Adopting a shelter dog is not usually the first consideration when a family decides to get a pet. Thoughts go to pure bred golden retriever puppies or whatever breed has been recently featured in a Disney movie. October has been named “Adopt a Shelter Dog” month to encourage the public to open their minds and hearts to a homeless dog with no other options.

If you’re looking for a loving family pet a shelter dog may just be your answer. If you’re looking for a show dog it’s probably not. Animal shelters often house what look to be pure bred dogs, but there’s no way of really knowing unless brought in with the owner with its papers, but that’s rare. If you have your heart set on a certain breed it’s likely that within the month they will receive one if you keep checking. The Weatherford/Parker County Animal Shelter takes in around 150 dogs and cats weekly, and they eventually see it all.

Adopting a full grown dog from the shelter may be the best choice for your family. Mixed breeds are known to be the healthiest of dogs and a fully grown dog may already be house trained and at the very least should be past the chewing stage. If you adopt a puppy, especially a mixed breed, you may be in for a surprise or two. When the dog becomes mature it may be too large or not look the way you thought it would. It’s also difficult to gauge how energetic a dog will be when he’s just a pup. With a full grown dog you have a better chance at adopting a couch potato if that’s what you want.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying, “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks” but I couldn’t disagree more. Dogs, no matter what age, are eager to belong to a pack, in essence a part of a family. They never stop learning and with proper love, respect and with kind and consistent training, a dog will learn to adapt to the family’s rules.

Shelter dogs don’t get a lot of one-on-one attention from people. The staff at the Weatherford shelter does their best to walk each dog daily, but it’s an overwhelming task. But if you ask the staff about a dog you are interested in they can look up its paperwork as well as tell you what they have noticed about its characteristics. Remember that a dog may be overly excited when he first meets you. Ask to take him out of his kennel and spend more than five minutes with the dog. You may find that the dog is a lot different than your fist impression would lead you to believe.

I would be remiss in writing this if I did not give a “shout out” to all my friends who work every day at the Weatherford/Parker County Animal Shelter. I know them from my volunteer work there and I can honestly say that every employee has a heart of gold and cares deeply for the animals in their trust. It is one of the most stressful and tough jobs on earth and they are forced to make difficult decisions every day, deal with the constant influx of animals and demands of the public. They give it their all, work hard and long hours and make sure the animals are fed before they are. There are more animals than homes in this world and the job is never ending.

This month the shelter is offering discount rates on adoptions. Male cats and dogs can be adopted for only $65 and females for $75. The cost for adopting cats this month is $55. This includes shots, spay or neuter and microchip.

If you do adopt from the shelter it is always a good idea to take the animal for a check over at your veterinarian as well. Kennel cough is a common ailment in shelter dogs, very contagious but is easily cured with antibiotics.

Please come and visit the shelter. Adopting a shelter dog can be a rewarding experience. It’s a great feeling to know you may have saved your new best friend’s life.