Many people tend to overlook older dogs when it comes to introducing a new pet into the home. Most families want to bring home a cute little puppy, who they can raise and train themselves. Even though this can be a rewarding experience, nothing is kinder or more rewarding than adopting a rescue dog, especially if they are creeping up into their golden years.
A senior dog is much wiser than a puppy, they are playful, and have just as much love to offer. If you have made the decision to give a senior dog another shot at life through adoption, then here are 7 ways to make them feel comfortable.
Educate Your Family
Adopting a pet takes a while to process, which will give you and your family plenty of time to prepare themselves for your new canine companion. If you have young children who are not used to being around older dogs, then you need to educate them on the best way to behave and treat their senior pet.
An older dog is usually much calmer and more tolerant than a young puppy, but they will also be more fragile in some ways, so you need to make sure your whole family is aware of their needs.
Pet Proof the Home
Introducing any animal into the home will require you to adjust your living space in certain ways. By doing so, you will be protecting your home and valuables from damage, while keeping your pet in a safe and controlled environment.
When you plan to introduce a senior pet into your house, you will need to take extra precautions to make it senior pet-friendly. This includes keeping cluttered floors clear, investing in comfortable beds and nonslip rugs, and covering up loose cables and other hazards.
Buy All Their Supplies
When you pick up your senior dog from the rescue shelter, you need to make sure you bring them straight home. This will reduce stress and will make it easier for your new pooch to settle into their new home. In order to be fully prepared, you should buy all of their pet supplies beforehand.
This means that when your dog enters the home, they will have everything that they need to be happy and comfortable, including an orthopaedic bed, a large crate, high-quality food, fresh water and new toys.
Make Them Feel Secure
There are many reasons why an older dog may be up for adoption. Whatever the reason may be, your pup would have experienced love and lost it unexpectedly; however, this doesn’t mean that they can’t love again and you will bond over time.
The best way to bring out their personality and make them feel comfortable is to help them feel secure. You can do so by giving them their own space to do what they need to do, as well as spending time each day to build their trust. This should be a calm activity.
Create a Quiet Zone
Once you have collected all of the supplies and senior pet proofed your home, you should create a quiet zone for your new golden oldie.
By doing so, your dog will have somewhere safe and peaceful where they can escape if they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, or if they just want some time to themselves to relax in peace.
You can create a quiet zone by setting up and covering a crate, adding comfortable bedding inside and leaving it open. Food, toys and water should be easily accessible too.
Meet Their Health Needs
Not all senior dogs in rescue centres are sick, but if they are, then you will be informed by the shelter you are adopting from, giving you plenty of time to prepare yourself to meet their needs.
If your pet isn’t sick, or is showing early signs of an issue related to old age (such as stiff joints), then you should purchase essential vitamins for dogs, such as Yumove, as a precaution.
Yumove vitamins for dogs contain glucosamine and chondroitin, which are said to help keep dogs’ joints lubricated and healthy.
Welcome Your Pet Outside
Before you bring any adopted pet home, you would have had to introduce them to the household, plus any other dogs in the home. Moving to a new home is stressful and even if your new dog has had time to familiarize themselves with their new family, your home will be a completely different place to them and may make them feel slightly confused.
To help make the transition a little easier and less overwhelming, your household should welcome their new family member calmly outside of the home.
Taking the steps to make your senior dog more comfortable when they first step foot in their new home will make the transition better for them. The easier and less overwhelming the experience is, the sooner they will settle in and show how much personality an older dog really has.