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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. (Please remember, however, all dogs will
need some retraining when placed into a new home.)
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.
A Good Night's Sleep. Forget the alarm clocks and hot
water bottles, a puppy can be very demanding at 2 AM and 4 AM and 6
AM. 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?
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.
Easier Vet Trips. Those puppies need their series of
puppy shots and fecal exams, 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.
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 group, 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 (Rescue programs are full
of puppies who became the wrong match as they got older!)
Unscarred Children (and Adults). When the puppy isn't
teething on your possessions, he will be teething on your children and
yourself. Rescue groups 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" and moved on.
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 super active (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 mis-matches
are one of the top reasons rescue groups get "give-up" phone
calls. Good rescue groups 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.
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 parents' new home with the new carpet and the new couch.
You can come home after a 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).
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 groups 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 rescue groups, or the owners trying to place
their own dogs. Good rescue groups 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 has been granted to freely reprint and
distribute this document. www.lrr.org/
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