12 Words and Phrases About Big Dogs in Shelters We Need to Stop Saying

As someone deeply involved in animal welfare, I’ve seen firsthand how the words we use can impact the dogs in our care and how potential adopters perceive them. The terms we use in animal shelters often highly subjective and mean different things to different people. They often create unnecessary stigma and reduce dogs' chances of finding homes. Rather than increasing transparency, these terms are taken as facts when they are typically just beliefs and generalizations. In this blog, I'll share 12 common phrases I hear regularly and tell you why they're harmful as well as what to say instead.

1. “He’s a ‘behavior’ dog.”

Why It’s Harmful: This label is subjective and can sound intimidating. It doesn't explain what the dog actually needs.

What to Say Instead: Describe specific behaviors in simple terms. For example, “His foster caregiver has observed that he seems anxious in crowds but is calm and relaxed when he’s at home.” 

2. “We’re saving too many dogs.”

Why It’s Harmful: This negative statement does not reflect the hard work of staff and volunteers, and usually reflects the immediate conditions of the shelter but sounds like there is something wrong with the dogs themselves.

What to Say Instead: Instead of a broad statement, explain the real challenges. For example, “We’re currently over capacity, which impacts humane care and safety in the shelter. Our intakes are currently outpacing live outcomes so we are reaching a point where we have no space for incoming dogs.”

3. “This dog is unadoptable.”

Why It’s Harmful: This term is arbitrary and subjective. There is no standard definition for ‘unadoptable.’ 

What to Say Instead: Ask for specific concerns and explain them clearly. For example, “She has been returned twice because she has demonstrated separation anxiety. In the second home, she chewed part of the door and carpet. In both cases, the family was outside the home for four or more hours.” This helps people understand the dog’s specific challenges and needs.

4. “She’s not good with kids/dogs/cats/farmed animals.”

Why It’s Harmful: These statements are too general and don’t give helpful information. They often use partial or incorrect information to make a blanket statement about the dog’s character. 

What to Say Instead: Share specific observations. For example, “His previous family reported he chased the chickens and cat on the property. He did not harm other animals but the family shared he was overstimulated and barked continuously whenever he saw these animals” This provides clear information that is easy to understand and focuses on known information, not generalizations about the overall temperament of the dog.

5. “He IS good with kids/dogs/cats/farmed animals”

Why It’s Harmful: While this sounds positive, it’s still a generalization that creates risk for the organization.

What to Say Instead: Be specific, sharing known or reported information based on past experiences in a home, a foster home, or the shelter. For instance, “He lived with young children before and was reported to be very gentle and his family said he ‘love kids.’” 

6. “He’s aggressive towards men.”

Why It’s Harmful: This label perpetuates generalizations about the dog and people and limits the potential outcomes unnecessarily.

What to Say Instead: Describe what has been observed. For example, “He growls when certain people, often those who appear as masculine, approach him quickly, but he is friendly and calm with everyone once he knows them or recognizes them.” This language is specific and focuses on observed behaviors. 

7. “We’re ‘warehousing’ these dogs and we need to euthanize more dogs.”

Why It’s Harmful: This phrase sounds negative and hopeless.

What to Say Instead: Focus on solutions like increasing adoptions and fostering. For example, “We are operating above capacity with three dogs in each kennel. We need to evaluate our capacity for care and review our options for decreasing the number of dogs in the shelter. Some solutions are decreasing our length of stay and increasing our foster capacity.” This encourages positive action.

8. “This dog is 'rescue only.'"

Why It’s Harmful: This phrase creates a real and perceived barrier to getting the dog out of the shelter. It means different things to different shelters and creates a stigma that reduces that dog's chances of a live outcome.

What to Say Instead: Determine why and how 'rescue only' is being applied in your shelter and consider alternatives to this label that apply to specific medical or behavioral needs.

9. “She’s a reactive dog.”

Why It’s Harmful: The public does not understand the meaning of the term ‘reactive,’ and may confuse reactivity with aggression. 

What to Say Instead: Describe specific, known and reported information. For example, “She sometimes barks at other dogs when she’s in a kennel or on a leash walk, but is one of our best dogs in play groups.” This is clearer and helps people understand the specific behavior.

10. “She has special needs.”

Why It’s Harmful: This phrase is vague and may deter potential adopters.

What to Say Instead: Be specific about the needs. For example, “He lived on a tie-out and was fearful and non-social when he arrived at the shelter, but he’s now seeking affection from the volunteers who have been helping socialize him.” Clear information helps adopters understand and prepare for the dog’s care.

11. “People don’t want these dogs.”

Why It’s Harmful: This statement is demoralizing and untrue.

What to Say Instead: “Housing restrictions prevent many willing adopters from choosing a medium or large dog. Based on our data, we are adopting out fewer large dogs this year and they are staying longer in the shelter.” 

12. “She's a bite dog.”

Why It’s Harmful: This label is harsh and doesn’t provide context.

What to Say Instead: Explain the circumstances. For example, “He bit someone when he was startled during a thunderstorm, but has shown no aggression in a calm environment.” This gives a more complete picture of the dog’s behavior and severity of the bite. 

PRACTICE: Review this list with your staff and volunteers and ask them which of these terms they hear or say themselves. Discuss the problems with these words and phrases and invite the group to create their own list of problematic terminology and preferred alternatives.