Posts tagged "old dogs"

Uncle Chichi, unofficially the world's oldest dog, has died at (around) the age of 25 after a long bout with cancer, according to the New York Times.

We say "unofficially" and "around" because Uncle Chichi's exact age is uncertain. What is certain is that Uncle Chichi, a toy poodle, was adopted in the late 1980s and was somewhere around 25 years old--give or a take a year--which is a remarkably advanced age for a dog no matter how you slice it. For a dog of Uncle Chichi's size, that's the equivalent of about 120 human years.

Uncle Chichi had been suffering for age-related health problems for many years, but he soldiered on through the resulting blindness and deafness to reach an age that very, very few other dogs achieve. And of course, through it all he remained a source of joy to his owners, Frank Pavich and Janet Puhalovic of New York.

"That little 10-pound guy fills up not just your apartment, but your life," said Pavich.

Uncle Chichi lived not only a long life, but a full one. Pavich, a television producer, brought his dog with him on trips all over the world, including France, Italy, and Germany. In his later years, Uncle Chichi's notable age even earned him an appearance on "Good Morning America."

Rest in peace, Uncle Chichi. You earned it.

Sam has no real job, yet he gets plenty to eat. He's is not on unemployment; he does not receive welfare or any type of Social Security benefits. Sam pays no rent and doesn't own a house, but he sleeps in a comfortable bed every night and it's not at a shelter. He doesn't go to a free clinic or get Medicaid, yet he has excellent medical care and is in very good health for someone who is 91 years old.

Sam is an old dog who can teach all of us some new tricks-and how a village raising a dog just might be the answer to a myriad of woes we face in this disastrous economy. As Thanksgiving approaches, taking a look at the life of this very special dog will show us how to be truly thankful.

Sam was born 13 years ago one in a litter of many puppies with a purebred Redbone coonhound mom. Trouble was, unlike most of his siblings, Sam was considered unfit for training to be a hunting dog and was never taken along on the training trips. Early mornings before dawn, the dogs would be loaded in pickup trucks to go out in the woods to train, with a stop first at the Dalton General Store for breakfast. Sam would run behind the truck eventually making it to the store, but he would always be left behind.

As the puppies grew, one by one they were sold or given away. Sam, however, was the only pup in the litter without a future. When the training trips were over, he chose a different path. He found his own way in the world, eventually showing up at Arthur Tessneer's barn.

That was 13 years ago and today Sam has created a fine life for himself that revolves around the Tessneer family and the Dalton General Store in Lake Lure, N.C.

People visiting an animal shelter intending to adopt a new dog often find themselves having to decide between a puppy and an older dog. While both adult dogs and puppies have their pros and cons, what about the senior animals? Or the animals that have disabilities or are sick? What happens to them?

Unfortunately, older or sick animals usually are passed over at shelters for younger, more energetic dogs that have a long life ahead of them. However, one group in Westchester, Ill., is trying to change that through education. The nonprofit organization has placed numerous senior animals with individuals and families of all backgrounds, and teaches the community that dogs of all ages need and deserve love, not to mention that older dogs give back just as much as their owners give them.

Benefits of Adopting A Senior Pet
"Many people are afraid to adopt a senior dog because of the fear that they won't live very long," says Mary Ann Minick, executive director of All Pets Wellness Foundation. "How do you convince people that adopting a senior dog is better than adopting a puppy or a younger animal?"

Petfinder.com has created a list of ten of these benefits in honor of Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month. Some of their observations include:

-- Senior dogs are often housetrained or more easily trained than puppies with small bladders.

-- Older animals are fully grown and fully developed emotionally so you will be able know if the dog's size and personality will fit in with your family.

-- These more mature pets are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger pets, who may get into mischief because they're bored.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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My 13-year-old dog, Mike, is already deaf, and beginning to go blind. He is sleeping more and I seem to scare him when I nudge his bed or pat his back to let him know its time to go for a walk or eat dinner. Is there some other way I can communicate with him to let him know that I want him to follow me? I've never really trained Mike before.

Older dogs are near and dear to my heart. They can continue to live happy lives when we are willing to make some small adjustments to help them when blindness and deafness become a problem.

When your dog is awake, if he can't hear you calling him, using a flashlight or laser pointer is a good way to get his attention. With a few short training sessions during which you pair the light with a food treat, your dog will soon learn to look at or come to you when he sees the light.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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My dog, Butch, is a 10-year-old mutt. I never got around to teaching him very many tricks, though he can sit on command. Can I really teach my senior dog new things? I think it would be nice for him to have something fun to try. What would you recommend?

Yes, it's true! You can teach an old dog new tricks.

At the age of 10, Butch will look forward to daily or evening training sessions with you as long as you keep the sessions short, fun, and use plenty of positive reinforcement including praise and small bits of Butch's favorite treat.

Here are three tricks you can teach indoors to beat the summer heat:

Shake Hands
1. Start by having your dog sit.
2. Kneel in front of him.
3. Say, "Shake hands," as you take his paw.
4. As soon as you take the paw, say, "Good shake!" and give the dog a treat.
5. Repeat this process a few times, then say, "Shake hands," and wait to see if the dog lifts his paw on his own. Most dogs will start lifting their paw to shake after a few trials. When the dog does the shake on his own, give him the treat immediately along with enthusiastic praise, "GOOD shake!!"
6. If it looks like your dog isn't getting the hang of lifting his paw to shake, you can very gently push his shoulder. This will push him off balance and he will automatically lift his paw. Take the paw, say, "Good shake!" and give him the reward.

We've already celebrated Shelter Pet Appreciation Week. Now here's another reason to fete November: National Senior Pet Month (or Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month, depending on your source).

Senior pets fill rescues and shelters, bringing with them some unique benefits, as well as some challenges. For one thing, according to The Daily Journal, older pets often adapt very easily to new surroundings. Generally they're a bit calmer than their playful puppy counterparts, and they're often already housebroken. They may even know some tricks, making training easy.

Older pets may have belonged to loving families who could no longer care for them, or they may have simply been overlooked for years in favor of younger (or cuter, more playful, etc.) pets. Either way, an older pet, like an older person, will be far more comfortable in an environment with a soft, warm bed than in a crate or on a hard floor, which is often how they must sleep in shelters.