Why Shelter Dogs Are The Best

Often, when people want to get a pet, they first think of finding a new, purebred puppy. that would be just the perfect kind of pet for them. Based on each breed’s characteristics, they would choose just the type of dog they believe suits their family the best. They would find a responsible breeder with a good reputation and wait for the litter to be born.

But, the truth is that choosing the perfect dog for you doesn’t have to do anything with its breed (unless you need a hypoallergenic dog). What matters is the affection and amazing moments your dog is going to provide you with. As you may know, if you treat your dog right and give him all the love he needs, he will likely be your most loyal friend that you wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

Therefore, more and more people are considering to adopt a shelter dog instead of buying a pup from breeders. Most people that have adopted a shelter dog say their dogs are the most incredible creatures they’ve ever met before. Often, you would hear these people saying how shelter dogs make the best pets because they often turn out to be much more loyal, intelligent and affectionate when treated right.

And, we have to admit that we completely agree with them. Adopting a shelter dog is the best thing you can do if you’re a true animal lover. So, in this article we’re giving you 10 reasons why adopting a shelter dog is the best!

1. You’re Saving A Life

First things first, when deciding to adopt a shelter dog, you’re doing something very humane. You’re saving an innocent life from living without its own family and providing him with a home to live in.

Some of the shelter dogs were even traumatized by being treated badly or by living in poor conditions, which is why a dog from a shelter will appreciate even the minimal things you will bring to his life.

If you have kids, you’ll be setting them a perfect example of humanity and teach them good values without having to explain much.

2. You Will Save Money

Owning a dog can be quite expensive, especially in the beginning when you need to pay for vaccinations, checkups, and even neutering/spaying costs.

When you adopt from a shelter, you’re covered for all initial vaccination and sterilization procedures. You can ask your shelter center for all the health information you need for your new dog. They will surely provide you with a health record of your dog that you will have to hand to your vet.

3. Many Of Shelter Dogs Are House-Trained

If you happen to fall in love with an adult dog while looking for your new pet at the rescue center, you will most likely get a dog that is fully or partially house-trained.

Not all of these dogs were treated badly or abandoned on the streets when they were puppies. Some of them ended up in shelters after a divorce or the birth of a baby or of some reason other than maltreatment.

4. Many Of Shelter Dogs Are Socially Trained

Not only do you have high chances of getting a house-trained dog, but well socialized too.

No matter if they have been previously socialized before getting into the shelter, by spending time with other dogs and shelter staff these dogs get adapted to interacting with their human and canine friends.

5. You’re Fighting Puppy Mills

Besides saving a life, when you’re adopting a dog, you’re fighting puppy mills. If you buy a puppy from a pet store, flea market or even online, the chances are high that you’ll be getting a dog from a puppy mill.

These puppies are living in extremely poor conditions, and they don’t get proper medical care. Their mothers are kept in cages and aren’t bred in the proper, healthy way.

Instead of waiting for them to reach the proper age to breed, these female dogs are being bred way before they are fully grown and then mated over and over again which can result in a litter of sick puppies.

6. Your Adopted Pet Will Make You Happier And Healthier

It is scientifically proven that dogs affect our mood, and as you probably can guess it, they are affecting it in a very positive way.

Not only will having a pet make you feel happier, but the continuously improved mood will make you a healthier too. Plus, getting a shelter dog will result into more happiness, because he will likely surprise you with his reactions of pure joy.

7. You’re Helping Other Animals

Instead of buying puppies from pet stores and supporting a mass breeding system that puts dogs through a lot of suffering, by adopting a dog from a shelter center, you’re creating more room for other animals that are in need.

8. Adopted Dogs Are Even More Loyal

Dogs are known to be the most loyal pets out there. However, dogs adopted from the pet shelter will surprise you even more with how loyal they are going to be.

Especially dogs that were treated poorly, or have been abandoned; appreciate all the attention & affection much more, from their new owners. You will gain a new best friend that will show you his gratefulness in plenty of ways.

9. Adopted Dogs Are Usually Already Spayed/Neutered

Canine overpopulation is one of the main reasons millions of dogs are euthanized and abandoned each year. For this reason, rescue centers make sure to neuter/spay their dogs to make sure unplanned pregnancies and litters don’t occur.

Whether if you’re choosing a female dog or a male pup, you probably won’t have to worry about spaying/neutering costs and the post-surgery recovery of your new pet.

10. There Is A Lot Of Variety When Choosing

When adopting a dog from a local shelter, you will actually have a lot of different options to choose from. This includes dogs of different breeds and personalities; but you can also choose your new dog based on its age and health conditions. For example, you might have to invest in different supplements, or a Glucose Monitoring System Meter if you’re adopting a diabetic dog.

For this reason, it’s important to ask all your questions to make the best choice for yourself and the dog. The staff will surely be happy to provide you with all the information you need. Shelters collect a lot of information about their dogs and will know all about their personalities, background, general health.

By adopting a sheltered dog, you won’t only be making one dog happier; but you might actually spread awareness and get someone else involved in this beautiful act of humanity. Set an amazing example for your loved ones, and they might easily end up doing the same. This way you will also get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a difference while making one dog happy.

Conclusion

If you’re convinced that a shelter dog is for you, contact your local shelter to answer all your questions.

We know how overwhelming getting a new pup can be; it can make us forget some crucial things out of pure excitement. A lot of us even forgets to buy a leash or a collar, and realizes it the first time we’re about to take our new dog to a walk. Therefore, we’re sharing with you a handy checklist brought by Barking Royalty of essential items you have to provide to your new dog before he arrives at his new home.

Print it out or save it to your phone/computer and thank us later! Good luck with your new pet!