Seniors Rock
Why Not Adopt A Senior Dog?
First, let’s get the facts straight: any dog eight years or older will be labeled as a “senior.” Translated into human life span, that equates to us being a “senior” at 50!
Smaller and mixed breeds can live happily and healthily for 15 years or more, with more than half of their potential life ahead ! So adopting a “senior” doesn’t necessarily mean that they will die on you in the next couple of years, be riddled with medical issues, or stop wanting to love, play or hike.
Some older dogs are fit and spunky far into their teens. Check out many senior success stories below for the fantastic truth. So don’t judge a dog on age alone!
The Perks of Adopting a Senior
If you do have the heart to adopt a senior dog, you’ll likely escape many of the issues that plague the owners of younger dogs, including: house-training, super high-energy, obsessively wanting to play, destructive chewing on your valuables or play-biting you, and the challenge of walking nicely on leash!
In general, senior dogs are wiser, having learned most or all of these skills, but are still passionate about learning more from you.
If you lead a calm lifestyle and want a companion to hang out with at home, a senior won’t likely need as much exercise…and if you’re really a couch potato, some will need hardly any exercise at all!
These Guys are Worth it All!
If you worry about seniors having medical issues, you’ll need to consider that accidents and illness can happen, and they do cost money. However, dogs of all ages need some medical attention, so if you plan to adopt ANY dog, budget for that! Of course, if you DO have the financial capacity to help a dog with medical issues, you’re especially suited to help a dog who truly deserves a better life and the comforts you can share.
Offering an older dog your loving home for the later years of his or her life is an incredibly rewarding feeling, especially when you see your dog’s amazing potential that so many others had ignored. In fact, Blue Man Dog is named after a senior dog, read his story here.
Write Your Own Senior Dog Success Story
We deeply and sincerely want to promote the adopting of senior dogs. The rewards truly are endless, and you’ll always have a warm spot in your heart for the wonderful gift you received by giving an especially deserving older dog a home. Shelters show the sad truth, it happens that people dump their family dog because he’s aging and starting to get slow, or because a medical issue comes along.
Other times it can be personal tragedy, or lack of funds to take care of medical needs. Whatever the reason, let’s not allow that memory be the dog’s last stop and final life experience.
Please consider adopting a “senior” and writing your own success story – read our own here.
First photo by Rita Earl Blackwell, all others by Wendi Marafino Photography