If you are an animal lover, specifically a dog fanatic, listen up. Prior to my experience adopting, I had always believed that there were many more advantages adopting a young puppy versus an older/senior dog. My family had always raised me to believe that older/senior dogs deserved a happy home, just like many puppies are able to obtain. A stigma about adopting older dogs has been floating around society for a long while. Many believe that older pups need a home, but how many people are willing to take on the challenge of adopting an older dog?

When I was in seventh grade, I was surprised on Christmas morning with the greatest gift I have ever received. I got a six-month-old pitbull/lab mix and was ecstatic to welcome her into my home. I had wanted a dog ever since I could remember and my dog, Lady, made that dream come true. She was a puppy and it worked so well because my family had the time to cater to her needs as a puppy. Although puppies are unmistakably adorable, they require a lot of hard work, commitment and constant attention & love. Adopting a dog of any kind requires these things, but puppies tend to require a little bit more attention and care than older or more mature dogs.

Lady was the best decision that my family made at that specific time period in our lives. As a college student adopting, I immediately thought I wanted a puppy, just like Lady. As I started looking, I knew that wasn't going to be an easy adjustment. Thinking about all the time spent planning who was going to be home with Lady for the first two years of her life, I was decided that I could not handle having a puppy as a busy college student. After coming to that conclusion, I got to thinking. I always cried my eyes out at Facebook videos of older dogs getting adopted and finally finding their forever homes. Why couldn't I do that for an older dog? Why couldn't I give them that chance?

As I began my search, I started to fall in love with older dogs. With that search, I found my passion and found a deeper love for dogs I was unaware I possessed. I always knew I deeply loved and felt connected to all dogs, but through this adoption process I found that helping older dogs find homes was a passion of mine. I adopted my first love, Bailey, in September of 2017. I had just moved into my first apartment and had come face to face with dog fever one to many times. I ventured north to Phoenix for the day, where I discovered senior Saturday at Maricopa County Animal Shelter. It was there that I first fell in love with senior dogs. Walking through the different hallways of hundreds of beautiful innocent dogs broke my heart. I wanted to take every single one of them home. After a while of walking through the halls, I came across a dog that stood out in a large crowd.

I walked past a row of one hundred-pound Pitbulls and in between two white ones, I found my best friend. She had to be about twenty pounds. She was black, had long floppy ears, and curly long fur. She was a six-year-old Cocker Spaniel. I never knew much about Cocker Spaniels until I found her, but it is one of my favorite breeds of dogs because of that ray of sunshine. The shelter believed she was about six years old, which is what the vet later confirmed. My mom was a bit hesitant about this adoption because she knew how invested I tend to get with my animals. She didn't want me to get hurt. She didn't want me to feel as if I'll have less time with her versus a one-year old puppy. She loved her; she just wanted to make sure it was the right fit for me.

As rebellious as I am, I decided to adopt her despite the possible issues facing future endeavors. I thank my lucky stars every day that I took a chance on her. Not only does she make me feel loved more than ever, but I learned why older dogs are a great option for single individuals, families with less time for obedient training, or someone that is just looking for continuous love. Although puppies do give off endless love, older dogs give off a different kind of love. Unfortunately, we are unable to understand the hell that these pups could've endured, but despite the hardships they have faced, most are still filled with love. Most of the time, pups that have been through hell and back love so much because their human restored their faith in the good of human kind. Their human showed them that despite their flaws, old age, or various disabilities, they deserve love like all other animals.

Bailey gave me endless love for about one year before I was inspired to venture out and look for another dog that needed our help. Bailey changed my life without a doubt. She gave me a sense of responsibility and self-independence that I don't think I ever would've experienced without her. Her ability to love and ability to look past all of her hardships inspired me to find my other love. Stick around if you like sad stories with happy endings.

I walked through the halls of Pima County Animal Care Center with tears filling my eyes. I wanted to hold every dog tight and tell them that if I could, I would take them all. The shelter was so filled up that the smaller dogs had to share a cage for one with between four to five other dogs. My heart broke as I walked past these crowded cages, paws scratching the gates and muffled barks coming from various cages. I stopped at one cage with five small dogs crowded into a cage meant for one. I saw a small white dog facing away from me. I said, "hi puppy," and he turned his beautiful face around. He had one eye and I had to hear the story.

Rocky was put into a dangerous environment for most of life and was considered "surrendered," after his original violent owners decided they had no need for him anymore. After reading his file, I read horrific things. He found himself in a home of small-dog-aggressive dogs whom attacked him multiple times, leaving scars, scratches and a more permanent wound. His left eye was ripped out by one of these dogs and Rocky found himself without an eye. I had never felt more of a need to help an animal than I did with Rocky. As soon as I was able to, I signed the papers and took him home.

Rocky is eleven years old and completely blind due to the loss of his left eye and cataracts in his other. I know it may seem funny, but these qualities make him an even better dog. Along with Bailey, he has endured hell and has managed to get through it. He has made me extremely happy and fulfilled. He confirmed my passion even more. Lady, Rocky, and Bailey were the best things that had ever happened to me.

Lady was a puppy when we adopted her, but we were lucky she was so amazing and were fortunate enough to be able to work out a schedule that someone in the family was able to be home with her for most of the day. She needed a lot of extra love care and guidance because she was a puppy and I'm so glad we were able to give it to her. However, many families cannot find this amount of time throughout their daily routine to care for a new puppy. That's when the thought of adopting older dogs should cross the mind.

Older dogs have a-lot of benefits associated with time, obedience and house training that puppies don't typically possess. Most likely they are somewhat house trained, and if not fully house trained, they are better at grasping the idea of going to the bathroom outside. They are also typically less wound up, hyper and energetic than younger pups. They don't need constant exercise, accompanied with rapidly fast running around the house, which could disrupt family obligations. All dogs love their humans endlessly, but an older dogs' love is extremely special. They know that you have taken a chance on them and despite their flaws, you love and accept them.

Rocky and Bailey are such amazing dogs. Lady is just as amazing, as well. I am fully responsible for Rocky and Bailey, while Lady lives in New Jersey with my parents. These dogs have made me a better person. They have given me a new appreciation for life and given me the ability to be thankful for the simple things in life. I think all dogs have potential to be perfectly suited for you, but it takes a smart human to assess their situation before they take the leap and adopt a furry child. Puppies are adorable and can make perfect pets for everyone with the right training and care. However, I encourage you to not only think about your living situation, daily routine and financial situation before adopting a puppy, but I encourage you to think if you will be the person that makes the difference in an older animal's life. They need someone to be their saving grace and I am living proof that giving them the world doesn't take much money, time or difficulty. It takes endless love from a human and their furry child to make the relationship s special as my two love bugs.

Always think about the dog that you think is least likely to be adopted, especially at kill shelters! You could not only be saving a physical life but improving that pup's overall outlook on life. Consider older/disabled dogs when adopting! Don't count them out, they are as amazing as all the others! And don't forget to ADOPT DON'T SHOP!