Larger dogs face tougher odds of getting adopted: report

Big dogs face tougher odds getting adopted.

Isla, a four-year-old Siberian Husky, has been living at the Nova Scotia SPCA in Dartmouth for almost a year. She is fun, energetic and considered large, which could be affecting her chance of getting adopted.

“I got to meet her in July when we made a trip to Cape Breton, where we met Isla at — and since then, we have become pretty good buddies,” says Amy MacRae, a dog trainer at the SPCA.

“Isla loves going out and walking in the parks, and I do too, so that’s a lot of fun for us being able to do that together.”

Isla is one of many larger dogs facing tougher odds getting adopted, which has a lot to do with their size.

“We are seeing a vast difference in the amount of time it takes to adopt out a small dog versus a large-breed dog,” says Heather Woodin, Nova Scotia SPCA’s chief of animal operations.

“Our average adoption time is under 30 days overall for every dog coming into our care. But there are times we see large dogs, the average is much, much higher than that, sometimes as much as three months, or in Isla’s case, 11 months.”

That fact is something Hills Pet Nutrition also found to be true when it conducted a survey to learn why. It released the data in the 2025 Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report, which found larger dogs face tougher odds of adoption due to their size.

“We know in Canada, cats are the most popular. But next in line are small dogs, and it works its way up,” says Frances Cheslo, the company’s shelter engagement specialist.

“Large dogs, unfortunately, are not as popular. However, they are getting more and more prevalent in shelters and getting harder to adopt. We know that only 17 per cent of those in our study were likely to adopt the large breed dog.”

The report revealed 48 per cent or more are likely to adopt a cat, while 37 per cent would adopt a medium-sized dog, and 39 per cent said they would be more likely to adopt small dogs.

There are a number of reasons why someone might shy away from larger dogs, but Woodin says those could change when people meet larger breeds during a visit.

“There are housing situations that don’t permit a large breed dog, there is cost considerations in terms of the ongoing cost of food, and some people’s ability to take on that expense, and there are some perceptions on energy that a large dog may need,” she says.

“For other people, I find they worry that living in a smaller space might not be ideal for a bigger dog, but I always say dogs do not need a lot of space, they need a lot of time,” adds MacRae.

Cheslo says a silver lining in Hill’s Pet Nutrition research was Gen Z and millennials are more likely to adopt larger breeds.

“Which is significantly outpacing the older generations, which is just 10 per cent of Gen Z and baby boomers, so we know that the focus to get those large breed dogs out is the Gen Zs and Millennials because they are more likely to adopt,” she says.

Isla’s trainer at the SPCA says she could fit into a variety of homes, but especially with a pet owner who likes to walk on a daily basis.

“She will make an amazing adventure buddy for someone who is active. She is amazing in the car, so she loves going for car drives too,” adds MacRae.

To help encourage Isla’s potential pet parents, Hills Pet Nutrition will give a year’s supply of dog food to her owner.

Those who think Isla, or any other big dog, could be the perfect fit for their family, are encouraged to call or visit a shelter and arrange a meet-and-greet. Staff at the Nova Scotia SPCA say the adoption process takes a couple of days.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page