submissions. However, please allow a minimum of one week for processing, and up to two weeks during especially busy times. Clear and prompt communication helps expedite the process. Timely responses to interview scheduling, reference confirmations, and any requested information allow us to move efficiently and keep your application moving forward. If you have questions about your application status at any time, you are always welcome to reach out to our Applications Team at applications@dogwooddobermanrescue.org.

Homes with children under 12 years of age may only adopt dogs under 6 months of age.

Exceptions are made ONLY when we have verified, proven history that a dog is safe and experienced with young children, and we do not make exceptions without absolutely confirmed knowledge.

We do not require a fenced yard - however, lack of a fenced yard may limit which dogs are candidates for your home, as not all dogs are appropriate for homes without fencing.

• We do not do same-sex placements.

  • If you have both male and female dogs, we will discuss what placement may be most appropriate based on age and temperament.

• We do not place dogs who are too close in age to existing dogs in the home; a 2–3 year age gap is preferred.

• We do not adopt to homes that have had a resident dog for less than 3 months.

• It is exceedingly rare that will adopt two dogs to the same home at the same time.

We follow these guidelines for the safety, stability, and long-term success of our rescue dogs and your resident dogs! Please feel free to reach out if you have questions.