The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Adopting The Senior Dog The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Adopting The Senior Dog

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Adopting The Senior Dog


Adopting a senior dog is a wonderful experience for you and your new dog. You will gain a faithful companion. You will save a life. Senior dogs and senior people bring out the best in each other! Old dogs make great friends! Don't rule them out. They have lots of life and love to give.

Dogs are generally considered "senior" at seven years of age, even if they haven't started to slow down, or show any signs of aging. Many "seniors" still have years of play left, some as many as another eight years. Unfortunately the "senior" tag will put off a lot of people who aren't familiar with more mature dogs. Senior dogs are a wonderful addition to most dog homes. Don't let their age stop you, there are many advantages to adopting an older dog.

Changes you may notice in the senior dog:

Graying around the face and muzzle. Most dogs commonly show a bit of gray starting at middle age (5-6 years).

They lay around and sleep most of the day

They may have cloudy or bluish colored eyes. As they age, dog's eyes often show a bluish transparent "haze" in the pupil area. This is a normal effect of aging, and the medical term for this is lenticular sclerosis.

Senior dogs are often the first to be killed in area shelters. They are often passed over for cute and cuddly puppies. They are killed to make space for more puppies. If you are considering pet adoption, think about saving a life…and adopt a senior dog!

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