Senior Pooch

PetMD University - Providing High Quality Educational Courses for Companion Animal Health and Behavioral Topics

2013-05-03T23:42:00.001-07:00

Before I started bringing my old dog to my veterinarian, I was concerned that the vets would use a lot of medical jargon that I couldn't understand. Luckily, they helped me understand everything I need to know in order to make the best decisions I can about my dog's health in terms that I could understand.

If I had access to PetMD University back then, I would have been more self assured that I'd understand the lingo, as well as how to best describe the symptoms so in order to facilitate the best health care possible.

PetMD University (PetMDU for short) is an online learning environment which allows users to take online courses related to companion animal health and behavioral topics. For this review I took the Dog Skin Care course, since it was something that I had some experience with having had a dog with some severe skin issues for part of his life.

The courses are free and sign-in was extremely easy. You can can choose from among the 15 courses available across both dog and cat topics and save progress at any time. This allows you to come back and complete the courses at your own pace. The Dog Skin Health course took me about an hour from start to finish, but I could see where others might take 15 more minutes to complete if they read all of the reference material provided.

I had no expectation for what to expect from a free course, so I was pleasantly surprised that each content section (either a series of articles or videos) was relayed by a veterinarian. The good news is, much like my own vets, the teachers of this course make no assumption as to the skill level of the audience. Even the most technical terms have very easy to follow descriptions provided. For example: Did you know that pruritus defines a dog's proclivity to scratch? I sure didn't before taking this course.

The course is set up in such a way that you have the opportunity to share your experience with your friends on a variety of social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter. In addition, you can also share your favorite content with your Google+ friends, although you cannot share your test results here.

After each section and at the end you have the opportunity to test your knowledge in the form of multiple choice quizzes. If you've carefully read through the content, expect to get a high mark, however, they aren't easy.

When you've successfully made your way through an entire course, you're graded and provided with a certificate, as well as the opportunity to once again share your success on Facebook and Twitter.

The site does have ads, but I was happy to see that they don't get in the way of the course content. I'll be looking closer at more of the courses and hope to provide you with additional reviews on this site in the months to come.

Check it out for yourself when you get a chance and let me know what you think.

Myself and a number of other pet bloggers will be available to answer questions at the PetMD U #blogpawschat on Twitter (yep, you'll need to use that hash tag along with #petmdu) when we meet on May 14th from 8 to 10 PM Eastern time.

If you've already decided you're going, go ahead and RSVP below. I look forward to meeting you and talking more about this new service:

Create Your Own Pet Food Recall Notifications

2013-04-30T07:37:00.002-07:00

It's scary to think that almost every day there's a recall out for one type of pet food or another. The Pet Food Recalls of 2007 were particularly troublesome and brought to light the many brands that offshore their production to facilities in China that have insufficient safety controls.

Since forewarned is forearmed, I wanted to share a quick and easy way that you can stay ahead of game and get notifications as quickly as they occur with Google Alerts. What you get are notifications in your email inbox with the latest pet food recall notifications from across the Internet.

Here's how you get set up:

The first thing you'll need is a Google Mail account. If you have an account, sign-in. If you don't, get one. It's easy and free.
Next, surf on over to Google Alerts.
Once there, you'll be able to put in keywords to create an alert. In the example, below you can see that I've used "pet food recall" (without the quotes) in the Search query field to accomplish this.
I adjust the How often setting on some of the alerts I have set up, but I find either Once a day or Once a week, but be more than sufficient. If you change this to As-it-happens, you may find that the amount of email you get to be overwhelming. My own pet food recall alert is set to Once a day.
That's it. The rest of the settings I leave as-is. I always leave the How many field as Only the best results, and that provides all the results I've ever needed.

Here's a screen shot of what mine looked like when it was done. Note that you get to look at what the email will look like on the right hand side of the display:

Simple Pet Food Recall Notifications by Google Alerts

The purpose of keeping an eye on the products that are being recalled is not to create a panic, but to have the knowledge to make the best decision for your pet on a timely basis. Like any information, it depends upon individuals and companies reporting recalls, so it's not perfect, but it is a useful tool that you should consider.

These quick pet food recall notifications allow me to put a quick eye on my email alerts in the morning and have piece of mind the rest of the day that the food (and treats) I'm feeding my dog haven't been recalled.

Bark Out Loud and Do a Back Flip

2013-04-26T13:02:00.002-07:00

I had a nice surprise recently when learning about the two most recent additions to SeniorPooch Adoptions, Onyx (above) and Beignet. In spite of their advanced years, the high energy play sessions used to spotlight these two show that age is only a number as long as you're keeping your canine companions mentally and physically engaged.

Both of these boys are shelter dogs, so my thanks goes out to those shelter volunteers who take the time to play with these guys.

Double-Time At the Vet: When It's Time to Increase Your Dog's Check Ups

2013-04-25T07:37:00.000-07:00

The day will come when your dog's muzzle grows more and more grey; when you notice that she is not getting along like she did in their younger days. We already talked about this a while back, but this is both a reminder and an introduction to another benefit of visiting your veterinarian more often: talking with them about the best preventative medicine.

The symptoms of many ailments can be mitigated if you catch them early enough.

Arthirits and hip dysplasia are two issues that I've come up against several times. Getting on a diet and choosing supplements that reduce inflammation helped enormously in my dog's case. We also received tips on walking on inclines and declines, instead of the more severe stairs, in order to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. Muscle loss was one of the related concerns that my vet brought to my attention. As a dog gets older, it's going to lose muscle mass. The goal is to maintain a level of exercise that isn't painful to the dog, but still keeps them active.

Diseases that younger dogs can more easily fight off are a concern as well. Dog's whose immune systems are degrading are more susceptible to more severe forms of common health issues that they would have more easily fought off in their youth. Skin diseases, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria are usually treatable if caught early enough. It may be that you'll need to head to a specialist to address these, however they should be able to give you some tricks on how to mitigate these itchy situations. Domboro Solution, a common poison ivy treatment for people that is available in your drugstore's first aid aisle, was just what the doctor ordered to dry up a rash caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria after the proper drugs were find to fight this illness.

Cancer is another area where early detection can help. More and more people that I'm in contact are having their dogs treated for cancer instead of treating it as a death sentence.

The point is that looking up how to treat illnesses on the web or talking with your friends may give you a little information or even help you commiserate over the situation, but your best bet when it comes to dealing with canine health issues is to have an open line to your vet. This allows you to work together to maintain your dog's quality of life for many years to come.

Don't take my word for it, make an appointment for a check-up and chat with your veterinarian today.

Best of Senior Pooch Adoptions - Part 3 of 3

2013-04-19T07:41:00.001-07:00

Today brings us the final group of dogs available on SeniorPooch Adoptions. If you never thought about adopting a senior dog, you're just like me. I had every reason in the world not to consider adopting an older dog six years ago, but something stirred in me when I met Boo Boo and heard his story that he needed just a little help. I couldn't have imagined then what he went through in the shelter for two months, but in hindsight it's no wonder it took months for him to break out of his shell. I'm glad I took the chance on him and he took the chance on me. It changed me forever.

In his memory, I hope you take a couple of minutes to take a look at the stories of these dogs and consider them as a new roommate or even just share them with a friend:

Thor is a cuddler. He loves other pets and would be best in any home where he could lounge around and rub up against his people as often as possible. He's blind, but hasn't let that slow him down at all.

Griffie was abandoned by his owner at the shelter for no reason that we could find. He's a great medium-sized boy who doesn't understand why he was left behind, but he gets along swimmingly with the shelter staff. He's healthy and has mastered the art of the leash. He's ready to go strolls with you in the park whenever you are.

Susie is a special Labrador Retriever who, like Griffie, was brough tin by her owners for no reason after 14 years of loving service to them. Susie is looking for a place to rest her head in her golden years and prove to her owners that they were wrong about dumping her. She's also available for foster if you want to see what she's all about, but aren't quite sure you're ready to commit to a dog full time. Don't worry, Susie will give you time to adjust.

Finally (at least for now), we have our friend, Onyx aka The Water Tank. Onyx has a ton of spunk for an older dog as his video of playing with the shelter staff will attest.

He's a big boy at 79 lbs. and would love to have a nice yard to roll around and entertain you. He'd also love a kiddie pool for those hot summer days.

Any or all of these seniors would make a great dog for the first time dog owner. They know how to get along with people, including being house-trained and being ready to please. Stop on over to SeniorPooch Adoptions to learn more about their stories and if you can share, donate, foster, or adopt on their behalf I would recommend that you contact their current caretakers whose contact information is located on their profiles.

Best of Senior Pooch Adoptions - Part 2 of 3

2013-04-18T07:51:00.001-07:00

Without any additional fanfare, let's pick up where we left off yesterday checking out some of the worthy souls who are still available for adoption over on the SeniorPooch Adoptions page.

More than a few dogs that cross my path here on SeniorPooch Adoptions have no name, just like These Two Guys. It would appear to me that dogs without names are less likely to have people connect to them. Since, a shelter number is no name for a dog, what would you name them if you could?

Philippe, is 15 now. This gentle old soul just needs a little space to rest his head and lots of spoiling in his golden years. Even a temporary foster situation would do to help give his foster mom a break from time to time. He gets along with other pets.

Peppy's journey started rocky with our introduction. She's a senior chihuahua mix whose human mother passed away suddenly. Her daughter reached out to me and after many emails and phone calls, the Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego stepped up and saved the day for her. She's still open for adoption, but has opened up after a stressful time adjusting to her new situation. Many thanks to Ann and Sabrina at CRSD for being Peppy's guardian angels.

Missy and Princess aren't sisters in the traditional sense, but they have been together for most of their lives. They'd love to go to a forever home together, but would be just as happy to be placed individually to get 100% of the love they need and deserve.

Sam is an great dog. No, really. Sam's been in the same home since he's been 8 months old and unfortunately due to health reasons his owner can no longer care for him the way Sam deserves. Sam gets along with dogs, cats, and kids. If it walks, talks, crawls, barks, or meows, Sam is there with a wagging tail and a quick smile.

Many of this post's pets came to me via emails and people hearing about SeniorPooch.com. I'm humbled that they thought enough of our mission here to reach out. If you're looking to get an older dog adopted, see one here that you're interested in, or have a rescue with one or more older pooches that you need help placing, contact me and we'll see what we can do together.

Best of Senior Pooch Adoptions - Part 1 of 3

2013-04-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

There's no better feeling than helping to get a very worthy dog adopted. None.

Unfortunately senior dogs take a lot longer to get adopted than most, some waiting a year or more to find the person who will make the commitment to love them forever. Sadly many die in shelters and more than a few live out their days in foster homes, the latter being no different than their forever home for the dog (and foster) in many cases.

In honor of all of you who adopt and foster older dogs I wanted to highlight some of the longest tenured pooches up on the SeniorPooch Adoptions page.

If you're reading this, maybe you know someone who is looking for one of these beauties:

Shelby (she's the little one with the giant smile), has been adoptable for going on two years now and is available from our friends at ARRF, down in San Diego, California. Several months back I was at one of their events where she was and I can tell you she was just as spunky as I would have expected.

~~Happily she has a great foster family, but she'd make a great dog for any family.~~ Shelby's foster mom decided she'd rather stay with her forever.

The "Lunch Lady", Lavergne, is an older senior poodle who's in Lake Charles, LA. She's had a rough life, but the folks who rescued her couldn't have done better by this girl. She has cataracts, but per her ad on Petfinder she still has the where with all to "to find an empty lap or anything else she wants".

Snooki was rescued from a shelter in New Jersey, by the kind folks of Rescue Ridge after being found as a stray. She's been a long time foster who has touched everyone that has met her.

If you cannot adopt or foster Snooki, a great alternative is also donating to her cause. Rescues take on dogs like Snooki every year with the hopes of getting them adopted soon and would never think of returning her to the shelter. This can put financial challenges which you can help lessen. Check out her Petfinder Ad for more information.

Shelbie (yep, there's another, only this one is a bit larger) is an awesome girl who live in San Jose, CA with her foster family. She's always ready with a smile or for a walk. Our friend Melissa from San Jose Animal Advocates brought this girl to our attention.

Juno was the first senior pooch who called out to us from the SeniorPooch Facebook page. About a year ago, both of her primary caregivers passed away and she's been looking for a home ever since.

Like a lot of senior dogs, she's house-trained, knows how to live with people, and has a sweet gentle demeanor.

The full stories of each of these dogs are on the SeniorPooch Adoptions page. If you're interested, I'd recommend you make the call to look into these gems further. You might be surprised at how much pep these pups still have.

If you have a senior dog that you're looking to rescue, feel free to contact me and I'll help by getting them posted and reaching out to my network of rescue friends who might be able to help or offer advice.

Bark Out Loud Because Happy Wagging Tails Are for Furever

2013-04-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

James Bond might tell you Diamonds are Forever, but not my friend Tinkerbell, who found her forever (dare I say, furever) home just a few weeks ago. Happily she gets to spend her days hang out with her new family on a sizable piece of property.

Just because their whiskers are grey doesn't mean they don't have a lot of love to give. Check out other mature dogs looking for their own Happily Ever After on the SeniorPooch Adoptions site.

Speaking of happy endings, our friend Charlie has at long last found his forever home. After a few false starts and an extended stay in a kennel, Charlie met his new foster dad who decided after three days that Charlie needed to be his forever. Charlie gave me a big hug the last time I saw him to help finalize his adoption paperwork, but was perfectly content to remain lounging around when I left. He's more comfortable and secure than he's ever been in his life and is even making strides in socializing with big dogs. I'm so very happy that Charlie finally found someone who recognized how much love he has to give and who knows how to give it back to him.

What's In that Dog - Using Wisdom Panel to Identify Your Dog's Breed Makeup

2013-04-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

I frequently get asked what breed of dog I have. I don't really know since Rusty was a refugee from a shelter when he came to live with me two years ago.

I had been sticking with calling him a Shepherd/Akita mix based upon his looks and temperament, however the more research that I do on dogs and breed specific health issues, the more I wanted to know if I should be concerned.

Enter the Wisdom Panel.

The Wisdom Panel is is a simple DNA test that you can administer at home and send into a lab to analyze. The kit comes with a couple of swabs to rub on the inside of your dog's mouth and a pre-paid mailer. Two to three weeks after the lab's receipt of receiving the package you are emailed with a link to get the Insight report, along with the option to upload a picture.

According to their literature, the Wisdom Panel uses 300 DNA markers which are analyzed against some 11 million calculations to give an overview of your dog's background going back to their great grandparents.

I went with the Mixed Breed version of the test to determine "What makes up a Rusty Dog?" and found that on one side of his family he has German Shepherd and English Springer Spaniel (the latter being a surprise), while on the other side he has some Chow Chow. I also received a list of breeds that might be included as well, but weren't as prevalent. Overall, given the high indicators of mixed breed parents throughout his history, Rusty is probably less susceptible to breed specific issues caused by breeders over breeding within the same family to get particular traits.

It doesn't matter to me what kind of dog Rusty turned out to be, but it was an interesting exercise. I'd recommend it to people interested in their dog's background or want to confirm breed specific traits and potential ailments that come with them.

Having the Strength to Do the Right Thing: The Emotional Side of Putting Your Dog to Sleep

2013-04-05T13:40:00.003-07:00

Boo Boo resting on the porch

Eventually all good things must come to an end.

Old muscles are too tired. Joints are worn.

We've reached the limit of the total number of heartbeats that we've been allotted in this life.

It's as much that way for us as it is four our four-legged companions.

As owners of older dogs we need to be considerate of our our four-legged friends. Sometimes this means being ready to do the right thing by helping them along on their final journey by having them put to sleep. Ask your veterinarian about what euthanasia options you have so that you're ready when the time comes.

This is an emotionally difficult time, so get in front of this scenario and understand that prolonging your dog's suffering because you're not ready to let go is not the way to go. Consider that after all is said and done, no one wants to think that they caused their beloved pet one extra hour of pain and misery if they could have prevented it.

Take heart and know that memories of walks, snuggling, and wet sloppy kisses at inappropriate times will always be with you.

The Rainbow Bridge (below) is a poem written by an unknown writer in the second half of the 20th century which paints a picture of how one day we'll be reunited with all of those furry companions that have given us so many years of love and faithfulness:

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

The Sound of Connecting: Training Your Deaf Dog

2013-03-27T07:48:00.002-07:00

Whether your dog is going deaf gradually in their old age, or this malady has come about more suddenly due to exposure to loud noises or ear infections, it never hurts to be prepared.

Dogs are quite resilient creatures and will compensate pretty effectively for gradual hearing loss by bringing in their other senses more an more when making decisions about their environment. For example, the sound of an opened refrigerator is easily replaced by sensing the scents that escape.

Dogs that have partial hearing loss might find it easier if you clap (not in their face, mind you) to get their attention instead of calling to them. The vibrations in the air caused when you clap provide a distinct sound over calling a dog who may not get the connection if they have the volume turned down.

Hand gestures are another way to supplement traditional voice commands. While to is no hand gesture to command a dog that has it's back to you, continued training throughout the life of the dog is a great way to continue strengthening their mental acuity, as well as reinforce the connection between dog and human family members.

Today, my senior dog hears perfectly well, but I've subconsciously been mixing in hand signals. I noticed how effective they were when one early morning he was getting a bit anxious around the food bowl and I was able to calm him down without touching him. (Full disclosure: he got a hug shortly thereafter for listening.) Note that all of these commands have been initially trained in coordination with voice commands. You can also train a completely deaf dog by reinforcing the command and gesture in other ways. Some of the commands that I mix in include:

Stop/Hold: Palm facing the dog
Sit: Show the dog your palm with four fingers up, and rotate your fingers up a few times.
Down: Get the dog to sit, then rotate your palm down and push it (your hand... not the dog) in a downward motion.

These are just a few gestures that work for me. Whatever you work out with your dog over the long term should get you just as much mileage if you're consistent in reinforcing the behavior.

What other tips do you have for those with dogs that are deaf or hard of hearing?

Related articles:
Deafness in dogs
Deaf Dog US Populations

Bark Out Loud Old Timer

2013-03-22T07:34:00.003-07:00

Peppy has been looking for a new home since her mom passed away last year. My friend, Sabrina - The Foster Mama, at the Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego, swooped in and helped to find Peppy a foster home, but this beauty is still looking for her forever. You can check her out on the SeniorPooch Adoptions Page.

Through my research to bring you the best information available on senior dogs and their owners, I came across The Seattle Dog Spot, which is spinning up a new monthly column: The Senior Dog Files. One of the topics writer, Ann Mouldon promises to cover is making the transition from regular to senior dog foods. Given the impact on how a dog looks on the outside is based upon what goes on the inside, I'm excited to see this series unfold.

No More Rocky Roads

2013-03-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Rocky, formerly Woody, resident senior pooch at the San Diego North County Shelter was adopted by one of shelter volunteers back in December.

In case you don't recall, he was a long time resident of the Senior Pooch Adoption Page, and ultimately was fostered and adopted by our friend Karen.

He now gets to share his awesomeness with his new two-and four-legged family members, including a cat.

TurboJRT is the Leader of the Pack

2013-03-19T07:47:00.002-07:00

Turbo the Jack Russell Terrier (@TurboJRT for those of you in the Twitterverse) is the winner of Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs in our recent contest.

Turbo is an avid reader, loves his mama, and is a senior pooch who was rescued from a South Los Angeles shelter.

We have more contests being planned so keep your eyes, ears, and nose open. You never know when these will happen.

Woof!

Bark Out Loud - Don't Call It a Comeback Edition

2013-03-15T07:37:00.001-07:00

After several weeks with only the occasional article I'm back on the attack, delivering you more posts per week than you can wag your tail at.

This week's Cover Pooch is Tinkerbelle. Tinkerbelle is looking for the perfect forever home for her. Check her out over at the SeniorPooch Adoptions Page.

Speaking of forever homes, my friend Charlie (aka Grizzly Bear) rejoined us at The Dog Squad Rescue. Unfortunately for me, Charlie is not a fan of large dogs, and was none too happy when he met Rusty this past summer. The good news is that he's got his own Facebook Page, Furever Charlie, and he'll be meeting a potential foster dad this weekend. Cross your fingers, toes, and paws that it's a fit.

Book Review: Pukka's Promise - The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs

2013-03-14T13:08:00.001-07:00

Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs by Ted Kerasote tells the tale of Ted and his new dog Pukka against the backdrop of their cabin at the base of the Teton Mountain Range.

The book starts with Ted's thoughts about his previous dog, Merle, who he adopted as a stray. Merle's legacy is pervasive throughout this work as well as the action that he (Ted) takes in finding a new companion after Merle's passing. Every page of this book is permeated with the love that Ted has for dogs, including those that are his, a local pack of visitors to his cabin, and all canine-kind.

The book is laid out to alternate between Ted and Pukka's adventures and research on a variety of topics related to the health and wellness of dogs.

I was most surprised that Pukka was purchased from a breeder. As someone involved with rescuing homeless animals I was initially taken aback that Ted chose to go this way to find a particular type of dog (a "houndy lab" in his description) rather than adopting one of the many available homeless dogs. That said, his research on breeders and those that are both helping and hurting the breeds that they represent is thorough and very understandable to the lay person. After reading through the entire book, I understand where Ted was coming from in his desire to find a dog that could measure up to his beloved Merle. His experience and research on the topic is just as relevant whether you've adopted a dog or gone the breeder route.

The topic of breeding leads into hereditary diseases that have increased by breed over the years largely due to inbreeding to accentuate particular traits by mating close relatives. I felt like this part of the work tied together a lot of things that I heard anecdotally about breed-specific maladies.

Diet, long-term health concerns, including cancer, and shelters are just a few of the other topics that Ted covers both at home and interviewing a wide variety of professionals including: vets, breeders, manufacturers, and animal behavioralists. I was impressed with the amount of travel and consulting Ted did with throughout the Western Hemisphere to gather his data.

Some of my favorite bits show Ted and Pukka working out how to live together and in harmony in nature. The word training comes to mind here, but it's almost too antiseptic of a word to describe that educational element of their relationship.

This is a quick, fun read that provides a lot of scientific background in a non-threatening way. Regardless of whether you have or dog or not, if you're thinking of getting one in the future, pick up this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, but have since bought a copy for my Kindle, since that's a format that I'm more accustom.

Win a Copy of Pukka's Promise

2013-03-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

Did someone say contest?

Sure did. All you need to do is share one of SeniorPooch's posts from its Facebook Page, retweet or respond to a tweet from SeniorPooch's Twitter account, or leave a comment anywhere on SeniorPooch.com any time between March 13 and March 17, 2013 and I'll pick out one winner from the lot who will receive the recently released, Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer Lived Dogs by Ted Kerasote.

I'm posting a review of the book later this week, but it's a wonderful read covering one man's mission to raise the healthiest, happiest dog possible. Kerasote leaves his heart on the page, as well as leaving no stone unturned on topics including: breeding, diet, training, and general health and wellness.

This is the hardcover version of the book and I'll pick up the shipping. Only folks in the US and Canada are eligible. I received this copy for review, but since I'm reading the Kindle version, I want to pass this pristine copy along to one lucky person. ~~I'll announce the winner on March 18, 2013. Good luck.~~

The winner of our contest is none other than TurboJRT. Congratulations!

Thanks to all of you who participated.

Check out the link below to Amazon.com to learn more about this interesting book or browse our review on SeniorPooch.com.

No Ugly Dogs Here: Senior Pooch Teddy Shows as Most Handsome Male

2013-03-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Teddy, pictured here with his room mate, Larry Abgarian came in an impressive third place for Most Handsome Male at this year's Ugliest Dog Contest.

This year the contest was held in Valley Center for the first time in the contest's 18 year history, but that didn't detract from the festivities. The weather was beautiful and fun was had by two and four footed participants alike.

Return to Barking Out Loud

2013-02-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

Susie, our cover pooch for the week, is here to announce the first Bark Out Loud for the new year. For those of you who haven't seen Bark Out Loud before, it represents the week in review, a featured adoptable senior dog (all available for review on SeniorPooch Adoptions or clicking through on the SeniorPooch slide show on this page.)

This new year is off to a great start with Rusty and I talking with folks who will be interviewed for the site.

Speaking of Rusty, he received a couple of letters two weeks back from some of the people who helped rescue him. I'm thankful to them and all the others who touched Rusty in "The Dark Years" (two to be exact) where he made his travel from death row, being kicked out of two adopted homes, rejected from at least one rescue organization, and finally finding his way to me and all of the friends that he's made in my neighborhood.

A dog goes through a lot of challenges mentally, in addition to physically, when they are kenneled or in a shelter for a long period of time. Knowing that Rusty had so many people looking out and being with him during that time is an incredible gift. I'm no longer surprised at how well he kept it all together during that time and I'm extraordinarily grateful to those that are part of his story.

Senior Dogs as Social Mediums

2013-01-31T07:06:00.002-08:00

Some of us are more comfortable typing our lives away in front of a computer screen while the world goes on without us outside. Some of us are even satisfied that "social media" is a substitute for getting out there and meeting some real people in the good old outdoors.

Getting out forces you to live life in real time instead of in fits or blurbs of 140 characters at a time like folks do on Twitter.

Walking with your senior dog forces you to slow down and appreciate everything that nature has to offer. Smell the flowers. Sit down and take a break on a park bench or in a quiet place in the shade. The sounds and sights are amazing if you take a moment to capture them.

You also get to meet all sorts of people and their animals. If we just consider the wild animals population (crows, rabbits, and field mice where we live), me and my old dog get plenty of action just watching (and occasionally talking with) our local fauna. For the most part this means watching from a distance, but each of us is respectful of the other and acknowledges our presence.

Of the four legged variety, we've met hundreds of dogs over the last two years. I guess that it's been somewhere over 1,000 in all of the places that we've visited just within a two mile radius. Usually it's the more mature dogs that have the confidence and smarts to greet one of their own in a mutually pleasing way (a quick sniff and some wags). Your mileage may vary, but for me and my pup, we get along with other happy and confident dogs that have been altered. Occasionally we'll come across a puppy that wants to play, which works just as well as long as they're not getting too rowdy and want to wrestle. Rusty doesn't mind a little of that, but is a competitive soul and will get up and try to "win" which can be scary for many other dogs when they have an 80 lb. monster forcing them down.

It's usually the two legged variety that we get to interact most. A large personal trainer who will set his class to task so he can take a break to come and pet Rusty, the occasional kids playing in the park that want to say hi or just get a little closer to see a dog if they don't have one of their own, the jogger who stopped to give Rusty a hug because he misses an old dog like him who is no longer with us, a young lady who wanted to talk about what's going on in the neighborhood and had to juggle her coffee after Rusty leaned in for a quick rub are just some of the folks we meet.

We've also met plenty of folks who recognize and old soul and want to introduce their own senior dog or talk about one that's meant a lot to them. My favorite of all time remains some of my neighbors who came over to introduce their new older shelter dog who they got after seeing me with the Mighty Boo Boo years ago walking in the park.

I'm grateful for all I've learned from all of them. I'd encourage you to get out there and make some memories with your neighbors in real time.

Judging the Best Senior Shelter Dog for You

2013-01-28T06:38:00.003-08:00

January is coming to a close. You've walked by so many adoption events in front of pet stores that your resolve is beginning to falter. It's time to give in and get that older dog you've read about here and reap some of the benefits they bring with them.

Whether you are interested in a dog from a rescue or shelter, make sure that you are asking all the right questions:

Does this dog get along with people? Does it like kids? - You'll want to know if your dog has any hang ups around any particular type of people. Maybe they got along especially well with men or women. Maybe they're skittish around children. Even if you don't have any, you'll want to know before you get out there and start to walk them in public.
How are they around other animals? - Many shelters and rescue will test for animal aggressive behavior. If you have another animal, you're going to want to introduce them before making a long term commitment. Ask your rescue volunteer or shelter staff for the best way to do this. Ask them if they've noticed any food guarding behaviors with your pooch to be. This usually isn't a deal breaker, but if you've never had more than one animal at the same time, learning how to feed them together is something important to research.
What are they like when they're not locked up? - Quite often a dog will retreat into itself if locked up for any length of time to cope with the isolation. They're pack animals and the thought of not being social is a scary proposition, however when they're allowed to go out, they are born again.
Do they have any illnesses or physical ailments that you need to be aware? - It's always best to understand this at the beginning of your relationship with your senior dog. Some illnesses are very treatable in an inexpensive way. Others require more time, attention, and yes: funds to address effectively. My advice: Don't over commit.

Next, get out there and meet you prospective new room mate. Call up your rescue or shelter to make an appointment to come by and meet the dog, or even a few dogs that might be a fit. Let them know who will be responsible for the dog should you decide to adopt and if you have other animals that you have. Before adopting, you're going to want to make sure that you're introducing them in a controlled manner first.

Listen to the rescue team when meeting your new older pup. They'll likely have some insight to help you make the best first impression possible. Most important: be yourself. Be the person you want your new dog to love and obey.

Photo Credit: rikkis_refuge

Licensed under Creative Commons

Resolve to Make a Difference in One Dog's Life This Year

2013-01-11T07:59:00.002-08:00

Right about now many of us are figuring out ways to avoid going to the gym, eat that extra piece of cake, and work even more television into our already busy schedules.

It's the season for finding excuses for getting out of our New Year's Resolutions.

It's inevitable, don't try to fight it.

Whew, that was close.

Now, with all that extra spare time on your hands I want you to resolve to make a difference in the life of just one senior dog this year. There are many low cost/low calorie days to take this on which aren't going to cause you one quarter of the conflict that figuring out how you're going to explain to your significant other that you now need to dismantle the clothes rack/exercise machine that you assembled a week ago:

Share - If you're reading this you're probably also on Twitter or Facebook. Find just one ad for a homeless senior dog and share it, retweet it, or repost it someplace. If you have problems finding ads you can check out the adoption section here on SeniorPooch.com or on the Facebook page.
Donate - Donate your Starbucks' allowance for the month to help feed or get medical care for a senior dog in your community. Petfinder has easy to use links on each of their pets to allow you to do this. Alternatively, take those extra blankets or towels you were going to throw away and drop them off at your local animal shelter.
Volunteer - This one is a bit more of an investment of your time, but check out your local rescues and see if there is one that needs help and see if you can help out at events once or twice a month**. This is a fantastic way to be around dogs more often even if you don't have or can't take in one of your own.
Foster - Fostering is a great way to help out a dog in need by taking them in until they can find their forever home. I'd recommend you check with your local rescues who are more than willing to work with you to find a dog that works best for your situation. Dogs that are sponsored by rescue organizations are the way to go here as the rescue may be able to subsidize some or all of the expenses; you'd just need to add the warm place to sleep and love.
Adopt - You may have blown it as a foster parent and decided to keep your new older pal. We already know how bad you are at keeping your resolutions if you've read this far. How does that chocolate cake taste by the way? If that wasn't the case I'd encourage you to educate yourself on the benefits and challenges of adopting a senior dog. The rescues and shelters are full of these very worthy canine companions unfortunately. There's a lot of myths out there about them and you're better off knowing that you haven't known what caring is if you haven't been touched by the love and affection of a loyal older dog who you've saved.

Get out there, make it happen, and check back when you can to share your results.

** - I may have misled you here. ALL rescue need volunteers. Type in the name of your home town, dog, and rescue into Google or Bing and you'll have more results than you can shake a bully stick at.

Post Holiday Rescue Opportunities

2013-01-08T07:36:00.001-08:00

Some people get the holiday blues due to all of the stress that comes from the preparations, work, and dealing with relatives that they only see once a year. Right about now all of the presents and decorations have been put away and folks are throwing out the last of the fruit cake so they can return to their regularly scheduled lives. For most, this week is a return to normalcy.

For rescue professionals, this week is a call to action.

Despite best efforts to get folks to people to recognize that they should provide the same loyalty to their old dogs as they have shown to them, there are more older dogs being dumped in shelters than ever before. Some of the excuses, include:

We just got a new puppy and they don't get along.
He sleeps a lot.
She is having more accidents on the rug.
Hes' old.

Let's explore each of these:

The puppy excuse - Anyone who doesn't put in the effort to get this to work has no business owning one door, never mind two.
More sleep than usual - Be grateful that you don't need to expend as much effort exercising your dog. Stress and more exercise added over a short period of time will contribute to your dog playing catch up with the Zzzzs.
Accidents - As dogs get older, weakened muscle mass contributes to loss of bladder control. Check with your vet. Taking them out more often or training them to use pee pads is the way to go, not sending them to death row.
He's old. - Not an excuse. Your dog may be old, but you're the one who has forgotten a lifetime of love that they've given you.

If you're in the market for a dog now that the holidays have finished or are a with a rescue, I'd like to ask you not go with the easy choice and adopt (or heaven forbid, buy) a younger dog. There are plenty of folks who will will go with that safe choice. This year choose to be unpredictable and get that senior dog who doesn't understand why their family dumped them.

Be a maverick. Take a chance. Save a life.

Happy Tails of Old Friends

2013-01-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

Old Friends: Great Dogs on the Good Life is a masterfully designed book sharing the longevity secrets of senior dogs through photographs.

Author/photographer, Mark J. Asher, captured 45 amazing images of the subjects in the senior stage of their lives. The pictures alone tell stories of road-tested wisdom through their thoughtful glances.

Even if you never owned an older dog, I can guarantee that there are 45 different ways to bring a smile to your face in this book.

Each picture is accompanied by one or more longevity secrets. Some show their mischievous sides, like Chica who credits "helping houseguests finish their hors d'oeuvers", loyalty - as is told by a patient Duelley as he waits for one of his famous "long truck drives", and Jackie whose "nap often, snore loudly, and twitch with wild abandon" speaks of how he enjoys his time these days while never forgetting the adventures that led him here.

This Year at SeniorPooch: 2012

2012-12-31T10:31:00.004-08:00

Get on your party hat. It's time to celebrate.

Today wraps up a remarkable first full calendar year for SeniorPooch.com.

It was the year that this very site got me back in touch with the rescue that saved The Mighty Boo Boo.

Our chief product reviewer, Rusty, got his paws on a variety of products this year. Even for those products that did not get a shining review, we tried to provide enough information to help you all understand if it was just a matter of taste or something else. We're looking forward to doing more of these in the new year so if you have a product that is senior dog friendly, bark back at us.

Over 3,400 different people visited the site at least once in this past year for an average visit of over one minute forty seconds. About half of those folks also became return viewers. This coming year I'm going to continue to work on reaching more folks, but also giving all of you a reason to come back again and again. What was your favorite post or feature? Was it easy to find stuff? How would you feel about a newsletter or better ways of subscribing to updates?

Speaking of making things easier to find, I redesigned the site and made a number of tweaks throughout the year. I think there is still more to do, but it's coming together quite nicely a year and a half into our adventure together. I use Blogger as the blog platform, mostly because that's where this all began. I considered moving to something else when the site "matured", but I've been pleasantly surprised at the new functionality Google has poured into Blogger.

Top visiting countries include:

USA
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Australia
India
Philippines
Brazil
Germany
New Zealand

That's just the top 10 of 77 countries where folks surfed from to find the site. These represent people from all walks of life that live or work in 1,396 different cities. In 2012, I had interviews from two countries (Canada and the UK) that were not the USA. I'm looking forward to taking our message to more countries in 2013.

Interviews turned out to be some of the most popular posts these year and I'm already reaching out to more folks to fill up the upcoming calendar. Work with senior dogs, rescue them, have or had a special senior dog in your life? Send me a note and let's figure out how we can share your story or work together on a project to help get more seniors into loving forever homes.

This year was all about building a base of like minded people interested in making a difference. Let's go do something with that now.