Puppies are a bundle of joy (and mayhem) and they are fun to be with. Not to mention, they are so darn cute that it is often hard to resist their charm. But, are they good for adoption? Not exactly. Adult dogs are the ideal choices.
Why You Should Choose An Adult Dog
You’ll have a much calmer, more behaved dog Ten to one, would-be dog owners prefer puppies for adoption based solely on their looks. What they do not know is that it is often very hard to keep up with puppies. They may look as cute as toys, but they are not. You just can’t send them off to their puppy houses when you don’t feel like playing with them or turn them off just like you would a toy.
Adult dogs, on the other hand, are much easier to keep. They have outgrown the high energy craziness of puppies and they already know what are demanded of them. When adopting from a shelter or any rescue organizations, it is always advisable to go for the adult dogs, not the pups. Because adult dogs’ behavior are already ‘fixed’ to make them suitable for domestic environments.
Adult dogs are trained Most adult dogs in shelters are trained. They are housebroken and potty trained. Although there is always the possibility of bad behavior due to the history of ownership the dogs have. Some dogs were abused and maltreated before they were fostered by rescue groups. Be sure to ask about the dog’s history before adopting it.
Lesser medical expenses Adult dogs in shelters, on top of having received some training, have also received necessary medical attention. More often than not, they are already neutered or spayed, saving you a lot of money on surgical operations. They are also vaccinated. You can save further when you choose a dog that comes with a clean bill of health.
How To Integrate An Adult Dog Into A New Environment
Appropriate an adjustment period A healthy adult dog will have no problem adjusting to a new environment. Although, of course, you should expect an adjustment period before your new dog becomes very comfortable with his new surroundings and family.
He has had rough beginnings, which you should understand, will affect your future relationships. You should then be very careful of the first impressions you give him.
Be very patient Even well-trained dogs can commit accidents and mistakes in new environments. It is very possible for them to forget their training while in the shelter because there is simply not enough personnel to attend to their needs. You should prepare yourself for remedial housetraining.
Clarify your house rules Your new dog cannot guess which behavior is appropriate at your house and which are not. It will take some time before he fully understands that some behaviors that he used to have are no longer applicable and that new behaviors are needed to be formed.
Include your family in the training of your newly adopted dog It is very important to have common rules for handling the dog. Otherwise, your dog will be confused and problems could arise.
Posted in Adopting a dog
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