WHAT? YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS!
I’ve never personally adopted a puppy due to the incredibly hard work, time and patience that they take. But let’s face it, the number one reason is I really value my sleep! Like a lot! Puppies are like babies they get up in the middle of the night to go pee pee and they don’t wear diapers. So yup you have to get up and take them out or if you don’t you’ll never potty train them. Plus all the chewing and training sounds exhausting to me even though they are darn cute! They are just adorable but so are adult dogs.
I’ve always adopted adult dogs. The first dog I adopted as an adult person from the Humane Society of Broward County was Brandi, a beautiful Collie Shepherd mix. I felt bad for her. She was turned into the shelter because she had puppies and they decided to keep one of her puppies instead of keeping her. She sat in the shelter for a long while and retreated to the back of her cage. She stopped eating and was becoming depressed. So, I bit the bullet and adopted my first dog. I was nervous because I never had a dog of my own and wanted to do everything right to make her happy. I took her home and she walked perfectly on a leash right next to me. I opened the back car door, and she jumped right in and laid down. Two for two. She was quiet on the way home but looked relaxed and relieved. Before I took her up to my apartment, I took her for a long walk, and she did her “duty” and did a happy dance in the grass. I brought her up to my place took her off the leash, she sniffed around a little and laid down. I got water for her, dinner, a bed, lots of toys but she was totally content just chilling out and having her belly rubbed. I kept thinking what else should I do? Take her for another walk? Is she okay? Am I missing something? Oh I know I’ll give her some treats. So, I got out some yummy liver treats and she perked right up. And surprise she knew all of her commands plus a few tricks! Wow I thought she is some dog.
I started bringing her to the park and out with me to dog friendly places. I found out she loved kids. She would get giddy around them. Well that just happened to be perfect for me because I am in charge of the Humane Education department at the Humane Society. I made her my education dog and she was perfect. She adored the children and together we taught her more fun things like barking to a hand signal, guessing which hand had a treat with her nose and of course we taught her happy dance on command. I scored the lotto with Brandi she was the best dog I could have ever adopted. Since then I have adopted Frodo, Lopster, Special, Cooper, Bruschi, Little One, Jelly, Sydney and Teddy. Each wonderful and special in their own way. None perfect but perfect for me. Lopster and Cooper also were Education Dogs for the Humane Society.
Each of these adult dogs that I adopted bonded deeply with me. It was if they knew I saved them from that lonely cage or the neglect that they once felt in their previous homes. I fell in love with each and every one of them. So, for me, no puppies. I will always happily adopt an adult dog who is unwanted, so appreciative, eager to bond and many times already trained. But most of all because I love my sleep! Ha!
Caroline Crane
Vice President of Education
