Each year, millions of dogs enter animal shelters across the country. While some are lucky enough to be adopted into loving homes, many are not as fortunate. The reasons dogs end up in shelters are often preventable, and understanding them can help more dogs stay with their families for life. Here are the top five reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters—and what we can do to change that.
“Investing in obedience classes or working with a professional dog trainer can make a world of difference.”
Behavioral Issues
One of the most common reasons dogs are surrendered is due to behavior problems like aggression, excessive barking, chewing, or not listening. These issues are often the result of a lack of training, socialization, or exercise—rather than something inherently wrong with the dog. The good news? Most of these behaviors can be corrected with time, patience, and proper training. Investing in obedience classes or working with a professional dog trainer can make a world of difference.
Housing Challenges
Many pet owners face difficult choices when housing situations change. Whether it’s a move to an apartment that doesn’t allow pets, strict breed restrictions, or landlords who aren’t pet-friendly, housing-related issues are a major reason dogs are surrendered. This is especially heartbreaking because it’s usually out of the owner’s control. Advocating for more pet-friendly housing and planning ahead when moving can help prevent this outcome.
Financial Constraints
Let’s face it—owning a dog isn’t cheap. Between food, vet bills, grooming, and supplies, the costs can add up quickly. When unexpected expenses arise, some families feel they have no choice but to give up their dog. But there are resources available, including low-cost veterinary clinics, pet food banks, and nonprofit organizations that help cover emergency pet expenses. Raising awareness about these options could help more families keep their pets during tough times.
Lack of Time or Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes life just gets busy. New jobs, long hours, having a baby, or going through a divorce can disrupt routines and lead to dogs being left alone for long periods—or worse, surrendered. Dogs are social animals that need time, attention, and interaction. When choosing to adopt, it’s important to realistically assess your lifestyle and make sure you can provide what a dog needs to thrive.
“This is one of the most preventable reasons dogs end up homeless. Spaying and neutering pets not only reduces the risk of overpopulation,”
Unplanned Litters
Unspayed and unneutered dogs can easily produce unwanted litters, and overwhelmed owners may surrender the puppies—or even the adult dog—to a shelter. This is one of the most preventable reasons dogs end up homeless. Spaying and neutering pets not only reduces the risk of overpopulation, but it can also help prevent certain health and behavior problems.
Final Thoughts
Most dogs in shelters are not there because they’re “bad dogs.” They’re often victims of circumstance, misunderstanding, or a lack of resources. By educating ourselves and our communities, supporting pet-friendly policies, and advocating for responsible pet ownership, we can make a real difference. If you’re thinking about bringing a dog into your life, make sure you’re ready for the commitment—and if you already have one, thank you for giving them a forever home.
We are giving away a crewneck sweatshirt to two lucky winners!
We won’t be selling these sweatshirts, as there’s only a limited quantity printed. So how do you win one of these Hochburg K9 swag? Well, at the end of the month, two lucky people will be chosen at random.
Repost your top three favorite @hochburgk9 reels and Tag @hochburgk9.
or you can purchase one of our HochburgK9 t-shirts here and your name will automatically be entered to win a Hochburg K9 sweatshirt. (If you’ve already pre-ordered a t-shirt your name will be included in the drawing.)
Winners will be announced on December 29th 5pm PSD. Stay tuned.
Hello Hochburg K9 pack! Here’s your chance to pre-order one (or more) of these awesome first edition t-shirts. Send your payment via Venmo and list your size and quantity: ie. one adult large or one adult large, one adult medium. Pre-sale price is only $25. If you order before Dec 1st, you’ll receive a special gift from us. Thank you so much for your support!
A few years ago, I used to own a big, bulky, and very heavy vacuum. I didn’t mind how heavy it was when we had a small single story home. After we moved to a two story, slightly larger home– vacuuming became a chore I always put off. Having multiple dogs and kids– vacuuming had to be done every day. If you have kids and pets, you know that it doesn’t take much for your house to become a sea of crumbs and dog fur.
I dreamed of upgrading to a different vacuum–but there’s just so many types and brands. Where does one begin? Especially nowadays, a vacuum, a good vacuum, isn’t cheap. You have to spend $400- $800 for a really good vacuum– one that can pick up all the dog fur and gold fish crackers. I saw an ad for the cordless Dyson V8–it was on sale. So I thought–why not! Worst case– I’d just return it if it’s not cut out to do the job.
Right out of the box, I instantly fell in love with the design. It was super light weight. But most importantly, it actually sucked! The only product that you can proudly say: this thing really sucks. The biggest hurdle for me was vacuuming the stairs. It was so easy with the cordless Dyson. I vacuumed more often. I enjoyed vacuuming. So after having the Dyson V8 for a couple of years. I saw the Dyson V10 was on sale. Having as many dogs as we do, we easily could use two vacuums. The down side of vacuuming so much, is the battery life. The older version lasted a good 20-30 minutes on the highest suction setting. The newer version had a longer battery life and was more powerful. You wouldn’t even believe how much easier cleaning is with a high quality vacuum. Do yourself a favor and buy a cordless Dyson vacuum. I loved it so much– I gifted one to family.
Here are two of the several vacuums Dyson offers and their specs. Click on the links to find out more.
Powerful Dyson suction and run time to deep clean your home. Without the cord.
Up to 60 minutes of fade-free Dyson power.¹
Power trigger helps maximize energy efficiency, only using power where you need it.
Choose between three cleaning modes for the right power where you need it.
Motorbar cleaner head deep cleans all floor types. De-tangles wrapped long hair and pet hair as you clean.
Converts to a handheld vacuum for cleaning cars, stairs, and upholstery.
The Hair screw tool sucks up long hair and pet hair. Fast. Its anti-tangle conical brush bar removes long hair and pet hair from pet beds, car seats, stairs, and more.
For some, boarding their dog can be difficult. The good news is– it doesn’t have to be! One of the most important things with boarding your dog is finding a trustworthy boarding facility that you feel comfortable leaving your dog at.
If you’re planning a trip, one of the things you should to do is make sure your dog is crate trained. We implement crate training for our puppies early on so that they are comfortable being in a crate. The longest time they should be in their crate is at night when they are asleep. Their crate should be treated like their personal space, like your bedroom is to you. They should feel safe and relaxed when they are inside their crate.
Boarding is like a mini vacation or “camp” if you will for your dog. However, you don’t need to bring all their belongings with them. So bring only the essentials:
Kibble
Supplements
Small blanket or a personal shirt with your scent
Small toy
Medications with the label/instructions if they have any
collar
leash
Clearly label all your dog’s belongings with their name, so that they don’t get mixed up with another dog’s items. Place their items in a small reusable bag or small duffle bag.
Things NOT to bring:
Perishable items
Dog bed
Loud or large toys
Expensive items
We offer prorated boarding fees with food included for your convenience. We use Taste of the Wild kibble, Nupro Joint supplements, and Organic pureed sweet potato.
Don’t be tempted to give your dog a ton of treats or a “special meal” right before you board them. It upsets their tummy for the first day or two. You can save the mass load of treats for when you’re reunited. It will be positive reinforcement that they were a good boy/girl while you were away.
I hope you found this information helpful. Thanks for reading.
