Many people consider adopting small dogs, but what about senior small dogs? Wouldn’t it feel wonderful to give the same love and affection to a senior pet? But you may be asking yourself if you could actually do it. How old does a dog need to be before it is a “senior” dog? This would probably be one of the most fundamental questions to ask in considering this kind of adoption.
Adopting a Little “Old” Friend
For small breed dogs, a senior dog is roughly 10 years and older. Needless to say, a senior dog will have noticeably slowed down. They might have cloudy eyes and a little shade of gray around the head and muzzle. But if your desire is to adopt senior dogs, it would do well for you to try and focus more on the pet’s health and not dwell on the age. (read more here)
It is pretty much like with humans; there are seniors who still act and look younger than their age due to the healthy life and diet that they’ve been living. For dogs, healthy 14 year old’s are still as active as ever when compared to a much younger or overweight dog.
Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Nutrition professor, Lisa Freeman, PhD, DACVN states that the more important matter than age is whether the senior dog has an underlying medical issue or overweight. Obesity can be a big problem as dogs age as is the case with people.
You need to be aware that in many cases, rescue organizations and pet shelters do not fully know the story behind each of the animals they take in. Often, they do not know the exact age and the medical history of the dogs, they can only give an educated guess. Unless the person who turned in the dog provides them with the correct information, the only reliable information to be had will be the rescue organization’s veterinarian.
Like people, senior dogs must have a considerable amount of time for exercise and their healthy dietary needs must be met. But since they are seniors, they will need less exercise than the younger and larger dogs. It is an integral part of their lives to have a little bit of exercise as senior dogs are not necessarily couch potatoes. If the main concern with your furry pet is the weight, you will have to let the little critter go on a diet and keep him active – with an ample amount of rest, of course.
A closer relationship between your pet and the vet is essential when it comes to advice on diet and exercise. Since dogs with small breeds are desired for companionship, they are perfect for snuggling and cuddling, and they do not take up a lot of space in the house. If you live in a smaller house or apartment, their petite size will be just fine. One of the most well known benefits for senior small dogs is their behavior. Since they’ve outgrown their chewing stage, they are more likely to settle down quite well and quickly making them comfortable and pleasurable companions.