Are you too old to have a dog? Well, if you are fit enough to walk and care for yourself, you are fit enough to have a dog.
Many seniors, let’s say the 60-and-above group, still lead very active lives. They may have recently lost their spouse and a pet would help ease the pain and loneliness.
Obviously, let’s say that this group is beyond the house-training stage, to get a rescue dog from the shelter would be the ideal move. Most of these dogs are looking for love and attention, so not only would the seniors be helping out here, but they would also get the love and attention they themselves need.
Obviously, the first move would be to have the dog checked out thoroughly by the vet and get the necessary inoculations and whatever else the dog may need.
Daschunds and Jack Russells make ideal pets for seniors. They are small and, especially if they are adults, are no problem at all. Coming from a shelter, the dog may have issues and could have had an abusive owner. The senior will be informed of the history of the dog and be prepared to take these issues into account.
Love and attention
The dog will mainly just need a lot of love and attention, which the person will lavish on it. If the senior is retired, they will be in a perfect position to spend a lot of time on their pet and even take it for walks, with a leash on naturally.
It all depends on your living and health standards. If you are living with your children-now-adults, you will obviously need their permission. They will more than likely think it’s a terrific idea and help with all the procedures in taking on a pet.
If you are on your own in an apartment, a small adult dog is ideal to have around. It doesn’t need a huge amount of space but does need those important walks to keep fit and healthy.
Adult cats also make great companions, especially for those seniors that haven’t the energy for daily walks. Cats really take care of themselves and don’t need the constant attention that dogs do. Being independent means that the senior can carry on with the lifestyle that he or she is accustomed to and not have to worry about the cat.
They will still obviously welcome the companionship, especially at night, and very often, the cat will curl up next to the person in bed. It makes a world of difference to both human and animal that there’s someone there just to rub heads with!
Fishes make for meditation
Fishes also make for ideal pets, though these are more of an attention-gazer than companions. You don’t need to have a large aquarium. A tank will do, and seeing as they require minimal attention, there’s little fuss and bother. They just need to be fed twice a day and that’s it. The rest of the time you can spend gazing at the fishes swimming about. It’s a good pastime, almost like meditation.
The tank will need to be cleaned every now and then but once the senior is shown how to do this, it’s never really a problem and easy to do. You can also get automated feeding units installed in the tank, so even that’s taken care of. What a pleasure.
An unusual pet is a leopard gecko, but they are ideal for seniors. They are small, noiseless, and very easy to care for. They need enclosures with the correct lighting and extras, like a tree trunk. They also don’t need to be fed daily. The leopard gecko can be easily handled, so the little reptile and the senior can get onto good terms with each other.
Exotic pets are not encouraged for seniors, or anyone else for that matter, as they require maintenance galore.
