Advantages of Adopting Dogs Instead of Buying a Puppy

Finding the right pet for your kids can be a bit of a challenge, but the most popular pets by far have to be dogs. After all, they are man’s best friends and they can help watch over their children. The question of where to get the dog comes to mind. Many people would think about just buying a new dog from the pet shop. However, have you thought about adopting one instead? Adopting a dog may just give you more benefits; for one, you not only give a dog a new home and family to love, you get to help the local pound and animal shelter as well.

 Below are more reasons that may compel you to adopt a dog instead of buy a new puppy.

Choices

You have more than one or two dogs to choose from if you adopt. Take a trip to the local animal shelter and check out what dogs are available for adoption. There are probably hundreds of dogs, with different sizes and personalities, which you can take a pick from.

They are handpicked
Most dogs that are up for adoption are chosen carefully. Animal shelters make sure that the dogs are healty and fit to be taken into a new family. Another benefit is that these dogs have already been given their shots, so you don’t have to worry about going to the vet and get them immunized before taking them home.

You can “test drive” them

Animal shelters usually let potential new families take the dog home for a day or two to see how they deal with the new environment. Shelters also allow potential owners to pay dogs regular visits to give time for play and interaction, allowing them to be familiar with their potential pets before adoption.

Find the right one for you
Like people, dogs have different personalities. Some dogs may be a little lazy and prefer to lie around, while other loves to jump up, run and play with people. By adopting, you can choose the dog that fits your personality and lifestyle.

Healthy

Dogs that are up for adoption are generally healthier. However, there are some illnesses, like degenerative myelopathy, that you cannot detect when the dog is still young. Always ask for the dog’s health history so you can review it.

Sharing the love

Some animal shelters let you adopt dogs who have health issues and physical disabilities. For example, some animal shelters would allow you to take care of a dog that has degenerative myelopathy during its earlier stage. It’s a form of therapy for the dog to feel the love and support that a family would give.