ONE
In a Word--Housebroken.
With most family members gone during
the work week for 8 hours or more, housetraining a puppy
and its small bladder can take awhile. Puppies need
a consistent schedule with frequent opportunities to
eliminate where you want them to. They can't wait for
the boss to finish his meeting or the kids to come home
from after school activities. An older dog can "hold
it" much more reliably for longer time periods,
and usually the Rescue has him housebroken before he
is adopted.
TWO
Intact Underwear.
With a chewy puppy, you can count on
at least 10 mismatched pairs of socks and a variety
of unmentionables rendered to the "rag bag"
before he cuts every tooth. And don't even think about
shoes! Also, you can expect holes in your carpet (along
with the urine stains), pages missing from books, stuffing
exposed from couches, and at least one dead remote control.
No matter how well you watch them, it will happen--this
is a puppy's job! An older dog can usually have the
run of the house without destroying it.
THREE
A Good Night's Sleep.
Forget the alarm clocks and hot water
bottles, a puppy can be very demanding at 2am and 4am
and 6am. He misses his littermates, and that stuffed
animal will not make a puppy pile with him. If you have
children, you've been there and done that. How about
a little peace and quiet? How about an older rescue
dog?
FOUR
Finish the Newspaper.
With a puppy running amok in your house,
do you think you will be able to relax when you get
home from work? Do you think your kids will really feed
him, clean up the messes, take him for a walk in the
pouring rain every hour to get him housetrained? With
an adult dog, it will only be the kids running amok,
because your dog will be sitting calmly next to you,
while your workday stress flows away and your blood
pressure lowers as you pet him.
FIVE
Easier Vet Trips.
Those puppies need their series of puppy
shots and fecals, then their rabies shot, then a trip
to be altered, maybe an emergency trip or two if they've
chewed something dangerous. Those puppy visits can add
up (on top of what you paid for the dog!). Your donation
to the rescue when adopting an older pup should get
you a dog with all shots current, already altered, heartworm
negative and on preventative at the minimum.
SIX
What You See Is What You Get.
How big will that puppy be? What kind
of temperament will he have? Will he be easily trained?
Will his personality be what you were hoping for? How
active will he be? When adopting an older dog from a
rescue, all of those questions are easily answered.
You can pick large or small; active or couch potato;
goofy or brilliant; sweet or sassy. The rescue and its
foster homes can guide you to pick the right match.
(Rescues are full of puppies who became the wrong match
as they got older!)
SEVEN
Unscarred Children (and Adults).
When the puppy isn't teething on your
possessions, he will be teething on your children and
yourself. Rescues routinely get calls from panicked
parents who are sure their dog is biting the children.
Since biting implies hostile intent and would be a consideration
whether to accept a "give-up", Rescue Groups
ask questions and usually find out the dog is being
nippy. Parents are often too emotional to see the difference;
but a growing puppy is going to put everything from
food to clothes to hands in their mouths, and as they
get older and bigger it definitely hurts (and will get
worse, if they aren't being corrected properly.) Most
older dogs have "been there, done that, moved on."
EIGHT
Matchmaker Make Me a Match.
Puppy love is often no more than an attachment
to a look or a color. It is not much of a basis on which
to make a decision that will hopefully last 15+ years.
While that puppy may have been the cutest of the litter;
he may grow up to be superactive (when what you wanted
was a couch buddy); she may be a couch princess (when
what you wanted was a tireless hiking companion); he
may want to spend every waking moment in the water (while
you're a landlubber); or she may want to be an only
child (while you are intending to have kids or more
animals). Pet mismatches are one of the top reasons
Rescues get "give-up" phone calls. Good rescues
do extensive evaluating of both their dogs and their
applicants to be sure that both dog and family will
be happy with each other until death do them part.
NINE
Instant Companion.
With an older dog, you automatically
have a buddy that can go everywhere and do everything
with you NOW. There's no waiting for a puppy to grow
up (and then hope he will like to do what you enjoy.)
You will have been able to select the most compatible
dog: one that travels well; one that loves to play with
your friends' dogs; one with excellent house manners
that you can take to your long day's work and spend
your time on a relaxing walk, ride or swim with your
new best friend (rather than cleaning up after a small
puppy.)
TEN
Bond--Rescue Dog Bond.
Dogs who have been uprooted from their
happy homes or have not had the best start in life are
more likely to bond very completely and deeply with
their new people. Those who have lost their families
through death, divorce or lifestyle change go through
a terrible mourning process. But, once attached to a
new loving family, they seem to want to please as much
as possible to make sure they are never homeless again.
Those dogs that are just learning about the good life
and good people seem to bond even deeper. They know
what life on the streets, life on the end of a chain,
or worse is all about, and they revel and blossom in
a nurturing, loving environment. Most rescues make exceptionally
affectionate and attentive pets and extremely loyal
companions. Unfortunately, many folks think dogs that
end up in rescue are all genetically and behaviorally
inferior. But, it is not uncommon for Rescue to get
$500 dogs that have either outlived their usefulness
or their novelty with impulsive owners who considered
their dog a possession rather than a friend or member
of the family; or simply did not really consider the
time, effort and expense needed to be a dog owner. Not
all breeders will accept "returns", so choices
for giving up dogs can be limited to animal welfare
organizations, such as Rescues, or the owners trying
to place their own dogs. Good Rescues will evaluate
the dog before accepting him/her (medically, behaviorally,
and for breed confirmation), rehabilitate if necessary,
and adopt the animal only when he/she is ready and to
a home that matches and is realistic about the commitment
necessary to provide the dog with the best home possible.
Choosing a rescue dog over a purchased pup will not
solve the pet overpopulation problem (only responsible
pet owners and breeders can do that), but it does give
many of them a chance they otherwise would not have.
But, beyond doing a "good deed", adopting
a rescue dog can be the best decision and addition to
the family you ever made. Rescue a dog and get a devoted
friend for life!
Written by Mary Clark at Labrador Retriever
Rescue, Inc.
Permission to reprint granted by
LRR, Inc. |
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