9 Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog

It's December and the cold weather has arrived. That's why I want to dedicate this post to the senior dogs that are in shelters and have a really hard time with this weather, as they suffer from bones and joints. These are dogs that often go unnoticed, unfortunately, puppies and younger dogs tend to get more attention from adopters, but they are the ones that need a warm home more than ever, urgently! So I'm going to give you a few reasons why it's a good idea to adopt an older dog.

#1 - What you see is what you get.

There are no surprises, they are already what they are going to be, both in size and physique as well as in personality and character. In any case, if there is any change it will be for the better: you will bring back the spark and increase your bond.

#2 - You save yourself the crazy years.

Puppies need a lot of time, dedication and constant supervision, as well as tremendous patience. You are spared the all-hours outings to show them where to pee, whining and excessive barking behaviors, vandalism, etc. An older dog is much less likely to have any of these behaviors.

#3 - Most older dogs are already taught.

Obviously they will need a period of adaptation at home, but it will be short compared to a young dog or puppy, because they have usually already learned it in their old home. Hopefully it will take a few days to pick up the habits and routines of the family, but the adaptation at home will be much easier.

#4 - Forget about the stage where they bite everything.

You won't find your controller or your favorite shoes chewed up. That's long gone, but that doesn't mean you don't need to have a couple of toys to nibble on ;)

#5 - He will need less exercise.

His daily walks are important but will be shorter and less intense than the activity levels required by a young dog. This makes it a good candidate for many families and especially for older people who want a dog.

#6 - There is no age to keep learning!

You can do activities with him, older dogs can learn what you teach them. Above all you can practice sniffing games, which they love and they do very well to keep their brains active.

#7 - It's a relatively short-term commitment. Of course there's the sad part because it's a bummer when they leave, but the upside is that it's ideal for older people or people who don't know what they're going to do or what their situation will be in a few years.

#8 - You will be a real hero. Seniors, as I mentioned before, are hard to get adopted, they are not very visible to the public, so you will really be saving his/her life if you adopt him/her! You can make his last years the best of his life!

 #9 - And they will be forever grateful. You'll notice a special attention and devotion from these furry grandparents, as if they know no one else has adopted them.

The Christmas vacations are just around the corner and many people are thinking about being especially charitable around this time. I see no better way to GIVE than to help one less animal spend the winter in a cage! :)

So, stop by a nearby shelter if you can and/or encourage your friends who are thinking about adopting to see how amazing it is to have a senior dog and the good deed they’d be doing.

If you can’t adopt, maybe you could be a foster home for the winter, or perhaps you’d like to volunteer and walk some dogs. And if not, you can always share my post to see who it might inspire to take action.

I leave you the link to some of the tender grandparents waiting for a home:

In different shelters in Catalunya:

MAX (8 years) CAAD MARESME

KINDER (11 years) PROTECTORA TARRAGONA

NALA (9 years) _ PROTECTORA TERRASSA

TARA (8 years) CAAD PENEDES

BROOKLYN (8 years) ADACC CORNELLA

KIARA (11 years) REFUGI DE LA SEGARRA

TANIA (8 years) _ PROTECTORA TARRAGONA

LINET (7,5 years) PROTECTORA TERRASSA

ARNOLD (10 years) CAAD MARESME

NEVAT (7 or 8 years) APAN

SILVER (11 years) _ CALDES ANIMAL

In shelter CAAC from Barcelona:

https://loveanimalsbcn.com/blogs/animales-en-adopcion/abuelitos (Moro, Capi and Suka not anymore on the list)

In case you are interested I leave contact information of the local shelter in Barcelona:

Crta. de l'Arrabassada, km 3.8 / Crta. Sant Cugat 230I08035 Barcelona

M-F: 11h - 13h - 15h a 17h; S-S: 10:30h - 13:30h

93 428 4417 / 93 428 3125

www.bcn.cat/adopta

etologia.caacb@gmail.com 

To become a volunteer or a foster home, request information via email at: voluntaris.caacbcn@gmail.com

To adopt a dog: Send an email to the canine educators who handle the adoption process and scheduling at: etologia.caacb@gmail.com. They will send you a pre-adoption form via email, and once you’ve filled it out and sent it back, they’ll schedule an appointment based on your availability.

To adopt a cat: No appointment is needed; you just need to come to the center in person with your ID, and the rest will be handled on-site.

No appointment is necessary, you just have to come personally to the center with ID and the rest is formalized here.

The general requirements for adoption are: to reside in Catalonia and pay the adoption fee of 32 euros which includes chip, vaccines, sterilization, internal and external deworming. The particular requirements will depend on each dog. The canine educators will advise you on who can fit in with your family.

Best of luck! & Happy Holidays!

Belen