When choosing a dog for their family, most people opt for puppies. It seems natural – we want to spend our entire lives with out family members, so our knee-jerk reaction is to pick a baby as our new best friend. Still, many elderly dogs live and die in shelters, even though they are just as loving, cuddly and in need of a home as puppies.

One of the biggest perks of getting an older dog is that they adapt really quickly and do not destroy your furniture and shoes – they have outgrown their teething phase. Also, they are already potty trained and you will not get any surprises. Finally, you will be able to offer a home and a happy ending to a sad life and the pooch will be eternally grateful.

If you are interested in adopting an elderly dog, you can check out many organizations to find the perfect match. Chip, who was dumped at a shelter as a puppy in 2001, is one of the lucky elderly dogs – the gentle pooch was finally adopted last month.