Many potential dog owners shy away from adopting a senior dog for a variety of reasons. But don't be fooled by the common thought! Adopting older preloved dogs has many advantages. There are even people who have the unwritten rule to ONLY adopt older preloved dogs.
Someone who is dedicated to adopting senior dogs will usually bring home pets who are at least over 10 years of age. These dogs have long been present in shelters because of their age and are often not wanted by many, MANY new owners simply because they are old.
RELATED: 6 Vet’s Tips on How to Care for Senior Dogs
It's no surprise to any of us that majority of people tend to take small puppies, because they are cute, active and fun. Nobody can fault them for it and this is understandable, especially if they have families with children. On top of that, the probability of losing your new friend is always much smaller in the coming years.
But adopting old dogs or old preloved dogs, as they are sometimes called, has its advantages, too.
3 Reasons FOR Adopting Older Preloved Dogs
1. Less Behavioral Problems & Ease of Training
Generally, an older dog will have significantly fewer behavioral problems.
The reason why a dog is left homeless or not wanted anymore can be any: when owners are elderly, or the family was forcibly separated from the favorite animal for various domestic circumstances – divorce, serious illness, congestion or anything else.
Therefore, unlike puppies, older dogs usually already have “home education”. They have been housebroken, they don't need any special attention, they will rarely ruin your furniture or jump on your guests, and they could be left alone at home for an extended period of time.
All of this is something you can't do with puppies, which makes older preloved dogs an ideal choice for a busy working family or an older family. Senior dogs will behave better and will require less maintenance.
RELATED: 8 Tips for Keeping Your Senior Dog Active
On top of that, you CAN teach an older dog new tricks. Senior dogs can be taught anything that a puppy or adult dog can be taught. Not only that, but older dogs also have better attention span so your training procedure will most likely go much faster than it would when training a puppy.
2. Better Couch Potato Friends & Instant Companions
Old dogs are a good choice not only for the working people, but also a great companion for the elderly ones or people who enjoy long nights watching Netflix.
RELATED: 15 Best Senior Dog Food Choices for Longevity
And older preloved dog will have a lot less energy and exercise requirements will be far lower than those of an adult dog or a puppy. Normally, just a garden is enough for them to be happy on their own and normal short walks with you (the owner). This way you can also save money on dog training, many dog supplies and other equipment or expenses.
3. Hidden Talents of Preloved Dogs
Obviously puppies in shelters easily find their owners as they are very adorable and touching. But remember that older dogs can bring many hidden talents to their new home, and are no less fascinating.
It's not uncommon for a new older dog to start bringing the mail from the front door without any additional training. There are also dogs that have lived in restaurants and have the habit not to touch any food without permission, or even avoid doing those “begging eyes.”
Most older dogs are well trained to not bark or and other dogs are even toilet trained. Not only does this come from their previous families, but also because animal shelters take extra good care of their senior dogs and train them if there are any problems in behavior. So you already get a full package.
Before You Adopt an Older Preloved Dog…
On the other hand, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you decide to adopt an older dog.
It should be clarified that not all old dogs are easily adaptable to a new home. There are dogs who already got used to living outdoors, and others who respond to specific words only, in which case they might not be the most ideal partner to you specifically.
RELATED: Improving Quality of Life for Senior Dogs
There are thousands of dogs that are abandoned and brought to animal shelters. Usually we see all kinds of volunteer groups that care for dogs as far as they are allowed. An animal shelter will learn everything about the dog and figure out what home would work best for that canine.
Once you decide that a preloved dog is what you want, your local animal shelter will provide comprehensive information about each canine you're thinking of adopting: their habits, manners, approximate age, cause of falling into the shelter, how to train or not train, what they like and dislike, and so forth.
It will be the easiest adoption process an owner can have.
Naturally, it's important to keep in mind that the chances for an older dog to have health problems are higher than those for young puppies. Although if you get an 8-year-old preloved dog, there is absolutely no reason why he couldn't live well into his old age.
And even though you might spend a little less time with your new pet, it should make you proud to be giving your love, care, and showing what happiness is to this dog during his last years of life. If they could, they would appreciate it; and you can be certain that I personally will have immense respect for you.
