Top 10 Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog

From ASPCA, here is a great list of the top 10 reasons to adopt an older dog:

1. What You See Is What You Get
   Older dogs are open books—from the start, you’ll know important things like their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the right dog and forge that instant love connection that will last a lifetime. If you’re not so into surprises, an older dog is for you!
   
2. Easy to Train
   Think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Hogwash! Older dogs are great at focusing on you—and on the task at hand—because they’re calmer than youngsters. Plus, all those years of experience reading humans can help them quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.
   
3. Seniors are Super-Loving
   The stories you submitted about your senior dogs were wonderfully varied, but they all contained beautiful, heartfelt descriptions of the love your dogs give you—and those of you who adopted older dogs told us how devoted and grateful they are. It's an instant bond that cannot be topped!
   
4. They’re Not a 24-7 Job
   Grownup dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value your “me time,” this is definitely a bonus.
   
5. They Settle in Quickly
   Older dogs have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. They’ll be part of the family in no time!
   
6. Fewer Messes
   Your floors, shoes and furniture will thank you for adopting a senior pooch! Older dogs are likely to already be housetrained—and even if they’re not, they have the physical and mental abilities to pick it up really fast (unlike puppies). With their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to be destructive chewers.
   
7. You Won’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
   There are those who yearn for a doggie friend of their own, but hold back because they worry what might happen in their lives in the years to come. And they are wise to do so—a puppy or young dog can be anywhere from an eight- to 20-year responsibility, which is not appropriate for the very elderly or those with certain long-term future plans. Providing a loving home for a dog in her golden years is not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.
   
8. They Enjoy Easy Livin’
   Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog who will run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise—they do—but they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.
   
9. Save a Life, Be a Hero
   Older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized at shelters. Saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together. There’s nothing like that twinkling in an older dog’s eyes when he finally gets adopted and realizes that after a lifetime of searching, he’s home.
   
10. They’re CUTE!
    Need we say more? For proof, check out our new photo feature In Praise of Older Dogs!

I have dedicated a page to the senior dogs I've rescued on my website. Please stop by to check it out:
http://www.joannsfosteranimals.com/view.php?pageid=19.