Assume the Belly Rub Position

There is always a price to be paid. Always. 

Rusty's price for all of the smiles that he gives away to all of the people that we meet everyday is a belly rub first thing in the morning.

Some dogs like biscuits. Others like playing ball in the backyard.  Rusty is a belly rub man through and through.

The other day, I was watching TV and I heard him growling at what I thought was the door. It wasn't. He has assumed the position above and was trying to get my attention.

Top Ten Things My Old Dog is Thankful For

This year, Rusty has a lot to be thankful for, so I figured I would jot down just a few of the things that make this old dog's day:

10. Taking an extra turn around the parking lot with his head out the window

9. Belly rubs at 5 AM

8. Extra long walks in the park

7. Listening to the rain come down on his patio rug (and not getting wet!)

6. The therapeutic powers of the world's best back scratching hedges this far west of the Mississippi

5. Getting to see his foster dad from time to time

4. Showing me he knows the way home all by himself

3. His giant Kong Wobbler - Who knew eating one bit of kibble at a time could be so much fun? (Look! There's another one!)

2. Keeping the neighborhood safe from the raccoon menace

1. Finding a forever home

Feel free to share some of your own.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!
--Rusty and Jeff

Senior Pooch Benefit 3: Older dogs have more developed personalities

I hesitate to say that senior dogs are necessarily more mature or have fully developed personalities, but having "been there, done that, know where all the bones are buried", older dogs come with a pre-established set of personality traits that they've developed over the course of their lives.

Whereas a puppy may, in general, be more impressionable, a senior dog may have established behaviors for a variety of scenarios.

When the forces of evil are at your front door...

...simply open up that door politely and tell them to buzz off.

Here we have Boo Boo Dog doing just that by sticking his tongue out as I took a picture of him (i.e., not his favorite thing in the world.)

Local San Diego Artists join together to save pets

The following was passed along to me from our friend, Lillian Cox, who received a call from Stacy Steel, the Executive Director for the Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE) who has a charity auction under way with some one-of-a-kind feeding stands for your favorite dog or cat. FACE has done a lot of good over the years, so here's your chance to pitch in and give them a hand, and pick up one of several really creative works of art that just happen to be in the form of raised feeding stands.

"Talented San Diego artists have created 60 unique masterpieces of art that will double as a pets’ feeding station. The stands come in a dizzying array of colors, textures, themes and media, as well as in two sizes. This designer dinnerware is a MUST HAVE for all pampered pooches and coddled kitties. They will make a fabulous one-of-a-kind Holiday gift for any dog or cat lover.

The stands are currently available through an online auction which will run until the end of November. All proceeds from this fundraiser entitled Artists-4-Animals will benefit The Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE). To place a bid or make a direct purchase visit the FACE website at www.face4pets.org. The stands may also be viewed at the FACE Foundation office in Sorrento Valley and at local pet boutiques and veterinary hospitals (contact FACE for exact locations).

Shop for recommended items for your SeniorPooch

I'm happy to say that after a little wrestling with some technical challenges, I was able to get the shopping page up tonight (aka, this morning.)

I'm only recommending product that either I've tried either the exact product, or some variant, or someone I know has tried the product. I'll continue to post reviews of products as part of the regular blog posts. A portion of each sale goes back to funding the site and SeniorPooch.com initiatives.

Anyway... let me know what you think and if there are products or services that you'd like me to review.

Building trust is the best way to give an old dog a new lease on life

Back in 2007, when I adopted Boo Boo, he was a meek little guy who just wanted to be left alone.  Over the course of three months I realized that I was finally gaining his trust when he started sitting in the same room as me.

I openly admit that I had no clue what I was doing and there were many times where I doubted that I'd ever figure out what was going on in Boo Boo's head. He was different from any dog that I had ever had.

Boo Boo in the beginning

How could I ever understand what he had been through?

He shrunk from quick movements and danced away when I put up my foot to prevent him from trying to get out the door first. He hid from loud noises, avoided other dogs, and didn't like to be touched.

How did I finally break through?

November Adoption Update

It was a good month for adoptions here at SeniorPooch.com. Three pooches graduated from the adoption page found there forever homes last month:

Thanks go out to Cathy Grovenburg, and Melissa Lisbon for putting together such a great ad and helping to get Misty Rose noticed and ultimately adopted.

Danny was adopted in quick order.

...as was Emma, who not only found a couple who were the perfect fit, but also another older schnauzer brother who she's getting along with famously.








Keep an eye on the main blog, as the adoption page for some changes to help promote those older pooches still on the look out for the perfect retirement villa and family to call their own.

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

PetFinder.com has done it again. This month it's Adopt-A-Senior-Pet month.  They don't have a dedicated page for this event like they did for Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet, but they do have a variety of resources that you can check out to help your senior pal break you in. I've included a video and links to articles to get you started.

Related Links:
The First Days with Your Senior Dog 
Caring for Your Senior Dog
A Companion Animal's Golden Years

A Dog's Eye View of Foster Parents

Do you think dogs think any differently about their foster parents than those that eventually end up adopting them?

I can tell you without reservation that to them it doesn't make a lick of difference.*

Think about it: Just how many words can a dog learn in it's lifetime?