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Pets and their People

Miriam YardenCalling All Seniors: Adopt An Adult/Senior Dog, Not A Pup, And Enjoy

by C. Miriam Yarden, B.Sc., MS, APDT



(Feb. 15, 2014) -- The senior years. The golden time we reach after a lifetime of work. To take pleasure and enjoy the worry-free years. Part of that pleasure and enjoyment is sharing our hearts and homes with a companion animal. We can now give him or her the time and attention they need, we don't worry any more about leaving him alone all day while we are at work and we are never alone -- we have a real companion.

How many of us have said, "I'll get a dog when I retire because I don't have the time now?" Well, that time has arrived and we are ready for the great adventure either for the first time, or again if we had a pet before.

How and where to look for a pet should not be a problem -- the shelters and rescues overflow with wonderful animals in desperate need of homes. No, they are NOT "someone else's problem." Most of them are lost, strayed or had to be relinquished because their owners could no longer care for them, moved to care facilities, or passed away. These are adult and/or senior dogs who are bewildered, confused, saddened, suffering a great loss and in need of another chance.

But you want an 8-10 week old puppy. Understandable - after all you want to bring him up yourself. But STOP and think for a moment: you both face the phases of housetraining, the pain of teething, the high level of energy of a growing pup, the expense of spaying or neutering. And what kind of a dog he or she will grow up to be is anybody's guess. Even with a purebred you can't always be sure.

CONSIDER: Can you deal with housetraining? The rigid schedule of taking him out day AND night? Do you have the energy to bend constantly to clean up after him? Do you have the patience when he makes mistakes and not get angry or frustrated, or will you punish or imprison him in a cage "until he learns" thus possibly damaging his psyche and personality?

CONSIDER: Can you deal with the tiny razor-sharp baby teeth until he loses them and his adult teeth come in? And forgive the damage to sofas, carpets, baseboards, shoes, socks, pillows, etc? Most importantly, can you deal with those sharp little teeth getting snagged on your hands and arms when he play-bites (as all puppies do), causing profuse bleeding and possible infection because our skin is thinner, more fragile and sensitive than it used to be?

CONSIDER: You have always been a "big dog" person. You always lived with Labradors, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Boxers, Collies, Mastiffs, Huskies, etc. Are you strong enough and is your balance stable enough now if a big, healthy, strong and happy dog throws himself at you for sheer joy, good nature and the exuberance of love? Or could he knock you over? Can you deal with Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and other herding breeds who are naturally energetic and get bored easily? Or hunting breeds like Vizslas, Setters, Weimaraners, etc.? It IS a long list, indeed.

CONSIDER: Can you provide him the one to two hours of daily exercise which he must have to work off the excess energy he accumulates during the day? Because walking twice around the block is NOT exercise! At best, it is merely a "toilet trip." He needs freedom to run at his pace with someone who can run with him. Without adequate exercise he will probably dig holes, chew up things, or do a bit of "gardening" digging up your backyard.

CONSIDER: Another issue to bear in mind is that with the good care you give him, he is likely to live ~15 years. We must face the possibility that he will outlive us. What happens to him them? Can you make the necessary arrangements for his continuing life with the same care and love you have given him? Can you insure that he will NOT be given to a shelter where his natural life-span can NOT be guaranteed? That the short time he may have there will be of confusion, sadness and abandonment?

PLEASE THINK: When you adopt a companion, use your heart but at the same time, use your head as well. Consider the difficulties both you and your puppy will face and think of the future.

SO HERE IS AN IDEA: look at the adult and/or senior dogs who are in desperate need of a second chance for a loving home. These are the ones overlooked and rejected because they are past the "puppy cutes." These are also dogs who are housetrained, past the teething phase, and most importantly, what you see is what you get. They are well-behaved, adapt quickly, love people and are truly grateful for another chance at giving love, pleasure and loyalty.

Look at smaller dogs who are easier to handle, who will not pull you off your feet, who love walking with you, who need less exercise and who are dedicated lap-warmers, the little clowns who make you smile and amaze you with their intelligence and eagerness to please.

I know because all my life I have had large breeds (all adopted!). Irish Setters, Old English Sheepdog, German Shepherd, Greyhound, Labrador, Boxer and others. Yet I find repeatedly, that the little ones wiggle, dance and snuggle their way into our hearts in a most delightful way.

PLEASE THINK: Adult and senior dogs need homes, love and affection. They also pay us back ten-fold with their love, loyalty and devotion.

Think of it with your heart AND with your head. Your last dog was a big, strong, active one, whom you took into you home fifteen years ago. But then, you were also fifteen years younger...

PLEASE CONSIDER and enjoy the golden years even more.


Ms. Yarden's LBREPORT.com Archives:

  • VIDEO Report: Teachable Moment From Awful Incident Where Dog Bites TV News Host

  • "Devocalization" -- That Is: Let's Cut Their Vocal Chords

  • Governor Brown's Proposal To Kill Law Giving Shelter Animals More Days To Live Is So Not California!

  • Pet Food Recall Alert

  • Some Cautionary Notes For Halloween And Online Buying In Between

  • Walk/Run/Stroll for the Animals Oct. 10

  • Why Would Anyone Want To Adopt An Older Pet?

  • Heat Alert For Your Pets: They Can't Sweat; High Heat Can Kill; Keep Them Inside

  • Safe & Secure 4th of July To All Pets

  • Why Would Anyone Want To Adopt An Older Pet?

  • Heat Alert For Your Pets: They Can't Sweat; High Heat Can Kill; Keep Them Inside

  • Safe & Secure 4th of July To All Pets

  • Barking Dogs -- A Real Problem, But...

  • Declaw or Mutilate Your Feline Friend?

  • Cat Licensing in Long Beach -- And About Time!

  • Designer Dogs

  • Yet Another Threat To Our Pets

  • Coyote "Invasion" -- Let's Manage It

  • The Backyard Dog

  • L.A. Sets Poor Example by Undermining Its Own Spay/Neuter Law

  • There Is No Good Excuse -- EVER! - For Abandoning A Dog Or Cat

  • Keeping Tax Collector's Hands Off Our Pets

  • Animals Are Not For Suffocating Or Burning

  • Ensuring Effective Dog License Canvassing in LB

  • Christmas With Your Companions

  • The Other Side of Farm Animal Cruelty

  • The Coyote: Truths & Myths

  • Katrina, Now Gustav...And Thank God! We Have Learned Something!

  • A Toy For Every Animal

  • Foiling Thieves Who'd Steal Your Dog

  • What To Do, And Not Do, If Your Cat Is Freaked Out By The Quake

  • Driving With Your Dog

  • On CSULB's Unwelcome Coyotes & Formerly Welcome Feral Felines

  • Not Merely Birth Control: The Other Side of Spay & Neuter


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