Dog Lovers Weigh In On What's Best For A First-Time Pet Owner - Puppy Or Adult Dog

At first glance, caring for puppies and adult dogs may look similar, but the truth is that they really require two very different environments.

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• Published in Animals
• November 29, 2022

If you're a dog owner, you know that there's a big difference between taking care of a puppy and taking care of an adult dog. Puppies are a lot of work.

They need to be potty trained, taught basic commands, and socialized with other dogs and people. Adult dogs, on the other hand, usually don't require as much training or attention.

There's a lot of debate among dog owners about getting a puppy or an adult dog. Well, we think that there's no "wrong" answer

It all depends on what works best for you and your future furry friend. But whether you're getting a puppy or an adult rescue dog, remember that caring for one is a huge responsibility.

Before getting a canine friend, you must consider whether you have the time and resources to actually care for one. Your future furry friend will require food, exercise, and vet visits.

If you can't fulfill all of these, you might want to consider a low-maintenance pet. Perhaps a cat or a small animal.

Over at Quora, a user seems to be planning to own a pet dog. They asked experienced owners whether a puppy or an adult dog would be suitable for a beginner.

Let's look at the community's responses.

The question.

For someone who has never ‘owned’ a dog, would you say it’s sensible to get a puppy rather than a grown dog for the first time?

In general, people can handle adult dogs than puppies.

I would generally say the reverse.

Puppies are more challenging and easier to screw up than adult dogs.

Do be cautious about *which* adult do you get (i.e. that they are actually suited for you).

But far more people can handle an adult dog than can properly raise a puppy.

Asking experts from vets and dog rescues can help.

Unless you have highly specific needs that must be filled, such as a Service Dog, I recommend you adopt…

Talk to your Vet, check in with Breed Rescues if you have specific breed in mind, visit your area Animal Rescues or SPCA if breed is unimportant, and don’t forget to talk to your local Animal Control / Welfare Officer…

Tell these people what your hopes are and let them help find a dog that best suits your needs, energy level and lifestyle…

An older dog, at least 18 months to 2 years or older, will often be well socialized to humans and other animals, house-trained, have some “Obedience” skills or even have completed formal Obedience training, any genetic, behavioral or medical problems will have had time to express themselves, your dog will come with a comprehensive health and recent behavioral history, a fresh Vet exam with vaccinations and parasite treatments for intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks and mosquitos, and in most states your adoptee dog will be Spayed or Neutered…

You get to avoid “Puppy Madness” and skip right over HOUSE-TRAINING and that delightful “Puppychewsupeverythingintheworld” period of TEETHING…

Consider an older dog… the Right Dog is out there, waiting to Adopt YOU…

The level of ownership is a good consideration.

It all depends on what you are willing to do. There are many pups out there to be rescued and even more adult dogs that need good homes. Just determine which level of ownership you want to start at. I start with young pups. Love training pups. Just remember, they don't stay pups for long.

A beginner dog owner's warning

I madeca mistake of getting a puppy as a new dog owner i cant tell you how many bad mistakes i made.

I got my dog during the pandemic and no trainer was available. I thought dogs knew not to jump on people, thought they knew how to walk on leash, how to potty outdoors and basically i only had to do the feeding and walking but boy was i wrong! I have since gone through 3 new sofas and 8 sets of rugs. And during the month of June and July my dog was teething so i had to wear winter gloves and 4 pairs of socks to protect myself from his teeth at all times.

Get a grown dog. Trust me

This might not make sense at first. But it's better to practice than to realize in the end that you're not fit to be a dog owner.

I say get them a stuffed animal first, make them walk it, pick up poop, save money for the vet, for food, for grooming, training, make them go thru the real life responsibility of owning any pet. A grown dog, will become old faster and you will have medical bills that come with an aging dog. It’s a lot of expense, requires a great deal of time daily.

I would say it is sensible to consider all these things, before getting any pet. Do you own a home? will you have to move and can you take the pet? Please think of everything. Its a life long responsibility.

Animal societies can help you get the best dog.

Getting an adult dog is more sensible. If you go to a rescue society, someone can help you find a dog suitable for your needs.

They are familiar with the individual dogs to help you interact with them. You could also contact established breeders who may have a retiring dog which they are looking to place.

One's availability is a good consideration.

Really depends on how much time you have available. For a puppy, better have someone around during the day for the first month or two (they do have to go out to pee/poo every few hours) - and someone will be getting up 1–2 times per night for the same purpose.

If you/your family do not have that kind of time available - a grown dog is pretty much the only option.

It's also best to research on the dog breeds that will suit your lifestyle.

Puppies are so much more work than grown dogs. There is a lot more training and watching involved. The biggest difference is, you get much more time with pups than you do with older dogs.

This also really depends on the specific breed of dog (or if it’s a mutt, the combination of breeds), the amount of effort you’re willing to put in, the amount of time you have in a given day, and your general expectations of ownership.

For example, if you are a laid back person who enjoys playing video games in their down time, I would not recommend getting a high-energy dog like a Border Collie.

Use this quiz from the American Kennel Club to find out which breed is right for your lifestyle: Dog Breed Selector - What Breed Of Dog Should I Get?

I always say this when it comes to husbandry, don’t get the animal that best suits you, get the animal that you suit best.

No matter what, do not expect it to be easy or cheap. It will be neither.

What it's like to grow up with a dog.

My first Border Collie, Rab, was given to me when I was a puppy of 4 years old, and we grew up together: brothers, best friends and confidantes, and were completely inseparable, until the day he died.

Ever since then, I have always had a Border Collie by my side, from their puppyhood.

An adult dog might have some issues.

Getting a puppy is really hard work. Once I had a baby pug and he kept me awake at night every 3 hours to go outside to pee.

He would cry and wake me up. Also, training is hard, they like to pee and poo inside the house so I had a lot of cleaning to do.

But him being a pug, he still pees inside the house, even nowadays! (But that is just a pug thing). But the best thing of getting a puppy is that you fall in love with them easily and they are so very cute.

Getting a grown dog is good too, just different experiences. My sister got a grown dog she found in the city and he ended being an amazing pet, he just had some trust issues and anxiety.

An adult dog is a good introduction to being a dog owner.

I would say get a grown dog first. A relatively calm one. Puppies require a lot of training and it would probably be better to have some firsthand knowledge of having a grown dog before trying to raise a puppy.

I had a grown dog as my first dog in my teen years and later raised puppies. Definitely thankful to have had the adult dog first.

Some people want to give up on puppies after their first time of owning one.

Training a puppy can be difficult. depends on the breed. We have a chocolate lab and while they are great dogs, my wife swears she won’t do one as a puppy again.

We’ve also had 4 Kuvasz which are not the ideal dog for someone who has never owned a dog at all. My guess is a responsible Kuvasz breeder won’t let you adopt a Kuvasz if you have no dog experience. but my goodness, such a wonderful puppy and such a wonderful breed.

I’m sorry you’ve never owned a dog before. If you have been putting up with people all this time, you’ve really missed out.

If you have lots of time to spend with the dog, get a puppy.

That depends. I've gotten dogs at different stages, from birth (my dog had puppies and i kept one) to older puppy, to old age.

If you plan on training the puppy and it does take lots of consistency and hard work, it can be beneficial to get a puppy. Plus the bond that forms when you have them from puppy is special.

Not to say the bond is better, but from my experience it's on a different level. The puppy would grow up knowing your preferences and behaviors (like no dogs on furniture and your routine) and it is much easier to start them young.

The ones I've had since birth are very obedient to the point i just have to look at them and they immediately drop my daughter's toy and walk away from it. Vs the ones i adopted at an older age, the look don't work and i have to say drop it.

But if you get an older dog, it will most likely already be house broken, and won't be so hyper and likely will have some sort of training (especially if adopted from a shelter). Other benefits to getting an older dog is you know how big it will get.

My friend got a puppy and was told it would be a medium size no taller than her knees. But turned out the dog was almost 60 pounds and to her waist. She was not prepared for a big dog but already loved him.

Either way the most important thing to do when getting a dog is obedience training. It teaches you how to properly train them.

This person knows who's the real boss.

I have personally never owned a dog.

In my 60+ years on this spinning sphere I've been owned by five.

You need to raise a puppy properly to make it an awesome pet.

No, not necessarily. A well behaved adult dog that is already house trained is less complicated to care for than a puppy.

Go to an animal shelter. Tell them you are a first time dog owner. They will help you select a dog that will be a good fit for you.

Getting a puppy is AWESOME. But if you don't raise it correctly, you can wind up with a dog that doesn't behave properly, and that can lead to an unhappy experience for both of you. There are no “bad dogs” — only dogs that weren't raised to behave.

For this dog owner, every challenge of owning a puppy is worth the effort.

If you never owned a dog I would think it’s better for you to get a puppy but you have a lot of work to do, housebreaking, training, lots of exercise, you can’t get a puppy and leave them In the house while your gone they chew everything that’s what puppies do they’re like little destroyers they are a lot of work but worth every minute of it🥰 An older dog could have been abused or very attached to the previous owners!

That takes a long time and patience to undue emotional problems puppy’s need all their shots I also get mine microchipped but then it’s just staying up with their yearly checkups! An older dog could already have medical problems who knows! It’s your choice and good luck! I would never not have a dog in my life🥰

Puppies can be overwhelming for first timers.

Not a chance in hell.

Puppies are tons of work, exhausting, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re gonna end up with an absolute beast of a dog that destroys furniture, pisses on your carpet, and is generally a holy terror to deal with (and you’ll likely blame the dog for it, as most inexperienced owners do).

Get an adult dog. They’ve already been trained, their personalities have already been formed so you can pick a dog that’s suited to your lifestyle and temperament, and it won’t be as much work or as overwhelming.

If you have a nurturing personality, get a puppy.

Absolutely get a puppy first. I've had dogs my whole life.

You grow with them like a baby. You teach them from the beginning.

Their habits, teaching them to go outside, when dinner time is, how to be friendly.

A simple and practical answer

No. Start with an adult. Puppies are a lot of work.

Adult dogs are already trained and are less likely to destroy things at home

Get a senior pet from a shelter. They come educated and not full of potentially destructive energy.

PWhether it's with a puppy or an adult dog, understanding the specific needs of each is key to providing the best possible care — something I'm sure all dog owners can agree on! In short, although fundamentally both puppies and adult dogs need kindness, compassion, boundaries, and love, just how you go about delivering these crucial components matters significantly when making sure our furry friends live happily ever after.

So keep this in mind when deciding which four-legged companion you want to bring into your life!

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