My Pet World: Adult Dogs Can Make Wonderful Pets

Sometimes a bond with an animal just happens. Applied animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell quickly bonded with Cool Hand Luke. The border collie was about a year old when she brought him home. "It seems we had a special connection; I just felt that," she recalls.

It turns out she was right. Only a few days later, McConnell went to her barn outside Madison, WI, to check on a ewe that had recently given birth. "The ewe was a bit protective, overprotective of her lamb," she says. "Before I knew it, I was on the other side of enraged ewe. At first, I said, 'Oh, Colleen, come on. I just came in to give you grain. What's your problem?' But it quickly became evident that I was in trouble. I know people think 'how can a sheep hurt you?' but she was goring me with her big horns. I was cornered."

Suddenly, McConnell "heard a whack. Luke had jumped a 4-foot fence like a performance dog in the military on a mission. He got between me and her, and gave me time to get away. He broke some of his teeth. Though blood was pouring out, his only concern clearly was that I was OK."

McConnell learned a valuable lesson about the bond that can develop between an owner and an adult dog.

McConnell and co-author Karen London wrote "Love Has No Age Limit: Welcoming An Adopted Dog into Your Home" (2011, $9.95) to support shelter adoptions and offer a resource so pets can stay in homes. "We want to smooth the transition from shelter into the home," McConnell says.

When you adopt a shelter dog, and you're all excited, your bonding has likely begun before you even leave the shelter. But what happens when the honeymoon is over? "After week two or three, or even day two or three, something happens to test your will," McConnell notes. "I understand. I've been there. Sometimes it's because of unrealistic expectations."

For some adopted or rescued dogs, it takes several weeks for their personalities and entrenched habits to appear. "The good news is that with positive reinforcement it's actually fun to train these dogs," says McConnell. "Just tell your new dog, 'We're going to have a party, me and you and a piece of chicken. Dogs don't at all mind consistent rules, but your rules may be very different from those wherever the dog was previously."

McConnell says that in many ways she actually prefers adopting or rescuing adult dogs. "There's work, but not nearly as much as having a puppy," she notes.

People often want puppies so they can mold them as they wish. However, McConnell says, that's mostly a myth. "Of course, we do have an influence, but you can only influence what you've got. Environment and learning will influence that, and socialization, of course. But just as we now know that certain people and dogs may have a certain predisposition to specific cancers under specific circumstances, the same is true for dogs having predispositions for behaviors," she notes.

McConnell says Luke offered proof that you can have every bit as good a relationship with an adopted or rescued adult dog as with a puppy. In fact, even today, she calls Luke the love of her life.

When adopting, new owners must also understand that adopted dogs have their own histories, and these may have been rocky. They don't know what they're doing in your home, or what to do.

"It's a matter of understanding that adult dogs may know rules but they may not know your house rules," says McConnell. "For example, they may know housetraining from a foster home or the shelter, but might take a few days to generalize those lessons to your home."

While dogs deserving homes are available year-round, October is American Humane Association's Adopt-a-Dog Month. Take your time choosing what feels like the right dog. Ask questions about the dog's behavior in the foster home or shelter. Still, when all is said and done, it will be up to you to teach the dog, and up to both the dog and family members to bond.

"If it's a good fit, wow, that dog will really appreciate his or her new life," says McConnell. "And you will appreciate the bond with your new friend that might be even be more cohesive that you've had in the past with a dog you acquired as a puppy." Indeed, love has no age limit.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.