Records on sheltered dogs were collected from three municipal dog shelters situated in different regions of the Czech Republic from 2010 to 2013. A total of 3,875 dogs were analyzed in this study. Among these, 1,614 dogs were subsequently reclaimed by their owners (lost dogs) and 2,261 dogs were abandoned by their owners and offered for adoption. The ratio of purebred dogs and crossbred dogs differed significantly (p<0.001) when comparing lost (66.4% vs. 33.6%) and abandoned dogs (35.0% vs. 65.0%). The median time till being reclaimed by the owner for lost dogs was 1 day and was not affected by purebred status. The median time till adoption for abandoned dogs was 23 days. In abandoned dogs, purebred status had a significant effect (p<0.001) on the time the dog spent at the shelter before adoption. The median time till adoption for crossbred dogs was 27 days, whereas the median time till adoption for purebred dogs was 19 days. Also the breed group influenced (p<0.001) the length of stay (LOS) in abandoned dogs. Small companion dogs had the shortest LOS (median 15 days) and guard dogs had the greatest (median 25 days). Understanding potential adopters' preferences and the likelihood of adoption for individual dogs admitted to the shelter is crucial for shelter personnel. It is particularly important in no-kill shelters where the LOS is not limited and dogs not preferred by adopters can stay there for years if suitable adopters are not actively sought.