[RebelGSD]

We never managed to place a dog over 8yo (they stayed on as forever fosters), but have had reasonably good luck with 3-8 year olds. It was usually experienced dog owners who wanted a calmer, well-behaved dog and this age group was what they were looking for.

I do not think that there is a way to convince people to get an adult dog if they have their mind set on a young dog or puppy (which many times they are unable to handle and return). Belive it or not, we had applicants who wanted newborns or 2-3week old puppies. We had applicants who work 12 hour days (and the dog would be alone during that time) attack us for not adopting out a puppy to them. I cannot help but get upset when people who are 70+ and have a hard time getting around insist on a puppy or a young bouncy dog. The situation is the same with families with young children. They want a puppy "to grow up with the children" and they never make the time to teach the puppy not to mouth or to housebreak the puppy. After a couple of months, when the cute puppy turns into a big mouthy teenager that jumps on people, they return the dog so that someone else fixes the problem they created.

I guess nice adult dogs will take longer to place but they usually end up with better people (human beings) IMO and better dog owners than the young dogs and puppies.