Five Reasons Why Shelters Dogs Are the Best

If you’ve noticed a missing place in your life, it might be time to adopt a furry friend companion to make your days fuller and happier. While we all know that we should adopt and not shop, some prospective puppy parents may wonder if a shelter doggy is the best idea. It’s true that these dogs may be ‘more work’ than a puppy from a breeder, but the magic lies in giving a fur baby a home and a happy life that they otherwise might never get.

Further, just because a dog is in a shelter, it doesn’t mean that there is something ‘wrong’ with them. The circumstances surrounding their life could range from an incapable previous owner, an inability to adapt to previous living conditions, or a litter of puppies too big to handle for just one family.

You can find your best friend from a shelter, and here’s why:

1.  Up-to-date medical care

While this is not true for every shelter, the majority of shelters and rescues will ensure their pups and pooches have all their vaccinations, dentals, deworming, and sterilizations up to date. They do this with the help of donations, and the animals are well taken care of by vets in a good shelter.

2.  Bonding

Often times, a rescue pup will bond quickly with you and love you for giving them a second chance at a wonderful life. As they are in need of love and care from a family, they will likely form a loving relationship with you very quickly.

3.  The perfect fit

The great thing about shelters and rescues is that there is a massive variety of furry pals to take home as part of your forever family. Whether your circumstances will best suit a puppy or an older dog, a purebred or a mixed-breed dog, or a small or big dog, you can find the perfect pup for your family. Staff at the shelter will also know the dogs well enough to tell you about their background, their demeanor, and how they will fit in with your family.

4.  Training

While you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, your rescue pup will likely already know how to ‘sit’, ‘fetch’, or ‘stay’, be house trained, and know how to walk on a leash. This makes is much easier for you to integrate them into your life knowing that they are already trained.

5.  Benefits

Having a dog offers much more than just a friend. They are a source of support and love, offering their unconditional companionship in return for your attentive care and a warm lap to sit on. Further, you can enjoy exercising together, cuddles, and someone to take on all your adventure. Older dogs are also easier to train should you want to, and puppies are great for raising together with a family.

Finally, adopting from a shelter or rescue means actively not supporting puppy mills and breeders who despicably exploit animals for profit. You will be giving a dog a home that they otherwise might not have had, and you will gain a best friend for life.