It’s only natural for seniors who find themselves living alone to long for a companion animal. And of course, lonely seniors can make wonderful pet owners. But sometimes, they may get in over their heads.
Fact is, we seniors are in the last part of our lives and there are many considerations at this stage. Factors we didn’t have to think about–until now.
So here’s some advice to help prevent potential pet owners from biting off more than they can chew. (So to speak!)
Are you home most of the day?
Dogs love attention. They require it from their humans. Don’t get a dog if you are not home a good bit of every day to hang out with them. To love on them. To care for them.
Can you walk a dog every few hours every single day? Do you have a fenced yard?
Dogs need to ‘go’ every few hours. If taking them out involves stairs or walks in inclement weather (think snow, rain, ice, cold) maybe a cat would be a better choice. You don’t want to slip and fall on ice, for example.
Be realistic about what you can and can not do–and what that means as you (hopefully) continue to age. A good friend recently broke her knee when her large, loving dog pulled her down on a walk. So think about all the ramifications if you think you want to get a dog.
Can you comfortably pick up the dog and carry it?
We dog people may love medium and big dogs. But what if it’s hurt and you need to bring it to the vet? What if it can’t walk? Can you pick up the dog and carry it to your car? Are you prone to back injuries?
You don’t want a dog that is too big for your size and condition.
When we were ready to get another dog we had to consider our age. We would have loved a dog 20 to 40 pounds or even more–but we knew that with our intermittent back issues we could find ourselves with no way to get a dog that size into the car.
We choose seven pound dogs.
Do you have the energy for a young dog?
Younger dogs need a whole lot of activity every day and remain energetic creatures through at least age two. Or older, depending on the breed. Being realisitic here: do you have the stamina to do that? And train a young dog?
Also, some breeds are more energetic than others. A Jack Russell terrier would not be a good choice for most seniors.
We chose senior dogs, but that came with its own issues.
Can you afford veterinary care?
All dogs need regular vet care and just like with humans, the unexpected can happen. Vet care isn’t cheap…can you afford it?
We adopted senior dogs, ages seven and 10. As they aged, they, too, had special needs. Until Benji passed away, he was a frequent flyer at the vet, had chiropractic at least weekly, and regular blood tests.
Cutie jumped and tore her ACL equivalent, requiring physical therapy three times a week at first. None of this was cheap.
The finances of dog ownership must be considered.
Can you afford a pet sitter when you travel?
When you travel, a dog requires an in-home pet sitter, not just drop-ins. It needs attention and then access to potty every few hours. I’ll just state flat out that it’s not cheap. It’s one of the biggest expenses on our budget because we travel a lot. Also, I don’t have room on this post to explain my extensive interview process for potential pet sitters (but message me if you want to know)
Would a cat be a better choice?
I had cats the first 30 years of my adult life. That’s because I had a full-time job that took me out of the house all week. I didn’t have time to walk a dog or give it the attention it needs. But I did want a companion animal. Mycats were absolutely great at love and affection. And they were also independent.
My cats required less vet care than my dogs. That is not always the case, but for me it was.
If you’re thinking of getting a dog, the best thing you can do for yourself and your future pet is to be realistic. About yourself, your stage in life and your lifestyle.
Oh and one more thing: if you decide to get a dog, adopt, don’t shop! If you absolutely MUST have a certain breed, find a rescue for that breed and/or put in an order at your local animal shelter. People turn in pure bred dogs to shelters every day.
Want more advice? Just message me! I know a lot about this topic.
It’s very important to do a good job of obedience training your dog, or hire someone else to do it for you (then maintain the training)–if your dog is well trained you won’t fall because your dog pulled so hard you fell or tripped you up/wrapped the leash around one or both legs–your dog will be focused on you, not the distraction of another dog, loose cat, squirrel, child, whatever.
I’ve trained only 4 dogs, worked for short times w/a few others, but each dog was safer (and could be let off lead on beaches where that’s possible) because I’d worked with each dog until it did a reliable recall, sit, and stay (reliable = 98% of the time, if I were a better trainer it would’ve been 100%). Two of the dogs I worked w/were golden retrievers (great dogs, sunny temperaments) their owner got them fixated on ball retrieval, which helped alot w/(1) keeping their minds occupied and (2) making sure they got enough exercise. I walked & laughed more because of all the dogs in my life. My own dog, a yellow lab/BC, after I obedience trained her, went to the office w/me, went many places with me, and where it was safe (small town, or small city), I could put her on a sit-stay outside of the post office or small store while I was inside (not for a long time)–main issue w/that was people wanting to pet her (she wasn’t comfortable w/strangers touching her head or face)–she’d jump back (break her sit-stay) without asking me for permission–which is rude. A few of my clients really liked her, and one of the goldens was very good at calming very anxious clients (who liked dogs)–those baby browns & “smiles” of a golden can work wonders on human moods.
I haven’t had another dog of my own, taking care of my friend’s two goldens (sequentially) often for a few weeks at a time, gave me enough dog time.
That can be an option for some–do dog care for others and select which dogs you’ll “sit” or care for depending on what you want and can do physically.
I agree completely with the weight issue–I could carry my dog, but might not be able to do now, so I’d look for a smaller dog, up to 20 lbs.
I’ve had a cat, sometimes two, for years, they’re good company too usually, although I think sometimes people underestimate the amount of people time they prefer. Depends partly on the cat, and if you have two and get along well, they have company.
I worked w/horses for over 10 years, I loved being around most of them. Some can be pretty zen at times.
All excellent things to consider. I love dogs and have had three, but they’re lots of work. Having a house, we can put the dog out on a leash and she can ‘do her thing’ on her own. But if I had to walk her personally every time, it would be a pain. They’re wonderful, but think twice.
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It’s very important to do a good job of obedience training your dog, or hire someone else to do it for you (then maintain the training)–if your dog is well trained you won’t fall because your dog pulled so hard you fell or tripped you up/wrapped the leash around one or both legs–your dog will be focused on you, not the distraction of another dog, loose cat, squirrel, child, whatever.
I’ve trained only 4 dogs, worked for short times w/a few others, but each dog was safer (and could be let off lead on beaches where that’s possible) because I’d worked with each dog until it did a reliable recall, sit, and stay (reliable = 98% of the time, if I were a better trainer it would’ve been 100%). Two of the dogs I worked w/were golden retrievers (great dogs, sunny temperaments) their owner got them fixated on ball retrieval, which helped alot w/(1) keeping their minds occupied and (2) making sure they got enough exercise. I walked & laughed more because of all the dogs in my life. My own dog, a yellow lab/BC, after I obedience trained her, went to the office w/me, went many places with me, and where it was safe (small town, or small city), I could put her on a sit-stay outside of the post office or small store while I was inside (not for a long time)–main issue w/that was people wanting to pet her (she wasn’t comfortable w/strangers touching her head or face)–she’d jump back (break her sit-stay) without asking me for permission–which is rude. A few of my clients really liked her, and one of the goldens was very good at calming very anxious clients (who liked dogs)–those baby browns & “smiles” of a golden can work wonders on human moods.
I haven’t had another dog of my own, taking care of my friend’s two goldens (sequentially) often for a few weeks at a time, gave me enough dog time.
That can be an option for some–do dog care for others and select which dogs you’ll “sit” or care for depending on what you want and can do physically.
I agree completely with the weight issue–I could carry my dog, but might not be able to do now, so I’d look for a smaller dog, up to 20 lbs.
I’ve had a cat, sometimes two, for years, they’re good company too usually, although I think sometimes people underestimate the amount of people time they prefer. Depends partly on the cat, and if you have two and get along well, they have company.
I worked w/horses for over 10 years, I loved being around most of them. Some can be pretty zen at times.
All excellent things to consider. I love dogs and have had three, but they’re lots of work. Having a house, we can put the dog out on a leash and she can ‘do her thing’ on her own. But if I had to walk her personally every time, it would be a pain. They’re wonderful, but think twice.