f you’re planning to get a dog for your kid, we congratulate you, it’s a very good idea. But, what kind of dog should you get? Well, you got two choices before you – either buy one from a kennel club or adopt one from a rescue?

If you’re not sure yet, here are a couple of reasons why the latter might be a much better choice.

1. It’s a Humane Thing to Do

The pups in the animal rescue center are abandoned by their previous owners. You can be sure that they’ve had a much worse time than those dogs up for sale by professional kennel clubs. So, why not do a good thing and adopt an abandoned puppy? You can be sure your new friend is going to appreciate it.

And if you do this, you’re going to feel great. The thing about doing good things is that works both ways. It affects the person/animal you’re helping, but it also affects you, making you feel good about yourself. Not to mention that rescuing a dog means setting up a good example for your children.

2. A Rescue Pup is One of a Kind

Getting a purebred means that you know what to expect. But, when you’re adopting a rescue puppy, you can’t possibly know what he or she is going to grow up as. There are hundreds of recognized dog breeds in the world and some of those are considered the best dog breeds for kids and families. However, your rescue puppy is probably a combination of many, many different breeds that belong to that category.

Such dogs have genetics made up of several different breeds, which makes each of those dogs really unique. Your pup will look nothing like the other dogs in your neighborhood. Apart from the looks, there’s another advantage of cross-breeding. These dogs usually have stronger genes in the sense that they have saved the best traits of their ancestors. In other words, a mongrel is often healthier than purebreds, has a longer life span, and is even more intelligent. 

3. A Rescue Dog is Already Used to People

Most dogs in the shelter are there because their previous owners have abandoned them. And that means that all of those dogs have spent their first period of life in a home. That said, the pup from the rescue shelter has probably spent a lot of time with children already, so the chances are he’s going to behave well around your children as well.

And if you decide to adopt an older dog rather than a small puppy, the chances are that he probably knows a trick or two. He might already be trained to walk on the leash, for example.

4. A Rescue Dog is Free

The price of a purebred puppy in the United States is usually well over 100 dollars. In fact, there are some breeds, e.g. English bulldog, whose puppies can cost several grand. And on top of everything, you would also have to take care of the medical expenses, thus boosting the total cost even further. But, why would you spend so much time when you can get a pup ready to give you unconditional love for free?

5. A Rescue Dog is Already Vaccinated

When getting a rescue dog, you get a pup that’s already received all the medications and vaccines, so that you don’t have to waste any money on medical expenses. Furthermore, the people from the pet shelter have already accessed the dog’s health, as well as his personality.

What this means is that if you’re looking to get a pup for your kids, you want one that’s not aggressive but is cuddly instead. In order to find such a dog, you just need to ask the people from the pet shelter to give you advice. They know all the dogs there and will probably be more than glad to give you an honest recommendation.

You wouldn’t have such a luxury if you decided to buy a purebred dog. Sure, certain breeds have certain traits, but those who sell dogs for big money might be willing to stay silent when certain bad traits are concerned. After all, it’s their goal to sell the dog at the highest price possible. Pet shelters, on the other hand, don’t want any money from you.

6. Lifetime Support

Not only do pet shelters wish no money from you, but they’re also willing to do all they can to make dog ownership as easy as possible for you. If you have no experience with dogs, you can always ask them for help. The thing is that in the United States, ASPCA provides lifetime support for rescue dogs.

So, when you adopt a rescue dog, you have the people from ASPCA standing at your disposal for literally any question you might have. Whether it’s about your dog’s health, his training, or something completely different, they are at your disposal all the time.

7. Adopting a Rescue Dog is (Usually) Only the Beginning

Because ASPCA will always be there for you and your pup, you are guaranteed to make some new friends. Usually, adopting a rescue dog is only the beginning of something much greater. A number of people who adopt rescue dogs end up getting more involved in the cause. Many of them start volunteering, some adopt even more dogs, while some even go so far to become new members of the ASPCA.

There aren’t many things that can beat the feeling that helping abandoned animals brings your way. You’re guaranteed to get hooked on this great feeling. And on top of that, you’re going to become a part of a huge family that helps misfortunate animals from all over the country, which guarantees you’re going to make friends with like-minded people.

The best thing of all is that you’re going to get your kids involved in the cause, one way or another. And that’s bound to make a better person both of you and your kids. So, there really is no reason to delay your decision!