I have noticed that there are certain types of dogs at my shelter that get overlooked, and one type are senior dogs. Senior dogs (dogs over the age of 7) are now free at Orange County Animal Services are now free due to their low demand. Many people seem to overlook the enormous benefits that come from these dogs. After Denali my family was very cautious when we decided to adopt another dog. But then we heard of the plight from many different organizations about the numerous senior dogs not being adopted and unfortunately being put down, we were shocked. Senior dogs are fantastic for first time owners, they're already trained, they're absolutely sweet and adorable, they require very little exercise, and you get to see them in their golden years! We came across a rescue called Paradise for Pets, who is a foster run program. Penny (13) and Rambo (12) were two senior dogs who had been raised together and unfortunately brought there together. They were in desperate need of a family home.
We had seen a few pictures of them and decided to go through with a meet-and-greet. It went very well and their fosters were very enthusiastic. After a few hours getting to know them we went ahead with the adoption. We decided to rename them Juneau and Bryce, and I can happily say they don't know their new name nor did they respond to their old ones. Their first week with us was quite traumatic at least for one of them. Bryce/Rambo was still getting used to the house and new potty schedule and would go potty in the house. After a couple of days we decided to see what would happen when we weren't around and set up a camera in the house, the first day alone Bryce barked for almost 6 hours straight. Juneau was a perfect angel and chewed on her toys and went right to sleep. Bryce was not adjusting well, even when we gave him peanut butter kongs and T-shirts that had our smell on it. After a week the barking stopped entirely when we left and he adjusted to his new potty schedule and has not gone in the house since. After a bit of research we found this was a common reaction as some dogs struggle to find their place in the new household and miss their fosters. It should only take a couple weeks until your furry friend warms up and gets settled in.
One of the biggest struggles was getting used to their quirks, Juneau would not like to go on long walks and was very sensitive to the heat, while Bryce was very happy on long slow walks. It took a while to figure out the kinds of beds and toys they liked, and it was hard for them to figure out that couches were off limits. They learned very quickly and were very happy with their new home, and greeted us with very enthusiastic tail wags.
This was their first day and halloween with us, Bryce loved prancing around as Darth Vader, while Juneau was fascinated with trying to bite her tutu :)
We had seen a few pictures of them and decided to go through with a meet-and-greet. It went very well and their fosters were very enthusiastic. After a few hours getting to know them we went ahead with the adoption. We decided to rename them Juneau and Bryce, and I can happily say they don't know their new name nor did they respond to their old ones. Their first week with us was quite traumatic at least for one of them. Bryce/Rambo was still getting used to the house and new potty schedule and would go potty in the house. After a couple of days we decided to see what would happen when we weren't around and set up a camera in the house, the first day alone Bryce barked for almost 6 hours straight. Juneau was a perfect angel and chewed on her toys and went right to sleep. Bryce was not adjusting well, even when we gave him peanut butter kongs and T-shirts that had our smell on it. After a week the barking stopped entirely when we left and he adjusted to his new potty schedule and has not gone in the house since. After a bit of research we found this was a common reaction as some dogs struggle to find their place in the new household and miss their fosters. It should only take a couple weeks until your furry friend warms up and gets settled in.
One of the biggest struggles was getting used to their quirks, Juneau would not like to go on long walks and was very sensitive to the heat, while Bryce was very happy on long slow walks. It took a while to figure out the kinds of beds and toys they liked, and it was hard for them to figure out that couches were off limits. They learned very quickly and were very happy with their new home, and greeted us with very enthusiastic tail wags.
This was their first day and halloween with us, Bryce loved prancing around as Darth Vader, while Juneau was fascinated with trying to bite her tutu :)
Recently Juneau just had a stroke, which was very traumatic for all of us to watch, but I've just been keeping in mind that their last home will be with the people that love her and the people she loves. We've made sure she gets to spend her last few years loving life with plenty of treats and plenty of Bryce.