5 reasons to adopt (an older and larger) shelter dog in October

September 30, 8:54 AMPet ExaminerCathy M. Rosenthal

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 How can you resist this face? Many dogs are waiting
 to be adopted at your local shelter.

1. October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month, which means many animal shelters around the country are offering special adoption rates, especially on older and larger dogs, during October to encourage people to consider adoption as the first option.

2. Save one dog's life -- and you'll actually save two.  With three to four million pets euthanized each year because there are not enough homes, your adoption will not only save the life of a homeless pet, but will open up a space at your local shelter for another homeless pet in need. 

Sadly, larger dogs and older dogs are often overlooked for dogs exhibiting youth and energy, so they are euthanized more often.

3. You'll save money. That's because shelters will usually include a spay/neuter and vaccination package as part of your adoption cost. Larger dogs often cost more to spay, but they don't usually cost more to adopt at a shelter. (Some shelters charge more for larger dogs, but not many.) 

  Find a one-of-a-kind find at your local shelter.

4. You'll find a one-of-a-kind find. While 20-25 percent of the dogs shelters receive are purebreds, most pets are one-of-a-kind finds. They are mixed-breed dogs with great temperaments. And, they often don't have the genetic problems associated with most purebred pets. 

5. You may find a dog already house trained. Hey, there are no guarantees in life, but some older and larger dogs may already be housetrained and even know a few basic commands, like sit and come. Even if they don't, they are mature and more likely to pay attention to any new lessons. Overall, my 20 years experience in shelter work has found that most dogs are eager to please and ready to learn at any age.   

For more info: To find a dog to adopt in your community, you can begin your search online. Check out petfinder.com to look at photos of dogs and find shelters in your community.