The parents of these boys came to the shelter looking for a puppy . . . but to everyones 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! Heres how to help your newly adopted dog fit into your family fast!
So, youve recently adopted an adolescent or adult dog, or youre 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.
More Pre-Puppy Prep
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Canine News You Can Use: June 2010
Subscribers Only — In January 2010, the Kennel Club (Britains equivalent of our American Kennel Club) accepted the registration of... -
Problems Associated With Adopting Two Puppies at the Same Time
— Theres no denying it: a new puppy is one of the worlds most wonderful things. Its a cold, hard... -
Potty Training a Puppy in Cold Weather
Subscribers Only — Nasty, cold, blowing, snowing, sleeting, rainy day out and your dog wont go out to potty? I can relate; I... -
A Puppy From Hell
Subscribers Only — About five years ago, my then-next-door neighbors decided to get a dog, and not just any dog. Theyd spent years... -
Dog Fostering Programs
Subscribers Only — Had some prescient person warned me that I would spend nearly $1,000 on vet bills; miss out on a lot of sleep;... -
ebook — Whole Dog Journal's PUPPY BASICS
