I started fostering for BDHP in March of 2020 when we found ourselves home much more than in previous years. We already had 2 big dogs, but thought if we could help give a dog shelter while we were home all of the time, it would help us get through lockdowns and homeschooling as well. We found many opportunities to volunteer with BDHP -- from fostering our own and babysitting fosters for other foster parents. What we did not expect/intend was to fall in love with one of our fosters--a Great Dane 1 year old pup who had been a breeder surrender. She was the sweetest, most appreciative dog we'd ever met and was just so happy to be part of our family. After an adoption that didn't work out (the other dogs in the house didn't accept her), we got Phoebe back to foster again. Except this time, we knew she wasn't just going to be a foster -- she was most definitely going to be a foster failure. :) We happily adopted Phoebe into our family and are so appreciative of all of the countless volunteers/donors who help get these pups adopted into just the right family (even if it takes a couple of times). Even though we are not looking to add to our family of fur-babies, we will continue working with BDHP and fostering and helping out other fosters when they need to go out of town or have emergencies. I highly suggest fostering AND adopting through Big Dogs Huge Paws. Fostering is so fun because you get to meet and help many of the dogs and you're responsible for helping them become adoptable. And when you find a foster that you just can't part with, fosters get first option to adopt. The folks working with BDHP are extremely helpful and responsive and they just all REALLY LOVE DOGS! read more

Rude staff, very gate-keeping. With a mass of over-flooding dogs. They turn away anyone they deem "unworthy" without even talking to them. It's literally a disservice to the dogs how these people work. Horrible management. THE OWNERS NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS ASAP read more

BDHPR has been really amazing to work with. Everyone has been very responsive and has taken the time to answer all our questions. They really helped us feel comfortable with our decision to adopt our gentle giant. They provided an extensive list of resources immediately following our adoption and continue to follow up with helpful information. I highly recommend BDHPR! read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Croissant, the Big Red Dog - Pet Services Near Me

This rescue is amazing and runs like a well-oiled machine. Their adopter vetting process should be standard for all rescues IMHO. They were truly the conduit to finding my precious Blaze FKA Maui who was a stray pup starving now living his best life. He rescued me! :) read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Pet Services Near Me

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I've worked in rescue in a past life and these guys are top notch. Reading all the "bad" reviews from people who didn't get approved to be adopters because they use prong collars or don't neuter their pets -- please!! I'm soo over the moon this rescue has standards AND the follow up information they provide adopters about everything related to good dog care is amazing too. I especially appreciated the home visit and the thoughtful questions they asked me. Here is our big boy and we looovvvveeee him!!! read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Pet Services Near Me

Really great organization. Easy to work with. And so so so helpful. Everyone I talked to was super nice. Reached out with questions got instant answers. And now have the biggest best new member of our family. Do the research on this rescue and you will find they are outstanding in the community and treat theses rescues like family read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Livvie - Pet Services Near Me

I adopted a 5 year old Saint Bernard from BDHP in 2013. She had been neglected and was struggling with some food intolerance. BDHP worked with a local vet to identify the problem and supported me as I changed her diet. Ellie's personality began to emerge as she felt better. She was a fantastic friend and family member. When I lost her in 2018 to cancer I applied again to BDHP. I adopted a Mastiff at that time and, once again, found the process to be thorough, the volunteers professional, friendly, and knowledgeable, and my new fur kid a delight! They are always here to support me no matter what my need, question, or concern. read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - George 2020 - Pet Services Near Me

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I asked this organization to accept a great dog that I had known from my hometown. He happened to be an Akbash and his original owners placed him with an inexperienced family that lived in a condo, (first mistake, never place a livestock guardian dog in a condo with an inexperienced adopter) Anyway, the condo family did not work out because they didn't know how to deal with resource guarding, which is common for the Akbash. I was asked to help find a rescue for this young male. I contacted BDHP and they agreed to take him. We disclosed everything about the resource guarding to the rescue. The condo owners dropped him off, thinking, as did I, that we were doing the right thing for this dog. Fast forward 2 days after drop off, I called to check on him. He had been euthanized because he "snapped at someone" I had warned them ahead of time that he should be an only dog and that he would be terribly sad. They put him in a foster home with multiple dogs. No chance to decompress or to be properly introduced to the other dogs. No heads up from the rescue or a chance for the original owner to retrieve him. He was euthanized. Still heartbreaking and so unnecessary. read more

We just adopted a super sweet senior great dane/lab mix from BDHP and it couldn't have gone better! We were able to talk to her foster mom and get all of our questions answered and even got to meet her prior to adoption which was great because we have a 1 year old daughter so that was important to me. As soon as we made the decision to adopt, we were able to get her 2 days later. Her foster mom brought her to us with all of her food, meds and bed and explained everything we needed to know. We got a really great dog and are so happy with our decision! It feels great to adopt such a sweet pup and give her the best years of her life! read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Pet Services Near Me

Absolutely a joke. This is not a healthy place for animals, and when you try and adopt them to get them out of that environment, they make the process of adoption so difficult they drive people to custom breeders and puppy mills. This is not how you run a rescue read more

DO NOT bother with this place! I submitted an application and before speaking to references or me directly, this place sent a rejection email. We are home owners with a large fenced back yard, prior big dog ownership and couldn't be more excited to bring a dog in need home. Zero respect for this organization who would reject a loving home for NO reason. I'm so angry and shocked, and our references are as well. My work place encourages us to bring our dogs to work, and all knew we are looking to adopt. I'll be sure to let everyone know to steer clear of this agency. They should be ashamed of their lack of professionalism and respect for good pet owners. read more

We just adopted Lucee, a 5 year old Great Pyrenees mix, from BDHP. She arrived 2 days ago from Iowa. The adoption process is quite thorough and a bit lengthy, but I believe it's because they want to find the very best homes for these gentle giants. We couldn't be happier with Lucee she is a sweetheart. Her foster mom has already checked in with us to see how the transition is going and has offered phone support any time we need it. Thank you BDHP for giving Lucee her forever home with us! read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws helped us get matched with our AMAZING Newfie Sadie (Formally Coco/Cindy) She has eye problems that resulted in her loosing an eye before we got her but when we took her to an eye specialist they had nothing but praise for the care she had been given by her foster and those who cared for her at BDHP. Thank you so much Big Dogs. Sadie came to live with us only a few short months before COVID hit. We were trapped in a house with two teenagers and a supper calm loving gentle giant dog who with every wag of her huge tail seemed to say "this is the best place ever and you all never leave!" With out you we would not have Sadie. Thank you. Oh - and a word about post adoption support. Sadie had a little issue settling in at first. BDHP group gave us wonderful support as she got use to our house. Turns out our new dog just needed COVID to hit and us never to leave her sight. LOL. read more

They said because of my state I had to have owned large breeds before, I gave them 3 examples of previous large breeds I owned, I even owned the exact breed I was trying to adopt, and they disqualified me anyway because I didn't live in one of their approved states! So they are liars, they said I had to have owned large breeds before, I told them I did, and they turned me down anyway. Plus, their adoption fees are very high, so I think given these two factors this company is a scam, I would not feel comfortable giving my money to these people. read more

Marvelous experience with a tremendous group of loving and professional individuals. After a reasonably long process, brought my new addition home, and she's a perfect addition to our family. BDHP volunteers, especially my new girl's foster mom, have been so generous and supportive with their time and talents. It takes experience and wisdom of massive breeds to successfully navigate the adoption process, especially over many miles and within many circumstances. I am extremely grateful to BDHP for all of their efforts to care for my new girl ahead of her adoption, and their deep and wide efforts to ensure the happiness of our newly grown family. read more

I absolutely loved working with BDHP when adopting my new dog. Yes, it's true they are very thorough in their evaluation of candidates, but it's because they want to ensure each dog is going to a home and family that is prepared to care for a large breed dog. My process took approximately 3 weeks. It included a detailed application, references, a phone interview, and a home inspection. Once I was approved, then I was eligible to request available dogs on the site. BDHP was so helpful answering questions about the girl I was interested in, connecting me with the foster home to learn more about her personality, and even used their large network of volunteers to transport her 600 miles to my town. Please keep in mind everyone with BDPH is a volunteer, and considering this, I was so impressed with how quickly we received communications from them. So happy to have found them and would absolutely adopt through them again! read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - Our adopted Anatolian from BDHP! - Pet Services Near Me

The people working here are more interested in telling owners how they should handle their pets than finding good homes for the dogs. After sending an initial email inquiring about one of the dogs, I received an email reply back two days later that the dog was not available. After sending a follow up email asking for some clarification, I received a follow up email saying that dog was available and that I needed to fill out an application despite that my first email clarified which dog I was looking for and had an application attached. 4 days after resending the original application, I received a response back that said my application would not be reviewed until I altered my current dog. This requirement was not listed on their website or under any of their requirements. When I asked for clarification about this, no response was ever sent back. I understand wanting to make sure they are finding good homes for these dogs but the poor communication and lack of clarity on their requirements is concerning. The person that emailed me back seemed more concerned with espousing their views of dog ownership than they did with finding a suitable home. read more

I wish I could give ZERO stars. I recently lost my beloved American Bulldog, and was looking into rescuing the next time around. I decided to submit an application to BDHP. I found one particular dog, a mastiff mix that I was interested in adopting. The initial application said 2-4 weeks to process. One week later, I received an Email from BDHP to notify me that I was denied in their process to adopt a dog simply because I have never personally owned a BIG dog breed. Apparently my 123 pound American Bulldog was a Chihuahua. Hmmmmm..... I understand they have their guidelines, but to deny someone who has not personally owned a Great Dane (who sometimes don't even reach 100#s) is simply ridiculous. They have really lost the opportunity to adopt one of their dogs to a LOVING and wonderful home. My Knoxx (American Bulldog) was the apple of my eye, the love of my life.... He had the BEST life imaginable! He was not viewed as a PET. He was my SON! I love him more than anything in this whole world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BDBP denied a rescue the best home they could possibly imagine. You would think they would at least CALL the references listed in the application to see what kind of "dog parents" we were. Nope. Strictly because we have never owned a Great Dane or Mastiff, we were automatically denied. Why? Why is that so crucial? Are they worried about getting their dogs back because someone can not handle them? I assure you, we are NOT those kind of people. Once we have a dog, we are attached. There is NO turning back. We would NOT give up on a dog, EVER. PERIOD! Shame on you BDHP. Broaden your horizons!!!!! Just because someone has not owned a Great Dane doesn't mean they can not give a dog unconditional LOVE or a second chance at a GREAT life!!!!!! This is your loss. If you took the time to see how MUCH I LOVE MY DOG, or called references.... hell, even looked at the Instagram page I made for my boy... you would understand you made a HUGE, HUGE mistake! I would think a NON profit organization would need all the donations, and adoptions they could get. You messed up. I guess someone who is willing to spend over $1,000 to SAVE a dog is not an "option" simply because they haven't owned or raised a "giant breed" . Such bullshit. ALL DOGS NEED LOVE. ALL ABANDONED DOGS DESERVE a 2nd chance at life!!! Do you realize you are not only HURTING your organization, but the DOGS as well??????? Call references, see what kind of people you are working with!!!! Do NOT deny someone for one simple fact!!!! I can raise a dog, no matter if it is a Poodle, or a Mastiff. And you wonder why so many dogs in the world need homes! SHAME ON YOU BIG DOGS HUGE PAWS! Not only are you hurting your organization and your integrity......... You're HURTING dogs who have a chance at a new LIFE and true LOVE!!!!!! I guess I will take the $1,000+ that I would have donated to you, to another organization!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

My fiancé and I moved to Colorado from Chicago in Oct 2011. We tragically lost our Newfoundland to bloat 3 days before the big move... it was just horrible. About a month of being dogless in our new mountain home, we decided it was time to adopt. We found Big Dogs Huge Paws on the web, all I can say is WOW - what an AMAZING organization!!! We have adopted 3 senior dogs from BDHP so far and will never "shop" anywhere else for a dog! For starters, they have a pretty in depth application and home inspection process. Some may see this as a negative, but honestly I feel every rescue/ shelter for large breed dogs should have this type of adoption process! It takes a special kind of person/family to care for a big dog properly. Their interview process and home inspection is just showing that they want to go the extra mile to insure you will be your new pet's "forever home" and they won't be given back in a few weeks because "oh, I didn't realize XYZ". The volunteers that performed our phone interview and our home inspection were both extremely pleasant, informative and knowledgable on big dogs. They asked all the right questions to make sure we would be good parents. Now let's talk about the dogs. At any given time, there are 100+ dogs in rescue. Note, this is a RESCUE, so along with a plethora of wonderfully behaved dogs that were well cared for in their previous homes and ended up in rescue by no fault of their own, there may also be some dogs that are not perfect. They may be slightly damaged goods. They may have come from horrible situations and require a little extra love and patience.... if this is the case, you will ALWAYS be made well aware of their situation up front. There is a huge and wonderfully close-knit community of volunteers at Big Dogs that spans several states. There are events and fund-raisers and a variety of ways to help support the cause as well. I just read on their site that so far THIS YEAR they have already treated the following: 12 cases of Parvo, 8 heartworm positive dogs, done 3 hip surgeries, done 4 knee surgeries, 3 dogs with glaucoma, 3 dogs with chronic arthritis, 2 entropian surgeries, 2 hernia surgeries, 2 ablation surgeries, 2 bloat surgeries, 2 dogs with IBD/absorption issues, 2 severe ear infections affecting hearing, 1 amputation, 1 dog with a seizure disorder, 1 blockage surgery, 1 broken leg repair surgery, 1 cherry eye surgery, 1 demodex mange case, 1 heart condition, 1 URI and countless cases of skin allergies. Plus all BDHPI dogs are fully vaccinated and spayed/neutered (except puppies, of course) prior to adoption! If I could give more than 5 stars to this company, I would. They are one of the best in the business. read more

Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue - This is Zoe, one of two dogs that we adopted from Big Dogs Huge Paws last February. Sweetest dog EVER (Don't tell her sister!) - Pet Services Near Me

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I can't really add much to the other negative reviews as I found my experience(s) pretty much the same. Bad communication, arbitrary policy enforcement, just ridiculous for an organization that supposedly want to place "unwanted" animals. We were denied because one of our dogs wears a choke style collar. He is my service dog and his trainers used this type of collar and we were told that was what he's used to (they taught us, at length, how to control/lead him). We are a dream house for dogs and they were too stupid to look past one item. I would suggest you avoid them and use one of the rescues that actually want to place their dogs in good homes. read more

Wow! I don't write many reviews, and when I do it's usually a scathing one after a bad experience. However, seeing all of the one-star-reviews, I had to add my two cents to share a different perspective. I rescued Monk, my Saint Bernard, from BDHP almost 6 years ago; the process could not have been smoother, and the BDHP staff could not have been more accommodating. I live in California, so they were unable to do a home visit as they would have preferred. Not a problem. They allowed me to take video of my home, the neighborhood, the beach and park we like to go to play, etc. The video was approved and we were permitted to move forward in the application process. Vet, friends, and other references were called to ensure that we were suitable a suitable pet family, a phone interview with me went smoothly, and ultimately we were approved to adopt! It WAS a process, but I'm glad it was a process because it would be irresponsible to adopt these dogs to just anybody, and being able to read all of the 'report cards' for dogs I was interested in made me feel confident that I was adopting the "right dog" for my pack. I did have a particular dog that I was interested in, and as I was in my final interview, his foster family decided to add him to their family permanently. Of course I was disappointed because I was looking forward to meeting THAT dog, but I understood the adoption process before I began. I knew from the start that there was the possibility that the dog I was interested in would be adopted by the time I was approved. In hindsight, everything happens for a reason; Monk could not be a better dog for me and my family. BDHP and I agreed to meet in Salt Lake City, Utah for me to pick up Monk. Sure, I was excited for a road trip, but more so, I was impressed that they would drive to Utah for me so that I didn't have to drive ALL the way to Colorado. The day of the scheduled pickup, there was a massive snowstorm and it took 3x the amount of time for them to get to me than expected; we're talking 9 hours on the road with an excited, slobbery, puppy in their backseat. They navigated road closures, blizzards, and other unexpected roadblocks to get my baby to me as promised because they truly seem to enjoy the moment of bringing deserving dogs together with their warm, loving, forever families. Monk quickly bonded with me and my other dog, found his place in the ranks, and is happy as can be. Sadly, we just lost his brother Giuseppe (golden doodle) to cancer, and when our hearts are ready, we wouldn't hesitate for a second to adopt from BDHP again . read more

very dishonest about the dogs, and treat the dogs poorly ignoring medical issues - they will find a vet who ignores the diagnosis from a different vet. They adopt first come first serve, they don't care about fit. There is no meet and greet. If the dog does not work out after, they gaslight people. They gaslight volunteers who speak up and don't support volunteers. And they discriminate and act like 3rd graders to people with disabilities. Do your self a favor and foster or adopt from other organizations. read more

When we began the adoption process through BDHP, I'll admit I wasn't hopeful after reading the reviews. I wanted to come back and explain that we had nothing but a spectacular experience from start to finish! There are several steps involved (as there should be). Each interaction I had with the volunteers from BDHP was very informative, timely, and encouraging. Once we were approved, we waited for an available Saint Bernard to come up. We found Kevin and BDHP arranged transportation from Colorado to Wyoming where we were able to pick him up and take him home to Canada. We are so thankful for all the dedication and work of all of those that helped bring Kevin into our lives! read more

Big Dogs Hugh Paws is a wonderful organization that clearly cares about the animals and wants to ensure they get placed in a final home that is loving and safe. Understand that almost all of these dogs when puppies were taken by a family that thought they were wonderful and would give it a perfect home. Unfortunately, people without prior experience and training are sometimes a poor match especially for giant breed dogs. This is true even in some homes that have had giant breed dogs. BDHP is a group of volunteers who try as hard as they can to balance this act. These are people who have jobs and families and in their spare time put many hours in. They do not know you so have to do the best they can to be sure what they decide is in the best interest of the dog. Keep in mind that they are good people, trying their best to get it right. If they have an error, they want it to be in favor of the dog. It might be a long process. There are several areas of the application that must be reviewed and often are done by different people. It may take a day or several days for each review area, so it may be a couple of weeks or several weeks for the review to be completed. I found it frustrating to continually be handed off to a new person, never knowing if they would accept me or not. Even after being accepted and started visiting available dogs we needed to be approved by the foster family. I went along with the process because I think they are doing their best to help these animals. It can be a long process, and a bit frustrating at times but well worth it. This organization has set what they believe is the best standard for dogs to be raised and cared for. If you do not agree with all those rules you have two choices: You may accept and follow their rules or you can look for another avenue to get a pet. I have put applications in for other rescue leagues and this one was the easiest to work with. I do not totally agree with every rule they have, but I understand why they have them in place and will follow them with any dog I adopt from their organization. Before you complain about them or give a bad review understand that in most cases these animals have had a very rough start in life by people that thought they knew what they were doing. Big Dogs Hugh Paws has made it their mission to insure that stops now. They do their best, and frankly I think they do a good job. I would highly recommend them hope they continue to ensure happiness and safety for their adoptions. read more

After loosing my Great Pyrenees girl (Cheyenne) of 11 years to bone cancer I adopted my new girl Roxy from Big Dogs Huge Paws on 4/24/21 and couldn't be happier with the process and the result. They are very thorough in their process and go the extra mile to make sure you and your home are a good fit. Everyone I talked to cares so much about the dogs in their care and finding the perfect home for them. After just a couple days with Roxy she has been absolutely amazing, everything they told me about her was spot on. She took no time in making herself at home and being completely comfortable in her new home. I even transported a big English Mastiff/Great Dane mix to get my new girl and he was amazing too! I can't say enough good things about this Organization and what they do for these wonderful dogs. Much like my Cheyenne, Big Dogs Huge Paws will always have a special place in my heart. Kevin M. read more

We adopted a 7-year-old Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix, Henry, through BDHP in September. We had a great experience with everyone who volunteers for BDHP. Their application process was quite thorough, including 3 references (all of whom they contacted) and a home study. Once we were approved, they helped us find the perfect fit for our family. We have 2 other dogs, a cat, and chickens, so we were pretty picky. Once we started asking about Henry, the volunteers helped get us additional information about him, answered at least a dozen questions we had, and made sure it was going to be a great fit. Two volunteers brought him to our town and helped us do introductions (first at a park with our other dogs, then at home with the cat/chickens). One of the volunteers even came to our house a couple of weeks after we brought Henry home, to help us trim his nails. We have felt so supported through the whole process. They helped us add a fantastic gentle giant to our menagerie, and we couldn't be happier! Sometimes email communication is a bit slow, because this is a volunteer-run organization, and many of the volunteers have full-time jobs AND are fostering multiple dogs in their own homes. The volunteers we met all have considerable giant breed dog experience. Since giant breeds have different needs than many average sized dogs, this is crucial. They helped us learn what we needed to know, and pointed us to many resources to do our own research. They are in it for the dogs, and they are very thorough making sure they are placing dogs in forever homes. We love BDHP! read more

We couldn't be happier with the process! I will admit it is not simply choosing your dog and going home. They have a systematic, thorough approach to make sure each dog is placed in the right home. Following this process reduces the likelihood of a dog being returned. We love our Goliath! Thanks read more

We just adopted a 4 yr old mastiff from BDHP. I am shocked to See How many negative reviews there are. Our experience was great. Yes the application was a long process, but all the people performing the parts of the process are volunteers with other full time jobs. It took 4 weeks to go through the application process. (It was the Christmas holidays so I think it took longer than normal) Their website is very specific about the process for a reason. They get multiple requests for dogs that show up on their website almost immediately. Therefore you can't put your name in for a specific dog untill your application has been approved. We saw many dogs that we were interested in get adopted before we were even through the application process. We even put our name in for 2 dogs the same day that they showed up on the site, only to be way down the waiting lists for those dogs. In total we "applied" for about 10 different dogs. The way to be successful in this process is to put in a request for all of the dogs that interest you as soon as soon as they hit the website. You will be placed on those dog's waiting lists in order of when they received your request. They won't give you any more info on the dogs untill you are first up on the list. You then have an opportunity to email with the foster, and learn more about that dog from what they have learned about it while in their care. C I found the foster to be very informative about our dogs good points and his not so good points. When we decided he was a good fit for us based on the info we learned via emails, there was a telephone conversation with the foster for final approval and acceptance. So the people saying there was a "bait and switch" or that BDHP wanted choose what dog got placed with them did not take the time to understand the process. Apply for multiple dogs, and if you are lucky enough to get to the top of the list, you will then get more info to help you decide if that particular dog will be a good fit for you. You can decide to pass on a dog based on things you learn, and then keep looking. Overall, it took over 2 months to get our new dog. He is great. Even with our current dog not being a dominant personality and super friendly, and our new addition not being dominant and very friendly/mellow, you still have to be careful in the first few weeks while they are getting used to each other. It can be stressful for both dogs in this situation, and they may act out of character. Do research on what to do/ what not to do when adding a new dog to your family so that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. read more

Ididn't plan to share my experience but today someone brought up this organization. First of all I still want to assume you are caring people that love animals and that is why you do this...perfect. The experience I had a 2 to 3 years ago was absolutely ZERO feedback until I kept asking. I believe I filled out an extensive form letter describing me, dog experiences, my home. I was told it would take approx 30 days of review. I checked back a few times after 30 days and was told you're too busy, we'll get back, etc, you just want to make sure they're going to a good home. After 3 plus months the only result from poor communication was BDHP does not want to adopt their dogs! You do not trust anyone but yourselves to take care of these dogs! I pleaded with someone to call my vets and they'll tell you how wonderful my previous dogs were but they wouldn't. I did end up adopting from a wonderful shelter that rescues dogs and cats from unhealthy and overcrowded shelters and/or some animals about to be euthanized. I honestly felt and I guess still do that you're false advertising and are probably making $$$ off your non-profit statis. read more

Unless you walk on water (or the stars align just right) don't get your hopes up on being approved. And good luck trying to get any feedback. After our phone interviews (that were great!) we were denied in a form email with a list of possible reasons for our failure. I've sent three very respectful emails just wanting to know why they wouldn't place a dog with us. They don't even have the courtesy to respond. I am HUGELY disappointed. I could understand and respect their process if it didn't seem so arbitrary. You know what else is fishy? They said they didn't have any volunteers in my area to do the home check so I would just have to do it over the phone. When I got the call, it was from a local number. What's up with that? read more

OK where do I start with this. Ever heard the saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions? This is the place... First I will lay out how we "Rate" with BDHP. We went through the application process and here is how we score. 1. My wife and I are home a lot. I put in a full day as an engineer at work, but she stays at home. So someone is almost always at home. 2. My wife takes our existing dogs (a fully trained service dog and a rescue shar pei/pit mix we got from PAWS) to the park at least 3x per week. 3. We have a large home that has a large yard with a fully enclosed 6 foot fence. 4. My wife researched all the horror stories about commercial dog food and now we buy some sort of holistic brand meat thingy. Earth Born is the brand. We have been doing this sort of thing for almost 10 years. 5. I lost my great dane last year when we moved to Pueblo. I had him for almost 9 years, and he was a DISABLED dog (a tripod). So big dog experience, and disabled big dog experience at that. We think his food and exercise was a good reason why he lived so long 6. Our vet locally, and the one back in Phoenix from where we moved had rave reviews on us. 7. We don't have kids or cats. Just a couple of other dogs, ones that are highly social and have been greeting and interacting with other dogs for literally YEARS. We were turned down. Why? Apparently its because her service dog, we used a chain collar on him (we have a soft collar on our other rescue). We use the chain collar on him... Because we were told to by his trainers... This is one of those in a restaurant, under a table, carrying groceries out of a store kind of service dogs. He turns on lights, opens and closes doors, that kind of thing. We do as we were told by the trainers. And apparently, since a choke chain is used as per the directive of the service dog trainers...(but the other has a soft collar) We are not suitable. So good luck trying to get a dog from this rescue that is more intent on an arbitrary list of requirements than actually evaluating what is a good fit for a dog.. It explains why they have dogs so long there. We have been looking for awhile and my wife noticed that more than a few are there for 6 months +. maybe its just about the money getting donations.. Who knows...But I would recommend elsewhere, maybe getting in touch with Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue Sucks for the dogs, and looking at all the other one star reviews it seems a theme is readily apparent. They are doing more to hurt the dogs than actually helping them with their behavior. EDIT: Oh and for your response F.H. Where do you see in my review of BDHP anything at all about SHOCK COLLARS, ELECTRIC FENCES, etc? Did you actually read my review? We don't use them. Never have. Our yard is FENCED, one of our dogs, the now retired service dog, uses as choke chain for correction as per the instructions, our other one is cloth collared. read more

I adopted an older female Dane from BDHP over 2 years ago. The process to adopt her took almost 6 months because they don't answer phone calls or emails. I was given zero information about the dog's behavior other than "she's sweet and gets along with other dogs", and "would be a perfect fit in my home". I run a pet care company and have many years experience with training and dealing with all kinds of dogs, including Danes. The Dane I adopted is a huge liability for me because of her horrendous fear related behavior, which a year later the fosters I contacted for help said "we should have mentioned her fearful behavior". Yes, informing the adopters of problem behavior would probably be one of the most important things to do when adopting out a difficult dog! It would give the dog the best chance at truly finding a forever home, rather than going back or turning up at a shelter. My biggest problem with BDHP is their complete lack of support for the dogs they adopt out or the owners they adopt to. I have been trying to contact them asking for help for about 6 months and have not received a single reply to my emails or phone calls. At this point I'm convinced even if I wanted to give my Dane back to BDHP they wouldn't care to return my phone calls about an owner surrender either! I'm angry because I would think a "dog rescue" would want to truly place their dogs well and then support them after the dog is placed to ensure a happy, healthy life. There are many other large dog rescue organizations around Colorado and I will be looking to them for future furry family members. I would never recommend BDHP and hope they shut their doors soon so the dogs have a real chance at a safe and happy future. read more

I wanted to adopt one of their Great Danes. I specified what I wanted a younger dog (puppy to maybe 2 years old), and they told me because I had a small daughter (under 5) that I should adopt an older dog... I filled out all of the paper work, spoke to someone on the phone who told me someone should call me to set up an in home interview. No one ever called! I called left voicemails, since nobody seems to like answering their phones... And I left 5 emails and nobody ever responded! I was heartbroken! Why don't these people respond if they want people to adopt their dogs?! Needless to say it got old waiting around for these people... I really think that because I wouldn't cave in and adopt an older dog, they just blew me off! But I now have a Great Dane running around in my backyard, as spoiled as he could be! Nice doghouse custom made with heat and AC! (I purchased my Dane privately as a puppy). Bottom line is, I've had friends who have successfully adopted from here, but never could figure out why they never even called me back! Good luck trying... I'm happy with my puppy anyways! *I love Catherine B.'s review... I'd really love for her to tell me the REASON I was not approved to adopt one of their dogs... Was it because I have a large yard completely secured by 6 foot fences on all sides? Was it because I said I'd love to take the dog for walks on the trails/green belts right behind my backyard? I'd love to know the REASON! Problem was they never gave me one! As I said previously, I truly believe that if I had agreed to get a 5 year old dog (since that's what they were pressuring me to adopt) they would have approved me... I have no problems with senior dogs, I just wanted a puppy, or younger dog so that my daughter would have good memories of the dog... Not playing with an older dog for a couple of years, only to have to put it down due to old age, or health complications... I did buy a Dane privately, got him neutered, and his stomach tacked... Feed him great food, he has a custom built huge dog house that is insulated, has a light, has a heater/AC unit in it... My dog is spoiled! He's almost 2, weighs 150 pounds, and is happy and healthy! I would have loved to spoil a dog from BDHP, but they wouldn't give me the chance, because I wouldn't let them bully me into a dog I didn't want at the time... Plain and simple! read more

I love this rescue. I have fostered and transported for them for close to a decade. I just adopted my second foster failure. They don't let just anyone adopt any dog. They check my references: my vet, my friends, my home to ensure it will be the proper fit. They take care of medical issues with fosters before they adopt them out, or if the pups will have lifelong issues they make sure the adopters understand the cost of a giant breeds medical care. I respect their due diligence, and that's why I stay involved even from out of state. read more

I adopted Skye, a 2 year old Mastiff Mix; a dedicated crew of volunteers transferred her from Oklahoma to Kansas, where we met up and I then took Skye and foster boy Kong to Parker CO. Everyone was so nice and supportive and I text Skye's foster mom with anxious questions and she answers right away. Such a wonderful experience. I look forward to assisting this wonderful organization that takes adoption so seriously in any way possible! Thank you so much for allowing me to be Skye's furr-ever Mom. My heart is full of love. read more

I am a dog lover beyond measure. At any time there are at least 2 very large dogs lounging around my home. My usual number of big dogs is 4. I have purchased purebreds in the past and dogs come to me in various ways and I will love all my past, present and future dogs until the day I die. 2014 as a rough year for us when we lost 2 of our 4 Rottweiler dogs to cancer within 7 months of each other; one to Histiocytic Sarcoma; the other to a tumor that had compromised her spinal column and spinal cord (the tumor was inoperable) and she had lost the use of her back legs. After her MRI we had to make the most difficult decision to let her go. I made a decision that I didn't want to purchase a puppy because there are so many dogs that have been let down by their people. Having raised Rottweilers for the past 20 years along with various other breeds that have found their way into our home and hearts (Pitbull, a Border Collie mix and a beautiful and willful hound dog) I thought, no problem, we are well equipped to adopt another large/giant breed but the opinion of BDHP is: the Rottweiler breed is not a giant breed. I explained to them that the Rottweiler is considered a giant breed and that if they are going to disqualify applicants based on lack of giant breed experience they should know and understand what breeds are designated as giant breeds. When I explained the giant breed designation and indicated that their list is a truncated list of giant breeds the reason I was not qualified for the dog that I was interested in became: you don't have the RIGHT kind of giant breed experience. No where on BDHP website does it indicate that your giant breed experience must be with only the breeds they have listed on their website. I was told that I would only be eligible for a mixed breed dog over 3 years of age. Having just lost two of my dogs; I could not accept the idea of adopting another dog (most giant breeds have a life expectancy of 8 - 10 years) only to have him/her for a few short years before we would have to face losing them. I was then told that they will not discuss a specific dog until we are approved for adoption. That felt like they were going to choose the dog to place in my home - not workable. My two females are both dominant in their personalities and we are better judge of the dynamic in our home. The short vegan video at the bottom of the email was a little off putting as well (with a header that said "take 30 seconds our of your day to watch this video." A member of my family owns a beef cattle ranch. I can appreciate the dedication to a vegan lifestyle, but is that germane to a dog rescue organization? I withdrew my application because I felt that the inconsistent requirements and their attitude that they were more qualified then I to choose a dog that would fit well into my home was a red flag that this organization was just not a good fit for us. I feel sorry for the dogs that have to remain in foster for such extended periods of time. BDHP gives the impression that they just don't want to place their dogs in forever homes - perhaps they need to retain a certain number to maintain their non-profit status and that is more of a concern to them then the mental health and welfare of the dogs. Shameful. We are responsible, caring,spare no expense dog people and do everything in our power to ensure the health and happiness of our pets. I write this with my wonderful 17 month old purebred Mastiff sleeping on my feet; he was adopted/rescued from an animal control facility 3 weeks ago. Their concern was placing a neglected,unwanted animal in loving and caring home; not that we had the RIGHT kind of giant breed experience. My advice:adopt from a shelter or animal control facility, read more

While this organization has a few wonderful volunteers, it has horrible management. It's a numbers game. Pull dogs and push the dogs out without support. There is little true concern for the dogs, and none for the people. They are not even slightly honest, having denied what a shelter called extreme dog aggression, failed to disclose a dog's urgent and substantial health issues during adoption, etc. I saw someone slam a dog down to the ground but then harp about collar and harness types. They could care less about the right fit for the dogs. They adopt dogs by whoever is first in line, not at all by fit. Poor fit is why dogs end up in shelters. Many among them have vengeful and discriminatory attitudes, not to mention abysmal communication skills. There are many, many better organizations out there. Please try breed specific rescues or go local yourself. The more you support this group, the more dogs may suffer. Most of the good reviews here, even the adoptions, are from them, the board/management of BDHP, and a few volunteers. read more

It's not just the long approval process, or the lack of communication, or the morally superior gatekeeper-style condescending tone of their website and communications, or their seemingly arbitrary policies about placement, or their lack of appropriate follow-up on the dogs after placement...those things can be justified or overlooked. It's that they don't seem to actually want to place these great animals. I too was rejected based on a paper application (which at least 5 other foster programs have approved) and the fact that I have young children and "not enough experience." For the record, I had a Bullmastiff mix for 7 years, and have been trying to adopt another for the last 14 years, but they were never available near me in my previous locale. I refuse to "buy" a dog like an item from a catalog, and I don't even really want a pure-bred because they have so many possible health problems, and it perpetuates puppy mills. I've been volunteering at shelters for years, and keeping an eye on the classifieds, but no luck. I told them that I was looking at a WIDE variety of dogs (Dachshunds to Danes), and that my only real requirements were that they have a short coat, be at least 1 year old, and be good with small kids and my male pit bull. There were even some senior dogs on their website that I would have loved to have, if only for a short time. I have a fully fenced yard (but the dog would live inside), and I'm home all day. I figured we have an ideal home for almost any dog. They didn't agree. Despite the Bullmastiff mix, they said I didn't have enough experience to warrant "an exception" to place one of their dogs in a home with small children. This policy is not clear anywhere on their website or application. In fact, they say only dogs 3-years-old or more can be placed with small children. (Which was fine with me, since I wanted an adult dog.) They could have told me this in my initial email before I bothered filling out their application and waited for them to grace me with a response. Also, in my first email to them, I asked if they have a foster-to-adopt policy for their dogs when and where it's possible. This was a new concept to me, but one that I've found several other rescues in NOCO are willing to do. They place the dog for a week or two before finalizing the adoption to make sure that everyone is adjusting well. This was especially important to me knowing that I might be putting two dogs with a propensity for dog aggression together under one roof. Apparently this doesn't work for them despite the fact that I live less than 50 miles from their advertized location. Unfortunately, if things don't work out you're treated like a failure and out $400-$600, as another dissatisfied reviewer experienced. Fortunately this experience led me to find two other large breed rescues, one of which has been fantastic with communication so far. Crossing my fingers that I'll finally find the big sweetie I've been searching for... read more

I submitted a application to foster for this organization over two months ago. I've followed up to confirm receipt and make sure I wasn't denied without my knowledge They confirmed receipt and it's since been weeks without an update. I was originally told the whole approval process only takes 1-2 weeks. I want them to succeed and I believe in what they do as an organization, but I don't think I should have to hound them to essentially donate my time and money to foster. I will likely look for another organization to help. read more

There isn't any business done over weekends when, I would assume, most people would have time to look for a companion. The response & processing is slow. The dogs are spread over many states & it could take a long time to find the one that fits. We choose to go another route instead. We didn't want to wait 9 months to find our companion. Especially when we were in need of a therapy dog & the rescue didn't seem to care about that. read more