Peter - The joy in adopting an older dog

Peter is todays Forever Home Friday – this gorgeous boy is a perfect example of why you should consider adopting an older dog.

In the words of his mum:

We adopted Peter when he was just over 7 and it’s one of the best decisions we’ve made. He is now 11 and we have so much joy with him. He is such a beautiful soul. Adopting an older dog brings the lovely balance of being calmer at home with lots of enthusiasm for walkies. He is perfect company, still has his zoomies and spins, he spends hours in the garden soaking up the sun and is cuddle crazy. If anyone is on the sofa Peter will be guaranteed to be snuggling up. Looking at the website I see there’s a dog called Ralph, he is a similar age to when we adopted Peter, and has also had a mct, Peter had his removed from his leg four years ago, made a great recovery and it amazes me how much love they have to give, if Peter was happy with another dog (sadly he prefers to be the only dog) I would jump at the chance of adopting another older dog.

Reasons to adopt an older dog.

Puppies are hard to resist. Those big eyes, those little bellies, that smell. Raising a puppy is a fun, fulfilling and fascinating journey. But while caring for any dog takes work, raising a puppy takes an especially large amount of time, energy and patience. If you’re looking for a new canine companion that will provide all of the love with fewer growing pains, and if you’re looking to give a break to a dog who needs it, you might consider adopting an older dog.

The benefits are:

What you see is what you get.

When you adopt a puppy, you can’t be sure what their personality will be like, but when you meet an older dog 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.

Older dogs know how to chill like pros they appreciate a more relaxed approach to life.  Unlike puppies who need to be watched constantly and puppies are pretty much always in play/chew/ “let’s get crazy” mode.

Anyone who has ever house trained a puppy knows it’s quite a process. For the most part, when you adopt a senior pup, you’re getting a dog that’s house trained.

Many older dogs will have grown out of destructive habits and will be schooled in good manners and basic skills like “sit,” and “stay.” Adopting a dog who knows the basics will save you some time and allow you to focus on building a great relationship.

You’re giving a dog a second chance.

One thing of which you can be assured: You will be rewarded with love and appreciation, and the feeling that you’ve really given someone a second chance.

It’s a beautiful feeling.