We know how it feels.
You see a dog on our page that steals your heart. You apply. You wait. Then you find out they were adopted by someone else—and your heart sinks. It’s frustrating. It’s disheartening. And it’s easy to wonder, “What’s the point of trying again?”
But let us tell you about Hans.
Hans’ adopters first applied in July of 2024. Not once, not twice—13 times. They didn’t give up after the first “no” or the fifth “not this time.” They kept applying, each time hoping the next might be their match. And then, one day in April 2025, the stars aligned. Hans showed up, goofy smile and all, and they were chosen.
Now? They couldn’t imagine life without him.
They told us, “He was worth the wait.”
They didn’t just find a dog—they found their soulmate.
“Dad is convinced he’s the ‘smartest and most charming’ dog there’s ever been, and he’s told Hans that multiple times.”
Here’s the thing: we get a lot of applications for every dog. (Seriously—a lot.) There is no “generic pool” of applicants—every dog gets their own search committee!
Sometimes the first dog you apply for is The One. Sometimes, it takes 13 tries. But when that moment finally happens, when your dog finds you? It’s magic.
The journey wasn’t easy. As Hans’ adopter shared, “I did feel like giving up more than once. I almost deleted the website more than once so I wouldn’t get the weekly updates.”
But hope—like dogs—is persistent.
“I’m a woman of faith and kept praying if there was a right match for us and the dog then the Lord would open the door ... Hans is truly an answer to prayer.”
Our Founder, Sally, always says, "dogs find their people."
And sometimes, the fastest way to find your dog is to foster one first. Opening your home to a dog in need not only saves a life—it might just lead you to your forever friend. You can apply to be a foster HERE.
For more tips on finding your perfect match through adoption, check out The Doodle Dandy Adoption Playbook: How to Find Your Fluffy Soulmate.
The right dog—the one who’s going to change your life—will find you.