Top Five Reasons To Adopt A Senior Dog

It was around six months ago that my family and I decided we needed a pet—after all it had been a few years since the fish died.

A cat was out of the question because my son and I are allergic. We considered guinea pigs, but when we went to the pet store, no one wanted to reach in and pick up one of the 'large fluffy rats.'

Have you ever seen a guinea pig yawn? They're like little vampire hippos.

Anyway, a dog seemed the natural conclusion. However, I had no interest in taking care of a puppy. Don't get me wrong, puppies are adorable, but I didn't have the time to devote to training a puppy—and neither did my teenagers, despite what they promised.

We eventually decided to start looking for an older dog.

My family and I adopted Cody almost four months ago from Litters n' Critters, a non-profit, dog rescue organization. He's a nine year old cocker spaniel who was much loved by his original owner, but due to circumstances that had nothing to do with Cody, she was no longer able to take care of him.

The day I brought Cody home.

I brought Cody home on a Tuesday morning. By that afternoon everyone in the house was in love with him. He's like this big fluffy pillow with a heartbeat. When he cuddles up close and falls asleep against your leg, you feel like a star. He slipped into our family so effortlessly, I can't imagine having a puppy or any other dog for that matter. He's such a perfect fit for us.

It must have been heart wrenching for Cody's owner to say good-bye, but she was comforted to know he was going to be taken well care of for the rest of his life. I'm so grateful to Litters n' Critters for helping people and dogs find each other at just the right time in their lives.

And now, please enjoy:

Top five reasons to adopt a senior dog...

#1. They won't chew your shoes or anything else. We've gotten Cody a few chew toys and he likes to play tug of war with the kids, but other than that, he saves his jaws for eating food.

#2. They're already trained so there are no accidents. Plus, they don't need to go out for a pee in the middle of the night.

#3. They love to nap! Which means you can nap too!

Cody lurvs his naptime.

#4. They're fully grown. No more guessing at how big they'll get. That means the dog bed you buy will fit them FOREVER!!

#5. Enjoy the simple fact that you're giving a lonely creature a loving home to spend the rest of his days.

Dogs are incredibly loyal. If your properly nourish and love your dog, he will feel the same way about you, no matter how many previous owners he's had.

Me and Cody today.

If you'd like more information on adopting a rescue dog, please check out your local SPCA or Litters n' Critters for pictures and bios.

Who knows? You could meet your next best friend today.