Family dogs good with children for adoption and rehoming in Scotland

As of 8 November 2026, 34 family dogs are listed for adoption in Scotland on LocalPetFinder, from Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society, Springer Rescue Scotland, Borders Pet Rescue, Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre, Greyhound Rescue Fife, Saving and Rehoming Strays, Alfie's Dream For Greyhounds, Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue and Munlochy Animal Aid. Each profile links to the rescue, and you apply to adopt with them directly.

As of 8 November 2026, Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats (at Aberdeen): 8, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (at Edinburgh): 5, Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (at Perth): 4, Springer Rescue Scotland (at South Lanarkshire): 4, Borders Pet Rescue (at Earlston): 2 and Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre (at Glencaple): 2, and 6 more. By age, that is 6 puppies, 25 adult dogs and 3 older dogs. The newest was added on 4 November 2026. Each profile links to the rescue, which handles the adoption.

Many breeds make good family dogs, but breed matters far less than the individual animal. Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Cavaliers and steady crossbreeds are common family favourites, yet every breed has gentle and difficult individuals. Choose a dog its rescue says can live with children of your children's ages, rather than picking on breed reputation alone.

Go slowly and keep things calm. Let the dog settle into your home before big, exciting meetings, give it a quiet space the children leave alone, and teach them not to corner or disturb the dog while it eats or sleeps. Supervise every interaction closely, especially with young children, and never leave them alone together while everyone is still getting to know each other.

The family dogs listed in Scotland today are with Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats at Aberdeen (8), Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home at Edinburgh (5), Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society at Perth (4) and 9 other rescues; each profile shows that rescue's fee. Each rescue sets its own adoption fee, and Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.

No. We don't list animals for sale. Every family dog on this page is with a rescue or rehoming centre. The 34 family dogs listed in Scotland today are with Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats at Aberdeen (8), Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home at Edinburgh (5), Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society at Perth (4) and 9 other rescues, and each rescue shows its own fee on the profile. For comparison, Dogs Trust £300. In Scotland, Lucy's Law has banned the third-party sale of puppies under six months since 1 September 2021.

Not here: we only list dogs with rescues, so every family dog listed here is adopted for the rescue's fee, which usually covers vet work already done. Whether to buy is your choice. Adopting means the rescue can tell you what it knows about the family dog's history and health before you apply. If you decide to buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a Find a Puppy service, and Dogs Trust's breed guides suggest talking to your vet first: they say some practices offer pre-purchase consultations on likely health conditions and rough costs.

Usually not. UK rescues normally ask for an adoption fee, which pays towards neutering, microchipping and vaccinations. Of the 34 family dogs listed in Scotland today, each shows its rescue's fee on the profile; the nearest rescue is Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats at Aberdeen. Many rescue fees are under £500: Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog. An animal offered "free to a good home" is usually a private advert rather than a rescue. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old, and in England, Wales and Scotland a dog can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, so ask to see the microchip details.

Both, though adults outnumber puppies: as of 8 November 2026, 6 puppies of the 34 family dogs listed in Scotland are 12 months or under by their listed age. Puppies are usually rehomed quickly, so an email alert beats checking back.

As of 8 November 2026, the family dogs listed in Scotland are with Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats at Aberdeen (8), Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home at Edinburgh (5), Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society at Perth (4), Springer Rescue Scotland at South Lanarkshire (4) and 8 other rescues. The nearest to Scotland is Mrs Murray's Home for Stray Dogs & Cats at Aberdeen. To see what is closest to you, search by postcode with the pet finder on our home page. To hear when one is listed, set up an email alert on this page.