Dog adoption is where the “rubber meets the road.” By now you should have decided that you’re in a position to give a dog a good home.
You should also have an idea of the kind of dog you’re looking for.Will you be looking for purebred? Or, are you a fan of the mixed breeds (as I am)?
Are you open to getting a male or female, or do you have a definite preference?
This is as important as where you should look. Many people naturally turn to their local pet store to adopt a dog. Please don’t be one of them. Most pet stores get their dogs from “puppy mills” rather than from legitimate breeders.
There are many reasons to avoid buying dogs that come out of puppy mills:
Buying a puppy that came from a puppy mill only keeps the system going. If people can make money with these practices, they will continue doing it.
Please don’t support this horrible system by adopting a dog from a pet store.
If you’re looking for a purebred, then you should be working with a “reliable” breeder. What makes a breeder reliable?
Here are a few simple questions that help you make sure that you are dealing with a reliable breeder. If the answers aren’t to your liking, or the breeder seems uncomfortable answering your questions, find another breeder.
While it’s possible to find a great dog by answering an ad in the newspaper or online, you must be very careful. Some people posting these ads will be reputable breeders like the ones mentioned above.
Some, however, will be people just trying to make a fast buck by turning their dog in a puppy-machine. Purchasing a puppy from such people only encourages more of this despicable activity.
Be careful in these situations and be very thorough in your questioning to make sure they are reputable breeders.
This is a very popular way of finding a dog to adopt and it can be a very successful way. Is your friend (or relative) someone who loves his dog and is treating their puppies in loving and responsible manner?
If so, chances are very good that the puppy you get will be a wonderful addition to your family.
There are hundreds of thousands of mature dogs in America that need good homes. Most of these can be found at shelters and pounds. Some are strays, while others have just been abandoned by their owners. Saving one of the poor dogs is a wonderful thing to do!
At a shelter you will find that:
Check out www.petfinder.org to see what dogs are currently available at local shelters.
When you adopt a retired assistance dog (like a guide dog for the blind), you’ll have yourself a wonderful dog. These dogs have been carefully selected for the tasks required.
They are guaranteed to be attentive to your wants and needs. And, they have demonstrated an ability to be trained and to bond with their owner.
A dog adoption is serious business for you and for the dog. Here are my recommendations for finding a dog to adopt:
Do you have a great story about adopting a dog? What prompted you to look for a dog? Where did you look? How long did it take? What did you finally adopt?
Tell us about it!