When buying a dog, you automatically ask yourself whether you want a young puppy that you can watch grow up slowly but is not yet house-trained and does not yet know any rules, or whether you want an adult dog that can already do everything but of which you do not know the exact history.
To make this question easier for you, we have listed the advantages and disadvantages of a young puppy and an adult dog.
The puppy
No one can resist the small eyes, the little nose and especially the fluffy fur of a puppy. However, you shouldn’t be fooled by the cute eyes, because many puppies already have it thick behind the ears in their young years and are up for any mischief.
The main advantages of a puppy are that you can raise your dog all by yourself and also help develop its character. This creates a great bond between the dog and its owner from an early age. You can only get this close bond if you accompany the dog very closely in its early childhood years.
Likewise, the puppy can be wonderfully integrated into your family and is familiar with everyone from the beginning. The great advantage here is that the puppy does not necessarily know only one caregiver, but has the whole family as a caregiver and can build up a great deal of trust over the years.
Through your individual upbringing you can shape your puppy’s character and adapt it to your life and your daily routine. If you get up between 7-8 a.m., you can train your dog according to this and do not have to follow the times of the previous owner, who taught the dog a different daily routine.
Likewise, when you train your dog, you don’t have to worry about your dog having bad experiences or picking up bad habits.
Besides, life with a curious and often clumsy puppy is much more intense and fun than with a full-grown dog who can do everything perfectly.
However, compared to the advantages of a puppy, there are also some disadvantages that you should think about and also take into account.
Raising a puppy is very time-consuming and will steal some of your nerves. Especially since the little puppy does not yet know basic commands, leash control and how to deal with other dogs or puppies. Disciplined training is very important here, as this will have a very strong influence on their future life together.
The noise level in a large family is also a very big stress factor for your puppy. He needs a lot of rest and sleep, especially in the early days. Children who want to play with him around the clock could become a big problem.
The point that the puppy needs to be cared for and supervised around the clock should also not be ignored. The owner must be there 24 hours a day for the young and mostly helpless puppy.
It cannot be expected that a young puppy is completely house-trained in the first few weeks. Especially in the beginning, the young dog will leave many puddles in the flat. It is therefore best to take the puppy outside every two hours. This can also be done several times during the night.
If you want to know how much a puppy sleeps during the day, we have the perfect article for you: How much does a puppy sleep?
Conclusion of the puppy
There is certainly nothing better than having a young puppy that you can shape and train and accompany into dog life from the very beginning. This creates a very close bond with each other.
The disadvantage with very young dogs is that they do not yet have basic commands and are not yet house-trained. They also cannot be left alone and need 24-hour care and supervision.
The adult dog
If you want to choose an adult dog rather than a puppy, this has some advantages. Adult dogs in particular know the basic commands and have already had a good education.
Adult dogs know normal everyday life and have already experienced some situations and do not immediately flinch at every tractor or bus.
The less time required is also a big advantage with adult dogs. Since puppies still have to be cared for and protected around the clock, an adult dog can very well stay home alone for a few hours and keep himself busy.
You also know the character and behaviour of the dog from the previous owner, as these are already well developed. This also has the advantage that you can choose a certain dog in advance, which for example fits very well with a large family or with which you can do a lot of sport.
If you want to know how much a dog costs per month, we have a list of all the costs for you in our current article What does a dog cost per month?
Since adult dogs are already house-trained, there is no need for daily cleaning of carpets and other surfaces where a puppy would leave its business.
Besides all the advantages of adult dogs, there are also some disadvantages that an adult dog brings with it.
Often you don’t know the exact history of the dog and have to cope with its quirks and its behaviour. Especially dogs from a shelter did not always have the best life before and need an experienced owner who has a lot of care and knowledge.
The bond with the dog also needs to be built up slowly, as unlike with a puppy, there has not been a relationship that has lasted for years. This can take a few weeks depending on the character of the dog.
Adult dogs can develop illnesses or limitations as they get older.
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Conclusion of the adult dog
An adult dog has many advantages as it knows basic commands and does not need to be trained. Also, dogs of this age are house-trained and can be left home alone for a few hours.
The disadvantage is that you often don’t know the dog’s history and have to come to terms with its character and behaviour. Also, a bond has to be built up first, which will take some time depending on the character of the dog.
Especially dogs from animal shelters need an experienced owner who gives the dog a new home with a lot of care and encouragement.
Puppy or adult dog
It doesn’t matter what you decide in the end. It is important that you think about the purchase of a dog carefully. Because keeping a dog needs a strong hand and a lot of discipline as well as a lot of love and care.
