Puppy or Adult Dog – Which is Best For Your Family?

Who doesn’t love the smell and feel of a puppy?  They’re soft and cuddly, cute as a button, and so much fun.  But do not be fooled by their cuteness!  They’re actually like toddlers with really sharp teeth!  Puppies require constant supervision in order to keep them and your household belongings safe.

Puppies pee in the house, have boundless energy, and chew everything in sight, including your shoes, your hands and feet, your kids, your carpet, and the legs of your dining room table.   They snatch food off the table, surf the counters, and jump up on your kids and guests.  They often don’t sleep through the night and when they are teething, the world is their chew toy.  Puppies require constant supervision, endless patience and lots and lots of training.

Puppies love to dig and may happily rearrange your back yard, tear up your sprinkler system and eat your begonias.   They eat inappropriate (sometimes dangerous) things and because they have little puppy bladders, they can’t be left alone for long periods of time.

We all know that there are few things in this world cuter than a golden retriever puppy, but remember that the adorable little 10-pound bundle of fur will grow FAST.  In six months he’ll be able to help himself to anything on the dining room table, and his happy waggy tail could sound the death knell for your pretty doo-dads on the coffee table. 

Little kids and young goldens aren’t always a good match.  A rambunctious puppy can easily inadvertently injure little people.  Goldens are relatively slow to mature.  They continue to have puppy-like behavior for three to four years.  So without a strong commitment to obedience training, you’re likely to end up with a 60-pound bundle of undisciplined energy.  Shelters and rescue groups are full of dogs that are guilty only of growing from being a cute fluffy puppy into a full-grown dog with no training.  They no longer look like puppies, but they still have annoying puppy behavior simply because no one ever taught them how to be a good citizen in the house.

If you have TONS of patience, lots of time, a strong commitment to training and don’t mind having little muddy footprints on your floor, holes in your carpet, or teeth marks on your baseboards and furniture, a golden retriever puppy may well be a good fit for you.  But if you prefer your home calm, peaceful and orderly; if you’re away from the house for long periods of time, and if you’re not an experienced dog parent, an older dog might fit better into your life.  A dog past the puppy stage is often house trained, is less fragile than a puppy, is less destructive, and usually sleeps through the night.  Contrary to what some people believe, adult dogs can be trained; in fact they’re often easier to train because they are calmer and have a longer attention span.  Many adult dogs who come into rescue have never known the joys of feeling love and security.  Showing an adult dog the joys of a happy dog’s life—things they may never have experienced before—is so rewarding.  Imagine the joy of giving your new adult dog her first toy, showing him his first comfy bed, or teaching him what it’s like to be a treasured member of the family.  What could be more rewarding?