r/seniordogs

I didn't know I could hurt this much. I feel so broken. I don't know how to hold it together in front of my one year old.

My husband and I said goodbye to Toby this morning. We've had him his whole life and my whole adult life. 14.5 years and I wish so much it was longer. He was diagnosed with angiosarcoma last month and a tumor in his spleen. The tumor grew rapidly and the past two weeks were a sharp decline. He was no longer eating except for occasional human food and refused meds. The tumor sucked up all his nutrients and he was losing weight fast. But even though all these signs were there, we couldn't make the decision until yesterday. The vet came to our home this morning and helped him pass. I am absolutely wrecked. I cried harder than I've ever cried during the whole process. It's only been 4 hours and I can't stop crying. I feel delirious. I love him so much. I am so sad.

anyone know what he’s doing or have experienced something similar? he has started doing it more lately, never did it when he was younger at all. he’s a little over 14 years old and is a “lowrider”. 30lbs, probably a mix between a staffy and a corgi? not sure.

i’m also going to ask his vet to make sure he’s not in pain. it’s like he’s stretching but also easing himself down? he stays in this position for 30 seconds or so and then sinks.

thanks, reddit!

Today we will say goodbye to Lucky, a beautiful and sweet 18 year old. He has brought so much joy into our lives and I struggle to imagine a day without him. A vet is coming to administer the euthanasia at our home so Lucky can be surrounded by the people who adore him the most.

Hello community!
Looking for ideas about travelling with senior dogs in cars.
My 13 year-old cocker spaniel has come a long way from hiding and shaking and panting in the car to sitting comfortably with me on the passenger seat! Took years and now she even switches her weight based on the car movement 🥹 but I’ve been noticing that the position is starting to feel uncomfortable for her hips since she sinks in the seat a bit.

I’ve tried putting a folded towel in the deepest part of the seat but doesn’t make a difference and I also want her to be safe in case the car brakes unexpectedly. I’ve considered just switching to the back seat since she’s lying down but she gets less of the car experience that took years for her to tolerate.

Do you guys use harnesses or special seats or something else?
Pictures of my pup for reference and because why not!! Thanks

Iris lost her owner and was surrendered to a shelter.
She is not exactly thriving in this environment.

Poor Iris is scared and stressed. She needs a patient new family to feel safe again.

Could anyone open their heart and home for her?

They say the best things in life are worth waiting for, and we're sure with a little patience Iris will blossom into the sweetest companion.
If you can offer her a little patience and a lot of love, come meet Iris!
(281) 342-1512
www.fortbendcountypets.com
1210 Blume Rd Rosenberg Tx 77471

If out of state but still seriously interested, please get in touch! Costs are around 600-650 USD

Last pic was from 2021 …time flies. I love you Wonder

My boy Duke turns 15 today. I recently posted about him and his struggle with vestibular disease, which he has mostly recovered from now. I’m thankful for all of the kind words and advice from you guys. Happy birthday to America and all of our babies today! ❤️🎊🇺🇸

I never knew how quiet and empty my home would be without this little fella.
I’m heartbroken. I shared on here a few months ago and received much love and support for Gunner. So thank you my friends.

Please comment share pledge foster adopt rescue

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DXvu9wDUw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

TO BE EUTHANIZED 7/4/26 IN NYC

Date of Intake: 30-May-2026

Darling little BOBBY used to live in a very busy household which included 4 adults, a child, a large male dog, medium female dog, and a cat. He was described as a very loyal boy who loved spending time with his family. But now a family member has said he must go! Bobby was tolerant of the 10 year old child in the home. He was friendly and outgoing with the other dogs, and with the cat. Bobby prefers contact on his own terms and is hoping to find a patient and experienced person who will understand his needs and preferences. A slow approach together with some gentle guidance will go a long way to help Bobby feel more comfortable. Help him brush up on his manners and be the best he can be! To foster or adopt this cutie pie, please message our page today.

BOBBY, ID 253475, 10 years old, 19 lbs., Male
Queens ACC, Westie/Maltese/Poodle Cross, White
Owner surrender reason: Date of Intake: 30-May-2026: Owner lives with her father who no longer wants Bobby around.
Behavior Assessment Rating: New Hope only
No children under 13
Medical Behavior: shaking, whimpering, avoids eye contact. Muzzled for exam and tasks but tolerated all.

AT RISK MEMO:

Bobby is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the prior home, Bobby was reported to display fearful and defensive behavior toward unfamiliar people, including hard barking, growling, lunging, snapping, and attempting to bite. He is also reported to react defensively when startled. During intake, Bobby barked at an unfamiliar staff member but settled when ignored and offered treats. He also growled when his owner attempted to remove his harness. Additionally, Bobby has a reported bite history involving his owner during harnessing, resulting in a skin-breaking scrape after Bobby growled and briefly held on. Bobby is reported to love his head scratched Medically, Bobby has a cherry eye.

Bobby came into the care center as an owner surrender due to his behavioral concerns and landlord no longer wanting him in the home. Bobby prior owners noted that he prefers contact on their own terms, Aloof/Mellow, Social/Affectionate, Vocal.Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment, the behavior department recommends Bobby be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Bobby to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Bobby to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Bobby presents with outside of the care centers.

INTAKE NOTES—Date of Intake: 30-May-2026

Upon intake, Bobby barked at staff member who entered the room but stopped when treats were tossed and when staff ignored him. When owner attempted to remove harness, Bobby began growling so the owner pulled off the harness using the leash. He allowed staff to take the leash and walk back to medical. While walking, Bobby had a mid-raised tail that wagged softly when spoken to. Medical staff handled for vaccines and Bobby growled throughout the interaction. He allowed staff to walk back to kennel without issue.

OWNER SURRENDER NOTES—BASIC INFORMATION

Bobby is being surrendered after 7 years—the owner lives with her parents and her father no longer wants Bobby in the home. The landlord says he must go due to his destructive tendencies. Bobby used to live with 4 adults, a 10 year old child, a male Golden Labrador Retriever, a female Cocker Spaniel, and a cat. He was tolerant with the child. Bobby is friendly and outgoing and excited with familiar dogs. He is shy with unfamiliar dogs. He is friendly and outgoing with cats. Bobby doesn’t like to share his food. One time last year Bobby growled when his owner was trying to put on his harness. She persisted so he bit her, leaving a scrape. Bobby goes to the bathroom on wee wee pads. He doesn’t care for strangers who approach his yard or come near his door; he may have separation anxiety; he pulls hard on the leash and does not go on walks; and has destructive tendencies with furniture, walls, shoes, and household items. He prefers contact on his own terms and does not like his paws touched or collar grabbed. He allows his family to bathe and brush him, and the groomer comes to the home where he sometimes growls/snaps. He has never been in a car and has not been taught any cues. He was fed dry Cesar dog food. He does not like treats or toys. Overall he is described as a very loyal dog who spends time around his family. He loves his head scratched when he allows family to touch him.

BEHAVIOR NOTES:

Date of Intake: 30-May-2026
Spay/neuter status: No
Means of surrender: Length of time in previous home: 7 years

Strangers- reactive to men when on walks - noted to hard bark and lunge. With others, he prefers contact on his own terms. In the home, he also prefers contact on his own terms. And growls when strangers are heard near the apartment door.
Children: Currently lives with a 10-yr old child and noted to be tolerant.
Dogs: Familiar- Has lived with a male Golden Lab and a female Cocker Spaniel. He is noted to be friendly, outgoing, excited, jumps up.
Unfamiliar dogs on leash : Shy/contact on his own terms, alert barks and jumps up, curious.
Unfamiliar dogs off leash- No experience.
Cats- Currently live with a dsh and noted to be friendly and outgoing.
Resource Guards food and noted to growl / hard bark and have a tense body over, snap.

Bite history- Bobby bit the owner last year while she was attempting to put on his harness. Client stated that he growled first and then snapped. He caught her hand and his teeth left a scrape on her hand. No puncture and medical attention was not sought.

During bath time Bobby has snapped at the client's mom, once in the past . He now allows grooming and the groomer comes to home.
Bobby growls at the mop and broom when someone is cleaning. She has not tried redirection or placing him in another room which I advised for the mean time.

She notes that her father does redirect with high value treats because Bobby doesn't eat dog treats . Owner also notes that her mother left to Mexico recently and her father who is out of work was helping care for Bobby. She explained that there have never been any bites or attempts toward her dad.

SHELTER ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES: Date of assessment: 6/13/2026

Due to Bobby's defensive behavior and touch sensitivity in the prior home, a handling assessment will not be conducted at this time.

PLAYGROUP SUMMARIES: DOG TO DOG:

According to Bobby's previous owner(s), he is friendly and outgoing, jumps up, and is overly excited with familiar dogs. He is shy, preferring contact on his own terms, alert barks, and jumps up at unfamiliar dogs on leash. He has no experience with unfamiliar dogs off leash. He is reported to have lived with a large male dog and a medium female dog.

06/15/26 Bobby is introduced to a novel female while off leash. He readily approaches the gate and will sniff the female with a neutral frame before demand barking and then jumping up on handler exuberantly. When the gate is opened, Bobby readily approaches the female with a forward frame and she backs away. Bobby disengages and will mark along the yard as the female stands neutrally nearby. When he approaches again, she quickly backs away so Bobby is guided away from the female.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:

06/29/26: Bobby is at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. The handler is able to leash him with ease, and Bobby puts a paw on the handler's shoulder before the handler can lift him out of kennel. He is brought outside for a walk. He jumps up on the handler's legs frequently at the beginning of the walk, but then finds a partially chewed beef trachea on the sidewalk and picks it up. Carrying the chew in his mouth, Bobby walks briskly at the end of the leash. When returning to the building, the handler is able to exchange the chew for a high value treat. After that, the handler is able to pick him up, return him to kennel, and un-leash him with no issue.

6/22/26: Bobby is at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He will attempt to push out of kennel as the handler leashes him and will then jump out of kennel as the handler goes to pick him up. He is carried out of kennel and is then placed on the ground where he will begin to jump onto the handler's legs as they walk out of the Care Center. He will pull towards dogs but is able to be redirected. He will walk ahead of the handler, pulling mildly against the leash towards objects on the ground. Towards the end of the walk, Bobby will take some treats from the handler and catches some that are tossed to him. He is returned to kennel with no issue and secured safely.

06/15/26 (PG): Bobby is at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He jumps up repeatedly, but the handler is able to leash him and bring him outside. In the yard, Bobby will jump up on the legs of various handlers. After his interaction, Bobby is returned to his kennel without issue.

INTAKE BEHAVIOR
Date of intake: 5/30/2026
Summary: Barked at staff member who entered the room but stopped when treats

MEDICAL BEHAVIOR
Date of initial: 6/2/2026
Summary: shaking, whimpering, avoids eye contact. Muzzled for exam and tasks but tolerated all.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: New Hope Only

Recommendations:
No children (under 13)
Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:
No children (under 13): Due to Bobby behavioral concerns, we reccomend he be placed in an adult-only home at his time.

Place with a New Hope partner:Bobby came into the care center as an owner surrender due to his behavioral concerns and landlord no longer wanting him in the home. Bobby prior owners noted that he prefers contact on their own terms, Aloof/Mellow, Social/Affectionate, Vocal.Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment, the behavior department recommends Bobby be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Bobby to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Bobby to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Bobby presents with outside of the care centers.

Potential challenges:
Resource Guarding, Destructive behavior, Handling/touch sensitivity, Basic manners/poor impulse control, Separation anxiety/Anxiety, Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration, Strength/leash pulling, Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:
Resource guarding: In the prior home, Bobby was reported to guard his food, displaying growling, hard barking, a tense body posture, and hovering over his food bowl when approached. It is essential to work on desensitizing him to having his possessions handled by using techniques like trading up for higher-value items and practicing "drop it" and "leave it". Please see handout on Resource guarding.

Destructive behavior: In the prior home, Bobby was reported to engage in destructive behaviors involving household items, furniture, walls, and shoes.

Handling/touch sensitivity: Bobby has significant handling sensitivities and has displayed growling, barking, lunging, snapping, and biting when physically restrained or handled. He has reacted negatively when pushed or pulled off furniture, when his paws are touched, and when his collar is grabbed. Although he allows familiar family members to bathe and brush him, he has escalated during grooming procedures by growling, barking, snapping, and attempting to bite.

Basic manners/poor impulse control: Bobby is reported to frequently jump on people.Consistent training to teach him to sit or stay when greeting people, using positive reinforcement and redirection, will help manage this behavior. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control.

Separation anxiety/Anxiety:In the prior home, Bobby was described as generally anxious, displaying excessive barking, pacing, whining, difficulty settling, and signs of distress when left alone. Please see the handout on Separation anxiety and generalized anxiety.

Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Reacts to on walks: Bobby has a history of reacting to strangers, particularly unfamiliar men. His owners reported that he will hard bark, growl, lunge, snap, and attempt to bite when male strangers approach the home, yard, or family members. He is also reported to react defensively when startled, responding with growling, barking, and snapping.Upon intake, Bobby barked at staff member who entered the room but stopped when treats were tossed and when staff ignored him. When owner attempted to remove harness, Bobby began growling so the owner pulled off the harness using the leash. Bobby's body language and behavior suggest discomfort around unfamiliar people, and his warning signals should be respected. Please see the handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration.

Strength/leash pulling: Bobby is reported to pull strongly on leash and will benefit from continued training focused on loose-leash walking and engagement with his handler. Please see the hand out on Strength/leash pulling.

Bite history (human): see bite hsitory.

MEDICAL EXAM NOTES:

6/2/2026 DVM Intake Exam

Estimated age: 10yrs based on conformation

Microchip noted on intake? scans negative

History: owner surrender

Subjective: BAR

Observed Behavior - shaking, whimpering, avoids eye contact. Muzzled for exam and tasks but tolerated all.

Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? no

Objective:
P = 140
R = shaking, eupneic
BCS 5/9

EENT: Eyes clear with proptosed nictitans OS, thickened pinnae AU with moist ceruminous debris AU, no nasal or ocular discharge noted
Oral Exam: muzzled for exam- unable to evaluate
PLN: No enlargements noted
H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic
ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated
U/G: MI; 2 testicles descended
MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat
CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities
Rectal: externally normal
Wood's Lamp Exam: not performed
Assessment:
Approx. 10yr MI canine
Cherry eye OS
Thickened pinnae AU (r/o previous hematomas or other scarring)
High FAS

Prognosis: good

Plan:
intake tasks
Ear cleaning
CBC/Chem/T4 to idexx
Start trazadone 6mg/kg PO BID indefinitely

SURGERY:
Permanent waiver due to age

6/2/2026

It is the policy of ACC not to perform surgery on any animal over the age of 8-10 years due to the higher risks incurred in a shelter setting. The veterinarian is hereby issuing a permanent spay/neuter waiver, from the spay/neuter requirements of the City of NY due to the estimated age of this animal. ACC does recommend you consult with your veterinarian to determine if surgical sterilization is appropriate.

6/4/2026

Brief recheck, bw results
S/O: BAR, no c/s/v/d noted, no ocular or nasal discharge, cherry eye OD, eupneic, ambulatory x 4.

CBC: monocytes 0.739 (H), eosinophils 0.106 (L)
CHEM: AST 15 (L)
T4: wnl

A:
Senior dog
Cherry eye OD
BW- nsf

P: CTM while at QACC

************************************

* TO FOSTER / ADOPT *

To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog please PRIVATE MESSAGE our page at https://www.facebook.com/NYCDogsLivesmatter so we can assist and guide you through the process.

PLEASE NOTE: To foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog you need to live within a prescribed range of New York City. States include: NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Northern VA. If you are outside of this range, you have the option to “direct adopt” where you must go to the shelter “in person” to complete the adoption process. We can guide you through that process.

NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM

Level 1
Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes.

Level 2
Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience.

Level 3
Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters.

Level 4
Dogs with Level 4 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters. It is suggested adopters have prior experience with the behaviors described.

New Hope Rescue Only
Dogs with this rating need to be pulled by a New Hope Partner Rescue. Contact our page or email us for assistance.

Could someone suggest us where to ask help for Smirnoff our senior dog who had just rescue

And has a tumor as well positive in ehrlicia

Pls help share and pray for Smirnoff thank you everyone

My sweet, sweet senior boy is 16! As expected with his age, he has been slowing down, and is showing signs of CCD. This includes some disorientation, sundowning, and most importantly anxiety when we leave the house. He cries if we are in the car longer than 15 minutes, and gets very anxious in new places.

The problem is that we will be moving in a few weeks. I’ve been able to take him to the new place a few times, but he’s incredibly stressed every time and starts pacing around. I brought him one of his beds, and tried giving him treats and a lick mat (he’s always been extremely food motivated). He’ll eat everything but then just starts pacing again.

Have any of you moved with a dog like this, or have any tips? I’m hoping once my room is set up it’ll feel more familiar and safe, but I’m really worried he won’t be able to settle at all. I know we don’t have much time left together, but I’d hate for this to be something that accelerates his decline.

16-year-old Winston just saw the groomer. Now needs another bath, or two.

My dog scout F9 is a golden retriever who has been diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma. My family has seen the treatment but we think it’s best to just make sure shes comfortable and does not have to do any surgery that could hurt her for just one more year. I have just learned of the fact that we aren’t doing treatment while im working at a sleep away camp. Although i want to send time with her badly i need to stay here. I also want to but i will leave early if it gets worse. I don’t know how to deal with the anticipatory grief and the guilt of not being there for her. Any advice.