Pet Lovers

[Scorpio1971]

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@CamilleP wrote:

J Town Girl, I agree with your DH and other respondents that you will most certainly love an adult Rescue dog every bit as much as you would love a puppy.  I adopted an almost 15 year old Cairn girl who found herself in our local shelter, and I feared we would only have her a couple of months.  Turns out she was in such bad shape because her previous owners had used prednisone to control her allergies.  Once switched to Apoquel and given a limited ingredient diet she was not allergic to, she recovered a great deal of health and vigor, and we had her for 18 months when she finally crossed the Bridge, just about one year ago now.  I miss her every day, and I loved her as if she had been born here.  Four weeks ago today, I rushed my newly adopted Scottie to the emergency clinic, where he died of end stage liver failure two days later.  I had only adopted him the day before I rushed him to the vet, he was terminal when a more distant shelter put him up for adoption, although it's quite probable that the drenching of all kinds of toxic chemicals they subjected him to before adopting him to me hastened his demise.  Even though he was only my dog for one day, he stole my heart the minute I met him, and I am deeply grieving his loss.  Believe me, when you set that Rescue dog on your lap the first time, and they give you a kiss on the chin, you will fall in love with them as if they were just 12 weeks old, even if they are 6+ years instead!

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@CamilleP 

So sorry for your very sudden furbaby loss and the loss of your other furbaby last year...😢😢🐾🐾❤❤

[J Town Girl]

@Scorpio1971    Thank you for posting a picture of your baby.    He was certainly a beautiful dog.   I'm so sorry for your loss.

I know you said he was a Silky but he looks so much like my little last little Yorkie. Her name was Erin.

[Scorpio1971]

@J Town Girl 

Thank you and so sorry for your losses also.  Your Erin must have been so cute!  Everyone did mistake him for a Yorkie too, but he was a surrender to the shelter so the shelter did know & specifically say he was a Silky.  But his breed is a combination of breeding Australian Terriers & Yorkies years ago so maybe he just had very strong genes from the Yorkie background.  And he was big & muscular.  He was 16 lbs and build like tank. So muscular was hard to pick up.  My friend has 2 yorkies about 12 lbs each and they are so easy to just grab and pick up.  When he walked he resembled a bulldog walk...you know with the legs & shoulders & chest pushed out resembling a bulldog.  But the sweetest & friendliest baby.  And he did not like dogs that gave him bad vibes.  My friends son had a pit bull that was giving bad vibes while her son was holding her so my baby went after her & nipped her on the snout!  Her son was mad at my dog but she was growling and had to be muzzled because she was nasty.  Yet the guy next door has a 100lb Am. Staf Pit mix and he is so sweet and mine got along so well with him they looked like Mutt & Jeff together!  Lol!  Looks are deceiving.

[FancyPhillyshopper]

Our furbabies are so precious!

It is important to think of their futures no matter what age we are because life can never be predicted...

I agree that pets should have stipulations/funding in our wills for ongoing care and potential future adoption (perhaps with your vet involved).

I also know the joy a small puppy can bring after dealing with a senior pet for a long time, so the whatever decision is made, do it from the heart!

Best wishes!

[Scooby Doo]

I felt the same way when my last Shih Tzu died.  He was my little boy.

But after 7 months I was ready for a new companion.  I found a 6 yr old black pom at the shelter whose owner had died.  I took her before they put her in the general population for adoption.  She's turned out to be a loving companion. 
Then 4 months later I found another 7 yr old black pom at the same shelter.  I went to get her, but I wasn't real sure she would fit in.  Boy, was I wrong.  She's the most darling and loving 6 pounds you could ask for.  The kids and I love them both and they argue about who's going to inherit them.

My recommendation is to look for a shelter dog who is in the situation that you're concerned about.  There's so many that need the loving home that you could provide.  Love has no boundaries.

[Havarti]

For the very reason you stated, seniors can help other seniors just this way.  There are many pets that are surrendered to shelters that came from a loving home with a senior who either died or needed to move into heath care living environments that do not allow pets.  So often, family will take the money and the things, but are not willing to take the much loved pet that was likely the most prized possession of their loved one.  These pets have been dearly loved and well cared for by a senior (or couple) - and that is the environment that they would thrive in if only they had that opportunity.  If we seniors would help each other in this simple way so many wonderful animals would be saved from euthanasia and given a second happy life while bringing joy to another senior.

At this point in life I only adopt senior pets and they have truly been the best pets of all the many animals I have had in my life.  They are so lost & confused without their "person" and so very grateful for your love.  I am currently waiting to see if I can get a 17 year old dog that was saved from the pound by a local rescue on the very day she was to be euthanized.  Why do I have to wait to see if I can adopted her?  Because there are multiple seniors who want her and I am 2nd in line. 

It sounds like you have a very kind heart and I have no doubt you would love a senior dog every bit as much, if not more, than a young one.  The older pets are not troubled pets, they have just been forsaken through no fault of their own.

[Jk9]

@J Town Girl I understand your situation and concerns. I also encourage you to consider adopting an adult rescue. My husband and I have had numerous dogs that were adult rescues when they came into our lives. We loved them all just as if they were pups when they came to us and they all gave back that love many times over. 

[BeccaLou]

I'm with you , I would want to know my dog would be taken care of well if he or she survives us. And I don't see that happening for us. We are out of range for a new pet, so I just don't want the worry or have the funding any more to care for a pet. We have been married for 31 years and I didn't ever see  us as pet parents. We have fancy gold fish and we loved them dearly and we had them for 9 years, which I think is a long time for Gold Fish.So that was the end for that, just hurt when they passed. So we have been empty nester pet parents for at least 15 years. And even felt like that about our fish.Wanted them to only go when it was their time.And to a good home if they survived us.

[Kachina624]

My dogs for the past 20 years have all come from the same rescue group.  In the event of my death, they would be returned to that group which would rehome them into another loving situation.

@J Town Girl. Most of the dogs I've adopted have been older, anywhere from 3 to ??? (Very old).  I get just as attached to them as I would a pup.  Its hard tedious work raising a pup; I would rather have an older dog, housebroken and beyond the chewing stage.  We forget too soon how much trouble and energy it takes to raise a puppy.

[Swedishmiss]

My husband and I adopted a older dog from a pound shortly after we were married.  Thirty-five years later, I still feel that dog was  one of the best dogs we ever had.  I still miss him.