Choosing The Right Age of Dog For You and Your Lifestyle
It’s Fall now and that means its getting cooler faster and many people are preparing for the upcoming Winter months where pretty much no matter where you are, it will be getting a bit cooler than normal very soon. Many of you are considering adding a dog, maybe a new puppy to your life to keep you company and this is great!
We’d like to talk to you about considering adding the right ‘age’ of a dog to your family though.
The right ‘age’ you say?… yes… the right age of dog can be just as important as selecting the right breed of dog for you, your family, and your lifestyles if you want to not just add a whole lotta fun and love to your lives, but peace and harmony as well.
Puppies are cute and fun yes, but they are ‘baby’ animals and babies of any species require a lot more time and constant attention and supervision than an adult version of any of us; human or animal.
Be honest with yourself and consider if you even have the quality and quantity of time in the first place to bring another sentient being, which you will have full responsibility of caring for, into your household. Puppies are an around the clock full time responsibility to care for, supervise, protect, train, and love.
Yes, an adult dog requires these qualities from you as well, but not to the degree that a baby does. Unlike a human baby that can wear diapers until you can change them, puppies will require you to take them out multiple times; both day and nite to relieve themselves, and for you to clean and pick up after them. Sometimes this will mean in the middle of the nite. Sometimes this will mean in weather conditions you and the pup may not be too keen on going out in. You can’t make puppies ‘hold it’ when they have to go out, they have to go out because they have developing bodily systems and their control is not the same as an older, mature dog until those systems have matured and developed.
Miniature American Eskimo Puppy Playing and Teething With Various Types And Textures Of Toys
Puppies, just like any of us animals will go through conditions like ‘teething’ and with teething they will be in some degrees of pain and discomfort and will instinctively try to soothe themselves. Just like some children, they may do this by crying, whining, putting an item such as a blanket or toy in their mouths. Maybe it will be one of your shoes. Let’s hope not, but you must have several different types and textures of toys available to them and of course you must have an incredible amount of love and patience to give them, and always remember that their needs come first, not yours. * Yes, we do know that you must ‘take care’ of your self first or you will not be able to take care of others. We are not dis-advocating ‘Self-Care’. What we are saying is that Puppies, just like all babies are pretty much constantly hungry, tired, and exploring their new world, so you will be feeding them multiple times a day/nite, taking them out to relieve themselves, making sure they have a clean, quiet, safe place to sleep in, and all the while you will be training them with positive reinforcement for their desired behaviors, as well as deterring them from potential accidents and destructive behaviors.
Please consider adopting an older, more mature dog into your family if you are honestly not up for all a puppy requires. Much of the time older dogs have had some basic obedience training and are usually housebroken as well.
Older dogs can ‘learn new tricks’, so to speak. Dogs are eager to learn in positive ways, and there is a reason the phrase ‘man’s best friend’ was coined in the first place, because they are so much like us. They want to do things. They want to keep body, mind, and spirit active and healthy, just like humans do and they wish to spend it with us; in the company of someone who loves to be with them sharing those activities.
Yes, puppies can and will want to learn these things, but an older, more mature dog will as we mentioned, most likely already be completely potty trained, will have some or all basic obedience commands learned such as ‘Sit’, ‘Stay’, ‘Come’, ‘Down’, ‘Stop’, they will most likely have already learned how to walk nicely on a leash with you. An older dog most likely will not have such high energy that you feel as though you can’t keep up with her demands, yet have enough energy to still go places and do things with you at your own pace.
Also, don’t feel like an older dog won’t ‘bond’ as closely with you as a puppy would, because that is just not true. ALL ages of dogs are just like all the different ages of people. We all want to belong, be secure, and feel love and acceptance and feel worthy.
First, do your ‘breed research’ , then consider what ‘age’ of dog will fit you and your lifestyle as well, and of course you may [CONSULT US ] for any guidance and help in making your decision. There are thousands of “Breed Rescue’ Groups for pretty much every dog breed and many of the new hybrid breeds as well. There are also thousands of Local, County, Regional, and State run Animal Shelters and Rescue Organizations and believe it or not, we can tell you for Certain that you can OFTEN find more Pure Breed dogs in these places than you can mixed breeds. Why?…. Simple- Humans did NOT do their ‘Breed Research’ , visit rescue groups, ‘breed’ rescue groups, shelters, volunteer, ask friends, neighbors and people they saw at the park with the dog they ‘thought’ they wanted BEFORE they ran right out and bought or adopted the dog/puppy. Then they got home and were overwhelmed and under prepared. * Remember- EVERY puppy/dog is ‘cute and ‘sweet’ and ‘loving’- but every dog was NOT bred to be and do ALL of the same things. If you give yourself a chance, do an Internet search and attend some Dog Shows and SEE for yourself what it takes for each dog breed to be their best, what they are bred for, and so on.
* As of today’s writing, there are now over 200 ‘Recognized’ by the AKC (American Kennel Club) Breeds of Dogs and MANY more mixed breeds too! Trust us when we say, if you do the research, you will find that there is the right one for you. * We Encourage you to Take the time to do this so that more puppies and dogs, pure breeds and mixed breeds alike do not end up in a shelter, where more often than not they will be sleeping on a cold hard floor, sometimes an elevated mesh type bed, they will NOT have their normal food, toys, treats, interactions with you and their animal family and friends, they will most likely not be adopted in time, and their ONLY reason for being killed (euthanized) is generally because the shelter does not have room for them.
[Share The Dog Goddess Via Social Media]: Instagram
