[E Burna]

Was just curious if anyone could answer this question for me? I'm looking for a new dog am thinking about one of the following 4: BullMastiff, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentinia, BoerBoel. If I were to get one of these as a puppy what would be the ideal age? Also if I were to get an older dog that needed a new home would they be able to adapt to me as a master or typically would I be getting a more stubborn dog?

 

[Charis]

Was just curious if anyone could answer this question for me? I'm looking for a new dog am thinking about one of the following 4: BullMastiff, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentinia, BoerBoel. If I were to get one of these as a puppy what would be the ideal age? Also if I were to get an older dog that needed a new home would they be able to adapt to me as a master or typically would I be getting a more stubborn dog?

All of the breeds listed are stubborn. Puppy, adult, whatever age are going to be stubborn.
An older dog may be more set in it's way but all ages are responsive to utilizing firm positive reinforcement (not alpha theory) and NILIF will work best with these breeds
Puppy - age wise is 8 weeks and up. I would leave it with mom/siblings to 10 weeks for additional bite inhibition from the litter/mother

 

[luvmyfurballs]

I took in a 9 year old 120 pound lab once when his owner died...one of the best dogs I ever had. He only lived an additional 2 years but they were a good 2 years

 

[luv mi pets]

Depends on your individual situation. Are cats, kids, other dogs in the picture? You have a passion for the noted stubborn breeds. Does that mean all of them are going to be in that catergory? No. Maybe a young adult/older pup would be the best. That way you get your pup and a rescue at the same time. I like the 6 months to 15 months of age. I have taken in older dogs. They do adapt to the surroundings in time.

 

[kafkabeetle]

Absolutely they can adapt to a new owner *as well* but in my experience not quite as quickly. But for an animal you'll probably have for the next 10 or more years, what's another couple months of adjustment? As far as stubbornness I don't think it would have anything to do with it. I don't even really think a dog can be stubborn, just not trained properly for their learning style, using what motivates that particular dog.

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

thisbegs the question, do older dogs including those from rescue & shelters adapt to a new home? as someone who has never adopted an older dog before (this will be my firstg time coming up) this thread interests me. what i should expect when i take the plunge.

 

[brandiw]

thisbegs the question, do older dogs including those from rescue & shelters adapt to a new home? as someone who has never adopted an older dog before (this will be my firstg time coming up) this thread interests me. what i should expect when i take the plunge.

They absolutely can. The beagle in my signature was adopted from the local shelter a little less than 1 year ago. My vet estimates his age at 10 years old. He bonded very quickly to my husband and I (as did our basset mix who we adopted at age 3, and our lab/beagle mix that we adopted at age 3-4). I don't work on obedience (sit, down, heel) with him because he has some pretty bad arthritis from a previous injury to his pelvis, hip and leg and doing many of those exercises makes him limp, but we do play games to keep him sharp and he is very good at puzzle toys. They can definitely still be trained and learn at an older age.

IMO, an older dog is easier in some ways than a puppy is. You know what you are getting for the most part with an older dog. A puppy can be a crap shoot, both temperament-wise and physically. With an older dog, you know what you are working with and, for me, it is easier to adapt. Of course, I plain don't enjoy the puppy stage. Other peoples puppies are cute, but that is because they aren't mine! Sasha was my first puppy, and I think she will be my last.

 

[E Burna]

I agree that older dogs are MUCH easier than puppies when looking at non powerful breeds... my intent though is to at least see if possible to get one of my top 4 breeds, all fairly powerful dogs imo. I'm not certain yet as I ultimately will NOT get one of these dogs if I decide I just cannot do it justice... but yes, to answer question I DO have children, a 16 year old son whom lives with me and a 10 year old daughter who visits regularly. So that being said would there be more of an issue from a more powerful breed adapting to me as WELL as my children as opposed to a puppy being able to adapt to us all? I'm all for getting an older dog if it can still reap the same benefits of a puppy ie socialization with the family making it a good dog, but with the powerful breeds that was a strong concern of mine.

 

[GottaLuvMutts]

It is possible to find well-adjusted, well-socialized dogs in shelters/rescues. It won't be every dog there, but they are definitely out there. I advise you to choose carefully.

On the issue of bonding, a dog, like a child, just wants to spend quality time with its owner. You build a strong bond by doing fun stuff together, which is completely independent of age. Take an obedience class together. Go on a hike. Play hide and seek. Try clicker training. Check out a dog sport. Whatever it takes.

 

[AugiesMomn]

I took in a 9 year old 120 pound lab once when his owner died...one of the best dogs I ever had. He only lived an additional 2 years but they were a good 2 years

When my dad died I took in his 8yo border collie mix. Though I knew the dog already, she did NOT see me as any sort of authority figure before that, but after, I worked with her and she hung on my every word and action. It didn't take long, but it depends on the dog. If you intend to put in the work, I don't see why not. Some dogs are stubborn, but I suppose most will adapt, especially with plenty of time together and training. If you get to know the dog and what he likes, you can probably form a great bond.

Same goes for shelter dogs. It makes me sad when I think of people passing ovber good dogs just because they aren't puppies. I mean, when my dog died, I didn't want to adopt an elderly dog because it wouldn't live long, and I just dealt with a dog dying. But certainly I think people should give adult dogs a chance and not be too scared to consider adopting one. The main reason I ended up with puppies was because the other dogs in the shelters around here were breeds I was less interested in.

 

[dagwall]

I got my boy at just over 2 years old and I don't think he could be more bonded to me than he is and still be well adjusted with no separation anxiety. In general an older dog won't have trouble bonding to you if you put in the effort. As in spend quality time interacting with the dog training, walking, playing, dog sports, and just snuggling (if the dog enjoys that, not all do). If you find activities the dog enjoys and take the time to do them with the dog they will bond with you pretty quickly and strongly.

It will depend on the area you live in and the abundance of dogs in need of homes in rescues/shelters that truly get to know their dogs on how easy it will be for you to find an adult who matches your needs but I know in my area it's not too hard. Just takes some time and commitment to find what you truly want in a dog. But it's certainly possible to find a young adult dog to fit your needs and develop that bond with them.

 

[Laurelin]

I've had some dogs I got as pups and some I got as adults. All adjusted well to their new family pretty quickly. Trey, Rose, and Summer all came to us as adults- Summer was the oldest at 4 years old.

I will say however, that I prefer getting a puppy. I like being able to play a big hand in the dog's upbringing and I find that the dogs we've raised as pups are a better 'fit' for me than the dogs we got as adults. Summer is a good example of this as I knew her as a puppy and then got her 4 years down the road. Her breeder did a very good job with her but I feel like I would have done things differently. One of those being her lack of toy drive now as an adult. She had toy drive as a pup because I remember her tugging on my socks and being very playful. I don't think that was encouraged enough so when I got her, she had no interest in toys. I do think nurture plays a part in that.

 

[hanksimon]

Older dogs are grateful. My brother just adopted a 10 yo standard poodle. After a 2 - 4 week settling in period, the poodle is happier in his new home than he was in the previous home....