Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won’t buy the wag of his tail.
–Josh Billings

When you are looking to get a dog, consider adopting a homeless animal from your local shelter. Whether you want a puppy or a mature dog, a purebred or a mixed breed, your shelter has the best selection of animals. As additonal advantage you can be sure that all animals are in good health and don’t show any signs of abnormal behavior. Most animals from shelters will already be spayed and neutered, the costs are normally included in the adoption fee. Another good source are pet shops that have monthly/weekly adoption programs.

Puppies, kittens, actually all young animals are adorable. But these babies require a great commitment of time and energy from their owners. Some of these real young ones almost require a 24/7 presence of the owner, which is hard to commit to with our busy schedules and work.

An older animal is a much better option when you work, it does not need that much attention, care and exercise or stimulation as a young puppy. And don’t undererstimate the advantage of a dog already been housebroken! Most of them have in addition the “bad teen-years”, as I like to call it, behind. Your furniture will probably survive without chew marks, your cables and carpets also.

I most cases more mature dogs will have gone through some obedience training and adult cats are almost certainly litter-box trained, unless the cat lived previously outside only.

Older pets may be less time consuming, but they still require your devotion, time and commitment. When you adopt a pet make sure to remember that you promise to care for the animal FOR LIFE!

Do younger animals connect better with their owners?

Forming a strong connection with a pet has little to with the animal’s age at the time of adoption. It’s more the result of care, commitment and time spent with your animal. Some people, especially with young children, prefer puppies or kittens. In my opinion this is not the best idea, since kids can acidentally hurt a puppy or a kitten - out of love! Always supervise your kids when playing with young animals, and always make them aware of that an animal is by no way a TOY, but a living creature.

Many older dogs and cats that have been adopted turned out to be the most trusting, loving companions for years. Some might have gone through a trauma in their lives and need a little more patience, some exerience anxiety to be left alone again (depending on their experience with the previous owner), but as soon as they start to trust you, their love for their owners makes up for the “cuteness” of puppies and kittens. And remember - kittens and puppies do grow, rather fast. Soon your puppy will turn into an adult dog.

It’s hard to determine what kind of characteristics a puppy or kitten will have until the animal is an adult. In contrast, it’s much easier for potential adopters to get a sense of an mature animal’s qualities including size, temperament, and personality, and to make a more informed decision based on their expectations.

Helping a homeless animal is one of the most rewarding things a pet owner can to. If you adopt an adult/older animal you have the extra satisfaction knowing that you are giving a home to an animal that would probably have been put to sleep without your help. You saved a life!

More and more animal-lovers are finding out that their perfect pet isn’t a puppy or kitten but an adult animal. In the process, they’re learning just how easy it is to teach an older pet new tricks and learning the animal to trust and love again.