Adopting a senior dog is a wonderful experience for you and your new dog. You will gain a faithful companion. You will save a life. Senior dogs and senior people bring out the best in each other! Old dogs make great friends! Don't rule them out. They have lots of life and love to give. Dogs are generally considered "senior" at seven years of age, even if they haven't started to slow down, or show any signs of aging. Many "seniors" still have years of play left, some as many as another eight years. Unfortunately the "senior" tag will put off a lot of people who aren't familiar with more mature dogs. Senior dogs are a wonderful addition to most dog homes. Don't let their age stop you, there are many advantages to adopting an older dog. Changes you may notice in the senior dog: Graying around the face and muzzle. Most dogs commonly show a bit of gray starting at middle age (5-6 years). They lay around and sleep most of the day They may have cloudy or bluish colored eyes. As they age, dog's eyes often show a bluish transparent "haze" in the pupil area. This is a normal effect of aging, and the medical term for this is lenticular sclerosis. Senior dogs are often the first to be killed in area shelters. They are often passed over for cute and cuddly puppies. They are killed to make space for more puppies. If you are considering pet adoption, think about saving a life…and adopt a senior dog!
Are dogs really mans best friend? For years dogs have been used by man to accomplish many goals for mankind. For instance, did you know that Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs where used in 9ll to look for victims buried underneath the rubble? This was considered the largest deployment of search dogs in U.S. history, using between 350 – 500 search dogs. Dogs are currently being used by the military in Afghanistan to detect roadside bombs. The dogs of choice are usually Belgian malinois, German shepherds and Labradors, and are called bomb-sniffing dogs. These dogs even have service numbers tattooed inside their ears. While they are considered working dogs…they still enjoy getting treats and playing with the Soldiers! Additionally, dogs are used in prison settings to search for weapons, drugs and cell phones. They are also used in prison based dog training programs, called “Rehabilitation for Canine and Human”. This program allows the inmate who has received training the responsibility of raising and training dogs from animal shelters. Some of these dogs are used for people with disabilities or available for adoption. So, as you can see dogs play an important role in our lives, not only as pets, but they serve as: Police dogs, Fire dogs, Bomb sniffing dogs, Guide dogs for the disabled, Search and Rescue dogs, Guard dogs for home and property, Military dogs, Therapy dogs, and loving companions!
