Here is a topic for discussion that was inspired by real-life events.
Two couples are both interested in a big, active dog at the shelter.
One couple is older. They own their home. Property is at least several acres, but unfenced. Husband is retired and home most days, puttering in garden and with hobbies. Wife works 30 or so hours a week. They formerly owned another big, active dog, who recently died of old age. They have a 2-year-old small dog who misses having canine company. They have a trainer who they have worked with previously and plan to do so again.
Second candidate couple is young, early 20s. They are renters. They also live on several acres, but their home property is fenced. They have another big, young, active dog, a female. They both work.
My bias in placing the dog was toward the older couple. While it’s true that they lacked a fenced yard for the dog, the fact that they own their home reassures me that they won’t be at the mercy of future landlords if they have to move for whatever reason. They also have the financial wherewithal to provide the dog with whatever medical or behavioral interventions he is likely to need. A week in training? Knee or hip surgery? Wouldn’t be a problem for these people.
Staff at the shelter was biased in favor of the young couple. The fact that their property was fenced, their youth, and that they were already dealing with a big, active dog made them seem more equipped to deal with the dog’s perceived need for activity.
I’m just curious: Where would most people, or most shelter staffers, end up placing a dog like this?
I would vote the older couple for many of the above cited reasons. The trainer is a kingpin in that whole scene, too, as far as socialization into the home, setting up manners expectations for the new dog (as well as refreshing the small one), etc. And, the companionship of the older couple whose lives are solidly stable. If one or both should develop health problems necessitating life changes, hopefully they will have identified a family member or good “dog” friend to help them out with animal care or assume ownership/ Some vet schools, such as Colorado State U. have a program to assume dog care for the dog’s life if a sum of money in some form is bequeathed to the vet school. Lots of options.
I favor the older couple. The husband is home a lot, and the wife only works 30 hours a week.
I feel this is important. They have the time and energy to devote to their dogs.
The younger couple both work full time. Therefore I’m assuming aren’t home a lot during the week and when/if they are, they don’t have as much time to devote to the dog.
I’ve seen this happen a lot. People get dogs, and they don’t have a lot of time for them.
I’m definitely in favor of the “older” couple.
I’d vote for the older couple … but it doesn’t matter if the rescue organization discriminates against older adopters … and several do. I am 70 and five years ago I had my eye on a middle sized curly coated mutt at a local large rescue (Richmond, CA). I kept getting the runaround until I got one of the middle aged women volunteers to admit that they preferred to give their larger dogs to “families” and tried to interest me in a Chihuahua. My friend, who loves chihuahuas, exclaimed “But Ruth loves large furry or long haired dogs”. I tore up my application in disgust.
And another friend at 75 found only one local rescue organization (of about eight) that would give her a younger dog… Not a puppy, but a dog about three years of age. She looks frail, but her husband is younger and loves to walk the dog. She felt they wanted an assurance she wouldn’t die!
In both cases I believe this was ageism. I have three dogs and two of them have their own sofa. The chow has a choice of three large dog beds. My now 80 year old friend lavishes love and friendship on her dog and so does her dog walking husband.
I believe most rescue orgs would choose the younger couple. And my third dog, a gorgeous long haired girl who looks like a setter crossed with a Holstein cow, was dumped at my dog park a year after my failed adoption attempt.
Definitely the older couple. What good is a large fenced yard, if neither of the owners is home to give the dogs attention? In fact, they may just leave the dogs outside all day while no one is home. The older couple may not have a fenced in yard, but they just lost a big active dog to old age, so they must be doing something right. I hate to generalize, but I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve read on my local NextDoor site by people trying to rehome their dogs due to having to move and not being able to take the dog with them to a new apartment or they are unable to find a rental home which will allow their dog. The older couple just has more stability.
No fence, no dog. That would be my preference for a large, active dog. At least on just several acres, that is not a lot of land. A rabbit runs by and an active dog is away on a chase. My husband and I are an older couple who had to move to a retirement community for health reason. We advocated (and helped pay for) a private dog park so our dog can run free multiple times a day. Xxxxxxx
No fence, no dog. That would be my preference for a large, active dog. At least on just several acres, that is not a lot of land. A rabbit runs by and an active dog is away on a chase. My husband and I are an older couple who had to move to a retirement community for health reason. We advocated (and helped pay for) a private dog park so our dog can run free multiple times a day.
I conduct Adoption Home Visits for a sizeable rescue organization in New England / NY area. I would choose the older couple, but on the condition that they fence in an area of their large yard. The young couple both working every day, leaving both dogs alone, is problematic, and really a non-starter for any adopted dog, but especially for one coming from a shelter, from who knows what type of conditions. Also, all the reasons you cited for the older couple as well–established, former dog owners, own, etc. I would not, however, give approval to the older couple if they did not agree to build a fenced-in area.
I’ve lived this.
When my parents were 75 they wanted a puppy after the loss of their dog. My sister and I couldn’t find anyone willing to sell them a puppy because of age bias. They wanted their puppies to go to young families with children. Think about it. Both parents work and the kids are at school all day. My parents own their home, it’s fenced and has a big yard. They are experienced owners who have always had big dogs. Both are healthy and active and home all day. They had nothing but time to spend training and playing with a dog.
My sister found a lovely lab mix puppy. I told her to lie. Go there with her son and say it was for them. Best decision we ever made. Candy had a fabulous life, living to almost 14 years old, which is pretty old for a lab. She was the center of the house and was loved and cared for. She was the best thing that could have happened to them as she kept them active and social.. They walked every night and the entire neighborhood knew her. Everyone morned when she finally died of congestive heart failure, at home, surrounded by everyone that loved her.
Now, at 90 my parents have a new puppy. She’s only about 45 lbs but was from the same lab rescue that I got my Diana pawPrints. They were not in the least prejudiced against my parents. Both are still active, although my Dad has slowed down. They both walk Dolly every night. My Dad is the trainer as Dolly can do her sit and down at 4 months. If both of them should pass away before Dolly does, Diana pawPrints and I will be adding her to our family. We always look out for our own in my family. No dog goes to a rescue or shelter. So my Mom says they are just fostering Dolly until she goes to live with me. She is the best thing that could have happened to them. They were devastated when Candy passed, but Dolly has given them a new joy. She is so outgoing and affectionate. The cuddler that Candy never was. Dolly will extend my parents’ life as they live for her.
So I would go toward the older couple. A stable home, stable finances, abundant attention. That dog will have a fabulous life with them.
Older couple; more stable and they own their home!! When I was a renter we had two large dogs which I had to rehome when my marriage went south. There is nothing more disheartening than to rehome your dogs. I have since remarried we own our home and adopted 3 retired racing greyhounds! After their passing we now have a 3 year old English lab that we have had since she was 7 weeks. You cannot beat a stable “older couple”.
I am surprised the shelter is leaning towards a young couple who rents just cuz they have a fence!
Older couple. A big dog would not need as much exercise as a medium or small dog so a fenced yard is not always necessary especially when the older couple is retired and can take the dog to a park or on walks around their property.