would you take on a 10 year old lab?

fly_dragon_fly

Hi,

we have recently been offered a lab who is 10 years old nothing wrong with him but his house is a bit busy with 8 of them and two other dogs and his owner recently passed away.

i'm umming and arrring and would like some pro's and cons.

lisawood78

We took on a ten year old Great dane last year, with health problems and we haven't looked back.
Depends if you have the space, the time and can happily integrate him with the current family members I guess.
Good luck in your choice

SnowyOwl_2

My circumstances don't allow me to have a dog, however if I were able to give up work permanently then I'd have him like a shot. My main motivation to have an older dog is that there aren't many places or households that would actually take him, and like you say there is nothing wrong with him...so why not?

fly_dragon_fly

the only thing that worries me is the hip problems labs suffer from, i grew up with a lab and i remember the day his hips and back legs went and my father had to take him outside to go to toilet etc it was heartbreaking. x

aliasojo

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

the only thing that worries me is the hip problems some labs can suffer from, i grew up with a lab and i remember the day his hips and back legs went and my father had to take him outside to go to toilet etc it was heartbreaking. x

I've corrected your post. Yes labs can have hip/leg issues but not every lab will experience these.

Try to base your decision on the here and now, not the 'what ifs' of the future.

For what it's worth, I would take him. Labs are good companions as you will know, and a 10 year old wont need as much exercise as a 2 or 3 year old lab would.

What happens to him if you don't take him?

fly_dragon_fly

i don't think anything would he's currently at the mans house, i think he would be happy to keep him.

rising_from_the_ashes

Hi, I took on a 7 year old lab 5 years ago and I can honestly say it's the best thing I've ever done.

He is fantastic and still a cheeky monkey.

My only regret is that I didn't manage to get him earlier as he didn't have a great life before he came here - his "retirement" home is certainly making up for that!

Yes, some labs can have problems with hips/arthritis etc in older life but so do many other dogs in older years so wouldn't let that put you off.

However, getting a younger dog doesn't mean you'll end up with them longer - my parents lost a dog aged only 4 years. I count every day as special and wouldn't be without him for a second.

Good luck

Kinski

I took on Abby my fat wee oik ( sheltie ) three years ago when she was 8/9, she is a fantastic wee dog and I've never regretted it for a moment. Abby now has kidney failure and I don't know how long she will be with me, I'm heartbroken at the thought of loosing her but regrets, no, I love her with all my heart. The only thing I looked at before taking her on was insurance which I got with no problem.

chucknorris

Our dog (lab/springer cross) will be 10 years old this September he is really treasured and valued by both of us, he is very fit and healthy so we are hoping for quite a few years with him yet.

Fabwitch

I took on a 8 year old dog and her 10 year old mother as their owners had over 30 dogs and couldnt cope when his wife died. I already had one dog age 7 and i can honestly say i have loved having them all. Sadly Katie the mother died last year aged 14 of old age. Katie was a beautiful dog and i really miss her. Having taken on older dogs has been a real pleasure, i had to train them both as they had never lived in a house before but adapted very quickly. As others have said, not many people will take on an older dog, i only firstly agreed to take one but when i saw Katies little face i just couldnt leave her so took them both home. I have no regrets at all xxx

Sagz_2

Most of my dogs have been over 8 (well over 8 actually!), older dogs suit my lifestyle better than demanding youngsters. You'll still have to teach an older dog the rules of your home, but they tend to be quicker on the uptake - I guess they are experienced in reading people where pups are not

Of course you have to go into things with you eyes open, bearing in mind Vet bills, the difficulty in getting insurance, the doddery years and the problems that can bring.......... but the payback is huge! To give a dog, who may have had an uncertain youth, the security and love that he should have had all his life is so rewarding - and an honour.

I may have had some of my golden oldies for only a short while but they hold as greater space in my heart as the dogs that spent all their lives with me.