by Pat Gray

Created on: November 21, 2008

Five Reasons for Adopting an Older Dog

1) You'll be Saving a Life
Most rescue groups and humane societies realize that puppies and younger dogs are the first to be adopted - and euthanasia rates are higher in older (2 years and up) dogs. Puppies are just too cute, so the vast majority of older dogs are overlooked. So if you adopt an older dog, you are undoubtedly saving a life.

And most older dogs do seem to be grateful.

2) Avoiding the Traumas of Puppy-hood
Puppies are cute and a lot of fun, but they are also a LOT of work. There's house-training, teething and its destructive repercussions, socialization, inoculations and coping with the immense amount of energy they expend in the first few years (some times four or five years, depending on the breed).

99.9% of all puppies should be spayed too, and there's that added cost, as well as the recuperation period - and there are occasionally complications to deal with.

3) Older Dogs are Wonderful Characters
Yes, puppies are great, but older dogs come with amazing personalities, and rather than molding, you get the joy of discovery. If your dog was in a shelter for a while or lived in an unhappy home, just having a safe, comfortable loving family may allow a timid, cowering unhappy dog to blossom into an happy, balanced normal dog.

Trust me, it's the best feeling in the world when the older dog you took pity on surprises you with an unsuspected depth of character after two or three months of security.

4) Avoiding Growing Pains
Teething and house-training are one thing - finding out that the 10 pound mix you thought would grow to about 20 pounds passes 40 on their way to 50 or 60 is something else. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it can be spectacular. My Dad's last dog passed 120 pounds - she started out as a 10 pound puppy he adopted thinking she would be a normal Shepherd mix - about 60 or 70 pounds.

5) Seniors for Seniors
For the older person, an older dog is a great choice, for all the reasons above plus one more - longevity. Puppies will become dogs who can live for 15 or even 20 years - when we reach or sixties or seventies, we may still want the companionship, but can't guarantee that many years to give to our dog. And senior dogs and humans have pretty much the same life-style requirements - peace and quiet, a slow walk and lots of napping.

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Don't get me wrong, I adore puppies. But when it comes to adopting a dog, I will take an older dog every time. I have three of them, wonderful dogs who probably would have been passed over for adoption and would probably have been euthanized if they hadn't been with a rescue group - and adopted.

It's time we started to appreciate and to celebrate the senior dog. Consider the benefits, and consider walking past the puppy - or the "puppies for sale sign" - and adopt an older dog.

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