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Special Seniors!
Dora is surrounded by 3 of her kid friends, as she celebrates her birthday with a little costume party! Dora is a loving senior Boxer gal that is in a foster home, waiting for her forever family. Senior Boxers are especially calm, loving & obedient companions !
Consider adopting a senior, you will enjoy one of lifes most rewarding experiences!
Old dogs As I sit here and look at all of our old dogs sleeping around me, I am filled with love for their wonderful spirits. All of these dogs have been discarded after years of loyalty to their families. All of these dogs lived through the confusing, terrifying, deafening hell of the County Shelter for a few days to a few weeks, only to be relegated to the euthanasia list after being passed over by people looking for a younger dog. I am so very glad to have the privilege of sharing my life with each and every one of them. I love their infirmities, their disabilities, and their wisdom. They sleep most of the day away, especially now that it is so warm outside. They love to be scratched, but are not insistent. They like to eat, but are not voracious. They are gentle, sweet souls who deserve much more than I can give them, but they are alive. My heart aches for the thousands of dogs, just as sweet as these, who are suffering in a shelter, confused and afraid, waiting for their owners to return. Their end is almost certainly the needle, and at that point it will be a relief for them. I am so familiar with all of the reasons people don't adopt older dogs. "He will have expensive medical problems", or "I don't want to go through the pain of losing a dog so soon", or "I want my kids to grow up with a puppy", or " I want an energetic dog to take on hikes". These people are missing the richness and the beauty of a calm, loving, wise being who only wants a soft place to rest and a walk once in awhile. An older dog will not have bad habits such as barking and chewing. An older dog is housetrained and knows the ropes of living with people. An older dog will deeply appreciate a scratch behind the ear, a chew toy, or a new dogbed. As far as medical bills, most of my older dogs have very few. Compared to my younger dogs who swallow squeaky toys and require bowel resections, they have cost almost nothing. Maybe an occasional skin lesion or a tooth that needs to be removed. Maybe a little arthritis medicine, but nothing major. Our older dogs let us know when it is time to go. Sometimes they pass at night curled up on their dogbeds, and sometimes we have the veterinarian come to the house and euthanize them. Yes, it is sad. But the sadness is far outshadowed by the rich, sweet experience of having such a gentle being in our lives for a time. And we know that we provide them with a soft place to land for their last months or years. Please, please consider adopting an older dog. There are so very many waiting in the shelters to be rescued. You will not regret it. Deborah
Quite often, Boxer Luv Rescue has senior Boxers that are in need of a foster home while the rescue searches for the perfect home for them. Finding a home for these "silvers" can take longer as many potential adoptees are often looking for a younger dog. While Boxer Luv's goal is to have a foster home for all of our dogs as they await a new home, it's especially important that our seniors not spend any of their twilight time in a kennel. If you can open your home to one of our older boys or girls, please fill out a foster application. Our foster coordinator will match you up with one of our more mature dogs and you will be on your way to experiencing tremendous happiness! Now, while you're waiting for your big match-up, here's a wonderful excerpt from a book by Jean Callahan called, "Your Older Dog".
"THE DISCREET CHARMS OF THE OLDER DOG" While some dogs serve people by performing specific tasks, such as helping individuals with special needs, others simply curl up by the fire or on the sofa and make everybody in the house feel comforted by their presence. Since older dogs are calmer and wiser than young pups, their gifts for soothing spirits are unique. Older dogs can make sweet companions for older people. Their visits to nursing homes and assisted living facilities are particularly well recieved because older dogs enjoy sitting still for good, long petting sessions. Older dogs can also be ideal playmates for young children. Because they are already house-trained and need less exercise, they make wonderful companions for busy people who don't have the time or energy for a younger animal. Whether you have recently adopted your older dog or whether he or she has been a part of your family fo years, you know how lucky you are to be the human companion of an older dog.
TOP TEN REASONS TO ADOPT AN OLDER DOG. 1. They let you get a good night's sleep: they don't need a midnight snack or bathroom run. 2. Older dogs are less demanding than younger dogs: they leave you time for yourself. 3. Older dogs know who they are: they're grown ups with real personalities. 4. They're constant companions: they stay by your side on walks in the park. 5. Older dogs love to sit and be petted for as long as you want to pet them. 6. They've learned what it takes to get along and they know how to be part of a pack. 7. Older dogs know what "no" means. 8. They can learn new tricks: older dogs focus better because they're more relaxed. 9. Because they are not teething, older dogs won't chew your favorite slippers to bits. 10. They are housebroken.
PERSPECTIVE BY DENISE FLECK The story of Sushi .Rescued senior awakens owner to the joys of older dogs.
he had the widest head I'd ever seen. As she barked furiously at the meter reader, the sun reflected off the tag attached to her collar by a piece of twisted wire. Large brown eyes gazed intently at the uniformed man while protecting the woman at the other end of her leash. The woman led the dog to my car, patted the I had learned the day before that the 8-year-old dog would soon be dropped off at animal control. I worked frantically on the phone pleading for any place Sushi could live out her years, but, as is so often the case, every rescue had more dogs than it could handle. My Labrador Retriever Sunny, whom my husband Paul and I rescued nine years earlier, had passed away recently. I wasn't ready to become attached to another dog, yet my heart made me get involved. Once at our house, Sushi received an abundance of ear scratches and soon relaxed enough for belly rubs. She went with us for walks and car rides, enjoyed breakfasts at pet-friendly cafes, and entertained herself with her first ever, toy! At night Sushi drifted off to sleep on her own bed next to ours with what was unmistakably a smile. We were convinced that Sushi wanted to stay. Over the next four years, ''The Soosh" became queen of her home and developed quite the personality ~ something that must have ached to come out with proper nurturing. Her wide, grizzly bear appearance became that of a fluffy teddy bear. The graying of her face softened her look. But a more profound transformation was the inner beauty that blossomed through her eyes. At the age of 12 Sushi joined Sunny on The Rainbow Bridge. Although it was painful to say goodbye, we will forever cherish our memories. We are confident Sushi's time with us was lived to the fullest. During our time together, Sushi taught me my purpose is to love as many dogs as possible and provide them with forever homes. She helped me understand that I could find more than one soul mate canine companion as each dog has her own unique personality and each will find her own special place in my heart. Sushi convinced me to place great emphasis on the "nurture" part of nurture versus nature. Having been a protection dog left on someone's back porch for eight years, Sushi was tough. But when shown love and kindness, she overcame her own history. Sushi opened my eyes to how much a senior pet can offer. True, your time together may be short, but its quality can far outweigh the lack of quantity. Seniors don't need to be trained, know the rules, are happy to have a less-active lifestyle, but still have so much to give. Sushi healed my broken heart over Sunny. Inspired by her love, I continued that circle. Barely a month after saying goodbye to Sushi, we adopted a 9- and a 10-year-old (Rico, a black Labrador Retriever, and Rex, an Akita-Border Collie mix). They, too, were dogs in need whom I'm certain were sent to us by Sushi. They seem so grateful for their new lives, and I am so grateful for them. Loving Sushi and being loved by her truly changed my life. Denise Reck is the founder of Sunny-dog Ink, an animal care company specializing in pet first aid and CPR instruction, books for children, and handpainted, pet-themed ceramics. She lives in Shadow Hills, Calif., with her husband and rescue dogs Rico, Rex, and Duchess.DOG FANCY would like to know what part dogs have played in your life. If you have a humorous, touching, or inspirational tale, send it to Perspective, DOG FANCY, P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050; perspective@dogfancy.com
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