Why I Prefer to Adopt Senior Pets
I love seniors. I just love them. Our two current dogs were adopted when they were over the age of 8 years. (BJ was 10 years young, and our best guess for Tule’s age when we adopted her was 8.) Honestly. I don’t know that I will adopt a puppy or adolescent dog ever again. Don’t get me wrong, puppies are precious. But I am in love with the idea and process of bringing an elderly dog into our home. In honor of National Senior Pet Month, let me explain why.
No puppy or teenage phase!
Don’t get me wrong… Puppies are absolutely precious. Their tiny tongues, sweet snuggles, and puppy breath. Who doesn’t love that? What we forget about is HOW MUCH WORK puppies are! They have literally only been alive for a few weeks, so everything is brand new. We are teaching them everything that they need to know, socializing them, etc. Puppies don’t have control of their bladders, so potty training is something that we have to work on. Teething and all the inappropriate chewing and play biting that comes with that. Can we say, “No thanks!”
Teenagers. Adolescence is NOT fun in any species, and dogs are no different. Teenage dogs are figuring out what the rules are, and maybe even testing them a little. They are becoming more independent so they are pulling away from us. Let’s not even get started on puberty….
Senior dogs are past all of these frustrating phases! You may have to remind them what belongs to them and what doesn’t, but you won’t have to deal with the frenetic, obsessive chewing that comes with teething. Their brains are fully developed and they tend to have more control over their emotions and impulses. And since they are physically mature as well, even if we have to introduce house training to a dog that has never lived inside before, they are often able to “hold it” for longer periods than neonatal pups.
Personalities are set so what you see is what you get!
This is the big one for me. Genetics and socialization are BOTH incredibly important in determining and predicting a dog’s personality. For rescue dogs, we may not have the opportunity to see their parents to learn anything about the personality traits that may have been passed down to the offspring. A dog’s personality isn’t fully formed/developed until they hit adulthood. So even after the socialization period, we still may not know how a dog is going to act long-term. You may say that this is one of the fun things about raising a puppy, working to safely and positively expose them to different types of experiences and situations. Experts in dog behavior still aren’t in agreeance on exactly when the socialization phase ends, so this is a tricky period of learning. Puppies go through Fear Periods where they start to become worried or anxious, and a negative experience during this time can really set puppy’s development back in a big way.
At a few years old, most dogs have reached their base demeanor and personality. When I meet senior dogs, I KNOW if they are outgoing or shy. I know if they like other dogs. I know if they like children. I personally don’t like surprises, so I love being able to accurately assess a dog’s temperament in the moment. I don’t like surprises and I don’t like gambling. It is not surprising that I prefer to “see what I get” in a senior pooch.
Self sufficiency
This one doesn’t need a lot of explanation. Puppies are cute but they are NEEDY. They need to potty every few hours. They can’t be left alone all day while you are at work. We can’t turn our backs on them or they’ll get into something.
Older dogs, on the other hand, are really self sufficient. For the most part, they can hold their bladders and bowels and don’t need constant potty breaks during your work day. They don’t need to be entertained and are usually content to nap under your desk while you take that Zoom call.
If you had told me 5 years ago that I would basically run a senior home/hospice center for aging hounds, I would have laughed. Well, look at me now. Hahaha. It is so much easier to add an adult or senior pet to your household, I may never get a puppy again. And that’s okay! Puppies are great and I love them! I adore working with your puppies, but I also love giving them back to you at the end of the training session or their pet sitting service. As a society, we tend to value youth in a way that causes us to overlook older pets. Adopting a senior dog is not for everyone and it has its own hardships. But it is so rewarding!