Petfinder.com forums :: View topic - Nov. 8th- 14th Senior Pet Adoption with Erika Mathews! [ ]

In celebration of Adopt-A-Senior-Pet-Month we are excited to welcome Erika Mathews from the Grey Muzzle Organization! Want to know how add some enrichment to a senior's life? Or perhaps what to consider when adopting a senior pet? Erika will be with us all week and is happy to answer your questions regarding senior pet adoption, behavior and care!

Erika Mathews, Vice President of Development for St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center began her fundraising career at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). For eight years she worked in all aspects of development, including direct mail, major gifts, planned giving, and she spent a year in the volunteer department. Erika then went on to become the Development Director of St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ. Here she managed the fundraising program for seven years, which included major donors, planned giving, foundation and corporate gifts as well as events and publicity. Erika also spent three years as the development director for the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, NJ and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Grey Muzzle Organization.

Erika is most grateful for the friends she has made along the way, especially Zoë, a 14-year-old shepherd/chow mix from Queens, three audacious cats and Chance, 29-year-old retired school horse.

Welcome Erika!

Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:08 am Post subject:

I love the seniors and mine always makes me smile Smile

I have a laid back, friendly 9 year old and have been thinking about getting involved in a canine therapy program so we can visit the hospital near our home. Do you have any advice or thoughts on an older dog getting involved in a therapy program?

Erika's Answer:

Hi! Getting your senior dog involved in a pet therapy program is a great idea! I visit a nursing home regularly with my 14 year old shepherd mix.

First, check with your vet and make sure there are no physical limitations for him.

The next step is to get him evaluated through a formal pet therapy program (check with your local animal shelter or the hospital where you want to visit). By your description, I’m sure he will have no trouble passing the test. They will have him do some basic commands, but if he has arthritis and difficulty sitting/standing or lying down and getting up – be sure to bring that to the attention of the evaluator. A good pet therapy group will work with any physical limitations he may have, as long as his temperament is sound.

Every dog is different and it will be up to you to decide what type of therapy work best suits him. My elderly dog prefers seniors, so we stick with nursing homes. They tend to be very warm, so I make sure she has lots of breaks outside between visits and a drink of cool water. If your dog prefers kids, you might want to visit the pediatric ward at the hospital.

And, most of all – you know your dog best. If you think he is getting tired on a visit, it’s ok to give him a break or stop for the day. Work on his schedule and you both will bring much joy to the hospital.

Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:15 pm Post subject:

I am really considering adding another dog to my family and would like to get a senior this time. When I adopted my first dog, I took him to my vet for a general exam. From a medical standpoint, when adopting a senior is there anything I should keep an eye out for? Should I request anything beside a general exam from my vet?

Erika's Answer:

First of all THANK YOU for considering an older dog for adoption. We here at Grey Muzzle know the love and devotion that senior dogs can offer us, and you are doing a wonderful thing by giving a senior dog comfort and care during his golden years.

There are many things that we can do to make our senior dogs more comfortable. I am not a veterinarian, so I feel that you can get the best answers from the Grey Muzzle's "Caring for your Senior Dog" guide available on the the Petfinder Library at http://www.petfinder.com/before-pet-adoption/senior-dog-care.html?page-index=10&query=grey+muzzle

This will guide you through all the blood work and exams your vet can offer. Please read it over and share it with your friends!

Again, thank you for showing compassion for older dogs in shelters.

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject:

I have a 13 year old hound mix that doesn’t see or get around quite as well as he used to Sad

He's a very sweet and outgoing guy, but can’t really run around and play the way he used to. I was wondering what type of fun or enrichment type activities are good for an older dog?

Erika's Answer:

Hi! That is a great question and something we all need to remember! Our senior dogs need to have fun too!

One of the things I love to do with my senior dog is to go for short walks. Although she can’t run the way she used to either, it is still important to keep them moving. And, to keep things interesting for her, I’ll drive to different parks, hiking trails or even other streets in my neighborhood so that we are not walking the same route every day.

However, being that you have a hound mix, I’m guessing his sense of smell can keep him quite busy! So, I’ve enlisted the help of my friend/dog trainer for ideas and here are her suggestions:

Try some nose work!
Need: several cardboard boxes, can be any size (save your UPS boxes, shoebox, etc)
Some yummy / fragrant treats (that your dog LOVES)
You can start very simply by putting your dog in a “stay” (or have someone hold him or tether him) then show him a tasty (smelly!) treat and letting him see you place it in an empty cardboard box…
Release him / tell him “find it!” and watch him run (or walk) to the box to get his treat.
While his nose is in the box, praise him and feed him additional treats INSIDE THE BOX
(now the box has value as well!)
Repeat this several times, placing in the same box each time till he is pretty eager to “go” as he watches you drop the treat in the box
THEN – pick up the boxes (one has the treat) and as your pup watches, place them around the room. Release your dog and tell him “find it!”
As your dog becomes eager for the game, you start to make the hides a little more difficult, and you can gauge this to your dog’s ability.
Play the “shell game” with the boxes as you place them down while he watches, moving them around, then release your dog.
You can make the “search area” as big or as small as you like, and the hides as easy or more challenging. Remember to make it a win / win situation for your dog, so he is eager to play the “box game”
Remember to always reward the “find” with praise and additional treats FED IN THE BOX so he is eager to find the box each time!
Cindy Mauro CPDT-KA
http://cindymaurodogtraining.com/
It’s fun teaching an old dog new tricks! Enjoy!

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:21 am Post subject:

In the shelter I work at I know that some people are often reluctant to adopt older dogs because they are concerned that the dog will be sickly and that they will incur large vet bills. Do you have any tips on convincing people that not all old dogs automatically have health issues?

Erika's Answer:

Hi FurMom,

First of all, thanks for all the work you do with shelter animals. It is not ever an easy job, especially when you have senior pets to worry about!

I think that it is hard to convince someone to adopt an older pet when that is not where their heart is from the start. As you know, it can be more of an investment to adopt a senior pet, and we want our adopters to be aware of that. But we also know that senior dogs are well worth the effort!

That being said, I do believe there are open minded adopters who would consider a senior pet, even if that was not their intention at first. It is our job as adoption counselors to explain all the truly great benefits of adopting any dog, including seniors. If you get an adopter who works full time, or is a couch potato - its the perfect time to explain that senior pets won't need as much exercise, and are content to sleep the day away while their parents are at work. Also, lots of shelters around the country are marketing their senior pets through "Red Collar Society's" At St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in NJ, they guarantee 100% Love for 50% off senior dog adoptions. Each dog goes home with The Grey Muzzle's Care Guide for Senior Dogs, a red collar, leash, blanket and toy. It is a way to highlight senior dogs and put them on a fast-track adoption plan to get them into a comfortable loving home more quickly.

Finally, if you shelter can afford it, the more you know about your senior residents, the better. If you can find a vet to do geriatric blood work and a dental exam, you can then pass those results on to a new adopter so that they are aware of any issues from the start. If you can get their teeth cleaned, that is a huge advantage as we have seen that dental issues can be quite costly.

Good luck with your senior pets, and thanks for loving them when they have no one else.

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