When thinking about dog adoption, many people imagine bringing home a furry, spanking new little pooch to grow up with their kids. Indeed, it’s a cute picture; however, most dog owners fail to realize the loads of work that actually come with raising a new puppy. Because younger dogs need plenty of exercise, training, and constant activity, rearing one is a whopping commitment. Consider, instead, giving a senior dog a second chance at living out his life with a loving, happy home.
Benefits of Opening your Heart to an Older Dog
Like puppies, adult and senior dogs also need a family. If you’re thinking about bringing home a new dog but you don’t have a ton of time to train them, then maybe getting a grown-up canine is the answer. Here are just a few of the reasons why bringing home an older dog could be just the answer!
1. Adult dogs already have good manners. More often than not, senior dogs have already spent years living and finding their feet with humans. Most of them have already been socialized, house trained, and given obedience training; thus, saving you from the hassles of teaching them how to behave properly.
2. They tend to be less destructive. Because most adult canines have already moved past the frustrating search and destroy puppyhood stage, you won’t find your much loved pair of sandals ripped to shreds or have to fix the couch leg your pooch has awfully chewed on.
3. Adult dogs are easier to care for. Since grown-up dogs no longer hold the wonder as to how large they might grow to be, what particular color their adult fur would be, or whether or not their physical condition will be healthy and hearty, caring for them often becomes stress-free. Unlike puppies, the older dogs’ predictability takes away the mystery of their growth and development.
4. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks. Adult dogs are still capable of focusing on any task at hand. In fact, they tend to be more attentive and have more eagerness to please their masters as compared to their younger counterparts.
5. Older dogs are ideal for elderly people. Lots of senior citizens find the calm and gentle presence of an adult canine companion rather comforting. They appreciate the unruffled friendship of a grownup pet that is just as content as them to hear the same old stories over and over again and happily move through life without haste.
6. You can become a hero. Most people who adopt senior dogs feel that priceless sense of pride and purposefulness in welcoming lost and lonely animals into their life. Saving these hard-to-place dogs from misfortune can surely give you unparalleled delight.
[...] If not, then we want to higlight a great article run at the Dogington Post on the joys of having a senior dog. [...]
On the subject of wonderful senior dogs. The New York shelters have a few beautiful grey muzzle dogs. One of which is the lovely Poppa, he isn’t getting a lot of attention right now but he would love a retirement home of his very own.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=514680361878181&set=a.172404072772480.42595.152876678058553&type=1&theater
Senior dogs are the VERY best. I adopted two elderly Dobermans. One was hardly able to walk . The love and devotion those two dogs gave me was incredible. It was as though they knew I had saved them. They loved their new life, and they loved me, unconditionally. They are long gone now but I still miss them both terribly. I will never forget them and the love they gave me. Adoption is for me now, always!
I got to know about the Toy breeds for the first time through your blog. It really improves my knowledge.