No matter the breed, age, or size, it’s a fact that every shelter dog deserves the chance to live a happy and healthy life with a loving family. Unfortunately, over the years, we’ve seen that not all dogs are given the same opportunity. Regardless of the factor, the United States is currently in an overcapacity shelter crisis, leading to more dogs spending more time in shelters. To make this crisis even worse, it seems there’s one specific group of dogs in a worse situation.

A new report from Hill’s Pet Nutrition shows that large dogs have a harder time leaving the shelter for various reasons. While younger generations might be the key to getting large dogs out of shelters, there are still many challenges that make this difficult problem to resolve.

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The Reason Large Dogs Are Struggling to Get Adopted

Even though large dog breeds are known for being big cuddle bugs, there are still many reasons why they struggle to leave the shelter. According to the report, factors such as pet parent confidence, cost, and size-related concerns are among the reasons large dogs stay in shelters longer.

This data is based on information from Shelter Animals Count, which detailed that 2.8 million dogs entered U.S. shelters in 2025. Of the dogs that entered shelters, large dogs accounted for 26 percent of that intake. While they didn’t make up the majority of shelter dogs, they did have the longest median lengths of stays and the smallest share of total adoptions.

Related: This Foster Dog Went to His First Adoption Event, and We Are Losing It

“The 2026 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report uses data-driven insights to help the animal welfare community identify and quantify the unique challenges affecting large dog adoption,” said Meghan Lehman, senior manager, brand engagement for shelters at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “By understanding and identifying the root causes of adoption hesitancy, we can empower the sheltering community to develop effective strategies that reduce barriers and improve outcomes.”

In a survey, over a third of Americans reported a significant interest in adopting a large dog. However, the same survey found that only 33 percent of those who weren’t seeking a large dog were confident they could care for and handle one. The data also showed that financial assistance was a large motivating factor in pet ownership, including lower adoption fees, free or discounted training and financial aid for initial costs.

There is, however, one good sign. Gen Z and millennials are nearly twice as likely as older generations to consider adopting a large dog from a shelter. The main challenge for these generations is that they are statistically more likely to rent, which means additional pet-related housing restrictions.

While large dogs remain in shelters longer, this in no way means they are less than worthy of finding their forever family. Research and studies like this help develop effective solutions to address the overcapacity crisis and give these pups a proper home.

Related: Here’s How PetSmart Is Celebrating National Adoption Week, March 23–29

This story was originally published by PawNation on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add PawNation as a Preferred Source by clicking here.