The very hardest homes to find for mastiffs that come into rescue are the homes for dogs that are 6 and older. I completely understand why this so. No one wants to bring a dog into their home, hopelessly fall in love with it and then have it leave in just a few short years. That's really hard. But let me tell you a story that I hope will change your mind and make you consider giving a loving home to an older dog.
2 years ago we had lost 2 mastiffs within the year. It was very difficult on our kids (they were 4 and 6 back then) and our remaining mastiff, who had never been alone in his life. On the surface you would think taking in an older dog would be the very last thing we would consider! But friends of ours were overloaded with a family illness and I was so worried that our dog would go into a depression. He was 7 and the thought of losing him made taking in an old girl a no-brainer. Miss Bonnie was 9 when she came to live with us. Many people in our family thought we were nuts. More than once I heard "How can you do this to the kids?" But I thought what a valuable lesson for the girls, to think more about the needs of someone other than themselves and to make it their mission to give comfort. I told the girls that we didn't know how long we would have Bonnie but that the time she spent with us would be the best time we could make it be.
Bonnie came to us and made herself right at home. She and Kirk were like two old people taking walks around the yard, watching the door and holding down the couch together. My daughters loved having a girl in the house and were happy to find out that Bonnie loved snuggle in front of the tv. I would find them reading and using Bonnie as a pillow. Bonnie liked to curl up on the couch and many times I would find my youngest stuffed into the triangle space left in the corner of couch--sometimes you couldn't even see the child! The girls helped take care of her. Bonnie had a bit of arthritis and they would make sure she got her supplements at each meal.
Bonnie joined us at Meet the Breed tables helping to explain the breed to people and showing off how vital an old lady still could be. On dog show mornings, she would run down the hallway blocking me like a linebacker because she didn't want to be left behind. As late as the end of May she joined us a local show.
Bonnie was the Queen! She was calm and sweet but if you entered the room and simply went about your business you would hear her foot stamp the ground and get a big "Woof!" After all, there is no entering the prescence of the Queen without coming over to pet her! We had her for 2 years but it seems like she was with us for so much longer.
Back in October I had Bonnie at the vet for a well visit. The vet was thouroughly impressed with her condition. She even asked what supplements I was giving her! I was so proud of the care we were giving her I began to think she might live foreever--but of course this could not be. These past few weeks we could see that she was starting to fade away and her years were catching up with her. I began to point out to the girls that Bonnie was starting to have trouble, that we wouldn't have her much longer and that we should spend extra time with her. As we realized she was in her final days I took the girls to pick out a special Webkinz doll each. One that they would name after Bonnie. They made their choices very carefully and came home with Bonnie Beaver and Cherry Blossom Bonnie. They sat and hugged Bonnie with the dolls making sure some of Bonnie's love went into each doll. Now they have a bit of Bonnie whenever they want it. The last morning we had Bonnie, we brought her out on the front lawn so she could wait for the busses with the girls. My oldest sang to her before she left, my youngest gave special hugs and kisses. We took pictures to remember her.
It was sad for me and my husband as we sat on the floor with Bonnie at the vet. We both cried as we pet her, telling her how much we loved her and holding her until she was gone. It's never easy. We all cried that night together and I am sure there will be more tears in the coming days. But Bonnie deserved tears! She gave us so much just when we needed it. To anyone who would ask me "How could you put your kids through that pain?" I would say "How could I deny them the fantastic experience of loving and being loved by Bonnie? And of really thinking of someone else and doing the right thing?" Our pain over losing Bonnie will fade and we will all be left with the fantastic memories she gave us and the joy of knowing that we made her last years warm, comfortable and full of life and love.
Now Bonnie was not a rescue dog. She would have had a happy end to her life if she had stayed with our friends. But we were able to share her life thanks to their generosity. When you adopt an older mastiff from rescue you are saving a life. You may be giving comfort and love to a dog that has never known it all. I can't imagine a greater gift for our noble breed. And I promise you will get back what give tenfold. So please consider an older dog.
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2 comments:
Your blog was beautiful and i love the pictures! what an amazing family you have!
My last dog was a 18 year old little mix breed that I found at a local shelter. Obviously who ever had her before must have cared for her well as they left behind 18 years worth of vet records (they even had paperwork from her first vet visit!!!). I had no idea how she landed in a high kill shelter, but I knew i could not leave her behind. So, she came home with me and we quickly became best friends. During the first week that i had her i discovered she was 100% blind and 90% deaf, but she did not let this slow her down. She was a little ball of spunk! She would run laps around my house when i came home from work and would even throw her toys in the air when she was playing. She LOVED hiking and could easily hike over a mile!! She was just an amazing little dog who loved life and lived everyday to the fullest. She died in my arms just 43 days short of her 20th birthday. I feel so blessed to have been a apart of her amazing life!
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~Sara
I am a volunteer with SSMR and Christmas Eve day 2007 my coordinator called and asked if I could handle an owner surrender. After calling the woman, I knew that she had to move the dog that day as he was sick and she had no money and a husband that beat her. She brought Simon over, he was very stoic and aloof, typical of a very proud Mastiff. He had been her companion since 12 weeks old, he was now 8 plus..Simon treasured her, protected her and listened to every word she said. She told me how Simon had gotten hit by her husband when he tried to protect her from being beaten, she told me how there was no money and that Simon had been throwing up, she told me all the commands he knew and the children that he had loved. Simon was a well bred old Mastiff that had been loved....She left in tears.
Simon moved in with us and became our Baker's Dozen. He became my protector, smiling, talking to me and taking a position on the bed next to my bed so that he could always have an eye on me..........
He fell for another Mastiff in the house Lydia...who we lovingly called his "OLD LADY". You see, Lydia had come through SSMR to us when she was 6 1/2 and this year she is going on 14 yrs in August. Lydia and Simon slept near each other, basked in the sun together and groomed each other.
Simon thrived with us and weighed 209 in December 2008..then in March of 2009 for some reason Simon went into kidney failure...the Veterinarian had me IVing fluids to Simon at home as he new how he was far more comfortable at home with Lydia next to him....that's how it was. Unfortunately, Simon had to be put down and he is buried in our pasture.......there is not a day that goes by that I do not think of this wonderful guy....I treasured every moment and will continue to treasure every memory.
We miss him.........I have told the Fl Coordinators....let me know when we take in another old Mastiff.......They are so special.....they are stoic, kind and loyal...what a breed and how lucky we are to of had the privilege of having Simon live with us!
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