When adopting a puppy, you cannot be sure of what their personality is going to be like. βItβs roughly around two years before a dog really sort of comes into their own as an adult, and you really get a full picture of what theyβre going to be like personality-wise.β
When you meet an older dog at a shelter who has been around the block a few times, and has most likely lived with people before, you can get more of a sense of their personality by interacting with them and talking with the shelterβs staff. Do keep in mind that some dogs are understandably nervous meeting new people in a shelter setting and donβt always bloom until they are in a safe, comfortable home where they can fully relax.
Itβs also worth noting that depending on a puppyβs breed, you may not be able to predict their size either. With a senior, you neednβt fear that your scruffy little mix is going to grow to Wolfhound proportions.
When they arenβt sleeping, puppies are pretty much always in play/chew/βletβs get crazyβ mode. Younger dogs have a lot of energy, tooβtheyβre eager to exercise and explore. Older dogs tend to be more mellow companions content to cozy up next to you on the couch for hours during a Netflix binge, or lay snoozing at your feet while you work at your desk. Senior dogs provide all the companionship of a younger dog, but theyβre likely also used to alone time, and donβt have to be watched constantly lest they overturn a garbage can or shred your new sneakers (like a puppy will most certainly do). Many older dogs will have grown out of destructive habits, and will be schooled in good manners and basic skills like βsit,β and βstay.β Adopting a dog who knows the basics will save you some time, and allow you to focus on building a great relationship.
The Farmer's Dog, et al. βWhat You Should Know about Adopting an Older Dog.β The Farmer's Dog, 26 Dec. 2021, https://www.thefarmersdog.com/digest/short-list-reasons-adopt-senior-dog/?utm_campaign=nb_performance_max&gclid=Cj0KCQiAxc6PBhCEARIsAH8Hff1C8EByT-6u_aP_HfjM76FkMKLtuOWMRzBbCoe753xP4HI50_--xc8aAh1yEALw_wcB.
The main thing that has helped greatly in saving these dogs lives is donations! Donations help these older dogs get out of kill-shelters, provide them food and water, a bed to sleep in at night, and sometimes a nice forever home in San Diego.
They deserve to live and because of you they can get the chance!
Your support and contributions will help us meet our goals and improve living conditions for these older dogs. All proceeds will help dogs get a second chance by getting them out of high-kill shelters, as well as helping our senior dogs, and those in hospice. Your generous donation will help fund our mission.
Copyright Β© 2023 BajaPaws Rescue - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.