It's high time to address some of the hardest pups to place out there . . . the older dog in a shelter. Stuck with stigmas of "reject" or "difficult," or worse, they often get overlooked for the fresh starts of playful puppies. Well, as someone who's raised a few pets from lil ones, it's not all fun and fluff.

Before you head straight for the babes, check out five solid reasons to start with the big guys.

• Break-ins — Potty training is no joke, especially for newbies. When you get a dog at an older age, especially one who has spent time in a foster home, much of the most difficult part is already done. Starting with an already housebroken, or almost housebroken, pet is easier than starting from scratch.
• Miracle grown — It would be quite the shock to adopt what you expect to be a small pooch and end up with someone more akin to a St. Bernard. If you get a dog as an adult, you know that your teensy pooch is not gonna become large and in charge in a few months.
• Tricksters — While training needs to continue at any age, getting an adult pooch can allow you to have a pup that already knows the basic commands and maybe some tricks, too. Bonus.
• Less Mouthy — Adult dogs have their grown-up teeth that can make them better for you and your beloved shoes.
• Chilled out — As dogs get older, they tend to get calmer. Adopting an adult or senior dog lets you have a calmer pal around the house if that's the lifestyle you prefer.