20 Reasons to Adopt a Senior Pet Dog

A senior dog with happy family!

1. When senior pets are adopted, they seem to understand that they’ve been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it.
2. A senior pet’s personality has already developed, so you’ll know if he or she is a good fit for your family.
3. You can teach an old dog or cat new tricks.  Senior pets have the attention span and impulse control that makes them easier to train than their youthful counterparts.
4. A senior pet may very well already know basic household etiquette like not attacking your feet at night, not scratching your furniture nor jumping all over you when you get home.
5. In particular, senior pets are often already house broken likely to have accidents in the house.
6. A senior dog or cat won’t grow any larger, so you’ll know exactly how much animal you’re getting.
7.  Senior pets are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger pets, who may get into mischief because they’re bored. Not to mention they make great napping buddies
8. Senior cats often know that scratching posts (not furniture) are for scratching and toys (not hands or feet) are for biting. Senior dogs know that chew toys are for chewing, not your favorite shoes. Also, no worries on teaching the new puppy not to play bite all over your hands.
9. Senior pets are some of the hardest to find homes for– so when you adopt a senior pet, you’re truly saving a life. While we here at HSVC are a no kill shelter, many facilities aren’t. So no matter where you adopt from, consider a senior pet.
10. If you do adopt a senior pet from here at HSVC the adoption fee is only $75. Many other agencies will often offer a similar reduced adoption fee as well.
11. What You See Is What You Get. Older dogs are open books—from the start, you’ll know important things like their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the right dog and forge that instant love connection that will last a lifetime. If you’re not so into surprises, an older dog is for you!
12. Easy to Train. Think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Hogwash! Older dogs are great at focusing on you—and on the task at hand—because they’re calmer than youngsters. Plus, all those years of experience reading humans can help them quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.
13. Seniors are Super-Loving. One of the cool parts of our job is reading stories from people just like you who have opted to adopt. The emails we get from pet parents with senior dogs seem to all contain beautiful, heartfelt descriptions of the love these dogs give you—and those of you who adopted dogs already in their golden years told us how devoted and grateful they are. It's an instant bond that cannot be topped!
14. They’re Not a 24-7 Job. Grownup dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value your “me time,” this is definitely a bonus.
15. They Settle in Quickly. Older dogs have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. They’ll be part of the family in no time!
16. Fewer Messes. Your floors, shoes and furniture will thank you for adopting a senior pooch! Older dogs are likely to already be housetrained—and even if they’re not, they have the physical and mental abilities to pick it up really fast (unlike puppies). With their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to be destructive chewers.
17. You Won’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew. There are those who yearn for a doggie friend of their own, but hold back because they worry what might happen in their lives in the years to come. And they are wise to do so—a puppy or young dog can be anywhere from an 8- to 20-year responsibility, which is not appropriate for the very elderly or those with certain long-term future plans. Providing a loving home for a dog in her golden years is not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.
18. They Enjoy Easy Livin’. Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog who will run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise—they do—but they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.
19. Save a Life, Be a Hero. At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.
20. They’re CUTE! Need we say more?

There is definitely better advantage of having senior dog as pets, it is like you have the oldest best friend you can have. This article is brought to you by PetStreetMall.com, we have lots of innovative and exciting pet products at surprisingly low prices with free shipping deals! Visit us on PetStreetMall Facebook fan page.