Many people interested in adopting a dog are concerned with the dog's age for two main reasons. They are worried that an adult dog won't bond as deeply as a puppy, and they know that an adult dog won't live as long as a puppy.

As for the bonding issue, here are a couple of thoughts. Many of the dogs that are given up or found as strays have never had the opportunity to bond with a kind human being. They are still waiting for special people to come into their lives. When they find “their” people, these dogs bond quickly and intensely. Dogs that were well treated and have bonded with previous owners are also quite capable of bonding closely again.

As for the number of years that you will be able to enjoy your shepherd, it's important to remember that there are no guarantees in life. A puppy could be found to suffer from an unseen heart condition only months after entering your home and heart. An adolescent dog could get hit by a car. A middle-aged shepherd could get bone cancer. On the other hand, your puppy or adult shepherd could be with you for twelve years of quality companionship. Fear of eventually losing your dog is no reason not to adopt one. Adult dogs need loving homes just as much, if not more, than puppies do. Puppies are generally easier to adopt out, as their natural cuteness attract owners.

In fact there is one German shepherd that routinely gets passed up for adoption at breed rescues, as well as shelters and pounds: the senior dog. Often, the senior dog is one that has been a well-cared-for and loving pet. Her only fault may have been outliving her owner, or she may have been too large to follow her owner to an assisted-care facility. It is heartbreaking enough to think that a beloved dog can't be with her owner, and it's worse knowing that this dog may sit forever waiting for an owner at a rescue.