The Beautiful Benefits of Adopting an Older Dog

Hello, everyone! If you are a regular reader of our greyhound blog, you will have seen my post from September, featuring a special appeal for 11 year-old Misty, who found herself homeless after her elderly owner could no longer take care of her. Well, I am THRILLED to say that, within a couple of days, Misty found a new forever home, where she will very much be loved and adored in her twilight years! Thank you SO much to everyone who shared her story – the power of social media!

Inspired by this, I thought it is an excellent opportunity to highlight the beautiful benefits that can come with adopting an older dog, who are normally overlooked at rescue centres in favour of younger puppies. Read on to find out more…

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Older dogs can make fabulous, loyal companions and should never be overlooked for adoption simply because of their age. They have so very much to offer as a pet! Firstly, they are usually well-trained and, therefore, they can be far less work than a younger dog, having most likely already been taught how to behave around humans and on walks. They may even have mastered some commands before: this could save a great deal of energy, time and the expense of training. They are also much more likely to have had previous real-world experiences, around both humans and other dogs, so the introductions of socialising have already been done for the new owner!

Secondly, just consider: what tends to happen to us all as we get older? As humans, we tend to mellow out, become calmer and enjoy a slower pace of life. This is the same for dogs. Adopting an older dog means you are likely to welcome a calmer character into your home, compared to if they were in their puppy stage. Additionally, this also tends to mean that you are looking at bringing a furry friend home who is much lower maintenance – most older dogs only ask for a gentle stroll each day, a nice warm bed and love. This could not be more different from the constant attention and hard work that is required when a person brings home a puppy.

Thirdly (and this is a big one!)… there will be no “puppy stage” if you decide to adopt an older dog. Yes, you may have to take a few weeks to teach them your own routine at home – this goes without saying – but it is very unlikely that you will find yourself having to educate your older adoptee about toilet training and sleep training, as well as dealing with the consequences of puppy-like destruction, such as chewing all furniture in sight!

Fourthly, any older dog who you decide to adopt will be fully grown and have their own personality already – you know what you are getting! There should be no sudden growth spurt surprises and you will be able to make a decision based on the type of doggy personality which will fit best in your home before adopting.

Finally, and most importantly, you should consider adopting an older dog because… you are giving a dog a second chance. There are very few experiences which are as fulfilling as taking an older dog out of kennels (where they should absolutely not be during their twilight years) and bringing them back to your safe, loving home. The majority of older dogs find themselves back at adoption kennels through entirely no fault of their own: their family member might have passed away, the family might have broken apart or even relocated. This can be utterly devastating for an older dog. Imagine spending most of your life in the security of your home, with the family members who you have grown to trust, just to be discarded when their lives change. If you adopt an older dog, they might become a small part of your world, but you will become their whole world, and the loyalty of an older dog who has been given a second chance to be loved is incomparable to any other.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post today. If you are considering bringing home a furry friend, please consider adopting an older dog! If you are not in a position to adopt a dog, but would like to help an older pooch, please contact The Cinnamon Trust. This is a wonderful charity, which matches volunteers with elderly dog owners who can no longer walk their dogs. We volunteered and walked 11 year-old Misty once a week through The Cinnamon Trust, as her and her owner lived locally to us. This meant that we were helping to prevent an older dog from being separated from the owner who had adored her for so many years. Furthermore, if you would like to take an older dog into your home but can only do so on a short-term basis, enquire at your local dog rescue centre about fostering!

Until next time…

Love and snoot kisses,

Berry x