Owning a dog - Youth to Middle Age

My first topic in this lens will be focussed on the adoption of an older dog. Following on from my puppy lens last week, I noticed that some of the feedback my lens received focussed around the support of adopting an older dog rather than buying a puppy from a breeder. Whilst this is indeed support in the right place, I felt that a puppy lens was required to start my topic and to discuss the correct care and training for a puppy as many pet owners favour buying a dog from a young age and training them anew. Now that my topic has moved on, I feel it is time to discuss adoption.

When someone pictures looking after a dog, they might picture a new puppy, with toys and the energetic excitement of play that you might associate with a puppy. Perhaps they purchase their ideal dog from a breeder, promised that it is in perfect health and set off to make their idea of pet ownership come true. Whilst this might work out for some pet owners, for others the new level of responsibility and the extra cost might just be too much if they aren't expecting it. In these cases, the dog might be abandoned once it has grown out of its puppy years, especially if it has developed health issues or is no longer as 'cute' as the owner once thought.

These abandoned dogs will hopefully be rescued by local dog authorities or charities and cared for by the fantastic volunteers at such organisations, but they still need our help as dog lovers to give those poor abandoned dogs a home. So many dogs are abandoned in the UK alone each year thanks to high number of puppy 'farms', intensive breeding systems that are designed to make as much money as possible through the sales of puppies that takes a heavy toll on the breeding mother. Buying a puppy from a disreputable breeder is a sure way to get one of these 'mill' puppies, so stay far away from those sources that you are unsure of or cannot trust.

Adopting one of these abandoned or older dogs is a great way to help against these puppy farmers. By paying less to save a dog from a life of abandonment, you can help care for a dog that truly deserves your love that might not have experienced it before. You will need to visit a rescue centre and spend some time with the dogs that are there before choosing. Often, a rescue centre will expect you to spend some time as a foster walker with the dog, spending more and more time with them before trial home visits and a house assessment. Whilst this may seem time consuming and a delay to the process of adopting a dog, these care centres are committed to allowing their rescues to have a fulfilled and love-filled life and so need to make sure that any potential adoptee has the right home environment for a dog, and can fully commit to caring for a rescue dog.

If your home is found to be suitable and your schedule is deemed to be flexible enough for owning a dog, you will soon be allowed to take home the rescue dog that you have formed a bond with. At this stage you need to have noted the food that the dog is used to, what kinds of toys and bedding that the dog prefers as well as the behaviour and personalities that the dog portrays. After this, the training that will be required at first is very similar to that of a puppy - you will want your dog to understand where it is allowed in the house, where it is supposed to go to the toilet and other interactions with you as well including begging for food, barking and play.

Adopting a dog at an older age can be very rewarding indeed, and many people support adoption of an older dog that has been abandoned over breeding and buying a puppy as it helps the already overburdened rescue centres - by adopting those dogs that are currently being cared for, you help clear some space for more rescues to be made in the future. If more people adopted rather than bought dogs, the 'farm' breeders would have less of a margin to make through their puppy 'mills' and as such might fall out of business, meaning in the long term we would see less abandoned and/or mistreated dogs that suffer thanks to these practices, and the rescue centres would have far more space to care for the reduced numbers of dogs that would be seen abandoned or given up, as well as having additional disposable funding that would be used to provide better long term care for the reduced number of animals in their care, rather than providing the bare essentials for such a large number of animals.

Adopting a dog at this age is a worthy endeavour that Animal Friends fully supports as it really helps the hard work that those charities are undertaking. If you are planning to get a dog now or in the future, consider a trip to your local dog rescue centre - you might be surprised at the kinds of dogs that you can find there, and maybe you might just fall in love with one of the hundreds of dogs that are out there right now just waiting for a loving home to be taken to.

An integral part of owning a dog is growing with them as you both grow older. Throughout the transition from puppy to a young and middle-aged pet, you will both have accepted the natural behaviours that define the relationship between owner and pet, and will have adapted to one another; your pet will have learnt to work around your rituals such as time for walks and other schedules, and you will become attuned to your pet's moods and other actions.

One aspect of pet life that you will need to understand as your pet ages is their physical limitations. As a puppy, their youthful exuberance is often characterised by a 'burning out' after a period of play, meaning that it is a common sight to see a young pup fall asleep at the drop of a hat, sometimes whilst sitting or standing, provoking the multitude of humorous videos that can be found all over YouTube. As your pet gets older, this tendency to get tired lessens as your pet grows in stamina, and before long your tiny puppy that could barely keep his eyes open yesterday is suddenly keeping up sustained sprints whilst hurtling after the ball that you have to keep throwing for him.

Whilst this increase in stamina may seem like a healthy step, this can cause issues for your pet. Long gone are the days when you could keep your puppy safe inside; now you will be taking them on lengthy walks in the great outdoors. This is where you will need to be most vigilant, as they are most likely to sustain an injury whilst out walking with you. Fortunately, younger dogs are still at an age where any injuries will heal well, but the slightly older pets working their way into middle age may take a little longer to recover from any injuries.

Common injuries involving exuberant younger dogs include broken limbs, thanks to madly dashing about and falling down hills or cliff sides; these accidents can also end up damaging ribs and heads, so keep your pet safe and on the lead when near any large drops or sudden cliff edges. Overexertion, especially from a young age, can lead to tendon damage further down the line. Weakened tendons and joints develop arthritis, causing aches and pains as your dog ages that can have a debilitating effect on the overall health of your dog.

A youthful dog that still rushes about whilst off of the lead can risk cutting paws and snout whilst dashing through undergrowth and barbed wire can be a very painful experience for your dog, especially if it suddenly starts chasing something. To protect eyes and from deep gouges, ensure that your dog has experienced barbed wire before by walking up to the fence and letting your dog investigate in its own time. Another precaution is to make sure that your dog is kept on the lead whilst walking near fields with barbed wire fences when there is livestock in the field that might provide suitable candidates to be chased.

Whilst it is an unfortunate circumstance that many owners do not experience, other dogs can also cause harm to your four-legged member of the family through a multitude of ways. Dog fighting is the main cause, and you can never be too sure of another dog unless you and your pets are already fully socialised to them and their owner; you should never trust a stray dog and never risk yourself in any situations where aggression is being exhibited. Unfortunately, this is not the only way that other dogs can harm your pets - disease and parasites can be spread via interaction with other dogs, so a general health check for your pets every once in a while and a close eye on scratching habits is a safe way to ensure your pet is in full health.

As your dog ages, it becomes ever more important that you have covered your pet with an appropriate level of pet insurance cover. You will want financial security against those knocks, cuts and scrapes that can set you back when you are least expecting it, as vets bills are ever-increasing and can end up costing you in the region of thousands of pounds. You can check my favourite links below to view one such insurance provider that also donates a large amount of their profits to animal charities!

Remember that regular vet visits and a healthy, balanced diet that is coupled with an energetic but forgiving exercise scheme is the best way to keep your pet as healthy as possible all the way into their older ages. If they could talk, it's the kind of lifestyle they'd ask you for!

As your pet is growing older and you are taking them out more, you might be finding them getting into all kinds of places, inevitably coming back home all muddy and dirty. As a puppy you can simply plonk them into a small bath, clean off the mud and dirt and they're happy and clean again in no time at all. Once your dog has grown up or has been adopted at an older age, this becomes a far more difficult ritual that many owners may find impossible to complete, especially if the dog has not been trained into liking or accepting bath time.

The most obvious way to prevent this is to thoroughly train your dog from a puppy to enjoy itself during bath times; whether this is by making bath time a play time as well or by making it as relaxing as possible for your pet is entirely down to what works best for you and your dog. Floating toys and balls can be used to make this a playtime event, with lots of petting and even treats to keep them occupied while you wash them down. Of course, if yours is a dog that loves to be pampered and petted, a little bit of water shouldn't get in the way of that!

If the prospect of a bath has you fearing for the bathroom floor with a mop at the ready, you can consider showering your dog instead - with less risk of an overflowing tub and fewer repercussions when a dog leaps into or out of the bath, a shower could be the answer to your smelly dog problems. With some dog-brand shampoo, your four-legged friend can smell fresh in no time - but beware the 'shake' as the shower water will feel just like rainwater to your dog, and may promote a similar response!

Of course, some people may feel that letting the dog into a shower or bath is treating them more like a human than is right, so as an alternative option to keep your pet clean, consider utilising a more natural resource - a local river. You'll have to get a little wet yourself when trying this, but washing your pet in a river can be fun for both of you and still ends up with the same results - as long as you pick a clean area of the river to take the bath in. This is definitely more of a summer ritual, as no one except your dog could want to go into a river with the weather as it is right now!

Other care that you can undertake for your pet includes grooming and cleaning in other areas. The ease with which you will be able to complete these takes of course relies upon the training that you have undertaken with the dog previously; if you've raised the dog from a puppy, getting them used to this kind of treatment from a young age ensures no struggling or fighting. If you've adopted an older dog, ensure that they are entirely comfortable with you touching them all over before attempting such intimate grooming methods.

Whether brushing through fur, cleaning teeth or washing eyes and ears, cleanliness is a ritual that may seem unnatural but is ultimately a fantastic way to ensure that your pet maintains a good level of health. Dogs are no longer the feral animals that once roamed the earth; our interaction and breeding of their species has led to a variety of breeds that often require a high level of maintenance, so a pampering session every now and again may well be in order. Ears and eyes that are not kept clean can develop uncomfortable diseases or infections that, if left unchecked, will end up costing the pet owner a great deal of money and worry. Fur that becomes knotted can become dirty and painful, and if left to grow can seriously impact upon the health of a dog - make sure that any long haired breed is kept groomed and well-trimmed to ensure a clean bill of health.

Finally, cleaning teeth and gums ensures a good dental health, preventing the need for any claims on dental work in the future - the best defence against this is preventative action. By working to stop the build-up of plaque and by constantly checking for gum disease, you can be safe in the knowledge that you are maintaining your pet's dental health. There are a number of special 'chew treats' that are designed to help with your dog's dental health - these can be used as great treats for your pet that also double up as a health tool, making your job easier.

Remember that a cleanliness and health regime for your pets is as much for your benefit as theirs, as it allows you a much closer view on how your pet is faring, meaning that you are able to spot any warning signs about illness or health issues before they become an issue or would otherwise surprise you. To best protect yourself from such surprises however, I cannot suggest more that Dog Insurance is your first port of call - and I cannot recommend highly enough Animal Friends Insurance, an ethical company that donates large amounts of their profits to animal welfare organisations around the world; you can find the link to their website in my 'favourite links' section at the top.

As an older dog, you may find that your pet has a different set of requirements to those of the puppy they once were. Their food and exercise regimes will require a good deal of change in order to accommodate their change in growth and newfound strength and stamina. Fortunately your vet can advise you as and when the dietary and exercise requirements of your pet have changed and offer you advice on how best to accommodate these changes with your daily ritual.

Dietary changes are an important part of a dog's life. Whilst puppy food is full of the right nutrition to promote growth and balance in the diet, an older dog's foodstuff will focus on nutrition and other additions that are designed to keep your dog healthy and fit. This includes a healthy coat of fur as well as dental treatment with some food types, so depending on your breed and the health of your dog you will need to specifically choose a food product that adheres to the needs of your pet.

Ideally you will want to stay away from the synthesised food sources, as their content is designed to sound as appealing as possible but hold no real nutritional value for your pet at all. The best foods will steer clear of the cereals and by-products and instead utilise real meat sources and rice to provide the best in terms of nutrition and taste for your pets. How you feed your pets is of course down to personal preference, the preference of your pet and your personal budgeting; many people lay faith in feeding their pets in only real meat cuts or bones, as this promotes dental health as well as a natural food source for a reliable and cheap price. The best way to work out what to feed your dog is to consult your vet and experiment - your dog will enjoy the different range of foods they get to try, and you can work out what they like best.

In terms of exercise, you will no doubt have a load on your hands with your dog as it grows up. With an abundance of energy that comes with their youth coupled with an increasing stamina as they grow stronger, a youthful dog can run rings around us for hours and seemingly keep on at a mad pace whilst we are left behind. A far cry from the days of a puppy, your dog will want to be out in all weather, furiously pulling you across the countryside in search of new smells, sights and things to chase. This might seem like a mad change, but you will need to make sure you don't let your dog over-exert itself; this can lead to tendon and joint damage, which over time can cause on-going pain for your pet.

Getting your pet used to a regime is a good way to ensure they get the correct level of exercise whilst not risking the damage that can be associated with over-exertion. Daily walks at set times can also help keep your pet calm and not get too excited about an impromptu walk, although this depends on how easily excited your dog is. A favourite route can still provide new smells and scenes for your dog despite it being well known, and you can spice things up by altering or changing the route every now and again. Animals at this age are most at risk of harming themselves whilst off of the lead investigating their surroundings, risking broken limbs when venturing into dangerous situations or walking into roads. Keep a close eye on your dog and ensure you have them on the lead whenever near a road.

Keeping your pet at a safe and healthy level can be quite tough, especially as it seems like even they are working hard against you - when your pet is at this age, you will be lucky if you don't get too acquainted with your vet! Just remember that a proper, balanced diet with the right ingredients and a healthy exercise regime that is tiring but not taxing is the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle for your pet in the years to come.

A common misconception that non-pet owners have is that an ageing dog is not as fun or as rewarding to care for as a younger dog or puppy. Those that have cared for dogs before however know that the reward comes through the relationship and bond that grows between owner and pet as time goes on - a strong bond that sees heroic acts such as owners leaping into freezing bodies of water to save their dogs, or those same dogs running home to alert family members of an accident involving their owners.

As a pet gets older, it is in our best interests to care for our dogs, as this care is the cement that binds owner and pet together. As it is our responsibility to care for a pet when we adopt them, doing everything we can to keep them fit and healthy should be considered the absolute norm; too many pets are abandoned each year in the UK, so by providing a loving home for your pet instead of 'ditching' them when they lose their puppyish charm you are helping prevent an overcrowding of rescue centres and giving the dog species a brighter future in the UK.

So many dogs each year are abandoned or given up because their owners either cannot afford the costs associated with owning a new dog, or care for the dog has become such a burden that their owners feel the need to get rid of them. The majority of culprits in these cases are new owners that are unaware of the level of care that a dog may require, not realising that a dog is a serious financial responsibility that should only be undertaken with the utmost care; you are not looking to buy a toy or temporary pet, you are taking the life of a living, breathing animal into your care that will depend on you entirely.

This dependency will grow into something special if given enough time. A pet that you have loved and cared for over its lifetime will become integrated into your family, becoming as much a part of your life as a wife or child; in many regards, dogs are treated just like children in families around the world, showing exactly the kinds of bonds that can grow between pets and owners. Once your pet has reached old age you will have grown to understand the subtle meanings behind all the interactions you will have together; often dog and owner can understand each other better than friends and even family.

This is part of what makes owning a dog fantastic; you aren't just 'buying a dog', you're receiving a lifelong companion that, if treated correctly, will stand by you through rain or shine, that will always be happy to see you and more than happy to help cheer you up. Many dog owners would say that they couldn't imagine life without their dog, and who would blame them? A steadfast companion that has proved their resolve and love time and time again is a great reason to be jealous of those dog owners with a fantastic relationship with their pet.

Check back next week when I tackle the topic of elderly pets; I'll take a close look into their health and issues that can arise, as well as necessary dietary and exercise requirements that may mean a change to your own lifestyle when caring for them. Let me know in the guestbook any questions you may have on elderly pets, and I will make sure to tackle them in my articles next week.