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10 Reasons to Adopt an Older/Rescue Dog
10. In a word: Housebroken! With most family
members gone during the work week for 8 hours or more, housetraining a puppy and
its small
bladder can take awhile. Puppies need a consistent schedule with
frequent opportunities to eliminate where you want them to. They can't
wait for the boss to finish his meeting or the kids to come home from
after school activities. An older dog can "hold it" much more reliably
for longer periods, and usually the Rescue has him housebroken before
he is adopted.
9. Intact Underwear: With a chewy puppy, you can
count on at least 10 mismatched pairs of socks and a variety of unmentionables
rendered to the "rag bag" before he cuts every tooth. And don't even
think about
shoes! Also, you can expect holes in your carpet (along with the urine
stains), pages missing from books, stuffing exposed from couches, and
at least one dead remote control. No matter how well you watch them, it
will happen-- this is a puppy's job! An older dog can usually have the
run of the house without destroying it.
8. A Good Night's Sleep: Forget the alarm clocks
and hot water bottles, a puppy can be very demanding at 2am and 4am and 6am. He
misses his littermates, and that stuffed animal will not make a puppy pile with
him. If you have children you've been there and done that. How about a little
peace and quiet? How about an older rescue dog?
7. Finish the Newspaper: With a puppy running
amok in your house, do you think you will be able to relax when you get home
from work? Do you think your kids will really feed him, clean up the messes,
take him for
a walk in the pouring rain every hour to get him housetrained? With an
adult dog, it will only be the kids running amok, because your dog will
be sitting calmly next to you, while your workday stress flows away and
your blood pressure lowers as you pet him.
6. Easier Vet Trips: Those puppies need their
series of puppy shots and fecals, then their rabies shot, then a trip to be
altered, maybe an
emergency trip or two it they've chewed something dangerous. Those
puppy visits can add up (on top of what you paid for the dog!). Your
donation to the rescue when adopting an older pup should get you a dog
with all shots current, already altered, heartworm negative and on a
preventative at the minimum.
5. What You See Is What You Get: How big will the
puppy be? What kind of temperment will he have? Will he be easily trained? Will
his
personality be what you were hoping for? How active will he be? When
adopting an older dog from a rescue, all of those questions are easily
answered. You can pick large or small; active or couch potato; goofy or
brilliant; sweet or sassy. The rescue and its foster homes can guide
you to pick the right match. (Rescues are full of puppies who became
the wrong match as they got older!).
4. Unscarred Children (and Adults): When the
puppy isn't teething on
your possessions, he will be teething on your children and yourself. Rescues
routinely get calls from panicked parents who are sure their
dog is biting the children. Since biting implies hostile intent and would be a
consideration whether to accept a "give-up", Rescue Groups ask
questions and usually find out the dog is being nippy. Parents are often too
emotional to see the difference; but a growing puppy is to put everything from
food to clothes to hands in their mouths, and as they get older and bigger it
definitely hurts (and will get worse, if they aren't being corrected properly.)
Most older dogs have "been there, done that, moved on."
3. Matchmaker Make Me A Match: Puppy love is
often no more than an attachment to a look or a color. It is not much of a basis
an which to
make a decision that will hopefully last 15+ years. While that puppy
may have been the cutest of the litter; he may grow up to be super active (when
what you wanted was a couch buddy.); she may be a couch princess (when what you
wanted was a tireless hiking companion);
he may want to spend every waking moment in the water (while you're a
landlubber); or she may want to be an only child (while you are intending to
have kids or more animals). Pet mismatches are one of the top reasons Rescues
get "give-up" phone calls. Good rescues do extensive evaluating of
both their dogs and their applicants to be sure that both dog and family will be
happy with each other until death do them part.
2. Instant Companion: With an older dog, you
automatically have a buddy that can go everywhere and do everything with you
NOW. There's no waiting for a puppy to grow up (and then hope he will like to do
what you enjoy.) You will have been able to select the most compatible dog: one
that travels well; one that loves to play with your friends dogs; one with
excellent house manners that you can take to your parents' new home with the new
carpet and the new couch. You can come home after a long day's work and spend
your time on a relaxing walk, ride, or swim with your new best friend (rather
than cleaning up after a small puppy).
1. Bond--Rescue Dog Bond: Dogs who have been
uprooted from their happy homes or have not had the best start in life are more
likely to bond very completely and deeply with their new people. Those who have
lost their families through death, divorce or lifestyle change go through a
terrible mourning process. But, once attached to a new loving family,
they seem to want to please as much as possible to make sure they are
never homeless again. Those dogs that are just learning about the good
life and good people seem to bond even deeper. They know what life on
the streets, life on the end of a chain, or worse is all about, and
they revel and blossom in a nurturing, loving environment. Most rescues
make exceptionally and extremely loyal companions.
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Unfortunately, many folks think dogs that end up in rescue are all genetically
and behaviorally inferior. But, it is not uncommon for
Rescue to get $700.00 dogs that have outlived their usefulness or their
novelty with impulsive owners who considered their dog a possession
rather than a friend or member of the family; or simply did not really
consider the time, effort and expense needed to be a dog owner. Not all
breeders will accept "returns", so choices for giving up dogs can be
limited to animal welfare organizations, such as Rescues, or the owners
trying to place their own dogs. Good rescues will evaluate the dog
before accepting him/her (medically, behaviorally, and for breed
confirmation), rehabilitate if necessary, and adopt the animal only
when he/she is ready and to a home that matches and is realistic about
the commitment necessary to provide the dog with the best home
possible.
Choosing a rescue dog over a purchased pup will not solve the pet
overpopulation problem (only responsible pet owners and breeders can do that),
but it does give many of them a chance they otherwise would not have. But,
beyond doing a "good deed", adopting a rescue can be the
best decision and addition to the family you ever made. Rescue a senior dog
and get a devoted friend for life!
NOTE: The above "10 Reasons" list appears on several sites all over
the
Internet. While I did not write it, I feel that the message is very
important and bears repeating and emphasizing, so I have re-posted it
here.
This article has been modified from its original format. The original
article was written by Labrador Retriever Rescue, Inc. Permission has
been granted to freely reprint and distribute this document as long as LRR, Inc at <http://www.lrr.org/> is
credited.
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