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So, you’ve decided that it’s time to welcome a new addition into your household and you’ve decided upon looking at dogs for adoption. There are numerous benefits when you adopt a dog, ranging from helping to stop “backyard breeders” from proliferating to simply saving a dog’s life and enriching your own.

Petclassifieds

On Petclassifieds.com, in addition to dogs for sale, there are also a lot of dogs that have been put up for adoption by their owners and are now looking for a new home.

Rescue Clubs

If you’re someone who loves a particular breed, simply spending a little time online will probably land you on a site for a rescue club that specializes in the breed of your dreams. By going through a rescue club, you also have the additional benefit of having people who know the breed thoroughly to help you determine the best match for you and your household.

Better Bonding

The Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research found in a 2016 study that while “pet dogs” were more easily trainable, as opposed to “shelter dogs,” the shelter dogs were more likely to socially bond with humans and follow them more closely.

Current Vaccinations

When you’re looking at dogs for adoption, you’ll probably find one that is current on all its vaccinations and is also probably microchipped. If you’re going with a shelter or a breed rescue club, you’ll also be given some background medical history on the pet you’ve adopted.

Spayed or Neutered

Most dogs for adoption are spayed or neutered prior to being adopted out. If they aren’t, you’ll usually be given a discount coupon to use at some future date. By having your dog spayed or neutered, you’ll also be helping curb pet overpopulation.

Housebreaking Made Simple

In many cases, when you’re thinking about dogs for adoption, you should consider that a large number of them are already housebroken. Anyone who has gone through the process of housebreaking a puppy, for example, understands just how frustrating that can be.

Skip the Puppy Stage

Many dogs for adoption are already past the puppy stage. That’s good news for anyone who doesn’t want to have their shoes chewed up. When you adopt a dog that’s already an adult, you’ll avoid many of the problems found in dogs that you need to completely train.

Older Dogs Have More Stable Temperaments

When it comes to dogs for adoption, something to consider is that older dogs tend to have more stable temperaments and personalities. Younger dogs sometimes undergo personality changes as they get older while more mature dogs already have their temperament fully defined.

Personality Matches

One aspect that many adoption centers focus on is trying to find the best match for both dogs and owners. When you’re looking into a dog for adoption, provide as much information as possible as to what your day-to-day life is like. If your home most of the day, you might look into adopting a smaller breed lapdog. On the other hand, if you have a very active lifestyle, you may look into adopting a breed that has a lot of energy that you can help burn off.

Meeting People

When you adopt a dog, you might soon find yourself spending time in one of the many dog parks found around the country. You can let your dog have some quality playtime with various canine companions, while you can spend time talking with the owners. When people find out that you’ve adopted a dog rather than getting one through a breeder, you can definitely rack up some socially responsible points.
Socialization with other dog owners provides numerous benefits, helping individuals overcome shyness and allowing introverts an avenue to interact with others in a way they find less stressful.

Physical Benefits

Simply adopting a dog automatically means you’re going to be more physically active, whether you like it or not. In addition to taking your pet out for walks, you’re going to be going to the store for food and just generally being more mobile thanks to the new addition to your home, which translates into increased physical activity.

Helping Shelters

Many dogs for adoption come from shelters that desperately need to improve their facilities. When you adopt a dog from one of them, your adoption fee will not only go towards paying their staff, it will also go towards any improvements or maintenance that need to be done.

Stress Relievers

When you adopt a dog, you’ve also adopted a terrific stress reliever. After a rough day, the moment you come home and find your dog waiting to jump on you, greet you with kisses and enthusiasm, you’ll quickly find yourself responding. Numerous medical studies have also shown that having a pet helps lower blood pressure and also promotes overall better health than individuals who don’t have pets.

Dogs and Depression

With literally millions of people worldwide suffering from some form of depression, one of the best ways to help deal with it is to simply share your life with a dog. When you adopt a dog, you suddenly find yourself with another living being that depends upon you and that gives you unconditional love and affection. In turn, that elevates the oxytocin and dopamine in your body and the next thing you know, some of the dark funk surrounding you begins to dissipate.

Self-Esteem

When you adopt a dog and take on the responsibility of caring for it, this begins to have positive effects on your self-esteem. When you feed your dog and take it out for walks and just generally spend time with it, you’re showing yourself that you’re capable of being responsible and competent, which translates into increased feelings of self-worth, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Finding the Right Dog

When you go online and do a search for “petclassifieds.com dogs for adoption near me,” you’ll quickly find various dog owners, rescue groups and shelters that desperately need your help. You can contact them and they can walk you through the process you’ll undertake in order to bring home just the right dog.

Saving Multiple Lives

Shelters that have dogs for adoption often have limited space. When you adopt a dog from one of them, you’re literally opening up some room for another dog to come in and have a chance at finding a forever home.

Finding a group that offers dogs for adoption and taking that wonderful first step in adding to your household is one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do. You’ll have saved your dog’s life and, more importantly, you’ll have yourself a bonding experience with your pet that enriches both of your lives.