More Dog Articles:

Home - A Dog Blog

Guide For Training A Dog

Searching for a dog to adopt is sure to get everyone excited. Dogs are truly a man’s best friend. You can rely on your pet dog to give you companionship and unconditional love and protection. But you need to take some time to evaluate your family’s lifestyle and needs before you look at dogs for adoption. It is a major life altering decision and the most important factor is whether to choose a puppy or an adult when you're considering dog adoption. You need to really think about what would be best for you... puppy or dog adoption.

Here is some helpful information for you to consider before making a final decision: 

Information on puppies:

*Raising a puppy is great because this means that you guide its growth and well-being. You have the ability to raise it according to what you want and need. You therefore get to ensure that it is properly cared for with lots of love and proper nutrition and necessary dog vaccinations to prevent heartworm and other diseases at this early stage. Having a puppy also allows you to personally train the dog right from the start so you don’t have to later eliminate bad habits.

* It is easier for a puppy to adjust to new surroundings than it is for an adult dog.

* Puppies due to their young nature can be very entertaining. They are very cute and adorable pets that are a hit for both children and grown-ups alike.

* One drawback to a puppy can be that most of them at one time or another will cause minimal to major destruction to your personal stuff while they are teething. Also they need to be potty trained and be given dog obedience training. This requires a lot of time effort and patience from the owner.

* When you get a puppy you don’t know what his temperament will be as he grows up and there is a slight possibility that it won’t be what you desire. Also there is no assurance of what a puppy would look like when it gets older; especially if it is a mixed breed.

* A puppy should be kept with its mother until it is 10 weeks old. Studies have shown that puppies need a lot of time to be cared for by their mothers as this is a critical stage for them. They somehow gain a psychological advantage for both puppy and the mother dog.

Information on adult dogs:

* Typically you will have less of a fuss taking care of an adult dog. They have already established behavior that you can easily adapt to. Since the dog is already an adult you can judge his temperament easily and know weather it is compatible with your family or not.

* Most dogs have already been potty trained so they would cause less damage to your belongings and don’t typically wake up at night like most puppies do. Usually they have also grown out of the urge of chewing your personal items.

* It is fairly easy for an older dog to adapt to other pets (like other dogs or cats) if you have a group of them within your household.

* Unlike puppies adult dogs may not need your full attention and would need less trips to the veterinary.

* For a fully-grown dog physique and behavior is essentially not a variable anymore. For the most part what you see is what you get.

* You must get as much information on the dog that you can when you are completing a dog adoption. Make a mental not of its habits and mood swings. If possible ask the previous owners a lot of questions about the dog and why they no longer want the dog in the home. Some adult dogs may have behavior issues; take note of them.

* It may take some time and effort for an adult dog to be completely comfortable with a new family and surroundings.

* Make sure that you introduce an adult dog to your children and other household members rather than having them surprise the dog. This would help the dog be familiar with them and helps the dog refrain from biting or barking thinking that they may be strangers.

Puppy or dog adoption is not an easy undertaking and should take some serious thought. Everyone loves sweet looking puppies but not everyone can stand up to the tiresome house and dog obedience training. Though most would welcome the bonding shared with them. Adult dogs need no great amount of regulation but can still turn out to be a lovable pet and member of the family.

Whichever you decide is right for you simply keep in mind that puppy or dog adoption involves a lot of time and effort. But in return you will have a loving and loyal companion for many years to come.

Please see my Dog Training Obedience Review page to read about the professional trainer's manual and videos that I personally used and highly recommend for dog behavior and obedience training.

Current Puppy or Dog Adoption News  

Dog sparks first lifeboat callout (BBC News)
A new £29,000 lifeboat is launched for the first time to search for a dog missing off the Tyneside coast.

Bite victim wants future dog attacks prevented (Billings Gazette)
It's dog Bite Awareness Week, and Billings resident Doug Ruebke need only look at his hands for a reminder of what an angry dog can do with its teeth. Ruebke and his dog, a 10-year-old Shih Tzu named Buster, were out for an evening walk April 23 when ...

Rangers fan mauled by police dog at UEFA Cup final is convicted murderer (Evening Standard)
A football fan mauled by a police dog during the UEFA Cup final violence has been unveiled as a convicted murderer. Alexander Aitkenhead, 38, was jailed for life in 1987 after he was found guilty of stabbing his brother-in-law to death in a row about his sister.

Missing dog's owner, 8, has a luckier day (Long Beach Press-Telegram)
Nathan Pereira, who had his dog stolen in a street robbery, gets a donated terrier.