I had a lovely email this evening from a new massage client. She says ‘Ash was very happy after her treatment and has not had any bad falls (i.e. the ‘Bambi’ ones which are really bad for her hips.)’
You know what she means, right? If not, here are a few examples:
Copyright Disney Studios
Copyright Disney Studios
Copyright Disney Studios
Does your dog fall like Bambi? Landing like Bambi when you are an older or mobility-challenged dog can really hurt. Please take care!
Tagged Bambi, Disney Studios, elderly dogs, falls, massage, mobility challenged, senior dogs
According to the Senior Dogs Project, here are the top 10 reasons to adopt an older dog.
1. Older dogs are house-trained. You won’t have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.
2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won’t chew your shoes and furniture while growing up.
3. Older dogs can focus well because they’ve mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.
4. Older dogs have learned what “no” means. If they hadn’t learned it, they wouldn’t have gotten to be “older” dogs.
5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they’ve learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.
6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they’ve been given.
7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
8. Older dogs are instant companions – ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.
9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself because they don’t make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.
10. Older dogs let you get a good night’s sleep because they’re accustomed to human schedules and don’t generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.
Posted in dog adoption
Tagged housetraining, reasons to adopt, senior dogs, Senior Dogs Project, training
As a dog gets older, it is common that they will experience a loss of eyesight or visual acuity. I have found that many owners assume that their dog has cataracts but a more common problem is nuclear sclerosis.
Nuclear sclerosis, which is also called lenticular sclerosis, is a condition that causes the pupils of the eyes to look cloudy and often blue-gray in colour. Nuclear sclerosis isn’t painful and it comes upon the dog gradually. At some point you will notice that your dog isn’t seeing well at night and their peripheral vision may also be limited.
Such is the case with my Daisy. We have stairs that go from our house to the outside garden and I noticed that she would stop dead at the top of the stairs because she couldn’t see the steps in the dark. It made sense that, although I could turn a light on in the house, the lighting in the garden wasn’t as easy.
Then I found the PupLight, the lighted dog collar. Although marketed most strongly for people who walk their dogs at night and need to be visible to traffic, I decided to give it a try…
The PupLight
It’s been great! Just what we needed. I can clip the collar on before letting Daisy out at night and she can see the steps, and all the irregularities in the garden. And she adjusted to its use very well.
Daisy shows off her PupLight dog collar
The PupLight’s bright light makes it much easier for Daisy to see at night
Bottom line: Highly recommended product, particularly for senior dogs
Note: This product endorsement is entirely my own and was not paid for by the PupLight company or its retailers.
Posted in dog care, products for dogs
Tagged degeneration, elderly dogs, eyesight, nuclear sclerosis, Puplight, senior dogs
And to mark this occasion, I share with you a new video of Thelma and Louise with their new owners.
I wrote about Thelma and Louise back in September, and this video interviews their new owners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do1W8Uff6a8
If you are thinking of adding a dog to your pack, please think about a rescue dog and contact your local shelters to see the range of great dogs available.
Posted in animal welfare
Tagged adopt a senior pet month, Boxer, great dogs, November, senior dogs, Thelma and Louise
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