Adopting From a Shelter

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

There are a ton of amazing places to get dogs that you may be interested in. You can look online, look in person, meet people that have puppies, or know people that may be getting rid of their dog for a variety of reasons. One of the most popular places people look for dogs are at animal shelters.

I’ve broken down the pros and cons of this option.

Pros

  • Usually cheaper
  • You can save a dogs life
    • Sadly, a lot of shelters can become overcrowded which can lead to: more infections in the shelters, dogs out on the streets not being able to be taken into shelters, and unfortunately, being euthanized.
  • You have more variety in the age you choose
    • Adopting a puppy is a lot of work and very time consuming, one of the benefits of going to a shelter is most dogs will already be adults which can be less work to train and take care of then puppies.
  • Their behavior and past may already be known
    • Dogs that are in shelters have already been given vaccinations and behavioral testing, helping you decide on the personality you may want in a dog.
Dog
Dog in a Shelter by spotreporting

Cons

  • There may be wait times
    • Some shelters may have you wait before adopting the dog just to make sure you’re making the right decision, they also have these wait times to give owners a chance to reclaim their lost dog
  • Dogs could have health/physical problems
    • Sometimes dogs are given up because their owner can’t take care of them anymore, one reason for that is that the dog may have have health issues that can be expensive or physical issues that need more attention
  • A lot of paperwork and personal questions
  • Difficult to find exact breeds or puppies