I saw the sweetest dog today

[alarimer]

I went to Petco to get some spray to keep the cat from scratching on my stuff. On Saturdays rescue groups bring in stray or orphaned animals to adopt. Of course all the puppies were adorable but I really liked this older dog. I don't know what kind of dog he was. He did remind me of dogs my family had. He was pretty small, maybe cocker spaniel sized. Probably a little smaller than that. He was just so calm in all the hubbub. Every other dog was whining and barking and he just stood there and let me scratch his head through the bars of the cage.

Now I live in an apartment and work odd hours so I can't really have a dog but I wanted this one. Of course maybe he was deaf and that's why he didn't seem to react to the others but he seemed very sweet. And because there were so many puppies, no one was paying any attention to him. Poor thing.

[dropkickpa]

1. I love older dogs

Don't get me wrong, I love puppies too, but older (adult) dogs always appeal more to me in those "adopt me" situations. I actually worked at a shelter (for about 2 weeks) and came home in love with some older dog every work day (this is why I quit, couldn't take it). All of them got adopted, thankfully, but if I'd worked there much longer I'd have had a house full of dogs (and I couldn't have any where I was living at the time).

[alarimer]

5. If I could have a dog

I would look for an older dog. I am not sure I have the patience for a puppy.

[dropkickpa]

6. I don't have the time for a puppy

right now. Not to mention, who wants to hassle with housebreaking a dog, when there are plenty who already kow where to do their business in need of homes?

I think my next dog may be a senior golden rescue. Not sure if my heart can take it, but I love old goldens so very much, and they deserve a good place to laze away the rest of their days.

[Patiod]

2. I live in a no-pets apartment

and we already have an illegal cat, so I avoid adoption events because I always want to take little guys like him home.

My local B&N had Beagle Rescue there this Christmas (with the humans manning the table), and there was this sweet old fellow who needed a home. Broke my heart, but I know one of the Beagle Rescue folks, and they'll make sure he's happy and safe until he finds one.

[flvegan]

3. The one downside to adoption events like these

Is watching sooooo many folks fawn over the puppies, and see the older dogs get little attention. We had this 8 year old girl that we'd take with us to every event, and she behaved so well. Everyone just wanted the "cute, little puppies" though.

Nice thing, though, speaking from experience, after the event is over, the older dogs get EXTRA attention back in their foster homes for just that very reason.

[China_cat]

9. We just adopted -2- 8 year old Bouviers

Jake and Elwood. We already have a 9 year old Bouv and 3 17 year old cats.

[retread]

13. Beautiful dogs! (Even with hats and glasses.) n/t

[China_cat]

14. Virtual hats and glasses

Jake and Elwood...have you never seen 'The Blues Brothers'?

[retread]

16. Never saw the movie. However I did catch the reference. How are the rescues

adapting? I have 2 whippets I rescued; one 4 years ago and one 5 years ago. Each of their true personalities took a couple of years to fully emerge. I'm not sure if that was due to their respective histories or is a breed trait or just a fact of life with older rescues.

[China_cat]

18. Bouviers tend to adapt fairly quickly.

They have finally met their first couch and they love it. (They had never been allowed to live in the house with the family before) They've turned out to be good with the cats and get along well with Dotty, the older Bouv. After 2 weeks, Elwood has finally stopped standing at the foot of the stairs when I bring them in with a look that says he's not sure I mean it that he can actually come back in the house. He's been the skeptic, Jake's been the love sponge.

We haven't started head butting yet for them to see what I'll let them get away with, but I know it's coming. :)

[flvegan]

17. Awesome!

Good for you...uh, all!

[China_cat]

19. Yeah, it is

We lost 2 dogs last year (one in March and one in Sept) due to old age. They were 14. Then 1 cat at 23 and the brother of 2 we still have from cancer. There's been a pretty big hole in this household until 2 weeks ago.

[censorshipsux]

4. Dogs are great.

woff, woff!

[xchrom]

7. i'm an ''older'' dog lover myself.

my two great loves came to me full grown.

off the street.

loved 'em to death -- didn't have to potty train -- add spoiling and they're complete!

[LeftyMom]

10. Yep, older dogs are the way to go.

You know what you're getting in terms of personality and behavior, and they know where to poo. Everybody wins.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. All my current kittes are rescues that were full grown.

Kittens are adorable, but for some reason my heart always goes out to those adult animals who have been ripped away for whatever reason from the love and affection they once had.

I want to adopt them all, but of course I can't and I always feel so sad.

[alarimer]

11. That's why I hate going to the pet store when they have these

events. I think they do it every weekend at both Petco and Petsmart. I want to adopt them all, cats and dogs.

[NewWaveChick1981]

12. I have found that older dogs make the best pets ever!

:) All but one of the four dogs my husband and I have adopted since we got married in 1992 have been at least a year old when we adopted them. (All of our sweeties have come from the local animal shelter.) The adult dogs are so loving and eager to please, and they have been the best-behaved dogs I've ever met. The one we adopted as a puppy has been a holy terror! :rofl:

I wish more people realized that adult dogs are incredible. :D

[Pharlo]

15. Actually, in my experience, each brings a different set of challenges.

Puppies - yes - the holy terror stage for two, sometimes three, years.
An older dog, however, comes with a fully developed personality. And, for me that was more difficult to adjust to than a needy little puppy. Then, the one I adopted - 6 years old, had obviously had a rough time at one point in his life. He was pretty much emaciated and a holy terror. There were some behavioral issues that we had to work through, but we did. I did not know about these when I adopted him, and by the time I had him home and figured it out, it was too late. He was a member of the family - funny how fast that happens. I got him on Friday night. Monday, after work, I discovered he could undo eye hooks - at about 6 feet off the floor. Which means all the rooms in the house that I had thought were 'dog proofed' weren't. And, a 1 1/2 and a 1 year old right behind him. Need I elucidate? The next day, he managed to get around the cupboard locks......Lost all my canned goods. The young ones chewed all the cans open and they all feasted.

He was VERY thin when I got him from the Humane Society. They said Cody had been adopted a couple of times but brought back. Left in a securely locked kennel, I can understand how he could be the wonderful dog they raved about at the Humane Society. Having lived with him in a household environment, I know why the other people brought him back. However, I also know that for the first 2 or 3 weeks, he would hide caches of food around the house. When the food caches stopped appearing, his behavior got better as well. Also, the first time I yelled at the girls - the two younger ones, they're always getting into something - after I got him, he went and curled up in a corner and shook so badly I had to stop yelling at the pups to go hold him. He's over that now. I can stand and yell at him and he just looks at me with his tail wagging. I still have to be VERY cautious about locks with him though -and I no longer assume the dogs can't get into something because it's locked.

Just saying.....older dogs can come with their own issues. For me, the hardest part was adopting to a fully developed personality. Because that is what an older dog is....unlike a pup.

Also, Cody was subject to accidents for the first couple of weeks. But, I expected that. Different environment, different schedule, and different food. All combined, created a bit of an adjustment period.

Oh, and by the way, he's still rearranging the furniture the minute I leave the room. I put it back, he rearranges it. I put it back, he rearranges it. I put it back, he rearranges it. I think it's devolved into a game for him now, but I'm not sure....

[NewWaveChick1981]

20. You are exactly right....There are different challenges with each group.

:hi: One of the sweeties we adopted in 1994 (Kara, RIP :hug:) had been a stray picked up by Animal Control. She was about two years old and had a dirty red collar embedded in the fur around her neck, and it was obvious it would have eventually dug into her neck if she had not been picked up. She was underweight and terrified of loud noises. She was the sweetest little dog you could ever imagine EXCEPT to males she did not know and children of any type. :yoiks: She came with a history of (we believe) abuse and DEFINITELY neglect, but she never gave us a moment's trouble unless it was an unknown male or a child or if a thunderstorm came up. She eventually got used to everything and was much better about people, but she never got over the thunderstorm terror.

I love dogs no matter what their age or personality, but my heart especially goes out to older dogs that might not otherwise have a chance. Our dog Casey (Lab mix, now almost seven) was a year old when we adopted her. She was in the animal shelter for three months and was two days away from euthanasia when we adopted her. She was a handful, but that was only because she had been cooped up for so long. After about two days with us, she calmed down, and now she's a total couch potato. :P All dogs need loving homes, but I'm better equipped to deal with older dogs who need a lot of love. :)

[Wcross]

21. I adopted older dogs.

This is “Buddy” I have no idea how old he is. The only problem he has is that, from time to time, he feels a need to “mark” things. Imagine my embarrassment when he “marked” the Vet’s office door!

This is Angel, no idea how old she is. She arrived pregnant and had two live pups a week or so after. The great thing about raising puppies to adulthood with the mom around is, she does ALL the work. The pups live here now and I did NOTHING to house train them. Angel did it all.

I have had them for four years now, it has been an experience I have never regretted and enjoyed every minute of.