Adoption

With so many dogs needing good homes, deciding to buy a puppy rather than adopt one from a shelter or rescue can be a controversial decision. Many get attached to a specific breed or want a dog who is more likely to demonstrate certain traits and behaviors If you are looking for where to buy dogs, you have some work ahead of you to ensure you are not supporting breeding practices that lead to poor health, animal abuse, and crowded shelters

Getting a dog of your own for the first time is a big step. If you're a first time dog owner you need to remember that you're taking responsibility for a living being.

A purebred dogs is simply a dog bred from parents of the same phenotype while a mixed breed dog is bred from two or more phenotypes.

If you are looking for a dog who will make a fantastic addition to your family, what you should be looking for is an individual dog with specific canine personality traits that are conducive to family life.

My friend Leonora, owner of tiny Samson (my dog Woody’s BFF), is starting to search for a second dog. It’s been over a year...

I hear it all the time: “Honey, maybe we should get two! Look how much they love each other! How can we possibly split them...

For many of us who love dogs, our canine family members are a lot like potato chips - we can't have just one. There...

In past articles in WDJ, I have advised people who are thinking about adopting a new dog to develop a list of attributes that they must have, would like to have, would prefer not to have, and really do not want at all – and then to use these lists as search criteria. And yet, here we were, not really sure of what we were looking for. Another herding breed? We already have a Kelpie, so maybe, or maybe not. A Bonnie-type terrier-mix? Maybe, but they didn't seem easy to come by.

So – you've made your list of desired qualities and located a well-regarded shelter, rescue group, or breeder, and are ready to start your search. Perhaps you've already identified a prospect on an organization's website. What now? Go meet some dogs!

the family doesn't get split in pieces with different people pulling for different dogs

happy in a "forever home" where he is loved

You can start the process of socializing and training at any stage of a dog's life! Making positive associations for your dog is faster and easier for youngsters than adults, but it's always worth trying to teach new ways of thinking that will improve your dog's quality of life and overall happiness.