Colt
UPDATE: COLT FOUND HIS FOREVER HOME. Good day young people! My name is Colt. Long, tedious hours in my cage allows me to people watch. One thing I’ve noticed is that most customers walk past senior dogs without as much as a glimpse. Instead, they rush over to the puppies. What these people don’t realize is that millions of animals are relinquished by their owners each year. Many of the surrendered dogs were adopted or bought as puppies. Most times, the adorable creatures did nothing more than grow larger than their owners anticipated, while others required more care than their owners could dedicate.
I’ve always wanted to educate puppy-loving people on the benefits of adopting a senior dog. I’m glad I finally have the chance.
Senior dogs:
- Are wise enough to interpret human emotions and therefore are eager to please;
- Need little or no training and we won’t destroy your belongings;
- Are thrilled to receive a second chance at love and therefore, we acclimate fast;
- Don’t get any bigger.
- Enjoy exercise; however, the only marathon that interests us is watching the entire season of your favorite television show. Share your couch or provide a comfortable bed and we’re happy; and
- Will not grow into grumpy teenage dogs. We are an open book.
Did I mention that we are wise beyond our years? How many puppies can provide a dog-training tip? Past blog posts prove that older dogs teach valuable information to dog owners. In fact, I am proud to provide a tip I learned from my trainer, Laura.
Tip 5 – Stop Dog Jumping
Dogs jump because it’s fun – not because of any intention to achieve world domination! When your dog jumps up, fold your hands across your chest and turn away. If he persists, walk into him, taking up his space as he was taking up yours. This will make jumping up less fun because you become a less predictable target. Do some slaps to your thighs or stomach, something he might perceive as inviting jumping, but then turn away (or, again, walk into him). Doing this will thwart the attempts of other people to get your dog to jump up on them. Then reward him for making the better choice, like sitting!
I hope you will consider adopting or fostering a senior dog. Some people worry that the pain of losing their four-legged friend will be too much to handle. Spending the rest of my life in a shelter is far worse. I hope you’ll welcome me into your family. Before you close this page, check out some of my friends at the shelter.
Sassy
Rex
Scorpio – ADOPTED!
Elvis
Remy
Valentino
Milan
About the author: Colt is a nine-year-old Korean Jindo/Mix who is desperate to leave the shelter for a loving home. He is a sweet dog who is good with children and other animals. Colt is vaccinated, neutered and tested negative for heartworm. If you are interested in meeting Colt, or another wonderful senior pet, please stop by the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter located at 3320 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York.
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