Pros and Cons to adopting an older dog?

 I'm the opposite from what many of you have said - I am usually hesitant to take in older puppies or adults unless I really kno the dog. I have raised multiple puppies and also brought multiple adult dogs into my home. For me, puppies have all been far easier! My current dogs accept puppies much more readily than they accept adult dogs and tend to have a bette relationship with dogs raised her as puppies. IME once you have multiple dogs of mixed sexes, it gets harder and harder to find appropriate adult dogs to add to the household and still maintain the peace. I also have had the best luck with dogs I have raised as puppies and started with early socialization and training (I LOVE training puppies!). Dogs I raise from puppyhood always seem to grow up the most in tune with me and seem to fit the very best well into our life. Not that I don't love the dogs I have gotten as older puppies or adults but for me, the early socialization stage is just too important to leave up to chance or what someone else thinks to do.

The pro is that you are doing something wonderful by giving a dog that nobody wants because they're not a cute little puppy another chance at life. The con is that you are taking a risk, however, that there is something in the history of the dog that the organization might have missed, and one wrong movement can make the dog snap. The latter is not likely though. My dad has adopted 5 adult dogs in the past and I have heard nothing about them attacking him or anyone. I have adopted four adults in my life. The first three all came at one time. I was at a shelter looking for a dog and saw three buff American Cocker Spaniels that had come from a BYB situation. The dad who I named Buffy was 12 years old, the mom Angel, was 14 years old, and the son Little Mac was 10 years old. They were all wonderful dogs to own and I'm so glad I made the choice to save them. I just couldnt let them die there without ever really knowing what a home and having a family was like. Buffy lived for a year and half with me and died at age 13.5, Little Mac died about a year later at age 12.5, and Angel lived seven months after that and passed at age 17. And just in October of 2009 I adopted Lion at age 5. He is the sweetest dog I've ever had and I know I will NEVER, EVER regret that decision. I love getting puppies too though because I adopted Brownie and Cuddles when they were 8 weeks old just I got Brownie 2 years before Cuddles.

Just make sure they are spayed/neutered and have all their shots. Also signing up for an obedience class may not be such a bad idea.

 In January, my parents adopted an 8 yr. old lab/rottie x. She was already housetrained, didn't chew on inappropriate things, liked Tootsie, etc... IMO, that has been the best decision ever. Its now March and she now knows this is her new family. Their last choice in a dog was Gizmo, a shih tzu from a puppy mill, that cost them thousands in vet bills, over 10 yrs.

K.C.'s only health problem, so far, is arthritis. She is 70 lbs, so quite large, I don't believe she would ever have been adopted.

Mechanical Angel

The pro is that you are doing something wonderful by giving a dog that nobody wants because they're not a cute little puppy another chance at life. The con is that you are taking a risk, however, that there is something in the history of the dog that the organization might have missed, and one wrong movement can make the dog snap. The latter is not likely though.

 I have had a good number of students in my classes over the years who have adopted adult dogs that turned out to be dog or human aggressive in some way. Many worked out with training but some did not. We have county pounds here who give no info on the dogs at all and even the private shelters/rescues can't know the history of a stray or a dog someone wasn't honest about. They can only evaluate the dog and make a guess, which may or may not be accurate. I'm usually hesitate to suggest people with young children adopt a random adult dog for this reason.

 By "older" what do you mean?  Older than a puppy or a senior?  I adopted a 2 year old dog a couple years ago.  I really only have pros, no cons with this one.

Pros to adopting an older than puppy dog:

1. Could already be house trained.  And if not, it's easier as the dog can hold it longer than a puppy.

2. Out of that puppy chew everything phase (well, possibly!).

3. Has more of an attention span so I find training easier.

4. Temperament is pretty set, so you know more of what you're getting.

Cons:

1. Could have developed hard to break habits.

2. Don't know their history -- could have been abused, undersocialized, or mistreated in some way.

AgileGSD

I'm usually hesitate to suggest people with young children adopt a random adult dog for this reason.

I forget, somehow, that people have children. One of the adults I took (from a stranger, almost literally off of the street, with NO history) turned out to be VERY aggressive with children in particular, and nothing I tried made it better. She was manageable, but it wouldn't have gone well in a home with children, or a home that wasn't willing to rotate her with the other dogs. The second I adopted, with no info, from a county shelter, turned out to be a HUGE kid lover. Adores them, seeks them out, and I almost think it's not fair to have her in a home without kids. You just don't know, and if you do have children, they have to be first priority. In that case, I'd reccomend a well bred puppy, or well bred, socialized adult, or a rescue that's been living with kids in a foster home without issue, for months.

I adopted Frisby as an adult (not a senior, but an adult). No one knew any history about her--she was 'arrested' and was thought to have been on the 'run' for quite awhile. She was first quaranteened, then put up for adoption. And, she waited a long, long time b/c no one wanted an adult dog. Me, I got a dog who was fully house broken, was so grateful to have been adopted (they know!), and has been a love ever since. (We've been together 10 years now.) She did have to learn how to learn--and that took awhile (moving from Pavlovian/automatic responses to operant/positive behavior stuff is hard, but that's what special ed teachers are for!  I would definitely adopt an adult dog again.

AgileGSD

They can only evaluate the dog and make a guess, which may or may not be accurate. I'm usually hesitate to suggest people with young children adopt a random adult dog for this reason.

And I've seen MANY times where people get a puppy and abuse it and MAKE it aggressive to kids or adults. 

You do some homework, you take children WITH you and keep your eyes open when looking at a dog OF ANY AGE.  Unfortunately most places like pounds/animal control do no intake at all and there's nothing to keep idiots (and their not well trained children) from doing everything wrong in the book with ANY dog. 

so you go to the pound and you're looking at a herding dog -- that would be one I'd be cautious of even if it likes YOUR children because likely it may try to 'herd' visiting children too enthusiastically.  But again -- it's a matter of being a little bit educated.  Honestly I see a puppy just as danger-worthy as an adult.  ANY dog you adopt has the potential to not do well with children unless well supervised.  And most of the time, a dog who is HUGELY aggressive is going to show that tendency while you're examining them.

AgileGSD

Mechanical Angel

The pro is that you are doing something wonderful by giving a dog that nobody wants because they're not a cute little puppy another chance at life. The con is that you are taking a risk, however, that there is something in the history of the dog that the organization might have missed, and one wrong movement can make the dog snap. The latter is not likely though.

 I have had a good number of students in my classes over the years who have adopted adult dogs that turned out to be dog or human aggressive in some way. Many worked out with training but some did not. We have county pounds here who give no info on the dogs at all and even the private shelters/rescues can't know the history of a stray or a dog someone wasn't honest about. They can only evaluate the dog and make a guess, which may or may not be accurate. I'm usually hesitate to suggest people with young children adopt a random adult dog for this reason.

That may be true in your area, but I wouldn't dismiss getting a dog from rescue.  Often, those dogs have lived with a foster family for a while, and they can provide valuable input as to how the dog reacts with kids, cats, and other things.  I would not probably advise a family with children to adopt from a shelter that has no behavior evaluation program and no info on the dogs, but I've known people who wanted to adopt badly enough that they will pay a trainer to go with them to do an evaluation.  Of course, there are lots of puppies at shelters, too, and in the high kill shelters, they are often in almost as much danger as the older dogs if no one adopts them quickly enough.

calliecritturs

AgileGSD

They can only evaluate the dog and make a guess, which may or may not be accurate. I'm usually hesitate to suggest people with young children adopt a random adult dog for this reason.

 

And I've seen MANY times where people get a puppy and abuse it and MAKE it aggressive to kids or adults. 

You do some homework, you take children WITH you and keep your eyes open when looking at a dog OF ANY AGE.  Unfortunately most places like pounds/animal control do no intake at all and there's nothing to keep idiots (and their not well trained children) from doing everything wrong in the book with ANY dog. 

 It really isn't that simple. IME you rarely get to see a dog's true temperament at a shelter. Most dogs take weeks (some as long as months) to be totally comfortable and secure in their new environment, enough to act like they normally do. I have known many dogs who seemed fine at the shelter - passed temperament tests, seemed friendly but had major behavioral issues once they settled into their new home. 

  Of course some people screw up with puppies. And those puppies usually grow into adult dogs that find themselves without homes. Which is the exact reason I am uncomfortable suggesting people with young kids adopt a random adult dog. If people really want to adopt an adult dog, they can get one from a reputable breed rescue (I'd push for a breed known for being generally tolerant and friendly) a dog who has been in a foster home for a good while with young children or from someone who has to rehome their kid-loving adult dog.

calliecritturs

  But again -- it's a matter of being a little bit educated.  Honestly I see a puppy just as danger-worthy as an adult.  ANY dog you adopt has the potential to not do well with children unless well supervised.  And most of the time, a dog who is HUGELY aggressive is going to show that tendency while you're examining them.

 A dog doesn't have to be "HUGELLY aggressive" to be unsuitable to live with young children. Lots of dogs are overall friendly but have certain issues which are pretty much dealbreakers with young children such as resource guarding or startle aggression. Such things are not always going to be obvious at a shelter, no matter how educated you are.

 I've never adopted a senior, but have a couple of middle aged dogs, so I can not speak to the adoption part.  But I can to the living with part.

My dogs have all been hunting breeds, and I have enjoyed the pups immensely, but I am older now and don't know if I have the energy to train and socialize and just keep up with a pup.  I've found older dogs easier to live with, more comfortable to be around, and better, quieter  companions.  Their personalities are more stable.  The adult dogs we've brought into the family have adapted easily and have wanted to fit into our homes.

When Piper was a pup, I wish I could have harnessed her energy.  I could have gone off the grid..  But she is almost 10 now, and is quieter in the house and is happy with a good walk and an occasional trot in the yard.  She pays better attention when working and I have learned to read her better.  Piper has been blessed with excellent health so far, but I imagine the day will come when I get to know my vet better. 

I have a lot of respect for people that can adopt the seniors, knowing that some of them come with health issues and behavior issues.  I've thought about it, but think I'll go with an adult dog when I decide to get another.