Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I adopt seniors only, and was pretty surprised to hear that "over six" is "senior." I mean *real seniors*!
But a dog of five or six is in the prime of adult life, not puppy/young-dog wild. Unless it's a giant breed, the dog has many, many healthy years.
My youngest right now are almost-nine, and maybe-nine. They are *very lively* and I shudder to think of having them much younger. In fact, I did have the youngest one when he was three, and he was wild. (All of my dogs were younger then. Now I only adopt and prefer, oh, 8+).
Even if I didn't prefer very senior dogs, and I realize a lot of people don't want to have them for relatively shorter times, I certainly think of a dog of six or under as a prime adult, not a senior.
I agree with you that 6 doesn't seem old enough to be called a senior. Especially when you consider that most retrievers don't even grow a brain until they are around 5. The sad fact is though that rescue and shelters dogs that are 6 years and older are the least likely to be adopted and the most likely to be PTS. We got our "senior" when he was about 7. That was 7 years ago and its just recently that he has slowed down to a level I would call "senior". Funny thing is that even at 14, he still does an amazing "happy dance" for me at every mealtime.
I strongly considered adopting an older dog because a calmer dog with fewer training issues and long out of the puppy stage best fits my lifestyle. But because I prefer larger dogs that ultimately have shorter lifespans, I ultimately shied away from it...I couldn't bear to bond with a pet knowing I would have relatively few years with him or her. I had a pony when I was a kid who was very senior when I got him, and his death was probably the most traumatic thing that happened to me in childhood.
I strongly considered adopting an older dog because a calmer dog with fewer training issues and long out of the puppy stage best fits my lifestyle. But because I prefer larger dogs that ultimately have shorter lifespans, I ultimately shied away from it...I couldn't bear to bond with a pet knowing I would have relatively few years with him or her. I had a pony when I was a kid who was very senior when I got him, and his death was probably the most traumatic thing that happened to me in childhood.
Please consider a senior and don't let the time concern you. We got our Bandit over 7 years ago & he is still with us. He is an 80 pound love sponge of a Lab not a small breed by any measure!
i have a question that came up when i was talking to my wife about adopting a dog (other people not us). it seems most dogs for adoption are mutts. so the notion that a lot of dogs end up in shelters because people buy a dog without thinking and give them up doesnt seem to be the most common reason for these dogs ending up in shelters. i wonder how many people buy dogs and then give them up to shelters compared to people finding stray mutts or people taking in mixed puppies from some accidental breeding for free.
i have a question that came up when i was talking to my wife about adopting a dog (other people not us). it seems most dogs for adoption are mutts. so the notion that a lot of dogs end up in shelters because people buy a dog without thinking and give them up doesnt seem to be the most common reason for these dogs ending up in shelters. i wonder how many people buy dogs and then give them up to shelters compared to people finding stray mutts or people taking in mixed puppies from some accidental breeding for free.
There are a lot of designer breeds right now that are technically mutts and they do end up in shelters. Also, there are many breed specific rescues that pull their breed out of the shelter to place in foster homes until they are adopted, so you will not see those at shelters usually.
I know here in San Diego, English Bulldogs are never at a shelter, because the rescues takes them out of there the second one comes in. Now I personally have issues with that, because the shelter would charge us anywhere from $75-$150 to adopt, and the Bulldog rescue wants $850 for a dog that usually has health issues that they don't take care of and it's up to the adopter to shell out huge bucks to fix the problem.
We actually see english bulldogs often!theyre kind of hard to place because of their medical issues so we'll have the rescue take them if no one wants them.We see purebreds often.A lot of smaller breeds(always have chihuahuas,poodles,poms,maltese,**** zu)Always pitbulls,rotties,sheps,american bulldogs lately,labs,hounds.Especially with the economy people are turning in ALL kinds of dogs!And like MAK said,theres ALWAYS breed rescues
I would love to adopt a another EB, but not through a rescue. The ones here are always scooped up by the rescue because they can make a huge profit on them.
I would love to adopt a another EB, but not through a rescue. The ones here are always scooped up by the rescue because they can make a huge profit on them.
I'm sorry but I have to take exception to your comment. I don't know of a rescue in this country that is in this for money. All the rescues I know take dogs (especially ones known to be willfull, dominant, high energy and hard to train) to make sure that they go to a home that can handle that particular breed. Between the vet bills, the food, the toys, the transports & the training, rescues can barely cover expenses much less make a profit on what they do. So...how much does a pure bred English Bulldog go for from a breeder? I'll bet next week's pay check that its at least double what a rescue charges on their adoption fees. Also, since the rescue is familiar with the breed, they know the type of home that is needed so the dog doesn't spend its life getting bounced from house to house to house
Va-Cat, outstanding post!!! Kudos again for your response to MAK802 about rescues being in the business to make a profit. All your points are valid and MAK802 obviously doesn't understand the workings of rescue.
Granted, some adoption fees may seem high, but are nothing compared to purchasing from a reputable breeder. And often, there are huge vet expenses in spaying/neutering, surgeries to correct/repair injuries from abuse and neglect, providing heartworm treatment, mange, malnutrition, etc.
As a long time rescue worker, I want to thank everyone involved in the process as well as the families who adopt from rescue rather than "buying" an animal from a BYB, puppy mill/pet store. It's a tremendously rewarding experience from both sides. On the flip side, it's a heart wrenching and heartbreaking experience for rescue directors and foster home caregivers - seeing dogs who've been abused, mistreated, neglected and worse.
Seniors? You bet!!! They make the best family members. You can just see the love and adoration in their eyes. They are so happy to have a safe and loving place to be.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The sad fact is though that rescue and shelters dogs that are 6 years and older are the least likely to be adopted and the most likely to be PTS. We got our "senior" when he was about 7. That was 7 years ago and its just recently that he has slowed down to a level I would call "senior". Funny thing is that even at 14, he still does an amazing "happy dance" for me at every mealtime.
not a small breed by any measure!
