Do Dogs Change in Old Age?

Sorry for your loss Ron, Bandit looks like a sweet dog. My last dog that passed last August was losing some vision and hearing in his old age. He also had bad arthritis that he was taking meds for. He developed an autoimmune disease that affected his blood count in a bad way but was too old to tolerate a transfusion, so he was put on lots of medicine instead. It helped for a long time, but his numbers were never where they should've been with red and white blood cell counts.

After awhile even with the drugs, he had another relapse and his blood was in bad shape, he couldn't stand or eat. The vet tested his blood and it was worse than the first episode. He recommended we put him down, we agreed it was the only thing to do, a transfusion was out of the question and nothing was guaranteed to work. He was a good boy, Standard Schnauzer, and when he became older and sicker, he was very close to me, followed me from room to room and wanted to be right there. He couldn't jump up on the bed anymore to sleep with us, so he stayed at the foot of the bed on the carpet.

He had physical signs of aging, but seemed to be okay mentally as far as I could tell. Will always have a warm place in my heart for my boy Hans.
 

SeaBreeze, I sympathize with your loss. Sometimes it's easier than others to tell when that time has come. Sometimes you see a sign you can't ignore. For Bandit, it was when he couldn't "squat" without falling in his own "mess." Bandit had always been such a clean dog. It made me cry to see him covered in his own droppings. One day I sat there with him nearby, and started crying at his pain and discomfort. He walked up to me, put a paw on my leg and looked up at me. Bandit rarely barked, or made noises. He just looked at you a certain way, and you knew he had to go out, etc. That day, that gesture told me he wanted me to let him go.

I still dream about him sometimes. And sometimes he's with one of the dogs that belonged to my (ex) wife when we were married. His name was Bo. When our marriage broke up, I knew his days were numbered. Now Bandit and Bo are in my dreams, together.
 
Shaiimar, thanks. I honestly want to reach out to everyone in this discussion. Here are some virtual hugs, etc.
 
Ron, do check in with your humane society -- they can tell you a lot about your prospective dog because they temperament test them and so on and can help you select a dog that is compatible with your lifestyle and activity level. My Bonnie had been there a while because she is a BBD (big black [mostly] dog) and an older girl to boot. Dogs with that profile are harder to adopt out. She was a favorite of the adoptions director and he was just taking her out for a little walk when I was coming in. We met up in the doorway and since I am a big fan of BBDs, I stopped to visit with her. I wasn't sure I was completely ready to commit at that point -- the loss of my last dog was still raw -- so the director wisely suggested I foster her for a couple weeks to give her a break from being there. That director is a very smart guy, because I'm sure he knew once I had her home I'd fall in love with her and that's exactly what happened.

She is the best dog in the world. She is completely house broken -- she loves my doggie door -- she is perfect in the house, even when left alone for a while. She's a sweet loving dog that likes to sleep on the couch upside down with all her feet in the air. She loves to take walks and is a great kisser. We bonded very quickly and she thinks I'm swell! She is mostly American Staffordshire Terrier, weighs about 65 pounds and is built like a Sherman tank. She had been treated poorly in her previous home, but has quickly become accustomed to being spoiled and she loves it.

Do go check out available dogs! There are some real gems waiting.
 
Butterfly, yes, the adoptions director was smart to see that you & Bonnie would get along well. I'm so happy for both of you!

I'm thinking I might wait a year before considering a dog. I need to sort out a few personal things, and get myself in a better financial situation. I'd like to put together some money in savings. It would be good to have a cash reserve in case of emergency.
 
Another bit of advice for when you're ready. Not all places do temperament tests. With some shelters is like speed dating, you have to figure out on your own if there is a connection. Callie was a bit imposing looking but I saw submission in his face like " Don't let me frighten you, please just get me out of here". As we got ready for a first walk there was a cat cage next to the exit.

Every time we passed this cage in or out a paw would fly out to claw his butt. I saw it but he didn't react at all. Finally one day a volunteer was in the office and witnessed when Callie had enough of getting scratched. He turned to the cage and told this cat to cut it out. The volunteer said " Oh my goodness I would never place him in a home with cats!"...based on one incident.

So really you have to rely on your gut feelings when finding a new friend. Callie now lives with six cats and actually enjoys them.
 
I'm really good at getting the essence of animals, especially dogs. I take one look at them and pretty much know their personality. I'm also pretty cautious. I know how intimidating it can be if people rush up to a dog to say hello, etc. I usually talk to the dog soothingly, then slowly bend over & extend my hand. They usually think I have a treat. We get along ok. There is one dog in my building that doesn't much care for strangers. I think I only encountered it once. The owner spotted me coming from maybe 6 ft away, and indicated the dog wouldn't be really friendly. It was ok. The dog was under a chair or table, and I only came into the vicinity to say hello to the group.

I can pretty much envision the way it would go at an animal shelter. I'd walk amongst the "pens," looking at adult dogs. I'd watch for the reactions of the dogs. If I saw a potential dog, I'd most likely just sit down near the pen, and make sure the dog felt comfortable. Let he or she make the next move.
 
Wise man there...with some creatures you have to be the submissive one. Who knows how much baggage a young creature or adult is carrying? You have to let them choose and then bond to you. Like I said Callie's looks even scared my daughter at first sight. But that first walk and she knew he was just a happy regular pup.
 

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