I’ve been away and came home to great news…Larry has been adopted! A true gem of a dog, Larry is sure to bring lots of smiles and love to his new family. This news is particularly sweet, because Larry was rescued from the shelter whithin an hour from being slated to be euthanized. He is a true example of how a great dog can be found through rescue.

Larry is also a prime example of the joys of rescuing an older dog, who are sadly, left abandoned in shelters far too often because they are “old”. Many people want a puppy when they adopt, but rescuing an older dog is full of benefits…they are usually house trained and very often trained for the basic obedience, often require much less exercise than a puppy (although they still need a couple of good walks a day), they tend to be calm and well-mannered and I find, they bond extremely deeply once they adapt to their new homes. (my theory is that they know what it is like to be abandoned and then loved again.)

Yes, they will not be in your life as long and they do sometimes come with higher vet costs as they suffer the ailments we all develop with aging, but  personally, I find a deep joy in older dogs. If you live each moment fully and completely with an older dog, their love will stay with you a lifetime.