Dog Adoption: Senior Citizens Need to have Homes As well
Nearly all people do not consider adopting an older dog from the animal shelter or breed rescue group, but in reality that these senior citizens are probably the best option for the family that would like a fellow that is housetrained, obedience trained, and socialized around young children.
On many occasions, these dogs have been trained and have grown beyond lots of the behavioral problems of younger dogs, calming down as they age and as arthritis or other health problems make it more difficult to enable them to bounce around the yard after playing tennis balls.
Yet, adopting the more mature dog involves a lot of unique challenges. A dog that has lived with one family for years and suddenly loses its home may be confused and frightened. Dogs are very much creatures of routine. A senior dog in a rescue situation may be more confused at first, and they do mourn losing their people. They miss the family and other pets, too, and that’s stressful. They may take some extra patience as they adjust to their new situation.
When a older dog suffers from health problems, training may also require some modification. An older, arthritic dog may find sitting to be painful, so you might want to train it to stand or lie down in aggression cases.
Older dogs with orthopedic problems, just like dog hip dysplasia, can be limited in the tricks and behaviors they can learn, so be respectful of their physical limitations.
Older dogs that has dental conditions may need softer training treats, the ones with digestive or kidney problems may need special treats that won’t upset their digestive systems. Senior dogs that have lost their sight are still easy to train using treats, because even if they can’t see the treat, they can still smell it.
Senior dogs with health problems don’t have the strenuous exercise requirements of younger dogs, nor the necessity to burn off so much energy. Many older dogs are already familiar with and fond of children, and are happy undertake a loving home with gentle people to look after them.
When your older dog has not been obedience trained, start as if your senior was a puppy. Follow a positive training philosophy (offering praise and treats for a desired behavior), and the science is exactly like training a puppy.
And as a closing note, you ought to adopt that older dog the next time you or your family is considering another dog for the home. They need loving homes just as much as puppies, are usually housetrained, out of the chewing stage, and make immediate sweet and loving family companions.
