Robin
Adopted at age 12 and lived for four years in the loving home of his adoring mom, Linda
Loved and Cherished by all the HSS Family
Robin
Adopted at age 12 and lived for four years in the loving home of his adoring
mom, Linda
Loved and Cherished by all the HSS Family
In1999, the winner of Westminster Best in Show, beating out over 2500 other gorgeous champions, including a beautiful blue merle Sheltie, was a tiny, four-pound Papillion who captured everyone's hearts, including the judges'. Filled with energy and showmanship, little Kirby danced away with everything, riding around Madison Square Garden with grace and joy in the Best of Show Winner's Cup. This top show dog in America was 8 years old. Kirby lived another 8 years, crossing over February 2007at age 16. In the 2005 Westminster Kennel Dog Show, the winner of Best in Breed for Shelties--Ch Ozark Crest Fortune In Gold--a stunning male Sable, would be nine that July. In 2009, there was a particularly strong display of outstanding dogs in all the breeds. When it was all over, Stump, a terrific Sussex Spaniel, won Best in Show. He had come out of retirement to take it all and accepted the honor with happiness and dignity: Stump is 10 years old, the oldest winner in the history of the Westminster.
The judges knew what rescuers also know: that a top dog, whether show or pet quality, is a top dog. And it doesn't matter whether he/she is 6 months, two years, ten years--or even older. As these winners showed at the Westminster, there is a lot to appreciate in the older dog and what such a companion offers. Puppies and younger dogs are delightful, of course, and we often hope when we bring them home that they will spend many years with our families, be raised with our kids, participate in our lives on numerous levels. But sometimes this doesn't happen, for there are no guarantees a younger dog will flourish: he or she can become ill through genetic problems or fall victim to accidents. I lost my 2 1/2yo Sheltie, Maggie, to heart failure. When I happily brought Maggie home from the breeder's, I had no way of knowing her precious life would end so suddenly. My Jessie, the 'Pine Cone Bandit' I raised from puppy hood lived to age 13. She was a joy, even when collecting and storing her beloved pine cones in my bed. She had Hypothyroidism and Cushings disease, requiring daily medication and loving vigilance--and she lived four more years. Toby, a rescue I adopted at age 10, lived to age 14 with no medical problems until old age took him; Beth adopted Roscoe at age 12; he lived to almost 16; Linda adopted Robin also at age 12, and he, too, lived to 16. All of these seniors were sweet, adorable dogs who delighted us every day with their grace and good humor. We have also adopted seniors who did not live as long as we wanted them to: Wayne and Sue lost their precious 12yo Magic after only a year; I lost 10yo Shelby also after only a year: but neither family would trade that year with our adorable little guys for anything. We love puppies and younger adult dogs; however, raising and training puppies and young dogs is a lot of work, and not every owner has the time or energy for that job. Older rescued dogs bring with them maturity, intelligence, mannerly behavior, dignity, and, yes, great fun. Many of these seniors are just comical and even when we lose them, the memories of their antics make us smile. All of our older Shelties were abandoned rescues; all became healthy, happy, and absolutely gorgeous in our care, and all gave back far more than any of us could have imagined when we first rescued and adopted them.
Sometimes Seniors find themselves in rescue because their humans can no longer take care of them or go to a nursing home or even die. But often these guys, and so many more like them, are abandoned, dumped, cast aside for only one reason: they got old. When this happens, it is a complete failure in responsibility and compassion and empathy on the part of the people these wonderful dogs trusted all their lives. These should be their golden years, enjoying long naps, good food, warm mornings sunning their tired bones on the patio or deck, evening walks and cuddles in the protective love of their grateful families. Instead, too often their loyalty and companionship are repaid with a cage in an animal shelter, on the list to be euthanized as 'unadoptable'--because they grew 'too old.' Or sometimes the dogs are abandoned because the kids those very dogs were originally purchased for as companions grew up and left home. They leave their old sidekicks behind along with their childhoods, and to parents who now want to live their own lives and don't see the dog as part of their plans any longer. And, even more reprehensible, sometimes these senior dogs are cast aside simply because the family wants another puppy, and the current dog is now expendable in their eyes. In a society that over-values youthfulness and neglects older citizens, it is not surprising that some owners take the same attitude toward older dogs and cats; but it is not right, nor is it fair.
So, in rescue work, the preponderance of animals needing help are older. Like all living beings that survive babyhood and youthful indiscretions, they grew older. Sometimes they get a touch of arthritis, suffer a bit of vision or hearing loss; they slow down as we all do. But their love doesn't slow down; nor does their loyalty abate with age. Older dogs are endearing companions who have years left in them to give love and service to their attentive humans; in fact, adoption into a loving home often re-energizes these dogs who amaze their owners with how young at heart and active they really are. Like Kirby and Spunk, they, too, are top dogs.
See a letter from a delighted adopter, and for more information and testimonials about older dogs, see The Senior Dogs Project and Senior Dog Rescue.
© Joan Samuelson 2009
Houston Sheltie Sanctuary, Inc.