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Adopting a dog is truly one of the best ways to support your local animal community. You’ll give a pup in need a second chance to experience a loving, fulfilling home while helping the rescue organization achieve its welfare goals. You’ll even be helping to tackle the abundance of strays in your local area.
But adopting a dog is a huge commitment, and while you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful forever companion, there are some cons that you need to be aware of. We’ll help you decide whether dog adoption is right for you and your lifestyle by breaking down the pros and cons below.
Pros of Adopting a Dog
Adopted dogs have plenty of love to give, and they make excellent companions for the right families and homes! Let’s take a deeper look at the pros of adopting a dog:
1. Save the Lives of Animals in Need
By adopting, you’ll be giving a dog that’s been surrendered at no fault of their own another chance at life. You’ll provide them with a loving home where they can feel happy, safe, and at ease and allow their true personality and confidence to shine through.
Not only that, but you’ll also be saving the life of another animal in need. This is because you’ll be opening up a space in the shelter, giving the rescue the means to take on (and support) another surrendered animal or stray. You may even help to stop euthanization associated with overcrowding, which is unfortunately prevalent in many states due to overpopulation and underfunding.
2. Save On Initial Expenses
Purchasing a dog directly from a breeder usually costs between $1,500 and $4,500. You also need to pay for medical expenses like vaccinations, neutering, and deworming, all of which can increase that initial cost by thousands.
However, it usually only costs between $50 and $350 to adopt a dog through a rescue. What’s more, rescues will often sort out all the pup’s medical needs before they send them home with you, meaning you usually won’t need to pay for initial vet expenses. Some shelters may even provide you with essential supplies like kibble and bedding.
3. Easy to Find a Pup That Suits You
Plenty of dogs are up for adoption across the United States, each unique in temperament and characteristics. This means you should have no problem finding a dog who matches your lifestyle, whether a quiet, laidback companion or a sturdy, athletic pup who can join you on numerous adventures.
4. Dogs May Be Trained
A huge perk of adoption is that you won’t have to begin the training process from step one. Many dogs are already housebroken and trained to some extent when they arrive at the shelter, and rescue workers usually also provide dogs with basic obedience training and socialization to better prepare them for their new homes.
5. Improves Emotional Wellbeing
Adopting a dog can vastly improve your emotional well-being, as it provides you with a strong sense of fulfillment and purpose in life. You’ll also be blessed with a forever companion who will give you unconditional love and endless affection, which can boost your mood and help keep loneliness at bay.
Gets Your Body Moving
Owning a dog means you have no choice but to get your body moving! Most dogs require at least 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise to stay fit and happy. Some breeds may require even more, especially high-energy breeds like Siberian huskies, Labradors, and border collies.
Lifetime Support
Many shelters offer you support even after the pup has left their care. They’ll happily address any concerns you have and offer advice relating to training, care, or behavioral issues. They may also host community events where you can connect with other fellow dog adopters and share your experiences.
Cons of Adopting a Dog
[image: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-brittany-dog-laying-down-on-2285976403 alt text: dog lying on bed]
Adopting a dog comes with plenty of benefits, but there are some potential cons to be aware of. We’ll cover these, so you’re fully informed before making the life-changing decision to adopt.
1. Difficult to Find Particular Breeds
Most animals in rescues are mixed breeds, and you’ll rarely ever have full insight into a shelter dog’s genetic makeup. Rescue workers try to give insight into what breeds a rescue dog could be made up of — and in some cases, they can be spot on! — but a DNA test is the only way to determine this accurately.
Some breed rescue groups work to rehome purebred dogs, but pedigrees are highly sought after and come with long waiting lists.
2. May Not Be Trained
While many dogs do arrive at shelters trained, this isn’t the case for every dog. There may be some pups that haven’t undergone housetraining or even basic obedience, often because their former owners have neglected them or have been living as strays for lengthy periods.
As mentioned earlier, rescues typically go out of their way to housebreak and provide fundamental training to every arrival at the shelter. However, this won’t always be possible if the shelter is short-staffed or underfunded, and there may be instances where dogs take more time to learn the basics and require your support.
3. Behavioral Issues
Unfortunately, dogs that arrive at the shelter sometimes have behavioral problems because of the neglect or abandonment they’ve experienced in the past. They may be nervous around strangers, reactive in unfamiliar environments, or exhibit high levels of anxiety around loud noises.
Shelter dogs also tend to be prone to separation anxiety, especially those that have been abandoned by their former owners. It’s possible to work through these issues with time, commitment, and plenty of training, though some behavioral issues may be difficult for first-time owners to take on and properly manage.
4. Potential Health Issues
Some dogs are surrendered by their former owners because they have long-term health issues. If a dog has a health condition, you must be prepared to support them physically, mentally, and financially.
This can be difficult if you’re a first-time owner or don’t have a stable income source. It can also take a toll on your emotional well-being, especially if you have to say goodbye to them sooner than you imagined.
On top of that, many rescue dogs arrive at the shelter without detailed medical histories or vet records. Dogs are always thoroughly checked for health problems by shelters, but some issues may go undetected and present later on.
5. Difficult Application Process
Rescue shelters want to make sure they give their pups to the best homes possible, and that means they have lengthy application processes in place.
As a prospective owner, you’ll be expected to fill in an initial application form and attend a meeting with the rescue staff. You may also need to allow the shelter to perform a home check to assess whether your environment is safe for a dog. All of this can understandably be time-consuming and overwhelming.
Your adoption application can also be denied if you don’t meet the rescue shelter’s requirements. As an example, many rescue organizations deny prospective owners if they rent or don’t have a fenced yard. Other reasons a rescue organization may deny you include:
- Long working hours
- A lack of savings or a low annual income
- Not having the experience, lifestyle, or living environment to properly meet the dog’s needs
- Living with children (some dogs are reactive or anxious around kids)
Do keep in mind that even if a rescue rejects you for a particular pup, they may still consider you for another dog at a later time. This is particularly true if they reject you because they feel you aren’t equipped to handle that specific dog’s needs.
The rescue shelter will usually disclose why your application was rejected, though make sure to reach out to them for further clarification if you don’t hear back.
What Does the Adoption Process Look Like?
If you’ve considered both the pros and cons and decided that adoption is the right path for you, then it’s time to prepare for the adoption process! It can be fairly daunting and time-consuming, but we’ll briefly touch on what to expect below:
- You visit local shelters or get in touch with rescue organizations to find out what dogs are available for adoption.
- Once you’ve found a rescue dog you’re interested in, you send in an application form (the shelter should provide this to you on request). Most forms will inquire about your home life, pet care experience, and annual income.
- If you pass the initial application process, the rescue will arrange an in-person meeting to assess you further. You can also take the opportunity here to meet the pup you’re interested in.
- Some rescue perform home checks to make sure your living environment is as described in your application.
- If it all checks out, the rescue organization will reserve the pup for you. You may need to pay the adoption fee at this point (or a deposit).
- Some shelters require you to undergo a waiting period to give you time to reflect on your decision.
- You can take your pup home once they are ready (or the waiting period time is up). You’ll usually be provided care guides and support during this time too.
Are Adopted Dogs Aggressive?
A common misconception is that rescue dogs are more likely to exhibit aggressive tendencies. However, that isn’t the case; rescue shelters have stringent measures in place and assess a dog’s temperament thoroughly.
If the animal shows signs of aggression, they will usually be rehabilitated or taken on by an experienced dog owner who knows how to care for them properly (and handle their behavior). They are rarely ever given to regular prospective owners.
A rescue shelter will also always disclose information about a pup’s needs to a prospective owner and will try to match them with a dog that’s suitable for their home, pet ownership experience, and lifestyle. This means you’ll virtually always be paired with a dog that you can meet the needs of.
How Can I Find Dogs for Adoption?
The easiest way to find adoptable dogs is to browse online adoption sites such as Petfinder and ASPCA. However, you should take the time to visit local rescue shelters in person too, as they may have dogs available that aren’t advertised directly on adoption sites.
If you’re after a purebred dog, you’ll need to get in touch with breed rescue organizations. The easiest way to find these is to simply search online for “(preferred breed) rescue organization in (your state).” You can also use the AKC Rescue Network as a good starting point.
Giving a Dog a Second Chance
Rescue dogs can make wonderful companions, especially with owners who can meet their needs and provide them with plenty of love and affection! We hope our guide has given you a better idea of whether adopting a dog is a viable path for you.
If you do decide to adopt, remember that you won’t have to navigate training and socialization alone. Rescue shelters often provide extensive support for owners, and we also have a plethora of beginner-friendly online training guides at Dog Academy!