Advantages Of Adopting A Dog From The Dog Shelter

Many people are unsure about getting a dog from the dog shelter. There is the perception that there must be something wrong with a dog that has been sent to the shelter. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that very few animals at the shelter are there because they have been bad or have socialization problems. The few animals that do fall into this category are never seen by people looking for a new pet as the staff decide that the animals can't be re-integrated into a new family.

The majority of dogs in the shelter are there because their previous owner has had second thoughts. These could be completely legitimate thoughts. They may be moving overseas with a new job and can't take their pet. The marriage may have broken down and neither party can look after the animal. There are also many dogs that are sent to the shelter purely because the owner has lost interest in the dog. Sad as it is, many pets are bought for the wrong reasons and once the initial honeymoon period is over the owner doesn't want the responsibility of looking after an animal. So in reality most dog shelter animals are perfectly normal dogs. This article will cover some of the advantages of adopting a dog from a shelter.

The first advantage of a dog shelter dog is that it may already be trained. This may be the most basic training like toilet training or possibly more advanced obedience training. This is an obvious advantage over, say, a puppy that will need all the training from toilet training through to general obedience training. This may be a more attractive option if you have a busy lifestyle or don't think you will have the time to look after a puppy. It doesn't mean you don't have to care for the shelter dog. It still needs plenty of attention as it has effectively lost it's family and will be a bit anxious about it's new surroundings and family. However after the initial settling in period you may have a dog that is obedient, well socialized and will fit into the family and wider community.

As the dog is likely to be mature or nearly mature you will be able to evaluate it's temperament and how it fits in with people and other animals. When you visit the shelter make sure that the whole family attends. Everybody can help in selecting the new pet but you can also see how the dogs interact with your children. This can help you decide on which animal is right for your family. Also given that the dog is grown up, it temperament is unlikely to change much.

You should also talk to the shelter workers (if they don't volunteer their help anyway) about the temperament of the dog that you are thinking of getting. They have spent a few days with the dog and have seen how it interacts with the other animals and it's reactions to humans. They will be in a good position to tell you if the dog is right for your family.

A shelter dog may not be a pedigree or have the cuteness factor of a puppy but you will know what you are getting and find you have a valued and useful member of the family in next to no time.