"We're getting a new couch...the dog sheds."

"The dog is TOO OLD. But we'd like to trade him in for a puppy (no kidding--they wanted a puppy from rescue and wanted to trade in their 12 year old.)"

"The dog kept running away and I didn't want to bother chasing it anymore."

"He was our child until we had a kid of our own. Now he's just a dog".

"He's too much trouble (he needs to eat and exercise)."

"Dog jumped on the car and scratched it."

"We're moving and just don't think a dog would fit in with our new lifestyle."

"My new boyfriend doesn't like dogs."

"The dog doesn't like the kids, doesn't get along with them and is afraid of them (while she is turning the dog over to the foster home, the dog was playing and wrestling with the children, tongue out in the Siberian smile)."

"He was cute and small when we bought him. Now he is too big, and takes up too much room."

"She keeps having puppies."

"He won't housebreak (this of a 12 week old puppy)."

"My children are putting me into a nursing home and I can't take my dog with me."

"She is stupid. (This of a dog that was chained up in the yard 24/7 since she was a puppy)."

"He learned to open up the gate."

"My dog is scared of storms."

"Dangerous dog (they just didn't want him any more and wanted the shelter to "deal" with him... he is MY dog now and about as dangerous as angel!)"

"Fights with our other dog (when in fact the dogs were only playing)".

"Kills rabbits, we are worried the dog will go after us next."

"We are moving, and it would be to stressful to for her to go to a new house."

"...Too big."

"...Too old."

"...Too hairy."

"...Too much work."

"...Too dirty."

"...Too noisy."

"...Too slobbery."

"...Costs too much."

"...Demands too much attention."

"...Not as cute anymore."

"...Tired of cleaning yard."

"Want smaller dog."

"Want bigger dog."

"I have allergies (suddenly developed after having the dog for three years)."

"Kids were supposed to take care of dog, now they don't."

"Did not know this breed sheds."

"No good for competitive obedience."

"He stinks (a Boxer)."

" Moved in with parents and can't keep dog."

"He/she is starting to bite (then I will bring them home as a foster to determine if it is so and SURPRISE...no they don't bite, or snarl or nip or even nibble...I wish people would realize that this excuse is a death warrant!)."

"I thought I would be able to sell the puppies, but nobody wanted them."

"I didn't know he would get so big (about a Great Dane)."

"Got a new puppy, and this old dog does not like him."

"She chases birds (a six year old Golden Retriever)."

"Want to move into an apartment so I don't have to cut grass, no room for the dog."

"Dog is sick and can't afford the vet bills."

"He ate my barbecue."

"Dog runs away (of a Siberian Husky who they left in an unfenced backyard)."

"Dog digs holes in the yard."

"Landlord doesn't allow dogs."

"I can't handle the dog."

"Barks."

"He chews shoes at night "

"Runs away - a husky, of course."

"No one told me I had to groom it."

"It slobbers."

"Dog is out of control (as their five year old rampages through the place, terrorizing all the animals)."

"Dog was originally purchased by a security company but could not be trained as an attack dog so they were going to destroy him. He is very intelligent, healthy, housetrained, extremely well tempered and gentle..."

Not a surrender, but a sad story: "I was on a long car trip with my Samoyed and had stopped at a rest stop to walk and water her. Two young girls came up to see her, and starting petting her and chatting. With the candor of children, one of them then blurted out 'Our dog was old so we put her to sleep before we left on this trip. We're getting a puppy when we get back.'"

"She doesn't DO anything! (of their senior Lab)"

"Her ears didn't stand up (German Shepherd)."

Daughter got dog when in college then gave it to parents. Parents not aware that Mals will escape. Did escape and killed a sheep. Sheep proved to be worth $10,000.

Man owns Rottweiler. Woman owns Malamute. Man marries woman. Rottweiler fights with Malamute. Rottweiler bites wife. Man decides Rottie has to go, then says that if he has to get rid of his dog, wife has to get rid of hers.

"He is a really great dog, gets along really well with my children and other pets. But when we adopted him we thought he was a Lab, and it turns out he's a Pitbull. We can't own a Pitbull, they don't get along with other animals."

"I didn't think he would get THAT big even though I knew that malamutes were big. Too big for my space. Then he began to howl. I had him debarked but he started croaking again. So I gave him to a farm. I am sure he his happy. They tell me that he picks up the wood from the woodpile regularly and then puts them on the other side of the yard (Ambitious female administrative assistant)."

"We let him roam on our yard all the time to scare burglars away. But one day inside the house he got into some food and wouldn't listen to my wife. So she was whipping him. He nipped her. We can't have that. So we put him to sleep (Tough middle class urban male)."

"Well we are breaking up anyway and I am going to South America for several months. I could leave the puppy with my mother but they wouldn't get along. He has defecated in her house. But your folks live out in the west where there is a lot more space. We can talk about everything when I get back. Yes I know it was my idea. He is a gorgeous puppy. But when I get back, I think that I will go to Alaska to cover the Iditarod for a writing class. All the social implications. It should be fun (College coed)"

"The malamute belonged to my fiancée. Gorgeous. But when we got married he wouldn't leave us alone. I would be sitting with my husband and here would come the dog nudging us. I care about things. As you know, I am a nurse and I care about people and things but the dog was a bit much. So we found a farm for him. I am sure he is happy there (Intensive care unit RN)."

"I live on a farm...but I had to get rid of my malamute. I would come home and my chicken coops would be empty. No sign of chickens. Then on different days he would go and dig up one for dinner. Can't have that..I have a farm you know, never could train him to leave the chickens alone. How is your malamute with chickens? (Male owner of a landscaping business)."

"Moving into a project that limited to 1 dog (even though they had 2 when they bought)."

"Couldn't housebreak (we did after having her 3 days)."

"Doesn't listen."

"She just had puppies."

"Our pet agreements only let us have a 50 pound dog (These people got a GREAT DANE puppy honestly not knowing how big it would get!)."

"I wanted a puppy."

"Nobody has this breed anymore."

"I'm tired of it, want a puppy."

"It was a cute puppy."

"He is too ugly (a Lab)."

"Not in style anymore (of a Cockerpoo)."

"I can't potty train this dog."

"I changed shifts at work and will only be home at night. I don't feel safe walking the dog at night (I heard this from a 6'5" 265 pound man who was 26 years old)."