With age comes beauty and wisdom, and our senior canine companions are proof of that! That’s why the entire month of November is dedicated to providing them with the shelter and love they need and deserve. That’s right, November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month – a month dedicated to the celebration of the many paw-sitive things a senior dog has to offer!
Here are numerous reasons that make older pets a great option for families looking to adopt a pet.…
Calm, Cool, and Collected
Older pets are typically calmer than puppies and kittens, often content with a more relaxing day-to to-day routine. As we all know, puppies and kittens, though very fun, are often more rambunctious and may find themselves getting into mischief when they get bored.
Family Friendly
The low-key, mellow nature of older pets makes them a great fit for households with children. Before ending up in shelters, senior pets often come from some sort of family life which makes adjusting to a new home environment much easier than it could be for puppies or kittens.
You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Senior pets are often already trained and may even be pros at performing basic commands. The great news is that even if they’re not, they are much easier to train than younger animals. Their experience around humans, along with more established physical and mental abilities, allow them to better understand the requested commands and pick up new tasks much faster than puppies or kittens.
Commitment Issues
Unlike young pets, senior pets are not a 24-7 commitment. Many new pet owners underestimate the time and commitment it takes to properly train a new puppy. Because of their relaxing lifestyle, senior dogs they also don’t require the constant attention and exercise that comes with young pets. Of course, they still love to play with the family, they just don’t require as much of your focus and energy.
What You See is What You Get
With senior pets, you know exactly what you’re getting. Senior pets’ personalities are already developed so you can tell right away if they will be a good fit for your family. Even things like their size, energy level, and health status are already established so you know exactly what to expect with your new pet.
Love
Story after story suggests that senior pets are especially grateful for their new home. They seem to know they’ve been rescued and owners often notice an extra special sense of love and appreciation from their senior pet.
The list can go on and on, but most importantly, when you adopt a senior pet, or even share knowledge about the need for senior pet adoptions, you are truly saving a life. We, on behalf of all the shelters and senior pets out there, thank you for that.13