I get all mushy over puppies — in person, on television, on the internet, or in books and magazines. I can’t help it! They’re just so tiny and sweet and cuddly and cute.
But I’ll probably never own one.
My reason why is relatively simple. There are just too many adult dogs (and cats) in shelters in need of forever homes! Puppies seem to have an easier time of getting adopted. They attract attention quickly and easily; with a puppy you get a fresh start, a dog you can train to your own standards. Baby animals in general are pretty hard to resist! (I have a similar weakness for kittens.)
Of the three dogs I’ve owned, all of them have been adopted as adults. Miko was seven, Moose was four, and Lally was three. I don’t regret any of my choices when the time came to find a new friend.
When you adopt an adult dog, you might expect them to come with baggage. (Adult humans usually have baggage, too.) Miko came to me fully trained and smart as anything. He had me trained in less than a day. Lally’s baggage wasn’t quite so positive; she was skittish and submissive. It took a long time and lots of patience for her to blossom into the funny, playful dog she is today. And Moose? He’s just my special, attention-demanding, dog body language clueless boy.
Adult dogs come with good stuff too. They’re often potty trained, at the very least. You might find that an adult adoptee knows a few basic tricks, too. And if you ask shelter pet owners, you might find that a lot of them believe that their pets KNOW they were rescued. They know they got a second chance.
I sometimes wonder about my dogs’ first lives. Lally was picked up a stray. Moose was surrendered for being “too stubborn.” Miko was turned in by someone who claimed to have found him. But at some point, I think they all had families. I imagine what they were like as puppies. Moose was probably a cuddler — just like he is now. Lally was probably playful — just like she is now. Some personality traits never change.