Adopt a Pet, Don't Buy!

Puppies are so adorable, cute, and cuddly. But lets face it, sooner or later all puppies grow up and turn into full-sized dogs. By adopting a grown, homeless dog, we'll surely miss out on a few months of soft puppy fur but we'll also skip the first year or two of razor-sharp teeth, shredded shoes, and pee-soaked floors. Hmm. Sounds like a pretty good trade off to me.

The Wag’s boys, Redd, Lincoln, and Claude are all rescues with different stories:

Redd was given up twice to the MCSPCA and we found each other when he was a wild two-year old who never learned how to walk on a leash. He stuck his nose through the chain-link cage and I broke the rules and stuck my fingers right back in to scratch his fuzzy cheek. He grumbled and fell asleep. Redd came to live with me the next day and has since become a huge people-lover, squirrel chaser, and perfect gentleman on his leash.

Lincoln is a bit of a different story. He was bred by an amateur just to make some cash. Stuck in a crate all day and night with his brother, he only ate what was leftover since he was the little guy. They pooped and peed where they slept and ate. When his breeder was evicted from his apartment, they had nowhere to live. We intervened and took him in, then found his brother a home the week before his bed would be ready at the shelter. Lincoln was scrawny fella with a monstrous head, protruding ribs, and skin issues from malnourishment. He’s a lovable beast of a dog who hates leashes, ate his own poop for the first six months, snores like an old sailor, and we wouldn’t want him any other way!

Claude, Link and Redd’s adopted cousin, is apparently the world's most perfect dog who knows all commands, never misbehaves, and has been a pleasure to his family since his adoption at two years old. He aims to please. A real brown-noser. A perfect foil to Link. Everything Link is, well, Claude is quite the opposite. From what I hear, Claude is so good that if has a bit of a queasy stomach, he holds it and waits at the door patiently to be let out onto the grass. Whatever, Claude. Butt-kisser. Link prefers just open his mouth to spew and get it all over with the moment it hits him. Good for you Claude, you really are a good boy!

Who knows where these dogs would have ended up and I sleep well at night knowing they’re safe and snoring with full chubby bellies after a day of chasing tennis balls and barking their heads off at the neighbors. These guys are the happiest they can be.

The point is, have a little patience. The perfect adoptable dog is out there -- there's even quite a few puppies. Take the time to visit a few shelters to find your best friend. You never know who you might find!