A Puppy or an Adult Dog?
The typical dog buying scenario involves selection of an adorable little puppy, bringing the puppy home and beginning the battles of house training, crate training and the destruction of innumerable shoes, furniture and other household items. No doubt puppies are cute and fun. Indeed, these positive characteristics provide most dog owners sufficient incentive to overlook the trials and tribulations of initially training the family dog. Getting a young puppy also provides an owner a clean slate – control of the all or a majority of the dog’s lifetime experiences. Thus, adult dogs – those well past the popular puppy stage – are often overlooked and left homeless or in shelters and all too regularly never to find their forever homes.
Benefits of Adult Dog Adoption
Adult dogs – particularly those fostered in breed and other dog rescue programs around the world – provide benefits perhaps not considered by potential, future dog owners. Rescue programs provide a thorough vetting of the dogs in their programs. They evaluate temperament and can provide basic training and vet services. The rescue organizations learn more about the dog than can be discerned from observing a young puppy frolicking with his litter mates. The family members in the dog’s foster home can provide information about whether the dog gets along with other dogs, with cats and with children. And, descriptions of the dog’s energy level and needs in terms of owner commitment are typically available. Information of this nature works to avoid imprudent or hasty decisions regarding dog ownership.
Though adopting dogs from an area shelter or rescue program is growing in popularity, the demand for puppies remains significant. And, the purchase of a puppy can be a wonderful experience. Each future dog owner’s needs, however, are different. Assuming the dog owner does not have requirements tied to pure breeding and can, therefore, be happy with a dog that may be predominantly but not purely a particular breed, an adult rescue dog may be the answer.
Rescuing A Canine Companion
Rescue dogs succeed as wonderful family members, agility competitors, flyball competitors, and working dogs. Rescue dogs can be notably appreciative of their owner’s attention – having come from less than ideal situations. These dogs frequently demonstrate the historic standing of dogs as “man’s best friend,” and their loyalty is uncompromising.
Where a dog owner seeks a companion that matches the owner’s energy level and lifestyle, rescue programs work to match their foster dogs with owners with determination and thorough evaluation. Rescue organizations, funded and operated primarily by volunteers, are fueled by the good intentions of those individuals. The goal is to find the best home for the dog by making the best match between dog and owner. When considering the next canine addition to the family, the dog owner should strongly consider adopting one of these loving and appreciative dogs.
