Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month is not quite over, and Lauren Conrad is doing her part to help the abundance of pooches looking for love all across the country. Stopping by her local shelter last week, the style icon unexpectedly scooped up a friend for her other rescue pal, 4-year-old Chloe. Dubbed Fitz, the teeny pup seems to be getting along splendidly with his new family and living the good life, taking plenty of naps and even helping mom with the laundry.

Of course, there are plenty of adorable adult and senior dogs who need homes, too, so don't pass up a companion with a little gray on his nose. In the meantime, we can still gush over this aww-mazing pup!

Source: Instagram User laurenconrad

Some folks believe that shelters only house big, high energy pooches, and while there are plenty of them to go around for people who like the extra activity, some homes can accommodate only pint-sized pups. If your apartment is the perfect sanctuary for a tiny tot, check out your local shelters and rescues before you call up the breeder. You'll be surprised at how many cute and compact canines are in need of an adoring family. It's Adopt a Shelter Pet Month, and while we encourage this practice year-round, here's a sampling of 10 lovable littles that you can find among the thousands of pets awaiting you on Petfinder.

Without a home but not without hope, animals in shelters have to fight uphill battles based on all the myths about their situations. We've come up with 10 common misconceptions about these pups and broken it down into the honest truth — get started and see for yourself in honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog month!

Tomorrow is Petfinder's Adopt the Internet Day! We'll be featuring all kinds of adoptable animals throughout the day tomorrow, but in the meantime, if you're thinking about getting a pup, make sure you can answer "yes" to the following nine questions first.

Source: Flickr User alicia rae

Maybe you've already fallen in love with a certain breed, but you really want to give a needy dog a home. Don't think that breeders or pet stores are your only option for purebreds — check out these five other starting spots to get the exact furry face you want, and feel good about the process.

OK, you've done your homework and you're ready to check out local shelters and rescue organizations to pick up a pooch — congratulations! Before you walk in the door, be prepared for these six common requests . . . and save the look of shock for all the adorable faces you see, and not the adoption counselor!

Source: Flickr User superfem