Today I’m joining Bloggers Unite for Dog Rescue, a special online global event held on July 23, 2012 stressing the importance of dog adoption. Dog Rescue Success is proud to partner with Blog Catalog, BTC4animals.com and YOU to harness a global online community to help save the lives of dogs in need.
I’d like to share with you my
Top 10 Reasons To Adopt a Senior Dog
Brooks is a purebred golden retriever, gentle, sweet, gets along well with other dogs. No behavioral issues. Yet he sat unwanted in a shelter and rescue groups for more than a year. Why? Because Brooks is 11 years old. Happily, we adopted him just 3 months ago. Yes, it was a bit of a struggle to decide about adopting a senior dog and risk having my heart break too soon but…it turned out to be a wonderful choice, for many reasons:
1. Brooks didn’t need to be housebroken. Been there, done that.
2. With Brooks, we didn’t have to wonder how big he’d grow up to be or anything. We could see his full grown size, his hair length, etc.
3. His personality was fully developed too. He was calm and laid back on our first walk together at the adoption clinic, and he remains calm and laid back today.
3. As a senior, Brooks doesn’t require an extensive amount of exercise. A few good walks, some tosses of the tennis ball in the yard, and he’s happy. This kind of fits with my philosophy on life!
4. Brooks sets a peaceful tone in the house. No puppy crazies. No zoomies. He’s pretty content to nap by my feet. (again, my philosophy!)
5. Brooks already knows basic commands. He easily responds to no, sit, come here, lay down. He needs a little work on “stay.”
6. Brooks isn’t teething, and doesn’t chew the furniture or have to make slobbery holes in socks and shoes left on the floor.
7. Brooks doesn’t require constant monitoring like a puppy. I am careful about keeping trash out of reach (especially after that dangerous episode with a corncob) and keeping his environment safe, but for the most part he doesn’t get into things he shouldn’t.
8. Brooks sleeps through the night. I’ve already served my time getting up at night with kids (and puppies) for potty breaks, bad dreams, etc. I like that my old boy will sleep as long as I do!
9. Brooks is full of love. This may not be a quality unique to senior dogs, but I just have to say that Brooks has so much love to give, and gives love easily. No way to know what his life was like before he came to us, but he seems to appreciate the care and love we give him, and settles easily into the job of being the best dog he can be. Maybe that’s a sign of canine maturity.
10. Brooks had been unadopted for nearly a year. Senior dogs are often overlooked because people worry about having less time together, and having to deal with heartbreak sooner. But the way I look at it, I am happy to give Brooks a loving home for however many years he has left.
Millions of dogs are euthanized each year while waiting for their ”forever home”. Seniors are often the first to go. We can make a difference. Share this post, and other posts today, across all forms of social media and help everyone to learn about the joys of dog rescue. Even if you don’t adopt a senior dog, there are dogs of all sizes, shapes, colors and ages out there, waiting for their forever homes.
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* There are many reasons to buy a pet from a reputable breeder. The main problem, as most of us know, is the puppy mills, and pet stores that get their dogs from puppy mills. Boooooo!
