Are You Better Off Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog?
I had this article sent in to me regarding the adopting of a puppy or an adult dog that I thought would be helpful to some of the readers of this blog. I receive many questions asking about adoption and this article gives you something to think about before making a choice.
Dog Adoption: Are You Better Off Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog by Jim Navary
After a family discussion on the pros and cons you've decided that you want to adopt a family dog. The next decision should be whether you should adopt a new puppy or an adult dog.
Undoubtedly it can be lots of fun having a playful puppy in the house. However, adopting a puppy is a major decision requiring a major time commitment. For the first couple of weeks, both you and your new pup will have to adjust to your new living arrangements. There may be a few sleepless nights in store for both of you. In addition, new puppies must be supervised closely and properly taught what is and is not acceptable behavior. And don't forget housetraining! In some cases this can be a difficult time with numerous "accidents" to clean up. Your patience while housetraining a puppy may be stretched to the limit. Also, young pups love to chew on things. Keep in mind that it may take at least six to eight months for your little buddy to outgrow his chewing phase and another 12 months until he's fully mature.
After giving the idea some serious thought, some people conclude that they may not be able to provide the time and attention that a new puppy deserves. If that's the case, you may want to consider adopting an adult dog instead of a pup.
Many adult dogs have already been housetrained. You'll likely still have a few accidents but it won't take long for the adult dog to learn your rules. Adult dogs are easier to train as they have longer attention spans than excitable puppies. In fact, you may find that they have already learned some basic commands from their previous owners. Choosing an adult dog, you will already be aware of its full size, true personality, and health. As puppies develop, one or more of these traits may end up being a big surprise. An adult dog may be a better choice if you have young children. Older dogs may have already had experience with children and they are much more predictable than puppies. Playing with a new puppy you'll soon discover that they have needle-sharp teeth that can accidentally injure a young child.
Why not consider adopting a canine "senior citizen". Even nine or ten year old dogs can still have many more good years to offer to a loving family. And, for me at least, just knowing that I've rescued an "unadoptable" pooch from probable euthanasia is very gratifying indeed.
Adopting a dog requires your commitment to ensure a happy, healthy partnership between you and your new best friend. However, it can really be great fun and it's definitely well worth the effort!
About the Author:
Are you a dog lover? If so I would love to have you visit my DogBurg Blog at www.dogburg.com. You'll find more canine related articles, videos, photos, jokes, music, and anything else we can come up with that would be of interest to dog lovers. See you there at DogBurg Blog.
Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets Are You Better Off Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog dog adoption Labrador Retriever adoption
Dog Adoption: Are You Better Off Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog by Jim Navary
After a family discussion on the pros and cons you've decided that you want to adopt a family dog. The next decision should be whether you should adopt a new puppy or an adult dog.
Undoubtedly it can be lots of fun having a playful puppy in the house. However, adopting a puppy is a major decision requiring a major time commitment. For the first couple of weeks, both you and your new pup will have to adjust to your new living arrangements. There may be a few sleepless nights in store for both of you. In addition, new puppies must be supervised closely and properly taught what is and is not acceptable behavior. And don't forget housetraining! In some cases this can be a difficult time with numerous "accidents" to clean up. Your patience while housetraining a puppy may be stretched to the limit. Also, young pups love to chew on things. Keep in mind that it may take at least six to eight months for your little buddy to outgrow his chewing phase and another 12 months until he's fully mature.
After giving the idea some serious thought, some people conclude that they may not be able to provide the time and attention that a new puppy deserves. If that's the case, you may want to consider adopting an adult dog instead of a pup.
Many adult dogs have already been housetrained. You'll likely still have a few accidents but it won't take long for the adult dog to learn your rules. Adult dogs are easier to train as they have longer attention spans than excitable puppies. In fact, you may find that they have already learned some basic commands from their previous owners. Choosing an adult dog, you will already be aware of its full size, true personality, and health. As puppies develop, one or more of these traits may end up being a big surprise. An adult dog may be a better choice if you have young children. Older dogs may have already had experience with children and they are much more predictable than puppies. Playing with a new puppy you'll soon discover that they have needle-sharp teeth that can accidentally injure a young child.
Why not consider adopting a canine "senior citizen". Even nine or ten year old dogs can still have many more good years to offer to a loving family. And, for me at least, just knowing that I've rescued an "unadoptable" pooch from probable euthanasia is very gratifying indeed.
Adopting a dog requires your commitment to ensure a happy, healthy partnership between you and your new best friend. However, it can really be great fun and it's definitely well worth the effort!
About the Author:
Are you a dog lover? If so I would love to have you visit my DogBurg Blog at www.dogburg.com. You'll find more canine related articles, videos, photos, jokes, music, and anything else we can come up with that would be of interest to dog lovers. See you there at DogBurg Blog.
Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets Are You Better Off Adopting a Puppy or an Adult Dog dog adoption Labrador Retriever adoption
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