Pet Adoption

By Dr. Marty Becker, via Vetstreet

Q. My daughter wants a puppy, but we've looked at the shelter a couple times and most of the dogs are full-grown. I don't want to deal with someone else's problem dog. I want to raise mine right. Is it time to buy a puppy?

A. If you're committed to the idea of a puppy, think carefully about where you buy him. I don't recommend buying from websites and pets stores, because those puppies often come from substandard breeders known as "puppy mills." Getting a puppy from a reputable breeder, however, who provides certification of genetic testing and raises litters inside the home with proper socialization is an option worth considering.

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But honestly, I'd rather you wait for a shelter pup--or better still, I'd like you to realize how unfair you're being about an adult dog. The idea that an adult dog is somehow "damaged goods" as an adoption prospect is strangely pervasive, especially among people for whom an older dog would be perfect: novices with neither the time nor the experience to raise a puppy properly.

Last year, I adopted my beloved Gracie, a Labrador–Pit Bull mix no one else wanted. She's an absolutely wonderful dog, and I'm nuts about her!

Healthy older dogs have years of loving left, and they deserve a chance. An older dog can slide easily into your life and will bond with your family just as surely as the dog you take home as a puppy. Mature dogs of five years and older are also good candidates for adoption because you avoid the extended adolescence common in many breeds. And older dogs are everywhere, available from private homes, rescue groups and shelters. If you're interested in a purebred and are willing to take an adult dog, a rescue group specializing in your breed can be the deal of the century - these volunteer organizations may offer older dogs for lower adoption fees because they're harder to place.

SEE ALSO: Pet Adoption – What You Can Expect

An older dog can be a marvelous find, but you still have to be selective. While expecting to work on some things as your new dog gets used to you is reasonable, you do want to avoid those animals who have too many problems, especially if one of them is aggression. I highly recommend that you find a shelter or rescue group that evaluates their dogs and provides them with basic training. I also recommend signing up your new dog for a training class to help work through the rough patches.

Even to veteran cat owners, cats can seem mysterious at times. But did you ever stop to consider that they find us just as confounding? Cats, despite moments of weirdness, are fairly predictable in their behavior, but we must seem bananas to them. This new spot by the Shelter Pet Project a a "public service ad campaign focused on spreading the word that pets in shelters are wonderful and lovable," posits just one example.

When November rolls around each year we take time to celebrate the many blessings we've enjoyed. Pet people of course give thanks for their animal companions. This time of year, the holidays can prompt yearnings to adopt a new furry wonder.

Nothing beats puppies and kittens for fun. But senior citizen pets offer many advantages. Remember that small dogs and cats often live into their mid- to late-teens or early twenties, while larger dogs remain happy and vital at least a decade. Old fogey pets often have lots of love to share, so think about it. November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month, so what better time to discuss the eight benefits of mature pets?

1. Less Initial Cost
A mature dog or cat has already been spayed or neutered, and had routine vaccinations. Puppies and kittens are magnets for trouble, and suffer more injuries through nonstop play and exploration than sedate older pets.

2. Predictable Health
By the time a dog or cat reaches mature status, health or behavior problems will be apparent. That helps adopters plan and provide ways to keep seniors happy and comfortable rather than being surprised by an unexpected issue. For instance, a Dachshund with a history of back problems can be offered steps and ramps to reach the sofa and a beloved owner's lap. Even with a health challenge, old fogey pets make wonderful companions.

Sam has no real job, yet he gets plenty to eat. He's is not on unemployment; he does not receive welfare or any type of Social Security benefits. Sam pays no rent and doesn't own a house, but he sleeps in a comfortable bed every night and it's not at a shelter. He doesn't go to a free clinic or get Medicaid, yet he has excellent medical care and is in very good health for someone who is 91 years old.

Sam is an old dog who can teach all of us some new tricks-and how a village raising a dog just might be the answer to a myriad of woes we face in this disastrous economy. As Thanksgiving approaches, taking a look at the life of this very special dog will show us how to be truly thankful.

Sam was born 13 years ago one in a litter of many puppies with a purebred Redbone coonhound mom. Trouble was, unlike most of his siblings, Sam was considered unfit for training to be a hunting dog and was never taken along on the training trips. Early mornings before dawn, the dogs would be loaded in pickup trucks to go out in the woods to train, with a stop first at the Dalton General Store for breakfast. Sam would run behind the truck eventually making it to the store, but he would always be left behind.

As the puppies grew, one by one they were sold or given away. Sam, however, was the only pup in the litter without a future. When the training trips were over, he chose a different path. He found his own way in the world, eventually showing up at Arthur Tessneer's barn.

That was 13 years ago and today Sam has created a fine life for himself that revolves around the Tessneer family and the Dalton General Store in Lake Lure, N.C.

Fostering dogs is a wonderful way for animal lovers to enjoy a furry companion even if they can't provide long-term, permanent pet care. Of course, anyone with a heart will become attached to a pooch even during a temporary stay, so it can be hard to say goodbye when the time comes.

When a Redditor adopted a puppy recently, they brought it home to find this incredibly sweet note hidden among its papers, obviously written by the child of the puppy's foster family. While the little boy or girl who wrote the note must be sad to have given up Garrison, we hope they understand the immeasurable good they did in helping the puppy find a loving home.

Now who's cutting those onions?