Caring for Your Adopted Senior Dog: The First Days from a Dog’s Perspective

Thank you (gasp) thank you (gasp gasp) thank you (lick lick lick)! I really have a great feeling about this. I don’t know about you (yet), but I think we honestly made a real connection. When I saw you walking towards my race, I did my best tail wag and smiled my biggest smile. Luckily your little girl noticed right away. When she tugged on your sleeve and made you look my way, I knew in an instant that you knew I was the one going home to your family today.

By the way, how long until we get home? It feels so good to say that and mean it. I’m going home! Did you notice how calm I am in a car? And that’s nothing. Wait until you see me with the children, ours and the neighboring children. Wait till you see how I greet visitors to your home. Walk on a leash. Stay at home alone. Well, I’ll have plenty of time to show you everything I can do to make you glad you chose me today. I know that I will do my best to make this my last home and a happy home at that. If you need help figuring out what you need to provide me with, I’d be more than eager to let you know.

First of all, I’m sure you know I’m not a puppy. In fact, I’m a bit on the senior side of the dog spectrum, some even call me a senior dog. But don’t let that give you second thoughts about your decision. I know that I have very good years ahead of me, especially since I ended up in the middle of this very happy family. So with that out of the way, I have some tips, hints and tips to help me adjust to my new home, my new family, my new life.

When we get home, I would very much like to do a nice and easy tour of the house and garden. Not too much excitement yet. I will have to adapt slowly. If you have other pets at home, please introduce me one at a time and keep us both on a leash. Or in a fish tank. Or a bird cage. So, I hope you’ll show me the whole family. I’m sure there is more to our family than you and your very friendly little daughter.

After that, you may need to rest a bit. I hope you can provide me with a nice little corner of the house that I can call my retreat area. If you have a dog crate, great. I have been crate trained since I was a puppy and actually really enjoy laying down on a nice soft bed in my crate. You have a thick, padded pillow that I can sleep on, don’t you? My joints are not what they used to be and I tend to get sore if I lie down on cold tiles or concrete.

After my break, please don’t object if I follow you around for a bit. I need to see your routines. The sounds and smells of home. The interaction of our family members.

And please don’t be offended if I keep a low profile for the first few days. I just need to find my place in the pack. And don’t feel like you have to pamper me all the time (just sometimes). I will not demand much attention. But please involve me in your day as much as you can. You and I will become best friends.

As for lunchtime, please, nothing fancy. I quite like the taste of dog food. Especially the dry kind from the pet store. And, if that’s not asking too much, can you spend all you can afford so I get all the good stuff I need to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible? I’m sure you would like it too. That’s the food the rescue center gave me and I got used to it. Most of my life I ate leftover food and soft canned dog food.

So when I first came to the center, I couldn’t even eat that food. But the kind humans there put a little water in the food (I heard someone say it was “fat-free chicken broth”) and it tasted so much better. Then they started to put something hot in the food that they called “rice”, and over time I got used to it. And, as they put less and less rice and broth in the food, I adapted, so much so that I was happy to eat it on its own after a while.

Oh, and I’d certainly enjoy a dog treat every once in a while, like when you think I deserve it. One more very important thing. Please don’t overfeed me. I have a tendency to eat whatever is put in front of me. And I don’t want to get fat. Especially at this stage of my life. It is very important that I stay slim and fit. However, you can keep some clean and fresh water all the time. I tend to get thirsty often and I know that water is good for my health.

And while we’re on the subject of adjustment, I hope we can find a good dog doctor for me. I got all those shots I apparently need at the rescue center, and I hear at least some of them will have to go on for the rest of my life. Also, my teeth aren’t as sharp and white as they used to be, and I may need to have them done at some point. Like I said, I want to live as long as I can. You may even need other medications as you get a little older. If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like to see my doctor at least twice a year, whether I’m sick or not.

I have to confess that I can’t do those really cool tricks that other dogs can, but I’m kind of trained. But he was quite self-taught. I’d really like you and me to do some dog and owner training together. How cool will it be when I can sit, come, heel, bark, no bark, fetch whenever you want? I am sure we can achieve that and even more.

And can we get one of those brightly colored necklaces with a shiny tag that has my name and new address on it? I’ll never deliberately run away, but you never know when we might part ways, especially if we’re going to one of those dog parks I’ve heard of.

And speaking of dog parks, the most important thing you and I can do together is just be together. I want you to thank your lucky stars every day that you chose me today. You just did something wonderful. You gave a very lucky and deserving (if I do say so myself) dog another chance to become a happy member of a happy family. And I will do my best to make our time together special and fun. After all, that’s what dogs are for, right?