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Puppies and dogs in Santa Cruz, California

Looking for a puppy or dog in Santa Cruz, California? Adopt a Pet can help you find a new best friend near you.

A pair of dogs

Adopt a dog in Santa Cruz, California

These adorable dogs are available for adoption in Santa Cruz, California. To learn more about each adoptable dog, click on the "i" icon for fast facts, or their photo or name for full details.
We'll also keep you updated on Tara M's adoption status with email updates.
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Photo of Tara M

Tara M

German Shepherd Dog

Female, Adult
Cupertino, CA
Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Tara is a beautiful, 70 pound, long legged 4 year old kind, sweet and generous dog who is thriving in her foster home. Tara is a kind, sweet and generous dog who is thriving in her foster home. Tara quickly bonds to women but was unsure about men. Never showed any aggression but would bark and hide from them. Through the amazing patience and kindness from her male foster family members, Tara has learned that she can trust men, and is comfortable and playful around them. Watch Tara get the zoomies! Tara is smart and curious and is responding well to training. She is crate trained but sleeps quietly on her doggy bed and waits patiently until her family wakes up. Tara has great house manners. She doesn't chew inappropriately and stays off furniture. In the backyard, she doesn't dig and isn't destructive. Tara is not a demanding dog and happily waits until her foster family is ready to play. Tara loves walking and hiking and never pulls on the leash. She can be fussy when other dogs bark at her but is easily redirected. We think Tara would do best being an only dog. Tara learns quickly and is working hard on being the best canine citizen she can be! Tara is a level 3 dog. October 26, 2024, 6:53 pm
We'll also keep you updated on Sculley's adoption status with email updates.
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Photo of Sculley

Sculley

German Shepherd Dog

Male
Cupertino, CA
Size
(when grown) -
Details
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Sculley, born in late 2017, is an energetic, healthy, well-loved boy who at 3 years old was picked up as a stray and adopted by a senior couple. Nearly 3 years later, Sculley's owners need to rehome him because they are experiencing long-term health issues. Sculley is a smart dog who loves people. While well-loved, he has had minimal training and exposure to the outside world. At 75 pounds, Skulley is easily stimulated and sometimes his excitement gets the best of him which sometimes results in him being jumpy and mouthy. Our GSRNC trainer and foster has been working with Skulley for several weeks and says he is going to blossom in an environment with consistent structure and training! Sculley loves to play! His favorite game is fetch. BUT, there are very specific rules to his game. The only things needed are two items to throw!!! Sculley's Rules of Playing Fetch: 1. You throw the first toy. 2. I retrieve and drop it. 3. You then immediately throw the next toy. 4. I retrieve and drop it. 5. Repeat rules 1-4, all day long. Sculley settles in nicely after his play sessions. He loves to snuggle in for pets, scratches, and belly rubs. He has good house manners, uses a dog door, sleeps in a crate and, for now, is getting used to his foster siblings through baby gates with no reactivity, other than he wants ALL the attention for himself. He also loves car rides!!! No cats for this boy, he will definitely chase them! Sweet, loveable, and smart Sculley has been given an opportunity for a redo in life. With some basic manners training, stimulation, daily walks, adventures, and fun play sessions, we are certain he will make a great, loving companion. Due to Skulley’s excitability, we recommend an adult-only home or one with older children. Skulley is patiently waiting for his new forever family. Is that with you? Sculley is a level 3 dog being fostered in the East Bay. October 26, 2024, 6:53 pm
We'll also keep you updated on Shadow Nose's adoption status with email updates.
Special Needs
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Photo of Shadow Nose

Shadow Nose

German Shepherd Dog

Female
Cupertino, CA
Size
(when grown) -
Details
Needs special attention, Spayed or Neutered,
Story
My name is Shadow Nose and I just know someone is out there for me! Shadow is a perfect sized 53 lb., spayed, 3 year old well-adjusted girl who was recently diagnosed with maegosophalus*. She is friendly and comfortable around adults, strangers, children, and other dogs. To everyone's delight, not only is she adorable, but Shadow Nose is affectionate, energetic, outgoing, and curious. Check out Shadow Nose tossing her toy around! Shadow is crate trained and can be left alone without incident. She does not nuisance bark, or dig, and is happy to keep herself occupied when she has toys to play with. Our evaluator found Shadow to be relaxed while watching her in a sit, stand, and stay position as well as walking on a leash. This cutie rolled over for belly rubs before hopping up with a big smile and wagging tail hoping to entice our volunteer in a game of fetch. Shadow has some formal training and responds well to many verbal commands. Given her sweet demeanor, it should not take long to transform her from being a mildly mannered playful pup to your loyal loving companion. GSRNC and Shadow Nose knows the perfect home is out there. Is it yours? Shadow is a level 3 special needs dog. *Megaesophagus is a condition that decreases mobility in the muscles of the esophagus which interferes with proper swallowing movement. As a result, Shadow will need a special family who can feed her in a Bailey's Chair (provided by GSRNC) every time she eats. The Bailey's chair is constructed with the primary goal of positioning the dog upright during meals, allowing gravity to aid in the digestion process.  October 26, 2024, 6:53 pm
We'll also keep you updated on Appa's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Appa

Appa

German Shepherd Dog

Male
Cupertino, CA
Size
(when grown) -
Details
House-trained, Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Hello GSD lovers, my name is Appa. I am a 50 pound, black and tan, cute as a bug, male puppy who is playful, affectionate, curious, and VERY smart. In the short 6+ months since I was born, my life has been awesome but my owner is in a situation where I need to be rehomed and that is really scary! I'm sad, yet hopeful and excited because GSRNC has promised to find me a new family where I can continue to love, be loved, and grow to a ripe old age as a loyal companion. That's where you come in!!! Like all youngsters my age, I am energetic and outgoing, but rest assured, I will calm down and take long naps so you can get some work done. My very favorite things to do are to play fetch and take nature walks. I especially like riding in the car too. I have attended 2 puppy classes and mom continues to work with me on my doggy manners. Learning to walk on a leash without pulling was a piece of cake. I've also been working hard to master the sit, stay, down, come, and leave it commands. I will happily give you my paw and my newest trick is to "look" at mom when she asks! Here is some great news: I'm housebroken and will let you know when I need to go outside. Although I'm not crate trained, I have been taught to sleep in my pen. I don't mind relaxing in it for a couple of hours at a time either. I am calm around strangers and children as long as they are kind and let me smell them first. I am beginning to find my voice and will bark at new situations. The GSRNC folks say that I need a patient owner that understands puppy behavior to provide reassurance that this world is a super fun place. I don't have a yard, so mom takes me out for exercise. We meet lots of dogs while we're out and I seem to like them. I might bark at my new friends to get them to play with me but I've notice that some dogs don't like that. When mom was asked what her favorite things are about me, she said I have a curious nature, protective traits, and I am playful, loving and a quick learner. Appa is new to our program so keep checking back for updates. We are excited to find him a wonderful home with or without other fur siblings. Because of his age and size, we recommend a household with older kids. Appa is a level 4 dog and the adopters need to be puppy approved. October 26, 2024, 6:53 pm
We'll also keep you updated on Abbie Q's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Abbie Q

Abbie Q

German Shepherd Dog

Female
Cupertino, CA
Size
(when grown) -
Details
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
My name is Abbie. I am a healthy and petite, 55 lb., 1 year old black and tan GSD girl, who is sprinkled with a little bit of husky. It's my hope that you will read on and find that I am the perfect fit for your family. The very best day of my short life was about 3 months ago when I was rescued from a scary shelter. But as luck has it, my mom’s work/travel schedule is more than she anticipated so thinks it will be better for me if I found a new family. Rest assured, I’m still getting lots of love and we are continuing to work on basic commands so that I’m ready for my forever home. Being the youngster that I am, I still have a lot of puppy tendencies. You will find that I'm energetic, outgoing, curious, playful, affectionate, and somewhat aloof. Oh, I am a very smart girl and know basic commands like sit, stay, come, no, and drop. It’s a blast working on this and getting attention for being a good canine citizen! I love to take walks and meet new people, other dogs too! I get very excited with any interaction. As a result, I will need to be in an adult household or with a family who has older children because I wouldn’t want to knock little ones down and accidentally hurt them. When meeting other dogs, the energetic and vocal side of me comes out. I’ve heard people say that some dogs don’t appreciate my exuberance so am hoping my new family will teach me some socialization skills! I am house broken and crate trained. After being saved at the shelter, I started showing anxiety and we realized just how important it was for me to be with my person. Mom would leave me in my crate when she went places and upon her return, I would be sooo excited. I know someday I will settle down so please don’t fault me for wanting to be close to you. I hope my new family will treasure the affectionate side of me and have patience while we learn to trust each other. For fun, I enjoy chewing my toys, playing fetch, taking walks, and riding in the car. But really, I actually like to do anything that involves being with my people. Abbie is a level 4 dog. She is new to the program to be sure to check back periodically for updates as we all get to know her better. October 26, 2024, 6:53 pm
We'll also keep you updated on Dash's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Dash

Dash

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Female, Adult
Capitola, CA
Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Not good with kids, Good with dogs, Good with cats, House-trained, Spayed or Neutered, Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Dash is around 6 years old and was adopted from the lake county pound in 2021. Unfortunately Dash is too rambunctious to safely cohabitate with our baby so we are making the hard choice to place her for adoption. She is very low maintenance, loving, fine with lounging as needed, doesnt bark unless provoked to an extreme, loves playing catch, and especially loves to climb ridges. Dashes difficulties include pulling during walks, seperation anxiety, and she likes to jump on people in a friendly manner. I know that these issues can be fixed with time and effort that we cannot muster currently. Ideal applicants will have experience training dogs and preferrably have a schedule allowing for near constant supervision.

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Use the search tool below to browse adoptable puppies and adult dogs in Santa Cruz, California.

Puppies and dogs in nearby cities

Dog shelters and rescues in Santa Cruz, California

There are animal shelters and rescues that focus specifically on finding great homes for dogs in Santa Cruz, California. Browse these rescues and shelters below.

Here are a few organizations closest to you:

Shelter

CAPE - Center for Animal Protection and Education

P.O. Box 67176, Scotts Valley, CA 95067

Pet Types: cats, dogs

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Rescue

Simpawtico

p.o. box 3371, santa cruz, CA 95063

Pet Types: cats, birds, dogs, horses, rabbits, reptiles, small animals

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Rescue

Save A Dog & Kids Inc - California

anywhere in CA, CA 95060

Pet Types: cats, dogs

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Rescue

Four Paws to Love

P.O. Box 7865, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Pet Types: cats, dogs

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Rescue

West Coast Great Pyrenees Foundation

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Pet Types: dogs

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Rescue

Paws for Genesis

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Pet Types: dogs

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Shelter

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

1001 Rodriguez Avenue, Santa Cruz, 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Pet Types: cats, birds, dogs, farm animals, horses, rabbits, reptiles, small animals

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Rescue

Freedom Ride Rescue Inc. - Santa Cruz (CA)

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Pet Types: cats, dogs

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Shelter

Santa Cruz SPCA

2601 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95065

Pet Types: cats, dogs

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Looking for a specific shelter or rescue?

For a comprehensive list of all shelters and rescues, try our search page. We have more than 17,000 organizations in our database with furry pals waiting for a new home!

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Looking for a specific breed?

Select from the options below to view adoptable puppies and dogs in Santa Cruz, California and nearby cities.

Popular dog breeds

Affenpinscher Afghan Hound Airedale Terrier Akbash Akita Alaskan Klee Kai Alaskan Malamute American Bulldog American Cocker Spaniel American Eskimo Dog American Hairless Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier American Staffordshire Terrier Anatolian Shepherd Aussiedoodle Australian Cattle Dog Australian Kelpie Australian Shepherd Australian Terrier Basenji Basset Hound Beagle Bearded Collie Beauceron Bedlington Terrier Belgian Laekenois Belgian Malinois Belgian Shepherd Belgian Tervuren Bernedoodle Bernese Mountain Dog Bichon Frise Black Mouth Cur Black and Tan Coonhound Bloodhound Blue Lacy/Texas Lacy Bluetick Coonhound Bolognese Border Collie Border Terrier Borzoi Boston Terrier Bouvier des Flandres Boxer Boykin Spaniel Briard Brittany Brussels Griffon Bull Terrier Bullmastiff Cairn Terrier Canaan Dog Cane Corso Cardigan Welsh Corgi Carolina Dog Catahoula Leopard Dog Caucasian Shepherd Dog Cavachon Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Cavapoo Chesapeake Bay Retriever Chihuahua Chinese Crested Chinook Chiweenie Chow Chow Clumber Spaniel Cockapoo Cocker Spaniel Collie Coonhound Corgi Coton de Tulear Curly-Coated Retriever Dachshund Dalmatian Dandie Dinmont Terrier Doberman Pinscher Dogo Argentino Dogue de Bordeaux Dutch Shepherd English (Redtick) Coonhound English Bulldog English Cocker Spaniel English Setter English Shepherd English Springer Spaniel English Toy Spaniel Entlebucher Feist Field Spaniel Fila Brasileiro Finnish Lapphund Finnish Spitz Flat-Coated Retriever Fox Terrier (Smooth) Fox Terrier (Toy) Fox Terrier (Wirehaired) Foxhound French Bulldog German Pinscher German Shepherd Dog German Shorthaired Pointer German Spitz German Wirehaired Pointer Glen of Imaal Terrier Goberian Golden Retriever Goldendoodle Gordon Setter Great Dane Great Pyrenees Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Greyhound Halden Hound (Haldenstrover) Harrier Havanese Horgi Hovawart Husky Ibizan Hound Icelandic Sheepdog Irish Setter Irish Terrier Irish Water Spaniel Irish Wolfhound Italian Greyhound Italian Spinone Jack Russell Terrier Japanese Chin Jindo Kai Dog Karelian Bear Dog Keeshond Kerry Blue Terrier Kishu Komondor Kuvasz Kyi Leo Labradoodle Labrador Retriever Lakeland Terrier Lancashire Heeler Leonberger Lhasa Apso Löwchen Maltese Maltipoo Manchester Terrier Maremma Sheepdog Mastiff Miniature Bull Terrier Miniature Dachshund Miniature Pinscher Morkie Mountain Cur Munsterlander Mutt Neapolitan Mastiff Newfoundland Norfolk Terrier Norwegian Buhund Norwegian Elkhound Norwegian Lundehund Norwich Terrier Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever Old English Sheepdog Olde English Bulldogge Otterhound Papillon Parson Russell Terrier Patterdale Terrier (Fell Terrier) Pekingese Pembroke Welsh Corgi Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Pharaoh Hound Pitsky Plott Hound Podengo Portugueso Pointer Polish Lowland Sheepdog Pomeranian Pomsky Poodle (Miniature) Poodle (Standard) Poodle (Toy or Tea Cup) Portuguese Water Dog Presa Canario Pug Puggle Puli Pumi Rat Terrier Redbone Coonhound Rhodesian Ridgeback Rottweiler Saluki Samoyed Schiller Hound Schipperke Schnauzer (Giant) Schnauzer (Miniature) Schnauzer (Standard) Schnoodle Scottie, Scottish Terrier Scottish Deerhound Sealyham Terrier Shar Pei Sheepadoodle Sheltie, Shetland Sheepdog Sheppit Shepsky Shiba Inu Shih Poo Shih Tzu Silky Terrier Skye Terrier Sloughi St. Bernard Staffordshire Bull Terrier Sussex Spaniel Swedish Vallhund Texas Heeler Thai Ridgeback Tibetan Mastiff Tibetan Spaniel Tibetan Terrier Tosa Inu Treeing Walker Coonhound Vizsla Weimaraner Welsh Springer Spaniel Welsh Terrier Westie, West Highland White Terrier Wheaten Terrier Whippet Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Xoloitzcuintle/Mexican Hairless Yorkie Poo Yorkie, Yorkshire Terrier