# What to expect from home visit



## sodejm (Apr 8, 2013)

Hi All,

So I have posted on here asking about puppy things before but after many discussions and conversations with breeders my girlfriend and I think we really want to adopt from a rescue. We are open to Goldens' <7 years. Currently we are sending in an application for http://www.grreat.org

So my main question is, What should we expect from a home visit?

A little information is that We live in an apartment (~1000 Sqft) on the second floor in Northern Virginia. Our apartment complex is very dog friends and we have several parks near by. We will be living in this apartment for at least another year and a half as we save for a house. Is there anything specific I should be doing before a home visit to prepare?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great to hear you have applied to adopt and are having a home visit. 

First of all, don't sweat the home visit. Most GR Rescues want to know where the dog they have available for Adoption is going to be living and want to make sure it's going to be a clean and safe environment as well as meeting the applicant. 

I adopted my girl through a GR Rescue, you have no idea how nervous I was before I had it and it was so incredibly easy. I got wound up about nothing.......

I use to help a GR Rescue and one of the things I helped with was doing home visits.

The first time I ever did one, I asked the Adoption Coordinator if there was anything in particular I should be looking for. My Group did not use a Home Visit Form that checked specific things, some GR Groups do.

She told me basically if I would be comfortable leaving my dogs at this home, then she would consider it to be a good and safe home and approved. 

Along with that, I looked to see if the home was clean, if it was safe, did they have a secure fence. Since you live in an apartment building and are considering adopting an Older Golden, I would also look to see if your apartment has stairs, how many, is this easy access for the dog to be taken outside or if you have an Elevator. Or does the applicant live on the first floor with easy access. You've already stated you're on the second floor. 

Is there a specific area where dogs can be taken out to use the bathroom, is there an area where dogs can be exercised. You also mentioned the complex is pet friendly and you have several parks nearby which is really great. 

I would also check to see where you plan to leave the dog while you are gone while you are working or out. Will the dog be kept in the laundry room for example, have free roam of the apartment, etc. Will you or someone else be coming in to let the dog out during the day while you're gone if you're gone more than 4-6 hours a day. 

If it were me checking your home, I think my biggest concern would be stairs and how many since you are considering an older dog. However, you have said you are planning to purchase a house in the near future. 

I currently have a soon to be 10 yr. old girl and live in a house with four steps going to the upper level where the bedrooms are located. My girl isn't having any problems with them yet but she may in the future. My bridge boy lived to be 15.5, he got where he had a lot of trouble with the stairs, we ended up making a ramp for him to use. I love Senior dogs, my next house will definitely be on one level only. 

Hope this has answered some of your questions and has put your mind at ease. 

Best of luck to you, looking forward to your update.


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## sodejm (Apr 8, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Great to hear you have applied to adopt and are having a home visit.
> 
> First of all, don't sweat the home visit. Most GR Rescues want to know where the dog they have available for Adoption is going to be living and want to make sure it's going to be a clean and safe environment as well as meeting the applicant.
> 
> ...


Thank you. This helps a lot.

I never really though about the stairs but I do see how that might be a problem. I am not sure how many there are but i think around ~15 steps (not sure since I haven't counted). As far as leaving the dog when we are at work I forgot to mention that I actually work from home about 80% of the time and when I do go into the office I am usually home until noon and then go to the office which is a 7 minute walk (very convenient). We were planning on crating the dog when we are out. However, are open to anything that is actually best for the dog or special needs for the dog since I know some are used to certain things and those just come as part of adoptions.

Thanks for your great response


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

You have an ideal situation being able to work from home and also being so close to your office.

The stairs might be a problem sometime in the future. 

You may find that you will not need to crate the Golden, one of the many great things about an older dog is that they are usually way beyond the destructive stage unless they happen to develop separation anxiety. 

Besides my Sr. girl, I adopted a young male from my County H.S. three years ago, he's five now. I never had to crate him, he was wonderful and so very very easy. I've never had an easier dog than him. 

My Roxy has been with me almost 8 yrs. When I first got her, I didn't have to crate her. After she'd been with me about a year, she developed separation anxiety and was destructive. For her own safety, I had to start crating her. I really hated to do it because she is a former breeder girl that had spent the first two years of her life caged up, she had never touched the ground, grass or pavement. 

I can leave her out now without any problems.


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## Lennap (Jul 9, 2010)

I do home visits for the group I adopted Remy from - and it really does depend on the group you apply with. I say this because I was rejected by several local groups because I don't have a fenced in yard (although I have 3200 square foot hour - with oodles of room for the dog to run AND a dog run!

The group I work with wants to validate what the applicant said was true. So if you said you live in a house with a fenced in yard, but are really in an apartment, that would be a problem. 

They want me to see if the house is spotless which might mean they are a total neat freak, who might be put off by all that golden hair and G-d knows what else they may bring in. Or are there things all over that could present a danger to a dog. 

I always bring Remy on home visits - that is to see both how they deal with my mutantly large boy and how they deal with a rambunctious dog in general.

If you shrugged your shoulders at the stuff above, you will be fine. Please do not worry about a thing, good luck and thank you for rescuing!


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

I am looking to see your living conditions. I am not looking for a perfect home. But more for safety issues. To see what kind of barriers you may have such as the stairs...this helps match you with the right dog. Say you dont have a fence...not a deal breaker but I wouldnt put a runner with you. Or the stairs...I wouldnt place a dog with bad hips etc. I also look to see if you have other pets their care....dog dishes, yard condition such as poo. I want to see how you react to the dog I bring etc....and that you gave truthful answers on the application etc. I was really nervous before mine but I shouldn't have been. The last question assessors answer in the questionnaire is if we would feel comfortable leaving our dog with you. Good luck! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## sodejm (Apr 8, 2013)

Lennap said:


> I always bring Remy on home visits - that is to see both how they deal with my mutantly large boy and how they deal with a rambunctious dog in general.


I Shrugged at everything and then laughed at the above lol. Thanks for the response


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## sodejm (Apr 8, 2013)

Thank You!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Let us know how your home visit went. I was so nervous for mine. They wanted every family member present. My two step-kids were hung over and my husband is an introvert and said very little. I was convinced I had flunked it. But they could see that Duke was loved by every member in the house and well taken care of. I respected that the rescue organization I worked with cared enough to want to meet every person in the house the dog would be exposed to. It meant they really took the time to find the right home for the rescue dog. Good luck!


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## sodejm (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the advice and putting my mind a little at ease.

We got APPROVED to adopt!

Just wanted to say thanks and that now we get to start searching for the perfect Golden to bring home.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sodejm*



sodejm said:


> Thanks everyone for the advice and putting my mind a little at ease.
> 
> We got APPROVED to adopt!
> 
> Just wanted to say thanks and that now we get to start searching for the perfect Golden to bring home.


Sodejm

Good for you! So excited-please keep us posted!!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Can't wait to see your new addition!!


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