The Rewards of Adopting an Older Dog

Depending upon the training, an older dog can be a wonderful companion to those who are not able to keep up with or train a young puppy.  Aspen was wonderful and gentle in her elder years, a little more work keeping up with some of her health needs, but I wouldn't have traded a single minute of my time with her.  

As I look ahead to the possibility of another dog, which is hard as Aspen had such a perfect disposition, I am not sure I have the energy or patience for a puppy...because while not old, I am older myself. 

A long time ago, I saved this article as it was a good one, the owner only wished to have a link back to her site, which at this update [2/27/17] is no longer available.  I hope you enjoy it....and even when considering an older dog, be careful...how they have been raised and their current health are important considerations.


The Companionship of an Older Dog

By: Janie Knetzer

My husband and I have rescued dogs of all ages over the years. Since we love dogs and want to help when we can, we always get our dogs from shelters and dog rescue groups. We have consistently found older dogs to be our favorites. Their gentleness and straightforwardness have always fit well into our hectic lives.

A dog at or above the age of eight is considered to be a senior dog. The great thing about adopting an older dog is that while they are far calmer than a younger dog, they are still healthy and enjoy playing.

In contrast to younger dogs, an older dog does not demand all of your attention all of the time. However, they do till like a regular routine just like a young dog. Dogs are always happiest when they can rely on a regular schedule, regardless of whether they are an older dog or still a puppy.

A regularly scheduled walk, regular feeding times and the opportunity to snuggle up to you while you read or watch television are ideal for your dog. Come up with a daily schedule which works for you and your dog and you will both be happy.

An older dog has a bit less energy than a puppy, so they will spend a little more of their time sleeping. You may need to give your senior dog a little push to ensure that they receive enough exercise to stay in good shape.

Kids And Senior Dogs

If you are thinking of adopting an older dog but have small children, remember that older dogs (just like us when we get older) do have aches and pains, meaning that they may not exactly love having children tackling them all of the time.

Parents should always teach their children to respect animals and treat them as they would want to be treated if their roles were reversed. If an older dog is a pet you’d like to take in, make sure that they are good with kids and can be relaxed in their presence. If the dog tries to escape from children, they likely will be uncomfortable around yours.

This does not by any means indicate that this older dog is a bad dog, merely that they are alarmed by their sudden movements or perhaps have been mistreated by children in the past. Families with small children should look for older dogs who walk up to children happily seeking to greet them.

Senior Dogs Have Little Chance For Rescue

It is very unfortunate, but most people overlook the older dogs when looking to adopt. Never realizing just how much these wonderful dogs have to offer. Their calm, gentle and grateful disposition makes them the perfect candidates for many families, single people and older people as well.

The only downside to adopting a senior dog is that you might not have the opportunity to spend as many years with them as you would like to. Yet, once you witness for yourself their undeniable gratitude and companionship, age no longer matters.

It is our hope that if you are thinking about adopting a dog, that you will please consider an older dog. Those gray muzzles are well worth a look.

Author Resource:-> Janie has been working with dogs for over twenty five years. She resides in Southwestern Pennsylvania with her husband and two dogs. She dedicates herself to educating others about the importance of responsible dog care.

Related Articles:

Elderly Dog Owners, A Good Idea? 
Caring for Aging Dogs and Pets

Updated 2/27/17

We Said Goodbye to our Beloved Yorkie

This blog has, for the most part, been written from Aspen, a Yorkshire Terrier's point of view.  Today, I, her owner, am broken hearted as we have finally had to say goodbye to her sweet self.

Aspen, as you know if you have followed this blog, had Cruciate Ligament Tear in both her hind legs, but got around quite well for a year with pain medicine and a Glucosamine product.  She also was going blind and had dry eye syndrome, so her eyes were tended to with cleaning and drops daily.

We have watched her declining bit by bit, and told ourselves (my husband and I) that we would keep her alive as long as she was happy and not suffering.  Yesterday she had a difficult day, and today, she was unable to do anything, just lay trembling.

So we made the painful decision to take her and have her put to rest.  I have cried almost continuously since.  We brought her home and buried her with her favorite toy, the only one that she would play with for the 14 years of her life.

And now I grieve.  She was a precious and sweet dog that brought us nothing but joy during her life.  Her portrait picture is in the header of this blog, and there are other pictures of her on this blog.  In time, the blog will go on, just as she would have wanted.

Tips for Traveling with Your Dog

I am a dog that DOES NOT like to travel in the car.  I get very nervous, and my owners want to help me with that problem.  

First, we found some excellent travel tips in a post called "Let's Hit the Road" at the "Adventures of Traveling Bob" blog/website.  Bob is a dog who gives great tips on how to be prepared to travel with a dog, and great places to stay if you are traveling with a dog.  Not every hotel or motel is happy to have dogs, so you need advice like Bob has to offer.

As for my nerves, we are trying some Bach Flower Remedy drops to see if they will help.  I'm an older dog now, and my owners don't want to stress me too much, so we're going to try some short rides with the drops, stop at places that are fun, and then come home...I think they are doing this because I'm afraid I'm going to the vet or groomer every time we're in the car.  (They think I don't understand them when they're talking...but I do!) We'll let you know how it goes.

Saddened by the Death of Barney Bush

My family and I were sad to hear that Barney Bush, the Scottish Terrier owned by former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, has died.  He had Lymphoma and his body could no longer fight the disease.  We loved Barney and miss seeing him as well as his devoted family living in the White House.

In fact, way back in 2008 when Barney guided one of his famous Christmas tours of the White House, we did a post about it, you can find it here.  It includes videos of the tour.  Barney still has an archival page on Whitehouse.gov.

It is hard for people to lose their pets, I know that because I overhear my owners talking about how sad and hard it will be when I have to move on.  So give your dogs a hug, a tummy-rub, and an extra treat.  Appreciate us while you have us, we appreciate you and depend on you more than you know.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bush family as we know how much they will miss Barney, the White House Scottish Terrier.

Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Updated 2/28/17 

Cruciate Ligament Tear in Two Legs

It's been about a month and a half since the Veterinarian diagnosed Aspen with a cruciate ligament tear in one of her hind legs.  In spite of all of our attentiveness and care, a little over a week ago, the other leg sustained the same injury.  She is watched over almost constantly, and this happened during a moment when she simply tried to go up a small step, it didn't take much.

Now that a week has passed, she is still limited, but moving about more than she did again due to some measure of healing, and again needs to be watched carefully so that she keeps on healing.

Thankfully, she is a dog with a good nature, and being older, tends to rest a lot anyway, but she misses the very thing she should never have been doing at her age, jumping up and down from the couch, and is learning to be content with her bed on the floor and occasional times up next to us on the couch or chair when we lift her and take her down.

We have a special harness for her now that supports her body from front to back with the hook that the leash attaches to toward the back rather than the neck are.  This helps to take some of the weight off of her back legs when walking...she it taking her time getting used to this.  Though she has hobbled about just a bit when she needs to go out and take care of business, this week we are trying to do just a little more controlled walking...nothing too active...to build and maintain her leg muscles and mobility.

She is on a anti-inflammatory pain medicine for dogs right now, but soon we hope to switch over to a Glucosamine/Chondroiton product in order to preserve what is left of the cartilage in the joints that will now rub together un-naturally due to her injury.

We will keep you updated on her progress and if you can learn anything from our experience, when your Yorkie reaches a certain age, don't allow them to jump up and down.

 

Why I Love Aspen

I'm writing as myself today...not for Aspen...but about her.  She has been such a wonderful companion for over 11 years now, and is beginning to show her age.  She recently seems to have difficulty seeing, and other signs that remind me that I need to give her extra loving for all that she has given to me.

She isn't as lively as she used to be, because it is hard for her to see...I just took her out for a walk, and not that far ahead of us was a cat...usually she would have gone crazy with barking and excitement, it took her a while to even notice the cat.

She sleeps more, and is always happy to have a belly rub, a back massage, and her treats, they are a special delight...something my husband gives her each night after we have dinner.

Here are just a few of the pleasures Aspen gives us:

Unconditional love, and devotion.

All that loving is healthy for you, yes, petting your dog, having their companionship, can help calm you...stroking their fur is good for them and good for you...Aspen loves to snuggle and loves her tummy rubs.

Aspen is great company when no one else is around...of course she likes all of us to be there...we are her "pack" after all.

Aspen listens to everything we say, as if she understands...and I think she does understand...a lot more than we may give her credit for. When everyone is out during the day, she is always there with a listening ear.

Aspen gets me outdoors to walk on days when I may want to just stay inside. I love walking, but some days just don't feel like making the effort, her companionship makes it more enjoyable. We both get some exercise when we walk.

Aspen makes me feel safe when my husband has to travel, which is rare, but happens occasionally. She will bark if she hears ANYTHING, and this brings a sense of security...no barking, all is well.

I guess I'm feeling a little sentimental today, realizing that she's an older girl now, and more delicate than she used to be. Just hope I can give her all she deserves for the joy that she has given us over the years since that March day when I watched her birth.

Love your dogs, treat them like part of the family, that's what they are.

2 New Yorkie Blog Pages

I just wanted to let you know that two more pages were added to the "pages" section of the blog today (see the list of pages to the right)....one about aging pets, and another with the start of a list of food recalls, food warnings, and foods that are not dangerous for you, but may be dangerous for me.

Hope you had a great weekend, my family was out a lot at church and visiting family, I missed them.