• Old dogs provide companionship.dog image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com
  
  Puppies and younger dogs seem more desirable or suitable to some families, but an older dog is the perfect match to others. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) notes that people find loving and devoted companionship from the older dogs they adopt, yet these dogs are usually the last choice for adoption. Depending on your lifestyle and commitments, a senior dog adoption can benefit you and the dog in numerous ways.
  
  

Lifestyle Match

• Your lifestyle affects the amount of time and level of activity and supervision that you can provide a dog, so it's important that you choose a canine companion that fits how you live. A senior dog is often less active than a younger dog, so he requires less exercise. If you lead a sedentary to moderately active life, a daily walk with a senior dog may be more fitting for you than a daily mountain run with a highly energetic dog. Older dogs typically require less supervision than younger dogs, too, which benefits those who don't have the time or desire to monitor a dog's every movement.
  
  Responsible dog ownership requires commitment to the health and welfare of a dog for the duration of her life; this commitment is shorter term with senior dogs than it is with puppies, so senior dog adoption benefits those who want a dog but can't readily commit up to 20 years to its care.
  
  

Minimal Training Required

• A senior dog rarely needs house training, which saves you a lot of time and frustration when introducing a new dog to your home. The ASPCA notes that the matured mental and physical abilities of an older dog help it learn quickly, so even if the senior dog isn't yet housebroken, the process is generally easier than it would be with a puppy. Puppies must learn not to chew on everything---including you---in addition to housebreaking, whereas a senior dog is less likely to destroy your belongings or gnaw on your arm.
  
  

Animal Welfare and Public Service

• The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 6 to 8 million dogs and cats end up in animal shelters each year and that the shelters euthanize 3 to 4 million because of limited means to care for them. A shelter usually chooses older dogs for euthanasia before younger ones, according to the ASPCA. When you adopt an adult dog, you give it a better chance of living the full course of its natural life, and you leave an opening in the shelter for another animal in need of care.