When Every (Dog) Year Counts: The Pros and Cons of Adopting a Puppy vs. An Older Dog

Published on: 10 December 2021 Last Updated on: 01 February 2025

If you’re looking to add a four-legged, tail-wagging friend to your family, one of the first decisions you’ll make is whether about adopting a puppy or an older dog. Either would give you an adorable, furry friend, but both choices have their unique disadvantages, too.

Whether you’re looking for a puppy or an older dog, you’ll want to check out this year’s most popular dog breeds. These showstopping canines will give you an idea of what other pet parents are looking for in their animals.

Mixed breed dogs are a perennial favorite for their unique makeups and generally stable health, but they may not be the answer if you’ve got your heart set on a specific breed. Following the mixed breed dogs are toy breeds, such as Chihuahuas and Pomeranians.

These loyal, yappy dogs are popular among older adults or couples without children, as they can be particular about their boundaries. Lastly, everyone loves the classic Retriever breeds, such as Goldens and the ever-adorable Lab puppies.

Now that you’ve got the necessary background on this year’s best in show breeds, here are the pros and cons that come with both puppies and older dogs.

Puppies pros

Adopting a pint-sized pooch can be the puzzle piece your growing family needs, but it won’t be without a lot of patience (and chewed furniture).

1. Puppies are cute and affectionate

Young dogs are precious, which is why so many people want to adopt them. Puppies are also affectionate and can become very attached to their owners.

2. Plenty of energy to play

If you want an energetic dog, puppies are the way to go. These little dogs love to run, play, and go for walks. If you’re into jogging, a younger dog’s energy will make your pet a fun partner on your daily 5K.

Puppy cons

Owning a puppy may be fun at playtime, but it can also be a lot of work. Here are the cons to adopting a puppy.

1. Training is needed

Puppies require training in every way imaginable: housebreaking, noise, nipping, jumping, and more. Just like human children, puppies aren’t always eager to do what they’re told, so you’ll need a pound of patience.

2. Puppies’ adult years are a mystery

How a puppy will grow up is a bit of a question mark. Will your dog have behavior issues or medical problems? Only time will tell, and the uncertainty might be more than you’re willing to handle.

Adult dog pros

Grown dogs can offer just as much love and companionship as a puppy, so some prefer to give an adult dog home when adopting a pet. Here are the pros of adopting a seasoned dog.

1. You know what you’re getting

When you adopt an adult dog, you already know its temperament and health needs. There are fewer questions with older dogs, as their personalities have already developed.

2. The dog may already have training

Some adult dogs who need a home have already been housebroken and may have other training, such as service dog training. Older dogs can be an excellent choice for first-time dog owners because of this experience.

Cons of adopting an older dog

Giving an older dog a home carries with it a few considerations. Among them are these possible cons.

1. Senior dogs may not be as energetic

Adopting a senior dog who needs a home is admirable, but don’t expect older dogs to have the same energy level as a puppy or younger dog. For some aspiring dog owners, this chilled-out nature may be a plus. It may mean leaving Fido at home more often than not for active families.

2. Possibility of medical costs

Aging dogs can have medical problems, so you’ll need to consider the cost of veterinary care. Though puppies can also go through their share of medical mayhem, dogs nearing the end of their lifespan will undoubtedly incur a few vet bills before they leave your life.

Giving a dog a home

Deciding to give a dog home can be one of the best choices you ever make, but you’ll need to determine whether an older dog or a puppy is best suited for your home. Whether you adopt a puppy or senior dog, you’ll find either to be loving companions for the whole family.

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CBD for Pets, Anxiety and Pain Management

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a compound found in hemp, which is similar to cannabis. There are differences, though, and the main difference is that hemp contains less THC than cannabis and marijuana, and CBD products usually contain 0.3% of THC or less, making it pretty safe for dogs, considering that THC can be toxic for them. Cannabidiol is also legal in most states around the United States, but only when it’s used to deal with anxiety and the pain that comes from various illnesses. Things are kind of different when the CBD product’s main purpose is to help you with diet and fitness. You can check this page out for more information. With that said, most people are using cannabidiol to manage certain symptoms produced by inflammatory diseases, like joint problems and cancer, and others used it to deal with anxiety problems. Here’s more information on the matter. CBD for Pets: Cannabidiol products also became really famous for pets, because the benefits between animals and humans are pretty much the same. The great thing about cannabidiol is that the side effects of using it are pretty harmless and even rare on most occasions. For example, in a study performed on 214 people suffering from epileptic seizures, only 12% suffered from side-effects such as diarrhea, dry mouth, swollen eyes, and some problems with insomnia. Still, in said study, people suffered 34% less epileptic seizures! Still, side effects are still possible, and when it comes to dogs and cats, knowing the right dose for them comes a long way. This can be difficult to achieve knowing that there are too many factors to consider, like age, diet, the pet’s age, weight, and size. A personal recommendation to get the dose right is starting with small doses until the benefits start to show up. If you see any side-effect, you’ll know that you have to lower the dose. CBD to Deal With Anxiety In my case, I used the Holistapet website to get myself some CBD dog treats for my small dog. He suffered from separation anxiety, which led to many problems whenever I had to leave my dog alone. With the help of small doses (Half a dog treat) whenever I left and arrived home, my dog was able to remain calm and control his anxiety problems. This fixed multiple problems, like my dog bitting sofa pillows, scratching the floor and the windows, or the fights again the trash can in the kitchen. Some dog and cat owners use cannabidiol to help their pets with trips. This helps them remain calm while they are inside a kennel. There’s something you should know, though. In some cases, treats and cannabidiol oil can cause some sort of drowsiness, which is pretty common. This can be avoided if you reduce the dose and make sure your dog is hydrated. In my humble opinion, treats are a great investment if you want to help your dog deal with anxiety, and even pain, and here’s why. CBD to Deal With Pain Here’s probably the main reason why people buy this kind of product. Senior dogs, for example, (Depending on the breed) are prompt to suffer from joint problems, kidney complications, and even cancer. This causes mobility problems and pain, which is hard to deal with in most cases. Of course, there are different types of medication to help your dog deal with that, but most of the time, they‘ll produce an incredible amount of nasty side effects. That is why people are using cannabidiol, to help their pets deal with the pain without having to compromise their health. In fact, some hospitals are starting to use CBD drops in patients after chemotherapies, since it relieves some of their discomfort and pain after the rough process. If your dog is a senior dog with problems moving around, these products might be a great investment to help them. There are stories online of people who purchased cannabidiol to help their dogs and found out that it worked better than they expected. Of course, you should always have the right mindset. The effectiveness of it will depend on a lot of factors, and you should always consider this when purchasing it, yet, you should give it a try if you want to help your pet deal with its anxiety and relieve some of its pain. Read Also: Best Mattress for Back Pain 4 Benefits of Pest Control Services The CBD Health Supplements Making People Feel Good Again

Ten Superfoods for Your Dog

There are many superfoods that you can give your dog, and the list below will make it very easy for you to feed your dogs and keep them healthy. There are many ways for you to get superfoods into your dog's diet, and all these things are listed below. They span a very large range from the broccoli that you would be interested in eating yourself to the apricots that you might be cutting for a little midday snack. 1. Broccoli Can dogs eat broccoli? Yes. Dogs can eat broccoli, but you should cut it up and take out the big and heavy stalks. There are many people who will give their dogs little broccoli florets because that makes it easier on the dog's stomach. 2. Apricots You can give your dogs apricots, but you need to be sure that you have removed the pits. 3. Mango You need to peel the skin off the mango so that you can give this to your dogs without choking them. This is a fun fruit, and they get excited about it because it is sweet. 4. Cranberries Dried cranberries are a very good place for you to start, and they can be given to your dogs in small doses because this is a fun treat for them to have in the middle of the day. 5. Apples Apples are perfect dogs, but you need to have cubed them and make sure that you found a variety that they like. You must also remove apple seeds because they are not safe for anyone to eat at any time. 6. Pumpkin Pumpkin pulp can be given to dogs at any time, and you will find that the pumpkin could be given from a can if you want your dogs to have a little treat that might be mixed into their food. This is also a very good thing to give dogs when you want them to eat what you are eating. 7. Cheese Dogs all like a little bit of cheese, but you should not give them too much cheese. This could upset their stomach because they should not have too much milk. 8. Cauliflower Cauliflower is a fun alternative to broccoli, and it helps your dogs eat very well while also having something that you can eat on your own. 9. Carrots Carrots are very easy treats for your dogs because you can buy the small carrots to give to your dogs. This is a good snack for you, and your dog will be excited that they can eat the same things you are eating at snack time. 10. Quinoa You need to cook up the quinoa, but this is a very good choice for you because it can help you make sure that you have something in their diet that is like a grain. This could also be the thing you use to mix up their other foods. The foods that you give your dogs can come from your fridge for mealtime or snack time. Read Also: How Does The Training Of Defence Dogs Look Like? 10 Reasons Why Your Dog Can Breathe Fast? Can Dogs Make The Anti-Social Kids Socialize Better?

How does the Training of Defence Dogs Look Like?

Defence dogs have special features that make them suitable for this purpose. Before the dog is admitted to defence training, he has to complete a course for a 1st degree companion dog. This gives confidence to the trainer that the dog understands the basic commands such as summoning, fetching, "sit", "go", and walking on a loose leash or even without a leash. In addition, defence dogs should be very disciplined. The first step is, of course, to choose the right breed. The breed that has an internal defense reflex which tells them when their owner is in an emergency situation. The most popular dog breeds for defence include: Amstaff, Bullmastiff, Bulterier, Doberman, Boxer, German Dog, French Shepherd, and Caucasian Shepherd. Choosing a particular puppy can’t be a matter of chance. The animal should come from a registered kennel and preferably have a pedigree. The problem with these breeds is that they are prone to aggression, so it’s important to bring up such a dog using appropriate forms of training. A well promising defence dog shouldn’t show too much aggression. The training requires a lot of patience and commitment of the caregiver and starts only when the dog is taught obedience, walking by the owner's leg and self-control. The trainer takes part in the training together with is assistant. The dog is taught to attack when it hears the command "take". He cannot attack the assistant even if it’s against the owner's will. The only exception to this rule is the situation of a direct danger, for example when the assistant attacks the trainer, then the dog should throw itself at him. However when the assistant takes a defensive stance, the dog cannot attack him, but it has to guard him. Unfortunately, due to the natural aggression of these breeds, it’s sometimes really difficult to control them in such situations. Nevertheless, the defensive dog should stay loyal to his master, have sympathy, fidelity, and trust. The dog's behavior cannot be unpredictable, and that’s why dogs with a pedigree are chosen for this job because we can be sure that the animal will meet these criteria. Hidden aggression can never be directed towards the master. In addition, the dog must observe the surroundings and know for himself when the master is in an emergency situation and needs help. In addition, the external appearance of the dog, which is often able to scare the attacker just with its silhouette, shouldn’t be insignificant. Unfortunately, the dogs performing such a role are often poisoned, so well-trained dogs should only eat food given to them by their master. For defence training, apart from the dog, we need an assistant. He should be dressed in a special suit or hand guard. The purpose of the first stage of training is to irritate the dog to the point when he can learn the skill of grabbing a sleeve or a teether. The success of this exercise depends on the behaviour of the master, who must hold the dog on a short leash and encourage it to attack. He can do it by running, shouting, or waving a baton. Meanwhile, the assistant tries to provoke the dog to attack him. At this stage of learning, we do not use coercion. If the dog behaves correctly, the master praises him, which encourages the dog to continue the exercises. If the dog succeeds the master should reward him for that immediately. After a few lessons the trainer is able to control the dogs aggressive behaviour. For example, he can successfully command the dog to stop attacking the target. When the dog has mastered the "take" and "let go" commands, the trainer can move on to more advanced exercises. How to train defence dogs? - A dog that goes by the foot of his master has no right to pull itself forward, bark or behave aggressively. Training a dog requires a lot of patience and determination. - During the training, the trainer cooperates with the assistant. If he tries to run from the dog and the trainer does not give a direct order to attack, the dog cannot pull himself out and throw behind him in pursuit. - The dog cannot attack the assistant when we show a defensive attitude. When the aggressor is still, the dog will proceed to guard him until the master arrives. How to stop the dog from attacking someone: In the case of training a dog with an innate tendency to aggression, surprises can happen. The most important thing is to know what your dog can do. Stopping such a trained dog from attacking someone randomly on the street is really difficult and often ends in the death of the dog. When it happens, you shouldn’t try to kick the dog with your legs, because it will only enrage it more. That’s why the owner should learn how a stun gun works. It’s the best way to effectively stop the dog from attacking someone with the smallest chance to kill it. Characteristics of a good defence dog: When we buy a pedigree puppy from a proven breeding, we can be sure that it has an innate tendency to perform the function of a defensive dog. We should anticipate the behavior of the dog by which we must be sure that the dog will not hurt us. How to take part in defence training if we can't judge whether the dog will not direct the aggression towards us? We have to teach obedience to the dog. The biggest difficulty is to learn how to walk by the leg and stay on a loose leash. The defence dog must be vigilant and it should inform us about the dangers ahead. Even when the aggressor is still, the animal cannot stop watching him. Perseverance in battle and stubbornness are the hallmarks of defence dogs. A defensive dog cannot be bribed. The attraction with treats and distraction are common methods used by aggressors. How much does a defence dog training cost? Dog training takes place at the time set by the training centre and usually lasts for about 40 hours. The price of the courses varies between 500-1000 Euros. Read Also: Can Dogs Make The Anti-Social Kids Socialize Better? Can Dogs Help Writers Stay Positive During Stress?

When Every (Dog) Year Counts: The Pros and Cons of Adopting a Puppy vs. An Older Dog