Adopting an old boy - am I crazy?

[ladybee28]

Have been toying with the idea of dog ownership ever since I settled in a new country 4 years ago.

I grew up with dogs, spent a lot of my 20s working on farms around the world, and recently moved into a rental, alone, in a pretty rural area in Spain. Now feels like it might be 'the time'.

If I go ahead with getting a pooch, I want it to be an adoption - and I'm not bothered about having a 'cute puppy'. Perfectly happy to skip that (and the teenager stage, and the chewing, and the toilet training, etc.) and just focus on settling an adult dog into their new home and building a relationship.

And now I've seen an old fellow. He's 10, but in good health. Chilled, well-behaved, gets on with other animals, happy in cars, walks well on a leash, great recall... and he looks like he probably drinks whisky, plays a mean game of cards and has some stories to tell.

Not going to lie, he seems too good to be true.

I've sent the refuge a message to find out more, but taking a step back for a second, am I being ridiculous here?

Am I setting myself up to fall madly in love with a hound I'm probably going to lose within a few years?

What are the sensible questions I should be asking myself before I let the love-mist set in completely?

I would of course get pet insurance and make sure vet bills etc. were covered, but what else should I consider before I think about committing to an OAP?

Aww 🥰 Good luck to you both OP!

Only found this thread this morning and it's lovely. So glad you have him now. Hope he settles in well and you have a great time together, he looks fab

We've had our JRT rescue four years now - that was a hot June day too - and she's been a delight. Wishing you both lots of happiness X

Ruby

@fivedogstofeed

He's gorgeous. His breathing will settle - it's a stress reaction. I've seen really stressed dogs keep up the fast breathing for a couple of days, but most will be fine after the first night.

Thanks @fivedogstofeed – I thought that was probably the case but it's so tricky without knowing any of his history or what's 'normal' for him, so it's reassuring to hear it from you.

His behaviour seems perfectly relaxed, which is what makes the puffing feel so out of place. We're off to the vet for a check over this afternoon and hopefully they'll say the same.

It's been so reassuring and helpful to have all of you checking in on our little adventure –what a lovely place MN can be!

Wonderful thread. I'm in tears. Good work, Universe.

He is gorgeous, he looks very proud to be home.

Awww, bless him. Hope all goes well at the vets.

Aww he's a handsome one!

Hope vet goes well 🐾

Yay!! So glad you've got him home with you. How did it go at the vets? Has his breathing settled yet?

Yes, breathing has settled, thanks @tattychicken – @fivedogstofeed had it right, I think. He still puffs when he's excited but resting rate is a nice normal 25 breaths / minute, which is a big improvement on the previous 96!

Vet was lovely –she said he's in great shape for his age, and told me to come back tomorrow for another look over once the stress had eased.

He's definitely relaxing more, but we have a long way to go too.

So far I have discovered he's completely in love with being groomed and brushed – it's definitely his favourite thing we've done.

Balls are not interesting in the slightest –I threw one for him and he watched it land, then trotted off the other way to smell a plant

I think he's likely to be a bit clingy - I went to the front gate to collect a package this morning and he cried (he could still hear me)... but I can understand not wanting to be left after what he's been through.

And he has basically ZERO recall, which is a bit concerning, especially since he takes and eats treats VERY delicately and isn't hugely food-motivated, so need to get creative and working on that fairly soon.

Taking him to the beach this evening; there's a nice little enclosed bay near me so I can let him off-leash for a while... let's see how he feels about the ocean!

Oh my goodness OP, he is absolutely gorgeous - good find! I love his whiskery face, he looks like he's got loads of mischief left in him 😍😍

(and FWIW, I think he's a fox crossed with a Shetland pony!)

Glad to hear he's improved. That journey sounded horrendous, no wonder he was stressed.
He is so lovely. He looks like a character from a children's story book. By Roald Dahl maybe..

He is totally gorgeous and so lucky to have found such a wonderful home with you. Good luck at the beach tonight. Please come back and let us know how he got on (with some more photos pleeeeease)

😍

He's gorgeous OP. Lucky boy, lucky you.

Pate, ime, is the key to an old dogs heart when they aren't particularly food oriented.

We adopted a 10year old mix 6 years ago, she's still here and going strong. When we took her home we were told to treat her like we would our own granny and give her a great retirement...which is what we've done! Literally planned holidays etc arou d her so she has a great time (she'd never been near water before, now she loves going for a dip although still a bit scared of the sea). She's a brilliant dog, has a few minor health issues now but can still play like a puppy for 30mins or so. I love the bones of her!

Good luck OP. This thread was exactly what I needed today

He’s gorgeous, OP!
So glad he’s settling in and his breathing is better

I hope we get an update soon! ❤️

Oh, I somehow missed the last page! So excited. 😍

This is such a lovely heartwarming thread for these uncertain times.
I'm a bit jealous of your gorgeous old man,those views from your home,walks on the beach & having you too.
He's certainly landed on his feet

Definitely need photos on the beach.
Well done ! To both of you.

Oh yes please do keep writing here and posting pics to let us know how you’re both getting on. ❤️

When our circumstances allow (retirement or wfh permanently) my DH and I plan to adopt elderly dogs and give them a home in their last few years.

Just seen your update OP. Been following your thread since the beginning.

So happy it's work out for both of you. Lovely that you've found each other.

I love old dogs. They seem to have such wisdom in their eyes as if they've seen so much life, which I suppose they have, and know a thing or two.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes and seeing more photos.

He is beautiful! Senior dogs are extra special

Aww this is so lovely.

We’re thinking about a rescue just now. He’s 7. We wanted a dog to grow up with the kids really but is 7 old? Middle aged for a dog maybe? He’s a terrier.

Sorry to hijack the thread. Good luck with your dog OP.

@Ellabella222

My staffie cross is 7 and a half and she can still run VERY fast and walk for a couple of hours at a time (we have a few breaks to sit and watch squirrels). She is quite happy to relax at home and be peaceful in between walks. It is middle-aged but that doesn't slow them down much.

Thanks! I hope we get him.