Rehoming

[dancinbcs]

Rehoming may be an option if you offer to cover any veterinary expenses. I think it is incredibley selfish for anyone to expect people to take on a dog over about eight if you expect them to foot all the bills. I am constantly amazed at breeders who expect to rehome "retired" old dogs like this. There is a nine year old "retired stud dog" of my breed currently advertised on DOL and I just cannot believe that anyone would rehome a dog that age just because they have a younger stud dog. All my dogs have cost more in vet bills in their years 11 to 15 than they did in their entire lives before this so anyone taking on an older dog gets all the vet bills, worry and sleepless nights that looking after a geriatric dog entails, without the benefit of all the good early years.

With your dog the deciding factor is probably whether he would cope or not and only you can be the judge of that.

If it was me, I wouldn't go or would find dog friendly accomodation somewhere but sometimes you just do not have a choice when it involves other people.

Sadly, this is one situation that really does not have any solution that will not cause you pain one way or the other.

[Muttaburra]

Any chance you can get a rental at a nearby country town? I guess it depends on the mine and the setup, but lots of people commute from a town to the mine. My brother works for a mining company and he and the family live in town.

(I know some places like in WA there a dreadful shortage of accommodation so it's not always possible).

[Parkeyre]

These aren't the mines in SA by any chance are they?

Waiting on a reply from you, as are a few people on here.. But if you are going to the mines in SA, i might be able to help you out.

[angelsun]

I had to rehome Fraser at 12 years of age when I moved here. Wasn't easy to do. He was a large displastic boy with a hard coat to maintain (mixed breed with double coat that needed to be clipped frequently) I had thought long and hard about putting him down before my departure thinking no one would be able to care for him for the time he had left....as it turns out, a family took him into their homes, spoiling him silly and enjoyed his singing and goofy mutt ways until two weeks before Xmas when he quietly passes away on his large comfy dog mattress by the fireplace. They didnt' have him long, but it was a lifetime to them and they loved him dearly. I take solice in knowing that he had almost another year to enjoy. Yes there are good homes out there that know that older dogs are special gifts that are not here in their lives for long but make a large imprint anyway.

[centitout]

I took on a 9 yr old husky named Max ,i was his 4 th home in 2 yrs.H e had severe arthritis,but apart from that he was the best non bloodhound dog i have ever been priveliged to own.He spent his last yr with us loved,was a total part of our family ,sadly he had to be put to sleep after bloating due to a splenic tumour which was inoperable.

I wouldnt hesitate to adopt an old dog,and when we own our own place,we will be able to do it more often.

[Christina]

What about having a chat with the person in charge of housing you at the mines & explaining the situation with your old dog ?

Maybe they could stick you in a house about further away from others for the time he has left.

You don't know if you don't ask. They may make an exception.

I could not re home a dog this age. Only ever done it twice with a 1 & a 2 year old & it was awful for me, not for them. Wonderful homes, kept in touch, but I kept bursting into tears for ages after.

Worse scenario I think PTS. He will not understand what is going on. Also probably going senile.

The guilt & worry of him being elsewhere would kill me.

[Staffyluv]

Any chance you could find a new home for him and let him have sleep overs for a little while before it becomes his new home... The sleep overs could start as one night and then a couple of nights and then he could just stay there...

I would definitely be trying to rehome before the harder option and I am sure there will be someone out there just perfect for him..

The barking in the backyard could simply be because he is losing his hearing.. My nearly 13 year old stafford has started to bark at nothing and he has never been a barker... Not a lot, he just thinks he hears something and barks.. You never know, he may be barking at birds if it is in the back yard...

[Rysup]

I agree with Staffyluv re the barking. I have a 13 year old here who went deaf about 2 years ago. She was never a barker before, but now she barks quite a lot. She is no where near senile or dementia, has all her faculties.

[Pointers Rule]

These aren't the mines in SA by any chance are they?

Waiting on a reply from you, as are a few people on here.. But if you are going to the mines in SA, i might be able to help you out.

I am familiar with this situation, so can say that the mine is NOT in SA- I will leave Crazywhips though to answer your other questions. She does not have internet access at home, hence why she has not replied yet, I am sure she will check back once she is able to.

[mita]

My first thoughts run like this...

If you rehome him- would you rest easy after moving?Do you have a long time frame in which he could be slowly assimilated into another environment?

Does he cope well with change now?

What's he like in unfamiliar situations?

If he were mine, I would spoil him rotten for whatever time is left, and then send him on his journey over the bridge..

I would grieve, but I would not always have that nagging worry that he was somewhere else, unhappy, or confused...

Not a good decision..but you have to go where life takes you ;)

I couldn't put it better than Persephone did.

A lot depends on the answers to the questions...but I'd add general health, too.

Some of the smaller breeds, with time being easier on them, can often be rehomed late in life. Like an 11 yr old tibbie girl was recently rehomed after spending her whole life being the beloved companion of an elderly lady.

However, she was in superb health, looked half her age (typical of p/b tibbies), had great socialisation with other people from being doted on by a whole retirement village, was adopted into a home with 2 tibbie 'brothers' of her same age, who were thrilled to get a cute, blonde 'sister'. She took to her new home in a flash.

BUT change a few of the factors in that list, & it may not have been such a happy/easy experience. Or even possible.

Even tho' I've mentioned smaller breeds, the same general point would apply to all breeds & sizes.

Best wishes with your decision-making. I can understand how hard it would be.

Edited January 9, 2010 by mita

[Flint]

We were in exactly the same situation with our old girl....RIP...but she also had cancer...PTS was a very difficult decision to make. We moved to a remote Qld town, which only had a visiting vet every 3 weeks so couldn't risk taking an older sick dog. I know crazywhips personally and I'm certain that they would be making a very educated decision when it comes to their dogs.

Good luck - which ever way you make your mind up it's not easy.

[crazywhips]

What breed is he ?

He is an English Springer Spaniel

[crazywhips]

Why is there no possibility to take him with you?

I find it pretty sad to rehome a dog thats 11 years old, [probably your mate for all those years] and almost completely deaf!

Putting him to sleep is probably the easiest option altough, would never been mine.

We will be living in a mining camp. Absolutley nothing else.

[crazywhips]

Again, thank you for all your responses. We have a few days to make the decision. However hard.

We will be in WA. Small donger type accomadation. Thanks again.

[crazywhips]

Can life get any worse. My home (for the next 12 mths) for the 2x show whippets has just fallen through as the other part owner is having trouble with his neighbours in the ajourning flat (they share the yard) and is thinking of moving to away as well.

God now i have 3 dogs to think about. Just venting sorry.

[Spot.]

So sorry to hear that

[poodlefan]

Putting up some pics and description here might help. So might putting them in the relevant breed threads in the breeds sub-forum.

[spottychick]

I would adopt a dog that age. They can adjust. My old dog lived to 18 and a half and barely needed to see a vet all her life. The only real issue she had was cataracts late in life - but that wasn't a major problem. She was also quite happy with moving house several times in the last few years of her life (even tho she was going blind towards the end) as my work took me from place to place (state to state). I used to watch her "mapping" out the new environment so that she knew where any obstacles were and where the boundaries were and once she'd done that she was quite comfortable charging around as normal. Admittedly she was always with me but my point is they can cope with change, as long as they feel secure and loved.

I love older dogs. I don't agree that you miss out on anything taking them on. Hope you can find a lovely home for your senior.

[Whipitgood]

I took on an overweight, arthritic dog that came in to work for euthanasia, she was 10. After some meds and a diet - she was a very young 10 years. She went to rainbow bridge a few weeks ago at the age of 16. She had a wonderful 6 years with us and im sure she never remembered her old home!!

As far as the show whippets go, try putting up an advert here on DOL in the adult whippets for rehoming section - you shouldnt have any problems with rehoming them. Especially if there is another breeder/showie with similar lines.

A lovely old couple might suit your old springer maybe?

[Vizsla Nut]

I recently rehomed a 12.5 year old Vizsla, so it can be done.

And she has chronic arthritis and we had to have about $1300 worth of vets work done before she was 'ok to rehome'.

Just need to come across the right person!

Good luck to you, but I urge you to contact the rehome groups ASAP as it's not always easy finding the right 'forever' home...