Adopting a senior dog?

[Amber]

If you were going to adopt an older dog, how old would be the limit for you giving a new home to a dog? Do you have an age limit. Would you even adopt a homeless senior? Just wondering. We're thinkin of adding a puppy mill chi so that she can spend the rest of her days in peace (she wouldn't be bothered much by the other dogs) but she's very, very old. (15)

? Thanks. (I'm not looking for advice on this particular dog, just wondering what you think about adopting elderly dogs)

 

[Ivy]

If you can handle the fact that you will most likely get attached and her days may be short, than I say go for it. It affects some people a lot harder to loose a pet in a short time than others. You know yourself best. But I am quite sure that she would really appreciate having a caring and loving home for the reamaing days of her golden years.

 

[elegy]

my first dog as an adult was a 15 year old miniature poodle. her owner had to go into a nursing home, and it's not easy to find a home for an ancient poodle with health problems. i had her for 18 months and it was both wonderful and terribly hard.

and then i had harv, who was a 10 year old pit bull i got from the shelter. i only had him for a year and he broke my heart by dying too early (from a probable brain tumor) but i'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

i love my old dogs. they are challenging (and can be expensive!) but oh they are so rewarding. i've had a lot of people comment that they could never get an old dog, that the time you have with them is so short, but i've never looked at it that way, i guess. every day is a blessing. you can't spend the whole time saying goodbye and never bask in the joy of their living.

so i would say to you, follow your heart. adopting an elderly dog isn't for everyone, but for the right person, it's a wonderful thing.

 

[PoodleMommy]

At this point in my life I would not adopt a very elderly dog.

Because it wouldnt be fair to the dogs I have already made a commitment to, to deplete my resources (READ: MONEY) on a dog I just brought in. The chances of health problems in a senior dog are much increased... while anything can happen at any age, I need to be prepared for my current dogs.

 

[Toller_08]

We adopted Winston when he was just about 7 years old, knowing that a Dobe's average lifespan is between 8-10yrs. We ended up having him for almost 4 years. I'd do it again at some point in life -- age isn't really a deterrence for me, as long as the dog looks like it has at least a year of life left in him/her. Elderly dogs can be extremely expensive to take care of. At this point in my life though, and probably for a while yet, I wouldn't adopt a senior dog -- I've yet to have had a dog longer than 5 years and want to experience that.

 

[Amanda885]

if i could, i would definitely adopt an older dog if it needed a home. everyone needs to be happy , healthy, and loved if they can.

 

[Laurelin]

I know someone that adopted a supposed 14-15 year old yorkie to 'end it's days' with her and it ended up living for another 8 years! You never really know. I personally would love to adopt an old dog one day, in particular an old golden retriever. I am not a fan of the younger years of retrievers but old goldens to me are something special.

 

[bubbatd]

Unfortunately as a senior , I can't adopt a senior . Loving big dogs I couldn't lift them and financially couldn't afford then . They are the best though !

 

[Maxy24]

So long as I had one other dog who was young I would probably adopt or at least foster elderly dogs. I don't think I'd want to adopt an elderly dog as my one and only dog because when he passes on I'd be dogless again plus I hope to do active stuff with my dog so I'd need a healthy, pain free dog for that.

My hope is indeed to have my one active adult pit bull and then foster other dogs including elderly ones.

 

[babymomma]

I think adopting a senior rescue might be one of the most rewarding of all things a person could do..

But at the same time, it can be the toughest.

 

[drmom777]

I adopted my last Scottie, Ahoj, when he has to be at least ten. Most probably he was considerably older than that. We had three terrific years with him, and then a few months when he didn't do quite as well. Keeping him didn't cost an inordinate amount of money and he was just a glorious dog. I wouldn't have missed my time with him for the world.

 

[elegy]

So long as I had one other dog who was young I would probably adopt or at least foster elderly dogs. I don't think I'd want to adopt an elderly dog as my one and only dog because when he passes on I'd be dogless again plus I hope to do active stuff with my dog so I'd need a healthy, pain free dog for that.

that's how i got luce. i was frustrated by not being able to *do* anything with my old poodle. and then she started coughing and i was scared to death she was dying so i went out and got luce so i would not have to come home to an empty house when i put her to sleep. it turned out she had kennel cough and she lived another year.

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

I definitely would. Maybe not an ancient dog, but upwards of 8 - young enough that they still enjoy a good walk once a day, but still a "good old dog". My cat was 8 when I adopted her, and I've always had a special place in my heart for the seniors that come into our rescue.

 

[Grab]

I adopted Ginger at 10 years when her owner was going to take her to the shelter. We've had her over two years so far. We really don't think of her as 'old'..sure she has a few old dog habits, but she really doesn't look or act her age. She's had a few health issues, but none were old age related. And none required longstanding meds. She doesn't seem to have arthritis...if she does it is mild enough that it doesn't bother her. She seems to see and hear fine (aside from selective hearing when she wants to) She's a great little dog. We'd happily adopt a senior dog in the future again.

Having lived with dogs I had since pup or young adult doghood that grew older and eventually passed on, I could not imagine their languishing in a shelter in their elder years and no one wanting to give them a chance at a comfortable home simply due to their age. (not that that would happen..we have plans in place in case of an accidentm but hypothetically) Older dogs have a lot of love to give and life to live. So, if we were able to give an older dog a home again some day in the future, we'd happily do so.

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

^^^^ Exactly.

If somehow any of my present or future animals ended up in a shelter (god forbid) in their old age, I would hope that someone would be kind enough to take them in for the rest of their final years/months/weeks. I'd definitely be willing to do that for someone else.

 

[Southpaw]

I love older dogs, I tend to enjoy them more than younger dogs quite honestly. At work, the senior dogs are the ones that I usually sit and spend a little more time with. There's a 13 year old Aussie who's been in rescue for a while and I so, so wish I could adopt him.

It would be heartbreaking to have them for such a short while but I feel that it's just as, if not more, heartbreaking to lose a dog after having them 10+ years.

 

[Tazwell]

I've only ever adopted senior dogs. There's not age limit for me, as long as I can afford it. My first dog, Taz, (my dobe) was 8 when I adopted him. My second dog, Archie (corgi mix?) was about 9 or 10. Scooter, my third, who is a 60lb beagle mix, was 13.

I never thought twice. I love 'em just the same.

 

[~Jessie~]

I love senior dogs... there is just something special about them.

There's a 9 year old chi that I really, really want. I met him last Saturday, and he's darling. I just feel so bad for him... he deserves to live out the rest of his life in a loving home.

However, I'd be afraid that my young dogs would stress him out too much... not to mention any health issues he could come with. Le sigh.

 

[dogsarebetter]

I am a senior dog fan. if my two dogs werent so wild I would adopted a senior. I dont think an old dog would be happy here with my two heathens running around

 

[clouie]

Yes i will. Any age will do. Even if his too old. At least i give him the chance to be taking care of and have a home. It's sad when dogs are homeless.