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Too often when people decide that they want to adopt a dog, they focus on getting a puppy. Not that there is anything wrong with getting a puppy, of course – a dog of any age is going to enrich your life. But the popularity of puppies brings with it a downside for older dogs in shelters: these older dogs are much less likely to be adopted.
The truth, though, is that older dogs have plenty to give to their prospective owners. In fact, in many cases, they have more to offer than a puppy would. Here are the top six reasons to look into adopting an older dog.
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Why Adopting An Older Dog Is A Great Option For Many People
1. Older Dogs are More Laid Back: As anyone who has a puppy or has had one recently can tell you, the energy of puppies is boundless. They may seem cute at first, but if you aren’t keeping a close eye on your puppy, this energy can quickly turn itself to destructive ends, such as tearing up your clothes or the furniture. While an older dog is certainly capable of this, they are much less likely to, since they’ve used up most of their energy in their more youthful puppy days. You won’t have to put much time or energy into tiring them out to work away their excess energy when many older dogs just want a comfortable place near you to relax.
2. You Probably Don’t Need to Do Any Basic Training: There’s a good chance you’ll have to potty train a puppy, which means that accidents will happen. With an older dog, though, you can be almost guaranteed that the dog you are getting is already housebroken. As a bonus, most of them are already leash-trained and crate-trained too.
3. Older Dogs are Easy to Train: Forget about the saying – old dogs can indeed learn new tricks. Older dogs are often calmer and more focused than younger dogs who just want to play, and as such older dogs pick up new tricks with ease.
4. It’s Easy to Fit an Older Dog Into Your Schedule: You’ll be waking up every few hours with a puppy to make sure it doesn’t need to go to the bathroom. Even if it doesn’t, there’s a good chance you’ll be waking up every few hours anyway because it wants to play and will make a big racket to get your attention. Even during the day, you’ll have to keep a very close and watchful eye on your puppy to make sure it doesn’t get into any mischief. Older dogs are much more likely to sleep through the night and they certainly need much less supervision during the day.
5. Older Dogs Settle In Quickly: An older dog has been around and seen a lot in his life and usually already knows how to interact with humans and other animals. Your older dog will become a beloved part of your family in no time at all.
6. You’ll Feel Good Knowing You Saved a Life: Older dogs need love and care just like younger dogs do, but when they’re in such low demand, many of the older dogs at the shelter will never know what it’s like to have a loving home again. By committing to adopt an older dog, you’re giving it a precious gift it was unlikely to receive.
No matter what type of personality you’re looking for in a canine, there is probably an older dog out there in a shelter just waiting to become your perfect companion. Take a look today – your best friend is waiting.