Older dogs can make great pets for the right family or senior. Here’s some unexpected benefits of bringing an elder dog home.

Please include attribution to Marin & Sonoma Pet Waste Removal with this graphic.

Energy Levels

Puppies have an endless supply of energy that might not mesh well with your busy lifestyle
Seniors dogs are even mellower than an adult of their breed, so they’re easier to keep happy

Size and Breed

Puppies, especially mixed breed puppies, may end up a lot smaller or larger than you expect
Senior dogsare already grown, so there’s no surprise about their size, or what breed they are

Puppies must be carefully acclimated to all sorts of people, places, dogs, and other pets
Seniors dogs are less likely to be over-excited by new things because they’ve seen it all

Puppies are a lot of work to train, and you never know if they’ll need professional training
Senior dogs are fully trained, and their routines are so fixed it’s hard to give them bad habits

Puppies go through stages where they can’t help but destroy the house in one way or another
Senior dogs won’t relieve themselves in the house, chew on your furniture, or cause damage

Puppies are in high demand and are rescued from shelters very quickly, regardless of breed
Senior dogs will spend more time waiting to be adopted and are more likely to be put down

As great as senior dogs are, it’s important to be aware that they have some drawbacks.

Health expenses: A senior dog may be more cost-effective upfront, but they may develop expensive health issues sooner
Shorter lifespan:You’ll have to say goodbye to a senior dog sooner than if you’d purchased a puppy and that can be distressing
Integration: It may be harder to introduce a senior dog to other dogs you own, but most mature dogs will accept puppies quickly
Bad habits: You can find perfectly behaved senior dogs, but if they do have some bad habits they will be very challenging to fix

By: Marin Pet Waste