Why You Should Adopt An Older Dog

When people consider getting a dog the majority will decide to get a puppy. They think that because they are getting a puppy it won't have any of the problems of an adult dog. But what they don't realise is that puppies cause problems of their own and many owners decide after six months that they have had enough and either re home the puppy or take him to a shelter. Some callous owners just dump their dogs and hope someone takes them in.

The rescue shelters are full of dogs that have been abandoned through no fault of their own and just want a loving family to care for them. Many of these dogs haven't had the best of starts in life and may never have received any basic training so may want a refresher course in dog training basics. When you adopt an older dog you should allow a settling in period of around three months to allow him to get used to his new surroundings and give you a chance to form a bond with him.

There are advantages when you decide to adopt an older dog rather than get a puppy. One of the benefits is that a mature dog is likely to be house trained and may just need a refresher course to remind him, so there is less chance of coming home and finding a mess to be cleaned up.

With an adult dog you also know what size he will be and whether he gets on with children and any existing pets in your household. When you get a puppy you can't tell how big he will be and whether he is going to have problems as he gets older. A lot of the success of a puppy depends on how much time you spend teaching him dog training basics so it is possible that a puppy will develop bad habits. When you adopt an older dog you know what the problems are and whether you will be able to deal with them.

If you already have a young dog, rather than getting another puppy you could consider adopting an adult dog as it may be a calming influence on your younger dog. Just don't get an aged dog if you have a very young puppy as the pup may be a bit too boisterous. The staff at the rescue kennels will be able to advise.

When you adopt an older dog you are also likely to be saving his life. Many people overlook mature dogs as they think they may be more prone to illness and cost more in vets bills, or have existing problems that can't be managed. There are some rescue homes who are willing to pay for treatment of existing medical conditions and there are many insurance companies who will insure an adult dog for a relatively low premium. Some rescue shelters have to put dogs to sleep if they can't be re homed as they just can't afford to keep all the dogs that are abandoned so please consider adopting an older dog.