Adopt or shop?

Back and forth I’d go every week with my dad to the shelter about 40 minutes away from home, a place for dogs that have no place to call home. Walking through this building every weekend, it was clear that the little fluffy delights that sat in those cages where mislead by some people. From every angle dogs barked with excitement of my presence, but sadly also cried for my attention and hollowed to be noticed. While I paced the paths around the dog centre, my body carries me to every cage to greet each dog as I pass them.

It’s been a while since my dad had a fluffy ball companion at our home, so it was decided, we just had to get one. My mum owned a Shar pei crossed with a Staffy. However she shopped for this bundle of joy instead of adopting. Either way, a dog needs a home. There’s always the question for some of wether or not to buy a dog from another home or else where. My dads never questioned himself, every four legged doggo he’s adopted and travelled to dog shelters to help those dogs that have either gone through so much, for a better life, or just a general better home.

A lot of the time dogs that are brought especially for a lot of money are those high expensive breeds, or those that have been breaded at home by canines already with a home, which leads to those very small bundles of joy that we call puppies. Let’s be honest who hasn’t wanted a puppy, even as a kid I would always want a little friend of my own to baby and care for.

After a few weeks of the same routine of coming to walk different dogs, I learned so much about them. Each dog had been through their own experience that had landed them here and all deserved a chance of love, family, and a proper life to explore. It saddened me that I couldn’t take every single one with me but taking atleast one I knew would make a difference. The thought had me thinking, there’s a dog in here for me, that’s needs me. Walking back around one last time, I knew I had to make a decision even though I wanted to stay here with them all forever. That’s when I laid my eyes on Maggy.

Maggy, other known as Maggy moo moo (what I call her), is a Shih tzu, a fluffy, long haired, black and white Shih tzu. She’s got big, bold, brown eyes. Her energy is incredible at 5 years old she’s just like a puppy still. It’s only recently she has grown a bit bigger and we’ve had her for just a year. At the time, when I first saw her my heart grew double its size at how quiet and calm she was. No wonder I hadn’t noticed her much before, she seemed so scared and out of place. Not that the centre is any dogs place but when you know you know, I knew she was for our family.

When adopting an animal, we as a family knew it wouldn’t be easy, which encouraged us to follow on with some research and ask the centre questions about Maggy’s upbringing; past, any bits about her life we needed to know before taking her home. We found that she first lived with an elderly man who had to give her in as he was struggling to look after himself let alone the beauty she was. It also came about that she sadly had been attacked in the garden at her home. I was consumed in Maggy so much that I didn’t hear much more but we guessed the attack was from another animal like a cat or bird. This meant that we knew when Maggy needs a toilet it would be a challenge at first for her to be comfy in our home let alone garden, as it being such a strange environment to what she’s use to.

Once we had her in her new home, she was hasty about her surroundings at first and the people around her. Maggy hid a lot at, it wasn’t long until she came out of her shell but of course it did take time. Taking her for a walk she is amazingly clever and trained, she can walk without a lead which means dogs just don’t bother her. Taking our usual routes around the estate, she’s learnt to lead the way and know where her home is. Not only is she very well behaved but now she’s shown her true self, her personality is full of fun and love. Every now and then I take her to the fields to see the horses galloping around which fills her eyes with life, Maggy could sit staring forever.

After going through the experience of both adopting and shopping for dogs, I think that either way a dog needs a home. Adopting a dog is just as amazing as shopping for one, but those at shelters are those with the bad experiences, of course some not as bad as others still, they all deserve a family. In the year I’ve had Maggy, she brought joy to many people who have met her and hold a special place in our hearts. There’s times where she can still be slightly fragile when it comes to going out but has grown tremendously. Since I have a family involved with both dogs from shelters and brought from other family’s, I tend to share my experiences with those who haven’t thought to go to a shelter or adoption centre in hope more people consider doing so in the future as I have no regrets.