Blessed is the person who knows the love of a senior dog.
Why you should stop and introduce yourself to a senior in a shelter…
Recently at our routine senior vet check, I asked 'do you think Fletch's teeth need a polish and scale?' She laughed ‘well he doesn’t have much to work with!’. You see as a puppy, Fletch ate the better part of a house, a Vespa, and an outdoor setting.
Depending on your circumstance, lifestyle and needs, a senior rescue dog can make the perfect companion. For a start, they won't try and eat your house!
Senior dogs are often overlooked in shelters and heartbreakingly are the last to be adopted. Yet they have so much to offer, including being the most experienced at being a ‘best friend’ in the shelter.
Seniors make GREAT companions for other seniors, both human and doggo. They love a good nap (who doesn’t?) and are happy to get you out into the sunshine for a good sniff around the neighbourhood at a slower pace. They are calmer than younger dogs, love to learn new tricks, and help foster healthy cognitive function in both humans and other senior dogs alike. They are a wonderful remedy for those who feel lonely or isolated and will accept and love you, just the way you are. They’re beyond the chewing phase and well into the loving phase.
Senior rescue dogs teach us so much about love, forgiveness, presence, gratitude, and joy and should you invite them into your life, they will contribute all of this to your home. So if you’ve been tossing around the idea of adopting, do yourself a favour and introduce yourself to a senior rescue dog. You may be surprised by who rescues who.