Posted by Karen Wild on Friday, December 4th, 2009

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Oldies Club

Ten great reasons why we should adopt an older dog

Rescuing a dog takes a lot of thought and planning. There are always dogs needing homes, so its worth considering all the choices you have. The Oldies Club are committed to finding homes for older dogs ages 7 and above who can make wonderful companions.

Old dogs can learn new tricks – so why not find room in your home for an oldie? Here’s some more reasons for making an older dog your rescue choice.

And if you can’t, then why not sponsor a dog using the link below?

Today the Oldies Club give us the perfect reasons why an older dog makes a good rescue pet:

  1. Old dogs really need homes and deserve to be considered for more than their possible lifespan. The reward of knowing that you have given a noble and faithful dog a warm, loving home for the last few years of his life is incalculable.
  2. Older dogs in rescue are mostly dogs that have lived as pets for years: then there is a death or a divorce, and a dog that has lived in a home for 8 years or more is suddenly sitting confused and miserable in a rescue kennel – if he’s lucky. If he’s not, he’ll simply be put to sleep – he’s old, anyway, right? Now that’s really sad.
  3. Older dogs often make easier pets. Someone else has done the house training and had their slippers eaten: now you can just enjoy their company!
  4. Many older dogs are still fit enough to be great walking companions for years – without expecting you to spend hours throwing balls when you get home.
  5. Owners that aren’t able to walk far any more can enjoy the company of more relaxed oldies, perhaps a dog with a condition that means he cannot walk too far either. Many will be happy to just potter in the garden.
  6. Many oldies come from family situations and are used to children: these oldies are dogs that can take family dramas in their stride!
  7. A steady older dog can make a great companion for a giddy young hound.
  8. Old dogs can learn new tricks – oldies have qualified as Pets as Therapy dogs, taken their KC Good Citizen test, and some even enjoy agility work!
  9. Oldies come in all shapes and sizes. If you are prepared to adopt an older dog, you’ll have an enormous range of dogs to choose from – even breeds that don’t often come up in rescues.
  10. Oldies usually settle amazingly well in their new homes. New owners often worry that an oldie will never bond as well as a pup, but adopters of oldies soon learn how adaptable older dogs can be.

… If you are interested in adopting an older dog, please visit the Oldies Club at www.oldies.org.uk to see dogs aged 7 and older that are looking for homes all over the country. You can also read the stories of some of the oldies that Oldies Club has rehomed as a rescue, and if you can’t adopt right now, maybe you could sponsor a special oldie?

Competition

Yesterday’s winner of the fabulous and funky Lupine dog collar picked at random from yesterday’s comments was Terry Cunningham, Congratulations!

There’s a prize for everyone today! Comment on this post and you will receive a special voucher code to get 10% off an order from the fantastic Gower Cottage Brownies! The most delicious Brownies you will ever eat, supplied in gluten free version – completely scrummy. Visit their site on www.gowercottagebrownies.co.uk Go on – treat yourself!

Oldies Club would like to thank Kate at Gower Cottage for donating prizes on their behalf. Thanks Kate!

If you would like to win a box of Gower Cottage Brownies and lots of other goodies! Follow us on twitter to be the first to hear about our awesome Hamper Competition that we’ll be launching later today.

22 Responses to “Oldies Club”

  1. The work the Oldies Club does is fabulous.

    One of my greyhounds is over 7 years old and older dogs really do make fabulous pets.

    If you’re looking for a dog do consider giving an ‘oldie’ a home.

    Posted by Susan on the December 4th, 2009
  2. We have just lost our lovely 14 year old boy called Chip. He was fantastic-older dogs make fabulous friends. Cannot recommend them enough. Just realising that our 7 year old German Shepherd Jess (who looks just like the dog in the photo above) is also becoming an oldie now…
    Gluten-free brownies you say…that sounds great, especially as we have two coeliacs in the house!

    Posted by Anne Greensmith on the December 4th, 2009
  3. Oldies Club are a fantastic charity, older dogs make such wonderful companions. It must be so bewildering for them to find themselves without a home so late in life..

    Posted by cyberemma on the December 4th, 2009
  4. Oldies club are brilliant. I think it is fab how much help they give the older dogs that otherwise can be easily over looked :)

    Thanks oldies club for doing a great job
    xxx

    Posted by Kay on the December 4th, 2009
  5. All three of our pups are geriatric now, but were older when we did adopted them. NO PUPPIES FOR US! We love the stability of the older dog and all they have to offer.

    Posted by Dianne Houghtaling on the December 4th, 2009
  6. I’ve long admired what Oldies Club do, it’s amazing work. My boys are getting on a bit now and I’d hate to imagine them looking for new homes.

    Keep up all the great work you do. If you ever branch out to adopting out oldie humans, I’ve got a dad I’d like to exchange! Doesn’t get on well with other humans, but is toilet trained. hehe. (I know, I know…a Dad is for life).

    Posted by @k9_kirsty on the December 4th, 2009
  7. Awwww, I wish we could adopt an older dog. I have such a soft spot for a greying muzzle.

    Posted by Herm on the December 4th, 2009
  8. I adopted a wonderful old collie boy from the Oldies Club a few years ago and he was my first experience of owning an older dog. He was an absolute treasure and the ongoing support that I received from the Oldies Club was fantastic. We lost our Bear a year ago and now have a houseful of young dogs, but oh how I yearn for the peaceful companionship of my old boy at times………

    Posted by Sarah Hendy on the December 4th, 2009
  9. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my rehoming, I’m Toby a Collie Dachshund cross from Dogs Trust hence my twitter name @DashCol. My mum and dad specifically wanted an older dog as they had adopted older animals previously and love us all. I quickly adapted to my new home but I really love the @DogsTrust and I want to say thank you to them in this forum. Whoever wins the brownies – enjoy!

    Posted by Sarah on the December 4th, 2009
  10. I lost my best mate vicky in feb she was 12 ,mam took her in car and she never come back she was ill mam said and had gone over the bridge, but we went in car to kev’s in lincoln and we got a vicky look alike called summer she’s 7 and is my new doggie mam ,mam says today prize is food i likes food xxx asbo alex xxx

    Posted by asbo alex retired sprinter on the December 4th, 2009
  11. When we got Max from the RSPCA (he was 7 months) I suggested an older dog to by husband. I always feel really sorry for them. But he said he couldn’t do it knowing that it wouldn’t be too long before they died. Poor old things – its not really the right attitude is it?

    Julia

    Posted by Julia Livesey on the December 4th, 2009
  12. Oldies Club do a wonderful job & as a neighbour of mine has recently lost her very old Westie, I am hoping when the time is right she will consider this approach. Also I gain because I will get to look after it too,when needed!

    Posted by hilsofhove on the December 4th, 2009
  13. I follow @oldoes club as @wvterry. I admire what they do for older dogs. I am often saddened but just as often joyous when hearing the stories. I have an 11 year old Lab, Siggie who is in excellent health. She has slowed down but you can still see the puppy in her.

    Posted by Terry Cunningham on the December 4th, 2009
  14. Old dogs are AWESOME….my senior ~12 needed another friend after our middle dog passed. Getting another youngin’ was not going to be fair. 8-10 years olds are around all the time looking for that forever retirement home. The seniors just love simple things like pets and snuggles. They just soak up attention and have a simple off button and are not overwhelmingly demanding.

    Posted by mcappy on the December 4th, 2009
  15. We adopted a wonderful 8 year old Golden name Baylee. She passed away at 12 years of age. The thing about adopting a senior dog and any dog, after that first month, it just feels like they’ve always been with you.

    Posted by Dan Anderson on the December 4th, 2009
  16. I have 2 oldies now. Tess is 9 1/2, and Tyson is around 13. We adopted Tess when she was 4, then adopted Ty & his mum Tammy. They were 10 & 9 when we got them. It will be 4 years in March 2010, but unfortunately, Tammy went to The Bridge in January this year. I think to myself, at least she had nearly 3 years of being loved and cared for, and hopefully took those memories with her, not the ones of living in a bathroom. I would adopt another oldie, in a heartbeat, knowing that their last few years will be comfortable, and they will be loved and cherished.

    Posted by Sue B. on the December 4th, 2009
  17. Awww I’d love an oldie but boo to mrnatz cos he says no.
    I’ll have to work on him he he

    Posted by Natz on the December 4th, 2009
  18. I love the Oldies Club and the hard work they do finding homes for older dogs – and as the owner of a possibly 10 -12 year Border Terrier (she was a stray so no idea of her true age) believe me there’s certainly plenty of get up and go even at her age,same with my beloved Yorkie Zico who died at 17,was still going for hour plus walks days before he died.Oldies have so much to offer in the right homes and hopefully many more people will realise this and offer any of the wonderful dogs on their books a home.

    Posted by Lynne on the December 4th, 2009
  19. I am just a youngun, but I love to hear about how all the older doggies get new homes! I got a new home and new job and couldn’t be happier!

    Posted by Coco on the December 4th, 2009
  20. Older dogs make lovely pets.My dog Pepsi is 13 now,he has day’s where he limps about with creaky old bones,then out of the blue jumps about like a spring chicken!At the minute he is upside down snoring on my sofa!

    Posted by Christine frankland on the December 4th, 2009
  21. My old gal has the most lovable soft grey muzzle. She sleeps more these days and is a little slower but so am I.

    Posted by Doggie Mom on the December 4th, 2009
  22. I love the oldies but I can only imagine how hard your work must be. Everyone who contacts us wants a “younger” dog and often wont even consider a boxer around 6, let alone one over the age of 8. Keep up the good work!

    Posted by Karen (Boxer Welfare Scotland) on the December 9th, 2009

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