Adopting a new friend? Consider an older dog.

May 25, 10:32 AMBirmingham Dog Care ExaminerApril Mitchem

Previous Next

6 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Birmingham Dog Care Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Three of 4 are rescues.  All loved the Bunny.

When searching for a new canine best friend, most people want a puppy.  In rescue, we've heard it all from "I want as much time as possible with them" to "Only puppies can be trained".  Not once have I heard a truly logical reason for adopting a puppy.  Yes, puppies are cute and cuddly.  They are also not housetrained, crate trained, or manner trained and have so much energy that most people are hard pressed to exercise them enough.  They then become destructive out of boredom and people blame the puppy for eating the nice shoes.  Why not avoid all of this and adopt an older dog?

Older dogs, whether 1-2 yr or 5-6 yr or even a senior, have many benefits.  First and foremost is the lower energy level of an adult dog.  If you are not a 5 mile a day runner who will exhaust a puppy, adopt an older dog who will happily go on a walk with you but will then happily lie by your side while you read or watch TV.  All dogs need exercise, but older dogs do not require nearly as much as a puppy.  Second is that older dogs are often already housetrained.  Even if they were strays, most understand that a house is like a den and housetraining takes a week or two, or less, rather than the months it can take with a puppy.  Older dogs are less energetic and more able to focus on training and understanding what you want from them.  If you adopt from a rescue, most dogs will be crate trained with the idea that a crate is their little den and their safe place.  You can crate them while you are gone from home until they are comfortable in your home and with you.  Many older dogs, once settled into a new home, do not require crating and will not be destructive or have accidents while you are away at work.  Another benefit of an older dog, they are often not destructive and do not have the constant entertainment needs of a puppy.  Certainly, you should leave them something to do while you are away, such as a Nylabone or a stuffed Kong, but they do not require constant and varied interaction as does a puppy.  Older rescue dogs seem to understand that their lot in life has changed and that you are their saviour.  Due to this, they are usually much more loyal and loving than a puppy who grew up with you.  Ask anyone who has adopted an older dog with a previously bad life.  Older dogs are more settled, more easily calmed, and more easily trained than puppies.  The major benefit of adopting an older dog is what you see is what you get.  You immediately know how big the dog will be, and their personality is pretty well established.  That's not to say that certain issues can't be worked out, such as a fearful dog who needs a good leader, but the dog's basic personality is formed.  When you adopt from a rescue where the dog has been in foster care, they can tell you many things about the dog's temperament, likes, and dislikes.  If the dog gets along well with other dogs, likes children, likes cats, likes men or women better, is outgoing or shy, etc can all be known with an older dog.

Adopting a senior dog brings even more benefits.  So many people say "I won't have much time with them".  Yes, that may be true but that is also true of any dog who may become ill at any time.  Besides that, don't make it about yourself.  Giving your love and a wonderful home to a senior dog is one of the most selfless things you can do for another being.  They will pay you back 100 fold in love.  Senior dogs usually have all of the training you could want, especially those who lived with a family who suddenly "doesn't have time for them" or thinks  "the dog is too old".  Senior dogs are calm and will bring a measure of calm to your household.  Many senior dogs, when very well cared for, live more years than you would expect.  I know people who adopted a 9 yr old dog that lived to be 16 and I've heard stories of dogs, especially small dogs, who lived to be even older.  In addition, when you adopt a senior dog, you go into the relationship with a different mindset than when you get a puppy.  You already know your time may be short and your emotional bond is different.  You take each day as a gift and spend more time with the dog than you might with a younger dog whom you think will live forever.  Some people think a senior dog will just want to lie around all of the time, but that is not always true.  Many senior dogs will happily go on a nice walk or play ball with you.  They just slow down a bit quicker than a younger dog, stopping play at about the same time that most people become bored with it.

As for the "I want as much time as possible" excuse, nothing in this life is certain and time is never guaranteed.  I know people whose 3 yr old dog, whom they raised from a puppy, suddenly died of pancreatic cancer with no symptoms having been exhibited.  Dogs can die young from any number of medical issues or even accidents.  Obtaining a puppy guarantees nothing in the way of time.  As for training, older dogs are easier to train than puppies!  They have more focus and more ability to understand what you want from them.  For a great example of how well older dogs, rescues included, can be trained, see the Ultimate Dogs show Muttallica.

There are numerous breed specific and all breed rescues across the nation.  You can find many at the AKC website.  A quick Google search including the breed, "rescue", and the state will usually garner several results.  Certainly, check out the credentials of any rescue.  Some of my favorite rescues are: German Shepherd Rescue of Central Alabama, Southern Siberian Rescue, Atlanta Dog Squad, Labrador Retriever Rescue of the Potomac, Atlanta Doberman Pinscher Rescue, Steve Hensley's (Dallas Dog Rescue Examiner) rescues Adopt a Husky of Dallas and DFW Snowdog Rescue, Praying for Paws, PAWS Atlanta, and Dixie Dachshund Rescue.  There are many others but these I can personally say are reputable, wonderful rescues who care very much for their dogs.  Of course, your local animal shelter will have many dogs just waiting for love and a home, dogs that people have given up on or are too selfish to care for, dogs who just wish for a quiet and safe place to sleep and perhaps a person to call their own.