This post hits home, I personally have had dogs all of my life. And ironically as I grew some of my dogs went from my parents home to the grandparents home. In fact the first one was a dashound we got at the pound. My parents were divorced and my mom had custody, and I remember she recklessly get us dog after dog. Well we had Brandi the dashound, we she lost custody of us, and gram and grampa inherited him, because we moved with our dad and my mom just couldnt take care of him. Dad got us a lapso apso, we had her until dad had to put her to sleep. Brandy wasnt too much trouble for my grandparents they were still pretty young, well grampa had to put brandy to sleep he was too old and too sick at 17 years old, he said he never never wanted another dog........... I couldnt understand why, ............... but I found out and I will explain in a few mins.
So as I got older, I got Toni, who I was supposed only keep for 2 weeks, (that was my way to get her home) I eneded up keeoing her for 13.5 years. Then there was brandi and then zoie. Well all of those dogs imgrated over to my graqndparents and great aunts home. It was alot of work, and I would never expect them to take care of them all by themselves. The dogs stayed their home and were great, even as all of my family got sicker and sooner than later died. Well zoie and brandi are still alive ............... brandi is 14. Well my great aunt lived to 97 and the dogs kept her very happy, but there were times when Toni (who happened to be a german shepard/ridgeback mix.... so a big dog) well my aunt would fall over her or knock into her and cause her to fall, which isnt good in your 90's thankfully she only bruised never any bad accidents.
Zoie and brandi and toni were her companions, they made her life complete. But I would have never given her dogs if she were living alone unless the animal was a senoir as well.
then there was my other grandmother who lived alone in a trailer, a friend gave her an animal............... the dog was fine until my grandma had to keep going ot the hospital and there was no one to care for it. So the friends who gave her took it, but that made her sad. it was hard.
Back to Toni .............. why grampa never wanted another dog, I had to put Toni to sleep in 4/10/2004, that was the hardest thing I will ever do. Now I understand grampa's concern. I still have zoie, my sister has Brandi and I adopted Sulley my new beagle.
Point of my story, it is hard, older people really benefit from animals interaction and having them, but I would never give an animal to someone who doesnt ask for one realisitically, or has the means to care for it. Most importantly puppies arent for the elderly, I would reccommend a senior dog or cat
Stacie
