Adopting an old hound.

[Caty M]

So.. I've never adopted a dog in my life. We are buying a house (move in next week- yay!) and was kind of thinking today it may be a nice idea to adopt a dog, a senior, that are normally hard to find homes for. I just want to make a dog's life nice in the last few years. I was thinking a basset hound and came across Willow:

Petfinder Adoptable Dog | Basset Hound | Calgary, AB | Willow

Will it be a bad fit with one very energetic IG and one semi-lazy sheltie? It's still in an idea phase, I want to either adopt or buy from a breeder in the next year or two. I've always loved basset's long soft ears. Any rescue/old dog/basset experience would be great!

[chewice]

Are you in calgary? You can also try Heaven Can Wait ---> Kim has awesome connections and breed knowledge.

There is a bassat hound rescue here from what I remember when I was looking.

I think it would really depend on willows background but from what her foster mommy says...i dont see an issue.

[xellil]

Well, you probably know where i stand :) -- Willow looks like a lovely dog. No matter what that ad says, she shouldn't be jumping on anything and she should have a ramp - no steps. It does kind of bother me that sometimes rescue groups are a little lackadaisacal in informing prospective owners of basic stuff like that.

Dogs with long backs shouldn't be climbing or jumping at all, really. Too much danger of slipping a disc. Although Snorkels, idiot dog that she is, went down the basement stairs today while I wasn't watching. I just hope it wasn't ass over teakettle.

There's something very satisfying about giving an elder dog the life they deserve, especially since the likelihood is that someone they loved and lived with for many years dumped them for a new model. I like to think I am just fulfilling a promise someone made to them long ago and didn't keep.

She will probably get along fine. Most of the old dogs I have known don't really need a whole lot of interaction with other dogs, they like a little exercise and a soft bed. Of course, you would do a meet and greet first. I don't think bassetts are very energetic as young dogs - you'd basically be providing a pillow and alot of love.

[Caty M]

Oh.. we have a two story house and it would really be inevitable that she would need to climb stairs- the bedroom is upstairs. Does that completely rule out an old basset? They aren't steep stairs and have a landing dividing the two halves. They are carpeted.

I just love the idea of it, but want to make sure it's the right decision before we go ahead. I did shoot off an email with a few questions. I'd assume that it would be great for her to lose some weight because of her hip dysplasia.

[xellil]

We went to say goodbye to Snorkels' foster mom the other day and she told me a really sweet story. She said a family with two children, aged 11 and 13, adopted Buttons, who like Snorkels is old (13).

That doesn't sound like much on the face of it, but I was really touched that these parents are showing their children at a young age that all life is sacred, and that it isn't mandatory that children raise a dog from a puppy. i think these kids will never, ever drop their old dog off at the dog pound like trash.

[Scarlett_O']

OMG.......Caty.....you HAVE TO GET HER!!!!

Im in tears right now!! She looks like our Clara Belle that I grew up with!!!

She is SOOO cute!!!

[xellil]

Oh.. we have a two story house and it would really be inevitable that she would need to climb stairs- the bedroom is upstairs. Does that completely rule out an old basset? They aren't steep stairs and have a landing dividing the two halves. They are carpeted.

I just love the idea of it, but want to make sure it's the right decision before we go ahead. I did shoot off an email with a few questions. I'd assume that it would be great for her to lose some weight because of her hip dysplasia.

Does she have to sleep upstairs? With Snorkels, we have ramps or baby gates by the stairs (normally). Maybe a bassett owner will weigh in here. We have two stories and a basement - I just carried her upstairs. Not sure you could do that with a bassett so easily as a dachshund.

I bet she would love raw food :)

[chewice]

We are super careful about where the daxi jumps and ...tumbles down. We always lift into vehicles and have taught that he goes up stairs slowely and does just bound up them. Going down we usually carry as well since he seems to have more trouble with that. Give lots of comfy places on the main floor....thats where echo sleeps, eats, plays. He rarely goes up or down.

[Caty M]

Well.. I like my dogs in my bed with me. I'd build her a ramp or stairs to get on the bed for sure, it's high. I think I would die lugging a 40lb dog upstairs- LOL.

[xellil]

Well.. I like my dogs in my bed with me. I'd build her a ramp or stairs to get on the bed for sure, it's high. I think I would die lugging a 40lb dog upstairs- LOL.

Or you could do what i did. I just moved downstairs :)

I would, though, talk to an experienced Bassett owner. My thought is that with a long back and her age the chance of a slipped disc going up and down would be high, and you don't want a paralyzed dog or one who is constantly on pain meds and crate rest.