November Is Senior Pet Month. Why Adopting a Senior Pet Could be the Ideal Fit for You and Your Family.
Senior pets are often neglected in shelters and are by far the most difficult to place in loving, adoptive homes. Over 7.6 million animals are brought into shelters each year in the United States and more than a third of them or roughly 2.7 million are euthanized, according to the ASPCA. A large percentage of these unfortunate animals are considered “seniors” and many would make ideal family pets. If you are thinking about adopting a pet in the near future, here are a few reasons why you should consider welcoming an older animal into your home.
You know what you are getting Puppies and young adults are often the most sought after adoptive pets, but with younger animals there is a great deal of uncertainty and unknowns. What sort of temperament will this animal develop as it grows? How will its physical attributes change? And just how big will it get? With a fully developed, senior pet, you know exactly what you are getting from a size, personality and temperament perspective. Its future health is therefore much more predictable than that of a seven week old puppy or kitten.
All the joys of dog ownership without all the mess House-breaking a new puppy can often be a stressful and messy situation. It can also be disruptive to the sleep patterns and lifestyle of the entire family. But most senior pets are already house broken and can easily adapt to the potty rules of a new environment, usually in a matter of hours or just a day or two. So skip the puppy pads and bring home an adopted senior pet this month.
You can teach an old dog new tricks Contrary to the popular myth, senior dogs are more than capable of learning new tricks and in some cases, may be better suited for obedience training and following commands. Younger dogs tend to be easily distracted and often have a hard time concentrating on specific tasks. That’s not the case with many older dogs that generally have the intelligence, maturity and focus needed to learn and adapt to new environments.
The perfect temperament, the perfect companion Senior dogs tend to be calmer and much less rambunctious than younger animals. Most senior pets are well past their “destructive curiosity” phase of life, thus insuring that your favorite bedroom slippers, wooden furniture and other treasured possession remain out of harm’s way. Unlike puppies, many older pets have spent years living and socializing with families and have already developed a sense of restraint and responsibility. Senior dogs and cats are often the ideal companions for people of all ages. They are typically gentler and less rambunctious around small children, more devoted and willing to please adult owners and calmer and more relaxed around seniors citizens. Older adopted pets also seem to have an instinctive sense of gratitude towards their new owners, understanding that they have given them a new home when others would not. Many new owners form a close bond very quickly with their senior dog or cat, because the pet shows them a level of attention and devotion that is unique to older adopted animals. But along with the joy and satisfaction that comes with adopting a senior pet, owners should also be aware of the special needs of older animals. The most common on those needs include:
1. More frequent visits to the veterinarian. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that geriatric pets have semi-annual veterinary visits instead of annual visits so signs of illness or other problems can be detected early and treated.
2. Changes in Diet. Geriatric pets often need foods that are more readily digested, and have different calorie levels and ingredients, and anti-aging nutrients.
3. Regular but less stressful exercise to maintain proper weight and mobility. Moderate levels of exercise are extremely important to aging pets and should include regular walks for dogs. When walking dogs of all ages, experts now recommend using a harnesses rather than a collar to control movement. That’s because modern veterinary medicine has determined that collars can be quite harmful to dogs and that the use of a harness is a much preferred and far safer way to walk and restrain your pet.
At curli, we are passionate about pet health and wellness. That’s why we will never sell a collar. But we do produce the world’s finest harnesses, with many unique and patented features to ensure the ultimate in fit, functionality and comfort. Check us out at www.mycurli.com.
