When it comes to finding your next dog, you have several options. You can look around to see if anyone is giving away puppies. You can look online to see dogs that are currently in shelters or rescue organizations. You can take a trip to your local animal shelter and look at the dogs that they have. Dog adoption is a good fit for many people who are looking for a family pet. So, if you want a new dog or puppy, you should take the time to ascertain whether adopting a dog is right for you.

What Do You Want?

One of the first questions that you should answer is “what do you want?” Do you want a puppy or an older dog? Do you want a purebred dog or is a mutt okay? Do you want a dog that you can register and show at dog shows? Answering these questions will help you determine whether dog adoption is a good option for you.

Shelters have puppies and older dogs available. In fact, it’s often easier to find an older dog at a shelter. Breeders generally only sell puppies. So, if you are looking for a more sedate companion that is house trained and has outgrown its chewing phase, you should consider looking at your local animal shelter. Many shelters have purebred dogs as well. Many times people go to a breeder, buy a dog, and then realize that they cannot take care of it (or that they do not want to take care of it). As a result, a purebred dog ends up in an animal shelter.

Now, if you do want a dog that you can register and show, you will usually need to contact a breeder that sells show dogs. However, if you just want a family pet, you should certainly consider adopting a dog. You will be saving the dog’s life in many cases since many shelters euthanize animals that have been there for a long time. By adopting one dog, you’re actually helping two—the dog you adopt and the dog that can now benefit from the shelter’s services.

So, now that you’ve given it some thought, is dog adoption right for you?