Surrender a Dog
We know this decision isn't easy. Whether you're a family facing a difficult transition or an AKC breeder needing to rehome dogs, we're here to help with compassion and professionalism.
Before You Surrender
Surrendering a dog is a serious decision. We encourage you to explore all options first, reach out to family, friends, breed specific rescues, or trainers who may help you work through challenges so your dog can stay with you. If surrender is the only option, we'll treat you and your dog with dignity and respect throughout the process.
More Than a Surrender — A New Chapter
Trouble Off Your Hands K9 is a professional dog training company — not a rescue or a nonprofit. When a dog comes into our program, we take them through a structured training course and then work to place them with an appropriate family.
Structured Training
Every dog in our program goes through a structured training course designed to build manners, confidence, and a solid foundation.
Thoughtful Placement
Once their training is complete, we work to match each dog with an appropriate, well-suited family.
Lifelong Support
The families who take a dog home receive ongoing support and training guidance from our team, for the life of the dog.
See Our Work
We're glad to share our social media so you can look through our training, our work, and the dogs we've placed.
If you're considering releasing your dog to us, we're happy to walk you through the process and answer any questions you have.
How Our Intake Process Works
We review every intake carefully to ensure we can provide the right care and find the best outcome for each dog.
Submit the Form
Fill out our detailed intake form below. The more information you provide, the better we can evaluate the situation.
Review & Assessment
Our team reviews your submission within 48-72 hours and evaluates whether we have the capacity and resources to help.
Intake Conversation
If we can accept your dog, we'll schedule a call to discuss next steps, timing, and what to bring for the transition.
Safe Placement
Your dog transitions into our care program where they receive training, rehabilitation if needed, and work toward finding their forever home.
Who We Accept
Family / Individual Owners
We accept owner surrenders from families and individuals who can no longer care for their dog. Common situations include:
- Moving to housing that doesn't allow dogs
- Financial hardship or job loss
- Health issues or family medical crisis
- Behavioral challenges beyond the owner's ability
- Owner passed away or entered assisted living
- Lifestyle changes, new baby, divorce, or career change
AKC Breeders
We partner with AKC breeders who need to responsibly rehome dogs. This may include:
- Retired breeding dogs ready for a companion home
- Show prospects that didn't meet expectations
- Dogs returned to the breeder per contract
- Dogs that need placement outside of the breeding program
- Breeder downsizing or closing their program
- Puppies or adults from unexpected or excess litters
AKC Breeders: Full AKC Rights Must Be Released
AKC breeders surrendering a dog are required to release full AKC rights. The dog's registration papers and all associated rights must be signed over to Trouble Off Your Hands K9 at the time of surrender, so the dog can be fully rehomed without any remaining breeder claims or restrictions.
Breeders who want to keep any breeding rights or registration interest must have the dog spayed or neutered first. If a breeder wishes to retain any rights, registration interest, or ability to breed the dog, they must either:
- Pay for the spay/neuter in full at the time of surrender — paid directly to Trouble Off Your Hands K9, or
- Have the dog spayed or neutered before it comes to us — with proof provided at intake.
Dogs surrendered unaltered are accepted with their breeding rights retained by Trouble Off Your Hands K9. If a breeder does not spay or neuter the dog — whether to keep it for showing or for any other reason — the dog enters our program with breeding rights intact, and those rights are ours. This is what encourages altering the dog: if you want to retain any breeding or registration rights yourself, the dog must be spayed or neutered before it comes to us or paid for in full at surrender.
Veterinary Records Authorization & Release
We require access to your dog's complete medical history before accepting any surrender.
Client represents that they are the legal owner or authorized agent of the dog and hereby authorizes Trouble Off Your Hands K9, its employees, agents, and representatives to contact any current or previous licensed veterinarian, veterinary clinic, emergency hospital, or other animal care provider for the purpose of obtaining the dog's complete medical records, including vaccination history, diagnoses, treatments, medications, laboratory results, surgical history, and any other records relevant to the dog's health, safety, or training.
Client further authorizes all veterinary providers to release such records to Trouble Off Your Hands K9 without further notice or consent and waives any requirement for additional authorization related to the release of these records. Client agrees to provide accurate veterinary contact information upon request.
Failure to provide accurate information or to authorize the release of veterinary records may result in the refusal, delay, suspension, or termination of services at the sole discretion of Trouble Off Your Hands K9 and may be considered a material breach of this Agreement. This authorization shall remain in effect for the duration of the services provided under this Agreement unless otherwise required by law.
Client Signature
Signature
Date
Date
Printed Name
Printed Name
Surrender Policies & Fees
Please read and understand our policies before proceeding with a surrender.
Health Update Fee — Non-Refundable
A health update fee is required at the time of intake for every dog surrendered to Trouble Off Your Hands K9. This fee helps cover the initial costs of evaluation, any necessary veterinary care, food, and housing during the assessment period.
The health update fee exists to cover veterinary care. Most dogs that come to us arrive without recent bloodwork, without a current veterinary exam, and without being spayed or neutered. That means we have to start from scratch to get each dog healthy and ready for a new home.
Your health update fee is what makes that possible. It allows us to get vaccinations and other necessary veterinary care done — including wellness exams, bloodwork, deworming, flea/tick prevention, spay/neuter, and any other treatment a dog needs before placement.
The health update fee is strictly non-refundable.
Once a dog has been surrendered and the fee has been paid, no refund will be issued under any circumstances — including but not limited to: change of heart, the dog being adopted, the dog being transferred to another rescue or foster, or any other outcome. The fee compensates Trouble Off Your Hands K9 for the time, resources, and care already provided from the moment of intake.
Training Fee — Quoted After Assessment
The health update fee covers the dog's veterinary care — it does not cover training. Training is a separate fee, charged at a minimum of $500 per week.
We cannot know what a dog needs before we have met and assessed it, so every dog is assessed first. Once we have completed that assessment, we provide a written quote that reflects the training this specific dog actually requires. The total depends on how much training the dog needs and how long it takes.
No training begins before the quote is agreed.
The assessment comes first, then the quote, then your agreement — training starts only after you have accepted the quoted amount. If the dog needs less training than expected, your cost is lower; if it needs more, we will come back to you before continuing.
Veterinary Care Policy
All dogs surrendered to Trouble Off Your Hands K9 must be up-to-date on core vaccinations (Rabies, DHPP/DAPP), and we strongly recommend Bordetella, Leptospirosis, and Canine Influenza as appropriate for the region.
In practice, most dogs come to us without recent bloodwork, a current vet exam, or spay/neuter. When that's the case, we get vaccinations and other necessary veterinary care done ourselves so every dog leaves us healthy and ready for a fresh start — and the non-refundable health update fee is what covers that care.
Dogs Not Up-to-Date on Veterinary Care
If a dog is surrendered without being current on vaccinations or without proof of veterinary care, Trouble Off Your Hands K9 reserves the right to bring the dog up-to-date at our discretion — including administering vaccines, deworming, flea/tick prevention, and any other medically necessary treatment. The cost of this care is covered by the non-refundable health update fee.
Summary of Surrender Terms
- A government-issued photo ID is required to verify ownership before a dog is accepted.
- A non-refundable health update fee is required at the time of intake.
- Dogs must be up-to-date on vaccinations. If not, we will bring them current at our discretion using the health update fee.
- The health update fee covers veterinary care. Most dogs arrive without recent bloodwork, a current vet exam, or spay/neuter, and the fee lets us get vaccinations and other necessary vet care done.
- Training is a separate fee, charged at a minimum of $500 per week. We assess every dog first, then provide a written quote before any training begins.
- AKC breeders are required to release full AKC rights at the time of surrender. Breeders who want to keep any breeding or registration rights must pay for the spay/neuter in full at surrender, or have the dog altered before it comes to us. If the dog is surrendered unaltered, breeding rights are retained by Trouble Off Your Hands K9.
- Veterinary records must be authorized for release. Failure to do so may result in refusal of surrender.
- Once surrendered, the dog becomes the property of Trouble Off Your Hands K9 and will not be returned.
What We'll Need From You
To make the intake as smooth as possible, please gather the following before we connect:
Veterinary records (vaccination history, medical conditions, medications)
Your government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport)
AKC registration papers — AKC breeders are required to release full AKC rights. Any breeder wanting to keep breeding or registration rights must pay for the spay/neuter in full at surrender or alter the dog before intake. Dogs surrendered unaltered enter our program with breeding rights retained by us
Honest behavioral history, triggers, fears, bite history, resource guarding
Daily routine and feeding schedule
List of known commands and training history
Your dog's favorite toys, bed, or comfort items
Any medications or supplements currently being given
A recent photo of the dog (if available)
Surrender Intake Form
Please be as thorough and honest as possible. This information helps us determine whether we can accept your dog and, if so, what kind of care and placement they'll need. All information is kept confidential.