Adopt a Puppy? Adopt a Dog? How to Decide

Are you about to adopt a rescue dog, or puppy? What should you consider in deciding between a puppy and an adult dog?

The most common questions about rescue puppies are:

* what's the breed mix?

* how big will he grow to be?

* what will her temperament be?

The truth is, usually the shelter or rescue cannot know the answers to these questions. Typically puppies and pregnant dogs are surrendered to shelters, with little specific information known. If the surrendering owner tells the shelter anything about these puppies, that info is usually limited to something like, "the mother is a collie mix and we don't know who the father was.... and the pups are about 7 weeks old". This is all the info the shelter has about the puppies.

So, when you visit the shelter or adoption event, your questions about the puppy you might adopt are not possible to answer accurately. Sure, people will make guesses... "her feet are small, so I don't think she will be very big".... "he looks like a collie / lab mix".... "she seems to be very mellow".

So, what about adopting an adult dog?

Obviously you can see the dog's grown size. You can see what she looks like, making breed mix 'guessing' a little more accurate. There is much less guesswork to deal with. Whether you're looking for a quiet lovable companion, or an active "let's play Frisbee" kind of guy, it's easier to spot these characteristics in an adult dog. Finding the best fit for your lifestyle is easier with a dog who is beyond puppy age.

Adult dogs are probably house broken, saving lots of time, energy, and patience. Do you really want to wake up at 3 am because Miss Puppy cannot sleep through the night yet? Adult dogs are generally beyond the "chew everything it can reach" stage. Simply put, an adult dog's needs are much less than a new puppy.

If you have young children, an adult dog certainly can be the better choice. He is much more patient, and can tolerate and be happy with lots of physical attention from the kids. Small children do not understand that they must limit touching the puppy, with Mom or Dad present for all play time. And Miss Puppy needs her rest an sleep. Little Tommy doesn't have as much patience as the adult dog may have.

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