10 Benefits of Adopting a Dog Instead of Buying

Having a dog in your life can have tons of advantages. In addition to gaining a new best friend, you also have an excuse to exercise more and you can be sure your furry companion will be a bundle of laughs. The biggest decision to make is whether you’ll buy a new puppy or adopt a dog.

If you’re leaning more towards adoption, you may wonder what the benefits are. Take a look at why adopting is often much better than buying.

10 Benefits of Adopting a Dog

You’re Saving a Life

Adopting a dog means giving it a loving home; something it may not have had before. You will be giving an animal a second chance in life. Many dogs that end up in shelters have been mistreated or abandoned. Some may have had loving homes before but were given up because the owner could no longer take care of them.

By choosing adoption, you can give a dog a new life. You could even stop the dog from being euthanized due to a lack of space. It will mean one less dog for the shelter to look after.

Costs Less

Adopting a dog costs less than buying a dog. Buying a new puppy can be very expensive, and you’ll need to purchase accessories like a bed, lead, and toys on top. In addition, puppies will need to be vaccinated and spayed or neutered. 

When you adopt a dog, you can be sure that he has been vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. Some shelters only ask for a donation so you can give whatever you can afford towards the running costs of the shelter.

Dog Training

Each dog is vetted by the shelter when put up for adoption. The shelter will be able to tell you about the dog’s personality and behavioral tendencies. This is because the dogs are seen by dog training professionals during their stay.

The shelter may recommend that some dogs not be placed with young children because they are naturally boisterous. You can continue the training with your adopted dog at home. There are some great training tips on this website.

Put a Stop To Puppy Farming

Unfortunately, there are many people who seek to make a profit from dog breeding and treat dogs poorly while doing it. Puppy farming is illegal and breeders very rarely have the health of the puppies in their interest. Many people who buy puppies from puppy farms will go on to find out that the puppy is in poor health and could face large vet bills.

Adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy means there’s one less person interested in breeding. The more people who choose adoption over purchase, the less likely breeders are to make the money they want.

Improved Mental Health

Many people who rescue dogs say that the dog rescued them instead. Owning a dog will help to improve your physical health but the benefits to mental health are astounding. Many dogs and owners go through a journey together—a journey to acceptance, loyalty, and love.

This relationship with your dog will improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Research also suggests that stroking a dog can significantly lower blood pressure and children who live in a home with a dog are less likely to become unwell in adulthood.

Great For Children

There are lots of advantages to children owning a dog. It’s the perfect way for children to understand animals and learn how to behave around them. Dogs very often have close friendships with children.

Owning a dog will also teach children responsibility. They’ll need to learn when the dog needs to be fed, when to take the dog for a walk, and get involved with dog training. Adopting a dog will help children understand what it means to give a dog a second chance in life and why that’s the best option.

No Toilet Training

When you buy a puppy, you’ll need to go through the hassle of training it to use the toilet on a puppy pad and then outside. This usually takes time and results in accidents around the home. It can be frustrating to clean up after the puppy all the time and the smell can linger in your home.

When you adopt an older dog from a shelter, you won’t have to worry about this. Most dogs will come already toilet trained so you won’t have to go through that training with him.

Unconditional Affection

Dogs are loyal and loving animals but they’re also understanding. It may take a while to build trust with a dog from the shelter, especially if he’s been treated poorly before. However, once you do build trust, you’ll experience affection as you’ve never seen.

It’s almost as if shelter dogs know they’ve been rescued and want to show their appreciation and gratitude. You can look forward to a type of love you’ve never known before.

No Expectations

When you buy a puppy, you have certain expectations and the experience may not be all you hoped it would be. When you adopt from a shelter, you’re more likely to go in with no expectations. Most people end up adopting a dog from a shelter because they fall in love with a dog they never expected to find.

Your idea of the perfect dog may completely change when you meet the dogs at the shelter. This gives you a chance to fall in love with a dog based solely on his character, rather than the fact he’s a cute puppy.

Older Dogs Are Calmer

If you’re dreaming of sitting outside a cafe with your calm dog while you read a book, head to the shelter. Puppies will very rarely sit still and behave while you attempt to drink a hot coffee. Older dogs are calm and don’t feel the need to seek your attention as often as younger dogs.

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