Why Adopt A Senior Dog?

Yes, puppies are so cute, but another category of dogs can be just as darling; older dogs. In animal shelters, they often go ignored by potential future owners. Of course a senior dog is not going to live as long as a puppy, but she still has a lot of life to share.

Advantages of senior dog adoption:

1. Most senior dogs are house trained and obedience trained to at least a certain level, and do not need the intense socialization that puppies require.

2. It is obvious how big the dog is going to get.

3. Her temperament is known.

4. Depending on the dog's age, inherited diseases have probably surfaced.

5. Many older dogs are happy to set their pace to match yours.

6. They do not typically chew things.

7. Seniors' shorter expected life spans make sense for people whose kids are getting older and who are looking to a future with more travel in it.

8. Adopted older dogs are eternally grateful for the second chance.

A FEW disadvantages of senior dog adoption:

1. You will not get to live with your dog for the next 10-15 years (depending on breed).

2. A she ages further, she is likely to face senior-related health problems.

3. Mobility problems may arise. But as dogs' life spans have grown, so have available medications, treatments, and other tools to handle their health problems.

Ten Ways To Keep Your Dog "Forever Young"

Lacey at 12 Years Old
There is a large disparity between the life span of a dog and our life span. The best we can do is to keep our friends as healthy as possible and "forever young." Several factors have been shown to increase the life span of pets. A veterinary textbook, Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, by Drs. Johnny Hoskins and Richard Goldston, indicates some of these factors.

Ten tips to help keep your pet healthy and young for as long as possible include:

1. Know When Your Pet is "Old." When pets are considered "senior" depends largely on their breed and size. According to Dr. Johnny Hoskins in Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, small breed dogs (less than 20 pounds) are in their senior years around nine to 13 years of age. Medium sized dogs (21 to 50 pounds) around nine to 11.5 years; large breed dogs (51 to 90 pounds) around 7.5 to 10.5 years and giant dogs (more than 90 pounds) between six and nine years. In general, smaller breed dogs live longer.

2. Wellness Exams. Geriatric examinations are recommended by many veterinarians when your pet is considered a senior. These examinations help identify early diseases or problems in older pets. Exams should include a history and physical examination with evaluation of the teeth, listening to the heart and lungs (by stethoscope), abdominal palpation (feeling of the abdomen) and inspection of the ear and eyes. Weight monitoring, parasite check (fecal examination) and blood work and urine tests are also often recommended. Other tests may be indicated depending on your pet's clinical signs (symptoms).

3. Watch for Illness. Careful observation at home is extremely important. By nature of survival, pets are very good at hiding their illness until it is often very late. Take time to examine your pet. Feel him or her for masses and indications of weight loss or loss of musculature. Things to watch for at home include changes in water consumption or patterns of urination, poor appetite, weight loss or gain, coughing or difficulty breathing, changes in activity level, vomiting, diarrhea and skin lumps or masses. If you have questions or concerns about your pet – play it safe and have him or her evaluated by your veterinarian. Early diagnosis is vital to the success of treatment.

4. Weight Control. "Obese pets have shorter life spans than non-obese pets," according to Dr. Richard T. Goldston from Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat. Obesity may lead to a number of health problems. Excess weight puts excess stress on your pet's heart. When the heart doesn't function properly, other organs may suffer including the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Over time, these problems may become severe enough to cause life-threatening conditions.

5. Keep Close Tabs. In general, "outdoor" free roaming pets have shorter lives than indoor animals. Infectious diseases, poisonings and trauma are common killers. Senior pets have decreased reflexes and may not see and hear as well as they used to. This makes them vulnerable to outside dangers such as predators or cars. Keep dogs on leashes or in fenced-in yards.

6. Monitor Your Environment. Keep poisons up and out of the reach of pets. Common toxins include antifreeze, rat poison and slug bait. Keep trash out of reach. Don't count on your pet to "know better." It doesn't take a large amount of a dangerous substance to make them seriously ill.

7. Nutrition. Feed your pet a premium high quality diet. Feed low fat and high fiber since high fat and/or low fiber are thought to decrease life expectancy. With your veterinarian, discuss the merits of a diet formulation for "senior" pets. Minimize treats, and if you do give them, make them nutritious and low in calories. Air-popped popcorn is often a good treat for dogs.

8. Exercise. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy body weight, strengthens joints and muscles and provides mental stimulation for your pet.

9. Spay and Neuter. Spayed and neutered pets tend to have fewer health problems. Without the ovaries and uterus, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern. Studies have shown that dogs spayed before puberty have a significantly lower chance of developing breast cancer than unspayed dogs, or dogs spayed later in life. Health problems that can be associated with birthing are also eliminated with spaying. Without the testicles, testicular cancer is no longer a concern and the risk of prostate problems is reduced. In addition, the desire to "wander" is diminished, which lowers the chance of your dog running away (and suffering trauma, such as being hit by a car).

10. Mental Stimulation. Provide your pet with toys, games and quality time. Most pets are never too old to play. Encourage mental stimulation. It is never too late to teach old dogs new tricks.

Teaching Older Dogs

The old saying that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is NOT true.

Old dogs may not learn as quickly as they once did, but with time and patience most older dogs can be taught to do just about anything that a young dog can do.

If you would like to teach your older dog some new tricks, here are some tips:

1. Teach one word commands. Teaching the correct response to voice cues or hand signals is as fundamental to communicating with a dog as the alphabet is to human language.

2. Be consistent. Consistency is the key to learning.

3. Provide rewards. Reward your dog's good behavior with a treat and tons of praise.

4. If the dog is slightly deaf, speak louder.

To put it all together, this is what you do:

Add a word cue or sign that must preface the behavior if it is to be rewarded. This is called a conditional stimulus; and it must be present if a reward for performing the behavior is forthcoming. The word cue or other cue should be delivered once, and once only. Whatever you do don't repeat the command. If the dog obeys, he must be rewarded immediately. If he does not, there is no reward. The opposite of reward is not punishment it is simply the lack of reward.

Using the above method, any behavior can be trained although more complicated behaviors have to be trained in stages ("shaped").

Reward your dog for performing a desired behavior when that behavior occurs naturally. For example, give your dog a food treat for sitting, lying down or to stop barking. Initially, the reward should be selected to be practically irresistible, not just kibble or a piece of dry dog biscuit. The frequency with which your dog will perform the behavior will increase if the reward is more appreciated.