When adopting a pet, senior dogs might not be your first choice. This might not be the best idea, as most senior dogs end up receiving the death sentence and getting euthanized just because of their old age. Muttville fills that niche of pet homes where only senior dogs are available for adoption. What it stands for is truly heartwarming: a place for old buddies that need just as much care and attention as any other pet through a loving pet owner. If you’re convinced that senior dogs for adoption are the way to go (and we totally agree!), perhaps it’s time to visit Muttville yourself?
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.
Planning to get another dog to add to your growing family? There’s one area you have to cover first, if you don’t want problems in your otherwise peaceful abode: introducing a new dog to your pets. Naturally, you want your pets to get along great. With due preparation, this may very well happen.
If you haven’t picked a pet yet, you might want to consider the gender. A male dog will get along with a male dog just fine, but a female and female will most likely lead to conflicts. Also, what’s the current state of your current dog? If your current dog is older and has certain problems, you should protect your older dog from a younger, more energetic puppy who might end up harassing the former.
The best time for introductions is the weekend, where you can observe it happening. You should do it in your own home or the backyard. There should also be leashes on both dogs, with leashes that will give them just enough room to move around.
You can also walk together the two dogs, on either side of you. Try not to walk them all in one side, as this may easily cause them to crash against each other.
Introducing a New Dog to Your Other Pets
Make sure there is an environment of plenty. There should be more than one water bowl and more than one comfortable place to lie down. There should be plenty of toys, especially of kinds your dog likes, so that there’s no reason for the dogs to have a conflict over access to them. If your dog has a history of guarding his toys, they should be removed for the initial introduction period, which may take a few weeks. This all needs to be arranged before you pick up the new dog.
At first, feed your dog the way you always have done and feed the new dog in a different room. Your dog should not have to worry about feeding time, leading to problems feeding the dogs. The new dog has no expectations of your home, so he shouldn’t be upset by whatever feeding spot you choose. A very food-motivated dog will eat well from the start, but some dogs may need a person with them for the first day or two. (Read more here)
It might take a while before you give valuable treats to the dogs, like real bones. You might have to separate the two when giving these favorites. It’s also important to treat both fairly. If one gets a nice treat for a job well done, so should the other.
Sometimes, the older dog will feel a little territorial and push away the new dog. Do not scold your dogs when this happens. Instead, you can distract the new dog and just let the old one have his space.
Be careful about switching the sleeping areas too. Don’t move the older dog from the current sleeping situation. The new dog can either sleep alongside the older dog or get a new spot to sleep on. Also, don’t leave the two dogs together alone in the house at first, unless you’re sure that they won’t fight against each other.
It’s almost inconceivable for two or more dogs to live together without disagreeing now and then—just like us humans! Don’t punish them for this. In time, they will grow comfortable with each other, and disagreements like these will come to pass. All it takes is just a little patience.
This is the story of Suryia the Orangutan and Roscoe the dog. While walking along through the animal park one morning, Suryia and her handler were surprised when a malnourished dog crossed their path. The handler was quite surprised when the dog seemed to not be afraid of the Orangutan and even more surprised when Suryia just went right over to give the dog a big hug! The two have become the best of friends and the old hound dog, Roscoe, has given Suryia a companion of the highest grade. Dogs are so loving and loyal and this older dog seems patient and understanding of all the ways Suryia shows her affection. Much like the ever loving way that many dogs endure the loving tugs and pulls that children put them through! Roscoe is a great example of why older dogs rock!
