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A Puppy, or
An Adult Dog ….
What You
Should Know Before You Decide between a Puppy, Adult, or Mature Dog
No matter what age of
dog you choose to adopt, it is important to remember what a HUGE
responsibility dog can be.
A Puppy
Who wouldn’t want a cute and little puppy to play with? Puppies are
playful, inquisitive, energetic, and yes, very demanding of your
time and patience. The last two items will manifest themselves as
chewing on things that they shouldn’t, wetting and leaving little
puppy presents on the living room carpet, (by accident, of course),
needing you to let it out every 2 to 4 hours to make sure you don’t
receive more “puppy presents” in the house, feeding 3 or 4 times a
day, and countless hours of walking and basic training to make sure
you have a well behaved pet that you can trust. Puppies require a
lot more training than an adult dog, but on the Up Side, a puppy
will bond with you quickly and take to your training faster than
some older dogs. If you are willing to take the time and effort, a
puppy is great fun and you will learn a lot about yourself along the
way.
Adult Dogs
An adult dog, (3- 6 years old), has most likely gone through most of
the basic training already. Unless they came from an outdoor
setting, they are usually house broken, know how to sit and stay,
come when called and may even be able to teach you a trick or two.
There are usually socialized and may be starting to calm down a
little. One thing to remember though, because you may not know
everything about their background, they may have some unresolved
issues by that age. These issues may include behavioral problems
like barking, digging, running away, jumping on the furniture or
they may have a thing for the neighborhood cat, other dogs, or even
kids. They may need some training. So you need to be ready to put in
some time to correct these unwanted behaviors.
Seniors
Last but not least, we have the older dog.
(7 yrs and Up). Older
dogs, are normally lower energy level pets and you usually won’t
have to worry about them running away, chasing squirrels or the
neighbors cat. Older dogs make great company for the elderly, or
people who are not quite as mobile as they once were. They also make
great assistance animals, therapy dogs or companion pets. Older dogs
do have several small draw-backs. As they get older, they may start
to develop health issues. Dental disease, bladder and bawl control
problems, and hearing and vision issues are common in some breeds.
Older dogs can be stubborn at times, but they still have a lot love
to give and can provide the right owner many years of happiness!
So now you know
the score, and ultimately it’s up to you to decide! Should you take
the time and energy to raise a puppy? Opt for less basic training
and a more stable adult dog? Or do you want to go for an older
companion that doesn't need as much exercise. Think about it long
and hard before you make any commitment, because it is exactly that
…. A COMMITMENT. Now matter which way you choose, you are choosing
to be responsible for a life and in return, you will receive,
companionship, respect, love, gratitude and a lot of happiness.
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