Senior Rule
There are many terrific reasons
to adopt a dog who’s in the golden years
of his or her life. However, despite their
calm demeanors, adorably grizzled faces,
and impeccable house manners, senior
dogs are often passed up at shelters for
puppies and adolescents. Out of a million
great reasons to adopt an elderly canine
companion, here are our top ten:
1.
Senior dogs are less work.
Puppies
are undeniably cute, but anyone who has ever raised one can tell
you
that it’s no walk in the park. “Adopting a puppy is like taking on a fulltime
job,”
says Gail Buchwald, vice president of the ASPCA Cares program in
to
get through the training and adapting phases of their lives. If you are
looking
to bring a new dog into your life, but you aren’t sure you want to
make
a huge lifestyle adjustment, consider adopting a senior dog.”
2.
You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.
According
to Jean Donaldson, obedience trainer for the San Francisco SPCA, “Dogs
that
have been ‘around the block’ often have learned to learn and catch on to
many
things faster than puppies.” Buchwald agrees and adds, “We’ve learned you
can
teach a dog to associate a behavior with a positive outcome at any age…so
there
is no such thing as a dog being set in his ways.”
3.
They’re more affordable than puppies.
Another
misconception is that a senior dog will require more frequent
and
costly medical care than a puppy. While all dogs need some degree of
medical
care, consider that puppies require a series of vaccination shots,
fecal
tests, spay/neutering surgery and an additional trip to the vet if he
or
she eats something dangerous. Remember, too, that a newborn puppy
is
a financial investment of 12 to 15 years while a senior dog is likely to be
only
half that.
4.
You are not getting any younger, either.
“Young
dogs often require young energy,” Donaldson says. “I personally
feel
nobody of retirement age who has already worked their whole life,
and
likely changed a zillion diapers, should be required to run after and/or
house-train
a puppy in order to enjoy the companionship of dogs.”
5.
It’s not how many years you spend with your
pet,
it’s how you spend them.
“Many
people do not want to adopt a dog that they will only be able to
love
for a couple of years,” says Lisa Tingley, founder and executive director
of
the
have
so much love and affection to give, and a few wonderful years with a
wonderful
dog is absolutely worth it.”
6.
What you see is what you get.
The
personality you meet is the personality they will have. They are not going
to
grow in size and you don’t have to wait for them to mature into the kind of
steady
companion who will sit by your side or take long walks with you.
7.
You will get a good night’s sleep.
According
to the Senior Dogs Project, an online advocacy group for elder
canine
companions, “Older dogs let you get a good night’s sleep because
they’re
accustomed to human schedules and don’t generally need nighttime
feedings,
comforting, or bathroom breaks.”
8.
They are more likely to be obedience trained.
There
are a lot of admirable qualities that come with maturity—obedience and
house
training are just two. Senior dogs have a lot to offer a pet guardian who
isn’t
prepared to deal with sleepless nights and soiled carpeting. “Many dogs
in
this country are abandoned because of their behavior,” Donaldson laments.
“Older
dogs are often abandoned for different reasons and so very often are
polite
and partially or fully trained.”
9.
A senior dog is not necessarily a geriatric dog.
Some
consider dogs as young as 5 or 6 years old to be seniors but their play
days
are hardly numbered. The ASPCA notes that large dogs can live to the
average
age of 12 and sometimes beyond. Small dogs can live up to 18 to 20
years
old, leaving guardians plenty of years to cherish their furry companion.
10.
They need your help.
Look
into the eyes of any rescued senior dog and you will see not only what
they’ve
been through, but you can also sense their gratitude through their
loyalty
and affection as they snuggle at your side during long winter nights.
“Can
you imagine being in your sunset years and suddenly without anyone you
ever
knew?” Donaldson says. “There is nothing more grateful than an older dog
given
a loving, comfortable, stable home. It’ll do your heart good.”
