The parents of these boys came to the shelter looking for a puppy . . . but to everyone’s good fortune, they wisely selected this lovely child-loving adult dog. He may have some behavior flaws, but the value of his comfort with and enjoyment of kids will strongly outweigh the minor inconvenience of any training he may need.

Why Adopting an Adult Dog Has its Advantages

But no dog is perfect from Day 1 forward! Here’s how to help your newly adopted dog fit into your family fast!

So, you’ve recently adopted an adolescent or adult dog, or you’re planning to adopt one from a rescue group or shelter in the near future. Good for you! It generally takes adult dogs a lot longer to get adopted than those irresistible, pudgy puppies – even when they are calmer, better-socialized, house-trained, and past the “chew everything in sight” stage. Shelter staffers often shake their heads as families pass up ideal, kid-friendly adult dogs in favor of pups of some highly inappropriate breed or type, just because they are puppies.

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