When it comes to adopting a dog, it seems like puppies get most of the attention and focus, with adults coming in second place. You hardly ever hear about senior dogs. But seniors are actually just as great to adopt as younger dogs! They have a lot of life and love left to give, and for many people may be a better choice than a younger dog! Let’s take a look at the Benefits of Adopting a Senior Dog!
It’s important to note that not all dogs have the same life expectancy. While a St. Bernard may live to just be 8-10 years old, a Dachshund could live to be 17! However, vets, pet insurance, and adoption organizations tend to call all dogs that are 7+ years old “seniors.” For a 7-year old St. Bernard, that’d be accurate, but for a Dachshund, that couldn’t be more untrue!
Our senior girl Sallie ( age 12) LOVES playing fetch!
The Benefits of Adopting a Senior Dog
1. Energy Level
Many people think that senior dogs spend all day sleeping. That is hardly the case! While a senior may not be as spry as in her younger years, she’ll still enjoy long walks and fun games of fetch! In fact, many dogs stay active every day of their life up until their last week or so. But one of the benefits of adopting a senior dog is that seniors don’t have that frantic puppy energy, and so are much more manageable.
2. Trainability
You likely have heard “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” That’s completely false! If anything, senior dogs may be easier to train than younger dogs because they’re more mellow and able to sit still and listen to commands. And if you’re worried about trainability because you think that senior dogs are abandoned due to bad habits, in many cases you’d be wrong. If a dog is abandoned as a senior, it usually means that something happened with their family, like their owner became too old to care for them or had to move and couldn’t bring them along.
Sallie loves her ball and even talks to it!
3. Personality
One of the best benefits of adopting a senior dog is that their personality has mellowed out with time as well. If a senior dog is healthy, they won’t fall into that stereotype of the snappy, cantankerous old pooch. Instead, adopted senior dogs may be kinder in their old age than when they were younger. This may come from being grateful at finding a new forever home, or it could come from having lived a while and learned that most things aren’t worth snapping about. Because of this, many senior dogs make kind, caring companions for children or younger dogs.
4. Knowledge
With age comes experience. That’s why one of the great benefits of adopting a senior dog is that it comes with tons of knowledge already! Many senior dogs already know basic commands. They also know not to to chew and destroy things. On top of that, they understand that days have a schedule, and they can easily adapt to yours. Try getting all of that with a puppy!
5. Saving a Life
Lastly, remember that when you adopt a dog of any age that you’re saving a life. This is especially true of senior dogs, who often get passed over for younger dogs. Too many seniors at pounds will run out of time and be euthanized, and too many at no-kill shelters will live out their lives in their cages. By taking one home, you’re giving a dog, whose only fault is age, a chance to live out the rest of their life happily with you!
Have you ever adopted a senior dog?
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Aha…NOW I can comment, I was going nuts looking for the box. *s* Magical-Dawg says “age is just a state of DOG…” and anything can be wonderful as long as treats are involved. *s*
I couldn’t agree more that senior dogs have so much to give! Yes, everyone loves a puppy, but not everyone loves the training that comes with a puppy. As you say, some are considered senior just because they are 7+, however with many breeds this age is not senior, but middle age and they still have so much to give and do!
AWESOME article! We have a senior dog – Lucy, a 16 year old Jack Russell! She still has so much spunk and energy left. When/if we adopt another dog, we will most likely adopt a senior or adult one. I don’t think I could handle a puppy! lol
Love this article because I feel that the older I get the better I am with a senior dog, more compatible and that is why I rescued Layla as she is now 9 years old (she was 4 when I rescued her) and we mellowing together 🙂
Love this! A senior dog has so much love to give! Thanks so much for sharing this post!
My heart goes out to senior dogs that need new homes, most people overlook them! It is so sad they just want to be loved and would give so much in return!
I couldn’t agree with you more! I love senior dogs and their golden years are some of the best, great post.
As hubby and I get older, I can see the benefit of adopting a senior dog. It becomes more challenging to train puppies…I need my sleep! LOL
I could absolutely HUG YOU!!!! This blog made my day!! I’m a professional dog trainer, and I’m ALWAYS suggesting to folks to adopt a senior dog for all of the reasons you spelled out so well.!! I think senior dogs are a terrific choice, and with cancers taking the lives of our dogs at far too young an age, I think the old argument that a senior dog won’t live long enough is no longer a valid excuse! Well done!!
I’ve always gotten puppies or kittens, but I’ve thought about a senior as I get older.
I adopted my Victor when he was about 8 under unique circumstances. I didn’t think he was ‘senior’ at the time. He’s also all black. I didn’t know that was an adoption issue either. Double nieve. So he’s about 12 now. Slow down? No He’s crazy.
17 years and STILL called a senior!! Sheesh. No wonder Royal Canin is revising its interpretation of feline age to include 7 = mature and 11+ senior. Dog insurers need a shake up too!! * sigh *
I Love that I got to know you better through our dog bite series. I believe I adore you even more now. Seniors do rock!
Awe! I am glad to get to know you better too! And, yes! Two subjects I am very passionate about!!!
I love senior dogs but haven’t adopted one yet. The last dog we adopted was 4 or 5 and it has been awesome. I don’t think I’ll ever have my own puppy again, but I will consider adopting another middle-aged dog or a senior! Several of my dogs lived to be seniors and they were especially endearing as they reached their golden years.
Raising a pup is actually more expensive. Well, that’s when we talk about expenses. Dogs are wonderful and adorable no matter how old they are. It is not hard to adore a pup as they are really cute but only a dog lover can appreciate and adore a senior dog, not to mention that 7 is not yet senior, that is, of course, based on my own perspective,
Senior dogs are a great option for people who are looking for calmer, manageable dogs. Our lifestyle isn’t the best fit for a senior dog right now though.
So important to share the benefits of adopting a senior dog. According to his rescue, Kilo the Pug was adopted as a puppy by a senior couple and they could not cope with his chewing, energy or demands. He went through 3 more homes before we got him. They would have been so much better off (and so would he), if they had adopted a more mellow senior dog.
Great post! It is always heartbreaking to see older dogs without homes. My older husky is 8 1/2 and will not be considered a senior until she is 10. However she is not the same crazy husky she was at 2! Getting older has made Gracie much more affectionate and easier to manage.
I would definitely be willing to adopt a senior dog. I actually think it would work better in my family than a puppy or younger dog at this time.
I think that supporting older dogs is the best! <3
i love sr dogs. they offer so much. i love when assisted living facilities adopt older dogs to have in their places. i hate it when people give up their older dogs b/c they dont want to care for them .
I could certainly see a senior dog fitting into our lifestyle and being a good choice.
I prefer adopting older dogs. Thanks for sharing this great post.
You are right, it is actually much easier to be with a Senior dog then a puppy. Need alot of energy to get a Puppy! I would adopt a Senior next time so she or he can have a lot of love in their final years. The energy level would match mine too low! Lol!
Thank you!! I love seeing people advocate for senior dogs!
Senior dogs have a lot to offer. I had two Chows and a Chow Collie mix who all lived to at least 10 years of age, the Chow Collie mix having been picked up out of snow bank in the middle of winter by someone who couldn’t keep her and gave her to us. My boy is now 8 (if the shelter was correct about his age when I adopted him) but he is a Chihuahua so he is more middle aged than senior and acts like a teenager. Thanks for posting.