There are few things on this planet cuter than a puppy. Their soft, squishy faces, huge eyes and fluffy fur can melt my heart into a puddle faster than anything else. But because puppies often get the most attention, it’s easy to forget how adorable older doggos can be too. So today, we’re celebrating both ends of the spectrum!

Bored Panda has scoured the internet to find heartwarming before and after pics of dogs as puppies and all grown up, so prepare yourself for a cuteness overload down below. Keep reading to also find a chat with the team at Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, and be sure to upvote the dogs that you would love to have as members of your family!

#1 She Didn’t Grow Into Them

Image credits: BlondeRed

#2 Then vs. Now. This Is Cain, My Best Friend. I Saved This Fella From A Bad Situation, And Now He Makes My House A Home

Image credits: Kodiak-Jack

#3 This Good Boy Grew A Lot This Year

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If you’ve ever owned a dog, I don’t need to tell you what a lifechanging experience it can be. These precious creatures are called man’s best friend for a reason, after all! They’re intelligent, loving, adorable animals who can form incredibly strong bonds with their owners. So it’s no surprise that dogs are the most popular pets in the world, residing in about a third of the world’s households. 

To learn more about why dogs make such great companions, we reached out to the team at Lucky Dog Animal Rescue in Arlington, Virginia. “Dogs make wonderful pets for so many reasons,” they shared. “From giving you the motivation to get out of bed in the morning, to sharing unconditional love, to always being by your side through all of life’s twists and turns, there is no animal as loving or as loyal as a dog.”

#4 Abby’s Before And After. She Is Still A Good Girl

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#5 Because Toilet Paper Is Better Than Toys. 3 Months vs. 7 Months

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#6 Pupper Did A Grow From 8 Weeks To Nearly A Year

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We also asked the Lucky Dog team if they could explain why it’s so important to adopt rather than shop when bringing a new dog into your family. “There are so many animals dying daily in shelters that there really isn’t a good reason to buy from a breeder instead of adopting,” they explained. 

“Rescues have all sorts of sizes, ages, personalities, etc. — anything an adopter could wish for. There are even breed specific rescues that focus on particular breeds,” the dog experts added. “The more that people adopt, the less demand there will be for breeders — and the more lives will be saved!”

#7 Before And After

Image credits: KeNtLuN

#8 My Little Potato, Who’s Ears Never Seemed To Grow

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#9 From 2.5 Months To Nearly 2 Years

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And as far as what potential adopters should understand before welcoming a doggo into their lives, the Lucky Dog team says, “People should know that dogs are living beings who deserve to receive the same effort, love, training and commitment that they will offer you. They will have an adjustment period just like you, and in the end everything will be worth it. If you are unsure of what type of dog is best to adopt, we would be happy to help you find a good fit.”

And if you’re interested in adopting, be sure to check out Lucky Dog Animal Rescue!

#10 My Puppy Very Proud Of Himself For Doing Such A Big Grow

Image credits: trollinwithmygnomies

#11 My Best Friend Appa At 10 Weeks And 3 Years. Never Grew Into Those Paws

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#12 Mr. Fancy Paws Has Grown Up. The Name Still Stands

Image credits: Herwiththetwodogs

For a previous Bored Panda article featuring adorable adopted dogs, we got in touch with Ivanka Patterson, director of Every Dog Matters EU. Ivanka also shared her thoughts on why adoption is so important when bringing a new pet into the family. “A lot of breed dogs come from illegal puppy mills where the dogs and the puppies are living in very poor conditions. Not knowing the origin of your bought pups hides the huge risk of getting an overbred pup which will have genetic health issues and a shorter life span,” she explained.

#13 I Will Always See Him As The First Picture

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#14 My Little Teddy Bear Seems To Keep Growing

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#15 Our Family Dog, Indie, Recently Turned 11. She’s Just As Cute As She Was As A Puppy

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Ivanka also detailed the benefits dog owners can experience after welcoming a rescue into their homes. “We believe there is hidden superhero in each one of us,” she shared. “By adopting a rescue animal, this super hero comes to life and the feeling of worthiness within oneself improves greatly ones self-esteem.”

#16 She Is Growing Into A Fine Young Lady

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#17 Not Much Has Changed In 2 Years

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#18 He Watched Over Her The Whole Time

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“It has been now scientifically proven that adopting a pet from a shelter makes people become more compassionate and responsible,” Ivanka continued. “It has physical benefits as well like spending time with ones adopted animal normalizes blood pressure, reduces cortisol and help overcome mental disorders like depression. And last but not least, all of the above makes us better people.”

#19 Still The Same Smile

Image credits: commonvanilla

#20 These Pictures Are Taken 10 Months Apart

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#21 I Decided To Do The Same Picture A Few Years Later At The Exact Same Place. What A Transformation

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When it comes to what potential adopters should understand, Ivanka shared, “They should know that, before everything, the dog is a responsibility. An adopter should really think well if in their current lifestyle there is a room for a pet and if yes, what exactly having one will entail. And once again, patience. A lot of people think the dog will immediately love their new life, the moment it steps into their new home. That the dog will immediately trust their adopter and will bond and start playing form the get go. Would you immediately trust a stranger?”

#22 How It Started vs. How It’s Going

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#23 Dahlia Struggling In The First Photo At 2 Months And Now At 1 Year And 5 Months

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#24 My Little Girl When She Arrived vs. Her Now

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“If you have decided to adopt a dog really think it through and chose the dog with temperament and character that will fit best your lifestyle in order to have a true best friend,” Ivanka added. “Have realistic expectations from your adopted dog, be patient with it and show it it can trust you 100%. Then and only then you will really have a true, joyful, obedient and forever four-legged best friend. And trust me, every single effort is so worth it!”

#25 One Year Ago vs. Now

Image credits: TomPerezzz

#26 My Boy Became A Wolf

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#27 8 Weeks To 10 Years

Image credits: Cautious_Clock7774

Whether you have dog best friend or not, we hope you’re loving these adorable photos, pandas! Keep upvoting the ones that you find particularly heartwarming, and if you are a dog parent, let us know in the comments how different your fur baby looks from when they were a puppy. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda list featuring cute pics of pups, look no further than right here!

#28 6 Years Between Photos. Happy 6th Birthday To These Two Fuzzballs

Image credits: HikingWiththeHuskies

#29 Small Boy vs. Big Boy

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#30 Little Dude Is Growing Up So Fast

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#31 My Old Girl Libby, 13 Years Apart

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#32 Handsome Boy Grew

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#33 Flash Grew Up In A Flash. From 6 Weeks To 9 Weeks

Image credits: TeekaElSayed

#34 Well, He Grew Up Fast. Photos Taken One Year Apart

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#35 Tonbo At 8 Weeks vs. Tonbo Tonight, 3 Years Later

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#36 His Eyes Changed, But They Stayed Beautiful. Yesterday, He Turned 7 Years Old

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#37 He Got A Way To Go Till He Grows Into Those Paws

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#38 It’s My Pupper’s 1st Birthday. Happy Birthday, Jago

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#39 Evi Just Turned 1 Year Old, And She Is As Cute As Ever

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#40 When You Finally Grow Into Your Ears

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#41 My Best Friend Koda, All Grown Up Now

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#42 Our Foster Atlas At 8 Weeks And 1 Year

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#43 Bowie Big Ears. 6 Weeks Old To 1 Year

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#44 My Old Girl Turned 14 Today. Then vs. Now

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#45 First Photo: Boone At 6 Weeks, Just Between 10 And 15 Pounds. Second Photo: Boone Is Now One Year Old And 93 Pounds. There Are Still No Thoughts In That Head

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#46 Almost Six Years Later, My Dog Still Sleeps With His Red Dog. He’s Grown A Bit Since Then, Though

He loves the red dog so much that we have loads of them in the cupboard upstairs, so whenever one gets a bit ropey, we replace it with a new one. He never knows the difference.

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#47 Please Congratulate My Dog As It Took Him A Whole Year To Grow His Hair Out

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#48 Toby At 6 Weeks And 4 Years

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#49 1 Month And 1 Year Of Little Mia

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#50 Bruno At 6 Weeks And 1 Year Old

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#51 My Beautiful Girl And Best Friend. When I First Brought Her Home vs. Our First Two Years Together

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#52 Side-By-Side Comparison Of My Derpy Foster Dog As A Pup And As A Young Adult

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#53 Jilly At 2 Months vs. 9 Months. Her Body Grew But Ears Stayed The Same

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#54 She’s Growing From A Fluffy Potato Into A Long-Nose Collie

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#55 They Grow Up So Fast. 1 Lb 11 Oz vs. 19 Lbs

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#56 My Human Said I Grew Up Too Fast

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#57 My Baby Grew

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#58 Arlo, The Black Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Golden Retriever, And Grab Bag Of Love From 7 Weeks To 1 Year

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#59 Before And After 9 Months Of Growing

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#60 Tiny Pupper Before And After

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#61 She Grew

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#62 Bailey From 8 Weeks To 1 Year. She Still Thinks She’s A Lap Dog

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#63 From Small Puppy To Big Dog

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#64 2 Years Later, Still Splooting

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#65 Abby Just Turned 1 So Here’s Her Transition Over The Year

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#66 8 Weeks To 8 Years. My Very Best Girl

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#67 They Grow So Fast. From 8 Weeks To One Year Old Today. Still More Growing To Come

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#68 3 Months vs. 8 Months. Finally, I Grew Into Those Ears

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#69 Gus Growing Transition. Love Him More Every Day

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#70 So In Less Than A Month, I Will Be 1 Year Old. On March 14th, Which Is Also Albert Einstein’s Birthday (That’s Why Mom Thinks I’m Even Smarter Than Most Dogs)

Never a dull moment, and I just fill the house with high energy and love. Mom tells me every day that I’m the best thing that’s happened to her.

Image credits: maui_thedemidog

#71 Oskar, From 10 Weeks To 3 Years

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#72 Fenton Insists That He Still Fits In The Chair

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#73 Cooper, From 8 Weeks To 4 Years

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#74 Officially In The Double Digits. Happy Birthday, My Big Boy

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#75 They Grow So Fast

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#76 Bo Is Growing So Fast. 7 Weeks vs. 5 Months

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#77 Joey Grew Up So Fast

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#78 From 2 Months To 1 Year. Happy Birthday, Baby

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#79 8 Weeks > 5 Months > 1 Year

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#80 My Girl From 8 Weeks To 1 Year

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#81 They Grow Up So Fast

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#82 Apollo, My Best Friend. 8 Weeks And 7 Pounds To 2 Years And 75 Pounds

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#83 Baby Spaghetti Grew Up

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#84 Today Is My Pup’s First Birthday

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#85 People Said I Spoiled My Puppy, And They’re Not Wrong

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#86 All Grown Up Now, But I Think I’m Still Cute

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#87 From 6 Weeks To 8 Months

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#88 Lakota Growing Up

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#89 Pumba – 7 Weeks To 10 Months

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#90 This Is Ghost. First Picture: He Was 2 Months Old. Second Picture: He’s 8 Months Old Now And Weighs 33 Kg. Look At Him Grow

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#91 15 Months Difference

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#92 2 Months vs. 10 Months

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#93 Only 4 Months Difference. He Grew So Fast

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#94 From Puppy To Dog, Though Strangers Still Ask If She’s A Puppy

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#95 My One-Year-Old

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#96 My Angel Before And After Growing

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#97 Silver Labrador, From 10 Weeks To 2 Years

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#98 From 8 Weeks To 1 Year

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