I know that this post may be a "little" partial, but it is with good intent I promise! As some of you know, I sometimes foster for rescue organizations. I always check those sites out periodically to see the dogs that are available. One of the organizations, Tennessee Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, I've noticed has several senior dogs that are desperately longing for a home. I just wanted to encourage anyone who is looking for a dog to add to their home, not only to consider a rescue dog, but a senior rescue dog especially! I like to think that I have a wide variety of rescues: Carsyn was four months when we adopted her from the Humane Society, Brenton was around three or four when Evan found him on the side of the road, and Maddie was seven years old this May when we adopted her from Tennessee Valley Golden Retriever Rescue. All 3 of these dogs have been a special blessing in their own special and very different ways. We have watched Carsyn turn from a wild and crazy puppy into a gentle and intelligent loving dog. Carsyn was potty trained the moment we brought her home, and learned how to shake, sit, lie down, give a high five, and speak in a little over two weeks. She is unbelievably smart and sweet as she can be. Brenton was scared, very skinny, and had no ear hair from all of the flies and fleas eating at him and was also heartworm positive. Three months later, Brenton had gained around 20 lbs (which is a lot for a lab) and was heartworm free! (Boy was it fun trying to keep a male lab from being active for his 90 day treatment!) Brenton is full of energy and went from being shy and afraid to being brave and valiant. He's our guard dog: he has a big bark when company comes, but wouldn't do anything but lick you to death and try and sit his 80lb self in your lap! Our biggest struggle of all, though, has been our journey with Maddie. We have wondered so many times how Maddie ended up in foster care in the first place. Maddie is such a beautiful dog with a "true golden" personality. Maddie literally lives her life to love you. Everyday, she lays with her 'baby' in our living room and stares at the door waiting for us to come home. When we get home, she wags her tail so hard that her whole body shifts back and forth. She is very gentle, but Maddie has severe anxiety which we have watched improve slowly in the five months we've had her. Her fear of being left outside or fear of you not being in her sight is all Maddie can be guilty of. Maddie is seven years old, and I adopted her because for a long time, I wanted a senior dog. Senior rescue dogs are so special for a few reasons:
-Most of these dogs have been in foster care or on the streets for their entire life.
-These dogs lives are nearing a close and they have never known what it's like to have a loving family of their very own.
-Most families who adopt look for young dogs, leaving senior dogs out in the cold.
Please, Please, Please if you adopt a dog, meet with a senior dog. They are very different from younger dogs. They are calm, wonderful with children and babies, and just have this loyalty and eagerness to please. If I could pick one word to describe a rescue, it would be GRATEFUL. I'm sure dogs from breeders are wonderful, but there are so many dogs in need of a home, that breeding more dogs to turn a profit seems a little selfish on the breeder's part. Give these babies a chance, I have given them three and I wouldn't trade them for the world!
Carsyn and Brenton
Maddie
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