After a family discussion on the pros and cons you’ve decided that you want to adopt a family dog. The next decision should be whether you should adopt a new puppy or an adult dog.

Having a playful puppy in the house can really be a great joy. However, keep in mind that bringing a puppy into your home is a major decision that will require a major time commitment. Initially both you and your new puppy will both have to learn to adjust to your new living arrangements. Quite a few sleepless nights may be in store for both of you. In addition, your little tyke must be very closely supervised and properly taught what is and is not acceptable behavior. And, please, don’t forget the trials and tribulations of housetraining! You may find this to be a challenging time with numerous “accidents” to take care of. Your patience while housetraining a puppy may be stretched to the limit. Also, young pups love to chew on things. Keep in mind that it may take at least six to eight months for your pup to outgrow his chewing phase and another year until he’s fully mature.

When determining whether or not a puppy will fit your lifestyle you really must make a completely honest assessment of your ability, and willingness, to deal with the challenges that the youngster will present. If you conclude that it’s not realistic for you to care for a puppy, then an adult dog can be an excellent choice.

With longer attention spans than excitable puppies, an adult dog is generally easier to train. Adult dogs that lived with another family are likely already housetrained. There may still be a few accidents at first but it won’t take long for an adult dog to adapt to your rules. You may find that they have already learned some basic commands and/or cute tricks. Since an adult dog may have lived with other children in their previous home, they may adapt to children in your home much more easily. Also when playing with a puppy you’ll undoubtedly discover that they have needle-sharp baby teeth that can accidentally injure a young child.

Why not consider adopting a canine “senior citizen”. Even nine or ten year old dogs can still have many more good years to offer to a loving family. And, for me at least, just knowing that I’ve rescued an “unadoptable” pooch from probable euthanasia is very gratifying indeed.

Adopting a dog requires your commitment to ensure a happy, healthy partnership between you and your new best friend. However, it can really be great fun and it’s definitely well worth the effort!