My Dog Had Me At Hello
Had I known then what I know now about the right and wrong ways to approach pet adoption I might have been tempted not to have adopted my chocolate lab Duke from the animal shelter. My bank account would have thanked me but I would have been haunted by his almost certain demise. But even if I had been armed with the latest information on how to adopt a dog I still would have made the same decision – he had me at hello.
But thanks to all the information that there is out there about pet adoption you can avoid the mistakes I made when I got Duke. As you can see from the pictures featured here (taken just a day after adoption) Duke is obviously a very sick dog. He is fine now but it was close. I even ran into someone later that had seen Duke at the shelter but declined to adopt him because he was so sick! And be careful, dogs adopted from the shelter will be so grateful that they will hide their worst symptoms from you until their illness is so acute that they almost die and because they are getting a second chance at life be prepared for a little separation anxiety until you have had them awhile.
All dog breeds are worth consideration, not just the ones suitable for the Westminster Dog Show. In fact, you are more liable to find a more durable, more healthy mutt than you are a pure bred dog. Like any simple machine, there is less to go wrong, hips, joints, etc.
Pet Adoption From An Animal Shelter Is Recommended
Pet adoption compared to 06 and 07 is down because of our economic situation because pet ownership can get expensive, even with a healthy dog or cat. Unfortunately pets are still coming to shelters in record numbers, due in part to the same economic issues so it's more important than ever that if you are considering pet adoption that you do so from a shelter.
Even the Dog Wisperer himself has spoken about it. These dogs and cats at the shelters need our support. When you adopt a pet its for life.
Of all the "How To Adopt A Pet" videos out there I liked this one the best:
My dog is a chocolate lab and not only does he like to swim in it but he loves to drink it in great sucking gulps, especially after a session of frisbee chasing. After he has drank his fill from his special water dish and has left the kitchen in search of the nearest pillow, you can track him by the trail of leaking jowl water. What had been clean, cool water a moment ago was now filled with floaties and sunken, unidentifiable STUFF. And as usual it's right after I had just refreshed his water! 
I don't know where he picks them up but I refer to these little pieces of yard dirt/cookie crumbs/dog food/floor mung, etc, as; Jowl Bits and Muzzle Dust. 
