Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog - What's Better?

     Many people assume if they adopt an adult dog they can skip the housetraining and the dog will arrive fully potty-trained but this is a misconception. If the adult dog was never housetrained, then they will come to you untrained, and therefore, it is important to realize that you will still have to go through the housetraining regardless if they are full-grown or a puppy. Other people prefer a puppy because they can train him or her the way they want, which is nice, but then you have to make sure you understand that you must be prepared to go through the teething stage and adolescence.

An older person may choose an adult dog because they do not want to go through the puppy months and are looking for a more mature dog. Sometimes this works out very well because adult dogs fit in very well in a new home when they have to be re-homed. Therefore, if you are adopting an adult dog, head to your local animal shelter because contrary to what some people think you do not just find mixed breeds that are unruly, but many times you will find purebred dogs that the previous owner could not handle or did not understand the breed before they adopted him or her.

Adopting a shelter dog or puppy means they have been examined by a veterinarian and are either spayed, neutered, or you must agree to have it done by the time the dog reaches a specific age. Today, with new advancements in surgeries, many shelters are able to neuter and spay very young puppies with skillful hands of veterinarians. Adopting a shelter puppy or dog is literally saving the life of the dog because without adoption, they would soon find themselves euthanized, which unfortunately many great family dogs are put to sleep annually because there was no one to adopt them.

Regardless if you choose an adult or a puppy, one is not better than the other; it all depends on what you want and what kind of environment you are bringing the dog into. Both adults and puppies can be trained if you take the time to spend with them teaching them what you expect from them. Remember, that dogs learn by repetition, so the more you walk your dog, or the more you spend training him or her to "sit" or do other tricks, the more they will make the connection of what you want.

Bringing in a new puppy or adult dog into your family is one of the most rewarding experiences of your life because a dog can bring a lot of happiness to everyone in the home. Your dog loves you unconditionally, regardless of how you look or act, your dog is a true blue family member till the end. Therefore, decide what would be best for your family in terms of adopting a puppy vs. a full-grown dog, there are benefits to adopting both, so weigh the pros and cons carefully before making your final decision.