"You do not need to get a dog as a puppy... to have a good pet"

When acquiring a new pet, most will quickly jump to getting a puppy or a kitten, without even considering the option of giving an adult or senior pet a good home. While it is a fun and rewarding experience to raise a dog (or cat) from puppyhood, it is just as rewarding to adopt a mature pet.

Not all home situations or lifestyles are fit to suffice a puppy and its needs, and not all home situations or lifestyles are fit to fulfill the needs of a mature pet, but do not let the "scares" of adopting a "secondhand" or "used" pet with "baggage" steer you away from giving one another chance.

Mature dogs (and cats) are given away or end up in the shelter for a variety of reasons, each with their own, but this does not necessarily mean they are "bad pets", as in most, if not, then all cases it is not their fault at all. But I will not deny that some and many shelter dogs come with behavioral issues, often due to lack of socialization at an early age, and just as many come without good manners due to lack of proper training; these of course can be worked through and overcome with consistency and the right training.

Why do dogs end up in shelters?

(Most of these also apply to cats as well)
• Owner is moving & cannot take pet with them
• Landlord does not allow pets
• Owner has inadequate facilities
• Owner cannot afford veterinary care
• Owner fell ill & cannot further care for pet
• Owner passed away & family does not want / cannot keep pet
• Personal reasons or changes in lifestyle / home situation
• Owner acquired new puppy & dog does not get along with it
• Owner has too many animals
• Owner does not have the time to care for pet
• Owner bred their dog & cannot find homes for litter
• Dog can no longer reproduce - in the case of an irresponsible breeder
• Owner has allergies
• Owner had a baby or is expecting
• Animal sheds too much
• Owner cannot train dog
• Dog has medical problems
• Dog has behavioral issues
I must add that while working at one all dog shelter, someone had relinquished a dog to us because its coat color did not match the new furniture, and was interested in adopting a different dog.

Other reasons for relinquishment:

- Traveling & does not / cannot take pet
- Does not get along with new or current pet(s)
- Not enough space for large breed puppy / dog
- Owner is or is going through divorce / separation
- Child / family has lost interest in pet
- Excessive barking, leading to action being taken against owner
- Found the animal as a stray / homeless from unknown origin
- Animal is ill / owner requests euthanasia, due to costs of treatment
- Breed-specific laws have been passed wherein the owner resides, affecting their dog
- Pet is destructive / chewing / digging, etc
[ The above list is under construction ]

Seized by the authorities:

Understand that in some instances shelter pets have been seized by the authorities or local SPCA from their homes for a variety of reasons, such as blatant abuse or any other forms of animal cruelty reported / complained about by neighbors / etc; many are seized from puppy mills and animal hoarders; in other cases, animals are left behind at the owner's previous residential living space once they have moved away, often for reasons unknown. Because these pets in particular have had a past life of abuse, they will need specialized care and extra socialization for them to grow accustomed to their new life at a slow and steady rate, but please be aware that most animals that come from an abusive past make full emotional recoveries and can bounce back in no time with love, positive reinforcement, and time as if they had never experienced any forms of cruelty before; because their past is known or partially understood by the animal shelter caring for that pet in particular, surely the shelter staff will include their reasons for being seized by the authorities within in their records available for any potential adopters who are interested in said animal.

Dispelling myths of shelter / mature pets:

• All shelter dogs were abused at some point - This is not true for all shelter pets. In any case, most previously abused pets will make a full emotional recovery with love, attention and most importantly, time.
• These dogs are at the shelter for a reason & adopting a second-hand pet means you are getting someone else's problem - Of course an unwanted dog wound up at the shelter for a reason, but this often happens through not fault of their own; often times an owner has to move and cannot take their pet, or the owner purchased a pet on an impulse and later learned they were not ready for a commitment, of course these reasons do not mean these animals are "problem pets".
• You never know what you are getting into with a shelter pet - While this may be true, the shelter may have no medical history or information on the pet prior to it being relinquished or impounded, this also applies to pets acquired from pet stores or irresponsible breeders.
• Shelter dogs / pets are often unhealthy - Although it is entirely possible to adopt a dog from a shelter that is found to have an illness or medical condition untreated by the shelter, in most cases shelter pets are provided with basic veterinary care, vaccinations and are altered.
• Adult pets have difficulty bonding to new families - It is possible for a pet to miss its old family and its old routines that it as grown accustomed to, it is certainly possible for the pet to adjust to its new life with a new family, though this may take time, but pets are often quick to bond with their new, loving owners.
• Stray animals do not make good pets - What some may not understand is, there is a difference between stray and feral; a stray animal has had a home prior to living on the streets or being impounded at the city shelter and many are found wearing collars, while feral means the animal has reverted back to its wild instincts and has had zero interaction with humans.

Benefits of adopting a mature pet:

• Many mature dogs are housebroken, or are often much easier to house train than a puppy because they can hold their bladders longer and can learn very quickly.
• Mature dogs have passed the dreaded teething and chewing phase.
• Mature dogs often come pre-trained and are familiar with some commands such as "sit", "stay" and "come", and many even know how to walk on a leash. Even without prior training, mature dogs have a longer attention span than puppies and are more willing to please their owners or be rewarded with a treat than a puppy who is more interested in mischief.
• With a mature dog, you do not get any surprizes later down the road with temperament or size; what you see is what you get.

Adoption / Rescue Sucess Stories:

PetFinder contains a blog dedicated to dog / pet owners who have adopted from animal shelters or have rescued a pet in some way by using their adoptable animal database, you can see these amazing success stories by browsing through their Happy Tails / Adoption Stories @ petfinder.com

You do not need to go to your local shelter or rescue organization to acquire a mature pet, as many are readily available for adoption through your local classified ads in the newspaper or online, including craigslist.com, and there are often pet ads are placed on local bulletin boards in public areas like veterinary clinics and libraries.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to acquire a puppy (or kitten), almost everyone loves puppies. But when you have decided to add another pet to the family, always consider a mature pet if your home situation and lifestyle is suited for one. Understand that you do not need to get a dog as a puppy in order to have a good pet.

o Petfinder.com
o DogsInDanger.com
o Dispelling the Myths About Shelter Pets
o Myths About Shelter Dogs
o Reasons to Adopt a Dog / Myths About Adoption
o Why Should I Spay / Neuter My Pet?
o Reasons NOT to Breed
o The No Kill Nation & The No Kill Advocacy Center
o What to Know About Reputable Vs. Backyard Breeding by ~xxshaelxx @ #stopBSL
o Backyard Breeder Versus Reputable/Responsible Breeder
o Good Versus Bad Breeders
o Finding a Responsible Breeder
o Breeder & Breeding Information
o Should I Breed My Dog?
o So, You Want to be a Breeder?
o Getting Started as a Responsible Breeder

o More of my two stinky mongrels, Bandit & Watson



o Stamp Template by $zilla774

_____________________________________



My images are NOT stock, they are © to me and are for my use only. Please do NOT save these images to your computer, do NOT alter, redistribute, reproduce or use in any way without my permission. Thank you.