Adopting a senior dog: what to expect

Adopting a senior dog usually means getting a calmer, often house-trained companion whose size, coat and temperament are already settled. The trade-off is fewer years together and vet bills that are likely to arrive sooner. If you go in expecting both, an older dog can be one of the easier adoptions there is.

"Senior" is a loose label. Shelters often apply it from around seven years old, but when a dog is considered senior depends heavily on size. A small dog of eight may have many years ahead, while a giant breed of the same age is well into old age. The pet age calculator gives a rough sense of where a particular dog sits.

The honest case for and against

One caution on "what you see is what you get": a shelter kennel is stressful, and many dogs are quieter or more anxious there than they will be at home. Notes from a foster home are a better guide than a kennel visit.

Where to find senior dogs for adoption near you

• City, county and private shelters. Most have older dogs, and they are often passed over. Some reduce the adoption fee for senior dogs.
• Breed rescues. Groups that take in one breed or type. Dogs usually live in foster homes, so the rescue knows how they behave in a house.
• Senior-only rescues. Groups that take only older dogs, often pulling them from shelters where they are struggling. Most are foster-based.
• Senior dog sanctuaries. Places that give lifetime care to dogs who are unlikely to be adopted because of age or health. Many do not adopt out at all, though most welcome volunteers, sponsors or foster homes.
• Foster-to-adopt programs. A trial period with the dog living in your home before the adoption is made final.
• Permanent foster programs. Sometimes called hospice foster. The rescue keeps legal ownership and typically pays for agreed vet care while the dog lives out its life with you. Worth asking about if vet costs are the main thing holding you back.

To search locally, use an online adoption listing site and filter by age and distance, then widen the radius. Call shelters directly as well, since listings lag behind what is in the kennels. Vet clinics and groomers often know of older dogs who need a home because an owner has died or moved into care.

Questions to ask before adopting

• Why was the dog given up, and what is known about the last home?
• What has a vet found so far: exam, blood work, teeth, heartworm status, lumps, known conditions? Can you have the records?
• Is the dog on medication or a special diet, and what does that cost each month?
• How is the dog with other dogs, cats, children and strangers? Has that been seen, or is it a guess?
• Is the dog house-trained, and calm when left alone?
• Can the dog manage stairs and get into a car? How are the hearing and eyesight?
• Is there a trial period, and what happens if it does not work out?

The first vet visit

Book a visit with your own vet within the first week or two, and sooner if the dog is on medication or seems unwell. Bring every record you were given. The visit sets a baseline to compare against later. In an older dog it commonly includes:

• A full physical exam: weight and body condition, heart and lungs, eyes, ears, skin, lumps, joints and how the dog moves.
• A look at the mouth. Dental disease in older pets is very common, especially in small dogs, and is often the first real expense.
• Blood and urine tests to check the kidneys, liver, blood sugar and other organ function.
• A heartworm test and parasite check where those are a risk.
• A review of vaccines and parasite prevention.
• A microchip scan, so you can update the registration to your name.

Your vet decides which of these are worth doing for this dog, and what any findings mean.

Costs to plan for, and where insurance fits

Expect three kinds of cost. The first is up front: the adoption fee, the first exam and tests, any dental procedure, and equipment such as a bed, a harness and perhaps a ramp. The second is routine: food, parasite prevention and checkups, which many vets suggest twice a year for seniors. The third is the one to budget for honestly: at some point most old dogs need ongoing treatment for something, such as arthritis.

Prices vary widely by region and clinic. Before you commit, ask your own vet for a rough estimate for the conditions already listed in the dog's records.

Insurance is harder for an older dog, but not always impossible. Many insurers set an upper age for enrolling, and almost all exclude pre-existing conditions, which for a senior with a medical record can be a long list. A policy may still cover new problems, and accident-only cover is more widely offered at older ages. Compare pet insurance for older pets and read the exclusions before you rely on it. Many owners set aside a monthly amount as a vet fund instead, or as well.

Setting up the home

• Rugs or runners on slippery floors along the routes the dog will use.
• A thick, supportive bed in a quiet, draft-free spot on the ground floor.
• A ramp or steps for the car and the sofa, and a gate across stairs if the dog is unsteady.
• Food and water where the dog does not have to climb to reach them.
• The same food the dog has been eating, at least at first. Change it later, slowly, once you know what to look for in a senior dog food.
• An ID tag and a secure harness from day one. A new dog of any age can bolt.
• A night light if the dog's sight is poor.

The first days and weeks

A common shelter rule of thumb is three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the routine and three months to feel at home. It is a guide, not a timetable. Some dogs settle faster and some take longer, especially after losing a long-time owner.

Keep the first days quiet. Hold off on visitors, keep meals, walks and toilet breaks at the same times, and let the dog come to you.

Expect a lot of sleeping, a poor appetite for a day or two, some pacing at night and possibly an accident indoors, even from a house-trained dog. A new house and a new schedule explain most of it. If the dog is deaf or sees poorly, approach from where you can be seen and avoid startling the dog awake.

When to call the vet in the first weeks

Stress explains a lot in week one, but it should not be assumed. Call your vet the same day, or an emergency clinic if yours is closed, for any of these:

• Not eating for more than a day. See why an old dog stops eating for the common causes.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea.
• Coughing that does not stop, or labored breathing.
• Collapse, sudden weakness or trouble standing.
• Straining to urinate, or drinking far more than seems normal.
• Crying out, or obvious pain.

If your new dog seems stiff or sore, do not reach for your own medicine cabinet. Human painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen and aspirin can seriously harm or kill dogs and must not be given unless a vet has specifically directed it.

Introducing a senior dog to existing pets

With another dog, meet outdoors on neutral ground, both dogs on loose leashes, and walk side by side before letting them greet. Keep the first meetings short. At home, feed them apart, pick up toys and chews for the first weeks, and give the older dog a bed where the other dog cannot follow. A young, bouncy dog can be hard on an arthritic one, so step in before play gets rough.

With a cat, keep the dog on a leash indoors at first, make sure the cat has high places and a dog-free room, and reward the dog for staying calm. Never force a meeting. Do not leave new housemates alone together until you have seen them relaxed around each other many times.

If stiffness, staring or growling is getting worse rather than better, ask your vet or a qualified behavior professional for help early. Once the household has settled, the senior dog guide covers everyday care from there.

This article is general educational information about adopting an older dog, not veterinary, behavioral or financial advice. Every dog's health, history and temperament are different, and a shelter or rescue's notes are not a guarantee of how a dog will behave or what care it will need. Decisions about your dog's health, tests, diet and treatment should be made with your own veterinarian, and insurance terms should be checked with the insurer.