In light of 30-year-old Portuguese dog Bobi being crowned the world’s oldest pooch, Gayle Ritchie considers why senior dogs are super-special.
When it comes to bringing furry friends into the family, elderly dogs can often be overlooked in favour of younger pups – but they have a magic all of their own and deserve just as much love.
While they might not have that cute puppy appeal, senior dogs have so much going for them, and it’s heartbreaking to imagine them left, sad-eyed, locked in kennels until the day they die.
Many end up at re-homing centres because their owners are ill, have passed away or because families simply cannot afford to look after them.
Some can live to a ripe old age – just look at Bobi, a Portuguese livestock guard dog recently recognised as the world’s oldest pooch ever by Guinness World Records.
As of February 1, Bobi was 30 years and 266 days old, beating a record that had stood for almost a century.
He’s said to be doing well for his age, although he struggles walking, and his eyesight is failing.
Need some convincing to take on an older dog? We chatted to owners of older dogs in Angus, Dundee and Aberdeen about their unique bonds.
OSCAR, 17
Springer spaniel Oscar lives with Rick and Ann Leith on a farm near Forfar.
The 17-year-old still heads out to work every day and enjoys rides in the tractor and runs around the fields.
The couple, whose son Ewan also works on the farm, got Oscar when he was three.
“After our last dog died, we saw an advert in the paper for a springer for sale in Crieff,” explains Rick.
“He’s very good with our grandkids – they’re always giving him biscuits! He mixes with other dogs well, too. His favourite toy is a ball, and he loves fetching stones.
“He would run all day alongside the tractor when he was a bit younger, but he still loves going into the woods.”
Despite being 17, Oscar’s health has always been good – he’s never needed to visit the vet.
However, Rick says his beloved dog is “really slowing down” and is a “bit wobbly” on his back legs.
“He still goes to work every day, but needs lifting in and out of the tractor. But he always wants to come.
“He’s the oldest dog we’ve had. He’s been so special to us and a good companion to me at work.
“Coming from the town, he’s had a good life here in the country.”
TEDDY, 13
Toy poodle Teddy has an active life with owner Ali Henderson in Dundee. Ali, a yoga teacher, says the 13-year-old pooch has a “huge personality”.
Devastated after her previous dog died at the grand old age of 16-and-a-half, she wasn’t looking for another, but when an email dropped from a colleague whose mum needed to re-home her toy poodle, her interest was piqued.
“He was five and hadn’t settled well when she moved house,” Ali explains. “He didn’t like living in a flat and was constantly distressed.
“My husband and I went to see him and brought him home for the weekend to see how he got on. He ran around the garden then jumped up on my knee and fell asleep. It was like he’d always been there!”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Teddy gets on well with everyone he meets, both human and fellow canine. “He’s very friendly and will often meet new people when we go to dog friendly restaurants,” says Ali.
“He’s good with other dogs, but does hide his favourite space hopper toy when our neighbour’s dog comes in.”
He’s a pretty sensitive lad, sensing if someone is upset or unwell.
When Ali’s Romanian rescue, Gigi, arrived after a long, chaotic journey, he fetched his blanket from his basket.
“He was so welcoming and seemed to know she was a baby and a bit scared,” she says. “He’s given her confidence over the last few years.”
He loves his daily walks, and when Ali breaks into a run, he trots along beside her, “like a spring lamb”.
“He’s still pretty lively. He gets a load of exercise and I think that keeps him in good health. He’s full of fun.”
Sadly, Teddy has a heart murmur, but it’s not bad enough to require medication. He also has the beginning of cataracts.
Ali says he can be a “little scallywag” who’s not above stealing undies!
She adds: “We love the bones of him and wouldn’t change him for the world.”
BROGAN, 15
Shona Kinnear, the owner of 15-year-old whippet-lab Brogan, firmly believes that having a “golden oldie” is just as, if not more, rewarding than a puppy.
The Aberdeen-based marine scientist and horse lover describes Brogan as her “shadow” or “stalker”.
“He follows me everywhere and constantly has his eye on me,” says Shona.
“He’s a very calm, cuddly dog and loves people, especially if he thinks they might have food. He doesn’t bother speaking to strange dogs nowadays, but loves his horse and pony friends at the stables.”
Shona has had two other dogs in the time she’s had Brogan, and while he was always the boss, he’s become more laid back since they passed away.
“Now he lives with Holly the springer spaniel who can be a little demanding princess, but he doesn’t mind and he likes having her around. He’s been a great calming influence on her,” she says.
“He does get excited when I get back home from working away and chatters his teeth, which always makes me laugh.”
Brogan stays with Shona’s parents when she’s offshore, and transfers his loyalties on to her mum, sticking to her like glue and walking 10,000 steps a day.
“In his golden years he’s just happy sniffing around, following me or my mum, or lying by a fire – he’s a heat-seeker,” says Shona.
“He also likes to oversee the cooking in the kitchen!”
Although he’s now deaf, Brogan can hear a whistle and has a “sixth sense” when a tin is being opened – he loves drinking the spring water out of tuna cans!
“He’s good with hand signals, so it’s an added bonus that he always checks where I am, or he looks for Holly,” says Shona.
“It does mean, however, that he can’t get off his lead in the dark or anywhere busy or new.
“He’s a little stiff sometimes and can struggle with my steep stairs at bedtime, but I give him a painkiller if I think he’s overdone it and been running around too much.”
At nights Brogan occasionally starts panting and seems a bit stressed, which the vet thinks may be a sign of dementia starting.
But because Shona keeps his bed close to hers, she’s able to put on a night light and reach out her hand to calm him down.
“People always ask how old he is as he’s gone so grey, but they never believe he’s 15 (he’ll be 16 in June) as he moves so well.
“The hearing has failed, the eyesight is getting worse, but the nose works overtime, meaning walks can take 10 times as long as they used to!”
Ultimately, Shona loves having an older dog, and she reveals that Brogan is extra special as he was originally her sister Elaine’s dog – and Elaine, who had cystic fibrosis, tragically passed away when Brogan was two.
“The oldies know their own minds and have a knack of training their humans well,” reflects Shona.
“Brogan uses the staring technique and tries to make me read his mind till he gets his own way, whether it’s making me move out of the seat I’m in as it happens to be where he wishes to sit or just to tell me that it’s bed, walk or tea time.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think as age creeps in, the work it takes to look after older dogs and keep them safe and happy goes up, as does the cost, but it’s so worth it.”
FLECK, 15
Gorgeous border collie Fleck has just been diagnosed with stage-four kidney failure at the age of almost 16.
Her owner, Dundee-based lab technician Lynsey Murray, is understandably upset, but also keen to celebrate the amazing life of the former agility dog.
“She competed up to the ripe old age of 12,” says Lynsey, who also has seven-year-old border collie, Mint.
“Fleck reached the dizzy heights of grade seven, which is the highest in Kennel Club Agility.
“During her lifetime, she’s qualified for Crufts, Scottish Dog of the Year, the Low 550 Cup and was a reserve for Agility Team Scotland.
“At home she’s very friendly and just loves to please. All my family loves her. She loves children and happily plays with them and lets them take her on walks.”
Fleck is the oldest dog Lynsey has owned, and while she’s “doing great for her age”, she admits it can be a challenge at times.
“She needs some dementia medication, supplements and a kidney support diet, but still manages a wee walk to the park for a sniffari!
“Her eyes and ears are failing but her nose works fine. She’s slowed down a lot and sleeps most of the day, but is super happy to see me when I come home from work – that’s just priceless.
“She’s so loyal and deserves the best care now she’s an old lady.”
Lynsey says every day she has left with Fleck is a gift.
“She’s a one-in-a-million girl. I know she won’t live forever, and that’s hard to think about, but I have some brilliant memories. I’ll continue to do my best by her till the end.”
- Fleck was put to sleep just as we went to print, and Lynsey wanted this article to be published in tribute to her.
RE-HOMING AN ELDERLY DOG
Love has no limits when it comes to adopting a dog of any age, says Alan Grant, a senior animal care assistant at the Scottish SPCA.
Whether bright-eyed and full of energy, or grey-bearded and more keen on snoozing than sprinting, every dog has something to offer.
There are many reasons why people shouldn’t overlook an older dog – and that can include anything from the fact they’re already toilet-trained, may not need as much exercise (although this depends on the breed) and can still be fun and playful.
They’re just as loyal and loving. Oldies are likely to know how to behave around people, other dogs and on walks, and will probably have mastered basic commands like “sit” and “stay”.
There are a few misconceptions around older dogs, however, says Alan, who is also a trained dog behaviourist.
“People often say they want a wee dog because it’ll be easier, but there’s a major difference between a nine-year-old Yorkie, likely to still be full of energy, and a 10-year-old lab, probably much calmer.
“We want to get across the point that just because a dog is older it doesn’t mean it won’t still have a lot of life left in it – and a lot of love to give.”
Potential adopters can sometimes be put off by the cost of elderly dogs, says Alan.
“A 14-year-old dog might have arthritis, various ailments and need vet treatment,” he says, “but we offer free pet insurance for four weeks. It’s worth looking into.”
Alan encourages people to do their research before they take on any dog.
“It’s about education, knowing all the facts and being willing to adapt the dog to suit your lifestyle.
“Some breeds need a lot of mental stimulation and exercise, while others are happy to lounge around.
“But it’s so worth re-homing a dog of any age. Surely it’s better for them to have a life in a loving home than in a kennel.”
WORLD’S OLDEST – AND LUCKIEST – DOG
Portuguese livestock guard dog Bobi was born on May 11 1992, along with three other pups in a woodshed owned by the Costa family in the village of Conqueiros in central Portugal.
Leonel Costa, who was eight at the time, said his parents had too many animals and put the puppies down, but they missed out Bobi. He and his sister found him and decided to keep his existence a secret until he could open his eyes.
Leonel believes the secret to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” in which he lives and his human diet.
Now in his old age, his eyesight is failing and he sticks close to home, hanging out with the family’s cats in the garden.
The previous title-holder, an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, was born in 1910 and lived for 29 years and five months.
- For more information on re-homing, see scottishspca.org/
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