June 27th, 2008 by john 
in Categories: 
If you have been reading along for a while you have probably heard me talk about my dog Missy. Little Miss Sunshine! She is awesome! We adopted her from our local SPCA when she was two months old. She had been abandoned in a field with her two sisters. In hind sight we should have taken all three. We also adopted a kitten, Precious at the same time. They became fast friends.
Here are my 3 Reasons to adopt a puppy dog:
Companionship
You know what they say, “Man’s best friend”. I think it couldn’t be more true. My little Missy girl greets me everyday at the front door. If you leave the room for two minutes, she acts as if you have been gone all day! Like, “Where Have You Been All My Life”. Unconditional love!
Exercise
A side affect of adopting Missy was plenty more exercise. She patiently waits each morning for her walk. If she gets excited and I take to long, she will grab her leash and try to hand it to me. On the weekends my daughter and I and sometimes my nephews take her to the park. She loves the park. Fetching balls, playing frisbee and running around like crazy. She has a seemingly never ending supply of energy. Until bedtime that is. Then, she just says “that’s it” and crashes for the evening. Very cool!
Because their fun!
Dogs each have their very own personality. Missy is outgoing, fun and cute. She cracks us up with her “facial expressions”. If you say something that catches her ear, she tilts her head and stares at you in the cutest puppy dog way. She also LOVES water. When we go camping, she will walk herself down to the lake and go swimming! At home, if you turn your back, she jumps in the pool. She is an avid swimmer. She has webbed feet, which make her an extremely fast swimmer. She loves to race people in the pool.
Tips For Adopting
- Research the breed to make sure it is a fit with your family. Do they get along with kids? Are they too aggressive? Do they have known medical problems?
- Discuss the adoption with the whole family. Is everyone on board with taking on all the necessary responsibilities? Does everyone understand what there responsibility will be?
- Does your lifestyle permit having a dog? Are you or someone home enough?
- Be aware of how much the new pet will cost in ongoing expenses, food, vet visits, flea and heart worm medication, etc.
- Be prepared to make up to a 15 year commitment.
- Make sure to have your new pet spayed or neutered.
I hope you will find it in your heart to adopt a puppy dog for your family. Your kids will love their new friend. It will teach them some responsibility. And, your new pet will definitely add some love and excitement to the family!
Pictured above: Missy waiting to be adopted at the SPCA
Here are some more pictures of our little girl:
Missy & Precious taking a nap!
Little Princess taking over my daughters bed.
Missy racing me!
Trying to pose for a picture.
Crazy girl jumps in!
At the beach in January (Atlantic Ocean)
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My name is John.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi John,
You have a pretty dog. I can see the love in your pictures. What a happy home you gave Missy. Very cute picture when she was a puppy also. I think adopting a pet is a great choice for companionship!
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Hello John,
I worked for the SPCA in Honolulu as a Humane Investigator for some time. We were responsible for enforcing animal related laws in Hawaii. Cruelty and neglect being among them, I have seen many animals in heartbreaking circumstances. The most rewarding aspect of the job was seeing wonderful families adopt a certain animal that I had removed from an abusive environment. The happiness of the family only being out shined by the gratitude in the animal’s eyes. Great post. Beautiful dog. =0)
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After watching a tv episode on puppy mills and dog shelters, I will most definitely continue to adopt. It’s incredibly upsetting how many dogs are put down every single day because of irresponsible people. Adopting a dog is so rewarding because you both know that you saved him/her. The close bond with our dog Magic was almost instant when he left the shelter!
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I think this is one of my favorite posts that you have written! Your animals are beautiful and I love when people adopt and save a life. We get all of our animals from high kill shelters and also foster animals.
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Dogs are the best. Your dog looks awesome John. My last dog was from the shelter and she is tied with my current dog as the best dog I ever had.
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A very cute puppy. Like it very much
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Your Little Miss Sunshine looks so lovely. I certainly agree that dogs are man’s best friend. While we didn’t get Jamie (our miniature Dachshund) from a shelter I think adopting from the SPCA is wonderful. I’d want to take them all home……so needless to say my husband wouldn’t let me near!
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Love this! Right now, I have a Shelter dog wrapped around my feet. So I can’t support this enough.
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If Joseph and I had our ranch we would adopt them all! Animals, especially dogs add so many years to your life!
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I miss having a dog, I did adopt a feral kitten though and I have had her for 6 years now. It is amazing what animals bring to our lives, very nice post.
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Missy is really a cute dog, even if I am a bit scared of dogs (maybe it’s because a furious one ran after me when I was a kid) I know they’ll always be referred to as man’s best friend as they are the most loyal animals. I am sure Missy will spend many happy years with your family.
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The dogs are so cute! My friend got a dog that had been dumped in the trash. It’s hard to believe how people can be so cruel to such loving creatures. Her dog is so loving, her only major problem is that she is a chewer.
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