Beagle good companion for elderly?

[mattl]

I've been kicking around the idea of getting an older dog to give my 94 yo dad something to focus on. I was on the pet rescue website and saw a beagle/dachshund mix. she is about 6 years old. I called for more info but the lady said she was abused and after a year she still isn't ready to be adopted. But she just got a 2 yo male beagle. A 75 yo man was going to turn him loose so she took him in. Says he's very well trained, if you say "No!" he stops what he is doing. He didn't start barking when the mail came as all her other dogs did. He is pure bred and has papers, but I told her that does not matter to me.

Any input?

 

[jeffg]

Beagles can be great pets. They can also be very stubborn. It depends on the individual.

But the first step IMO is to determine whether your dad is capable of properly caring for a dog, and step two is to ask your dad if he wants one.

 

[maytagbear]

The beagles I have known

have had cheerful dispositions, but have all been high energy and a bit excitable.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[ronhic]

I love the breed

BUT...

Would have serious reservations for an elderly person.

A lady I work with who is 33, married and has 2 young children recently bought a beagle pup. He is a lovely dog, but if not kept occupied can be destructive.

I would have thought that an older Golden Retriever or Labrardor Retriever could be good...mind they moult, but are known to be gentle and are the number 1 choice for Guide Dogs for the blind in many countries including the US and Australia.

http://www.grcv.org.au/The Golden Retriever New.html
Or, how about a 'mini-lassie'.

http://www.sscv1936.com/
...and

We have 2 Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers

http://www.wheatensaustralasia.org/nsw/wheatens.html
Bernard is on the left and Gladys on the right....they are gentle dogs, need lots of love, low/no shed coat and if kept short the brushing is about as hard as doing your own head. A professional 'wash, cut and blow wave' every 6-8 weeks and you will never have a dog that smells 'doggy'. Additionally, they only need light exercise. Ours get 20min walk a day, but they young dogs. They are fine, if sullen and sulk, with that every couple of days. An OLDER Wheaten will still be quite puppyish in its affection but will need much less exercise and will be happy just to be inside with you.

They also, from our experience, recognise breed. They can happily ignore other dogs and will go nuts when they see another wheaten. We take ours to a local dog run with the owner of bernards sister, mother and grandmother and occassionally, another, older male of 14yrs. A younger and older male do not generally mix well and 'Ardee' decided that Bernard was fair game...well to our surprise, Dolly (bernards mother) got between the 2 males, had a loud bark at Bernard and then stood between them...it was a sight to behold...mother protecting son. Additionally, Bernard and Audrey (sister) will play together and just let the others do what they want. The breed seems to have a famillial sense that others lack.

From a food perspective, we tend to do the following. This would last an adult about a week and would be supplemented with 4 chicken wings and about 7 cups of good, dry food which has a low wheat content...I prefer to buy a 'meat and rice' style mix...and vary it from a beef and rice/lamb and rice. They like variety as much as any person does (I know, sounds odd, but it is true)

1 lb human quality ground beef/lamb/veal/chicken or can of tuna in spring water - vary the protein.
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 lb bag of COOKED frozen mixed vege. (no onion or corn content) or the equiv in cooked peas, carrot, cauliflower and broccoli.

lightly cook raw meat then mix the rest through. Every couple of weeks, add a scrambled egg. If the ground meat is low fat, add 1 Tblsp of olive oil.

Divide into 7 and freeze 5. When you use the 2nd one at night, take one out of the freezer for the next day and put in the fridge.

1/2c dry food and in the morning (use the 4 chicken wings here and there in the morning
1/2c dry and the prepared food at night.

It may sound a pain, but I can promise that it takes 15min once a week for 1 dog and you really do notice it...remember, what goes in has to come out....small, non-stinky stools (ok, less smelly than they could be) are much more preferable to other sorts.

http://www.beagleclubnsw.org.au/about_the_breed.htm

 

[ronhic]

Bernard reclining in the hall....

 

[ronhic]

How embarrassing.....

..... you don't want cream carpet with an indoor/outdoor dog...

and some more of the 'kids' here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hurleyinoz

 

[andrewinorlando]

A beagle is really not a dog for a 94 year old man...it is a hunting dog, and very high energy that needs to be kept occupied, exercised and amused much of the day, or they can become very bored and destructive. Beagles have very few, if any serious health problems so they do make good pets, for the right person.

Maybe a smaller breed like a Maltese?

 

[xraytech]

I would also suggest not going for a beagle for an elderly person. I would also suggest in my opinion not getting someone of such advanced age a pet because often times they have a hard time caring for themselves and the pet will not get the proper care and attention it needs.

One situation with a friends neighbor comes to mind,the neighbor was a lady of about 85 years old and was taken care of by her 62 year old daughter, the son who is about 44 bought them a beagle to be their companion, bad idea, Kay, the 85 yr old was wheelchair bound from a stroke and Nan, her daughter was quickly progressing through the stages of alzheimers, because Kay and nan couldnt hardly care for themselves the dog trashed the whole house and because Nan never remembered feeding the dog it was fed so often it ended up extremely obese, then after a few incidents they were sent to a nursing home and then the poor dog was stuck with nowhere to go because no one could take him.This is just one example of why I dont think it is a good idea.

But if you still feel you want to get your father a dog, I would suggest a smaller lap dog that is easier to handle and content just laying around and napping.Also see if your father would want to have a dog because some elderly people just dont want bothered with having to care fora pet.

Sam

 

[whirlcool]

I agree and older lab would be great. We adopted a 7 year old Chocolate lab from the shelter a few months ago and he is a great dog. Since he is older all that wild ass behavior is long gone. He is a true companion dog. When we got him he was very sick with all kinds of infections. But we nursed him back to health and he is really a calm dog. All he wants to do is to be with us. In 6 weeks I had him completely obedience trained, he even walks nicely on a leash.
But since labs can weigh a lot who would be responsible for bathing the dog? And for any dog you may find for your father, make sure that arrangements are made for the care of the dog in case your father passes. Everyone should do this. At our shelter we get a LOT of dogs in that came from deceased people as the surviving family just didn't want to deal with the pets. It's sad knowing that these animals were greatly loved by someone who is no longer with us.

 

[alr2903]

Whirlcool, how very sad for those once beloved pets. Our clan has always "readopted" within the family, when a death occurs. It must be heart breaking to see those frightened creatures out of their comfort zone. Do you think it's the economy or folks just too busy to care for the orphaned pets?

 

[spankomatic]

I agree with JeffG. Your Dad has to want and be able to take care of it. Does your Dad live alone or will he have some help with this dog. I also think it is very important that your Dad be a part of the experience. Take him down to the pound and let HIM pick out the dog. Let that "magic" happen when a person "connects" with a dog they see. I like the idea of an older lab. I have had 3. I also think sometimes smaller dogs are easier for elderly. They are not as heavy to pick up,fit in the car better for travel,smaller doo doo too. Pekinise or Pug comes to mind. Will this be an indoor dog or outdoor dog. Big back yard? Small apartment? All things to consider.

Jim

 

[mattl]

No He doesn't live alone he lives with me. And I know that if I brought it up he say no right away, but if the dog was just 'here" he'd adapt to it right away. My cousin suggesedt I get one on a trial basis to see how it works out.

I don't want a large dog, or one that sheds much, and I have read conflicting reports on beagles, some say little shedding and other say quite a bit of shedding. I'm looking for an older dog that's trained and the other consideration is that it not be too doggy smelling, I know some breeds are worse than others.

I'm also thinking it should be a good "guard' dog for him, so if/when he falls the dog would alert me or a neighbor that he needs help. He's stubborn and won't use a cane or walker out in the yard and a barking dog would certainly help in that situation.

We had a wire haired terrier for 19 years and she was a terror, did so much damage in her younger years, don't want to deal with that. I know there are lots of dogs in shelters and such but that being the case I can't be too picky as to breed and such. I won't go out and get a pure bred when there are so many animals that need a home.

 

[spankomatic]

if the dog was just 'here" he'd adapt to it rig

Now I get the picture..... Good idea. Sounds like you already have a good idea of what you are looking for. I think you will "know" when you see it. I have heard Beagles can bark a lot just for info.

Good Luck!
Jim

 

[mixergal]

My opinion, as a beagle owner...

Hi, I'm Sherri - I'm new here.

Is your dad still active at all? Is the dog mostly a couch potato, or is he high energy? I have a beagle - have had him for almost 6 years (he's about 10 now), and he was a rescue dog. I was warned against getting a beagle because they are usually very exciteable and get into trouble when they get bored. While this is all very true (typically), it also depends on the individual animal. My dog's name is Parker - and you can barely coax him off the couch long enough to go outside (especially if it is raining/snowing). No messes in the house, and he is very good about telling us when he has to go, but when he comes back in he plops right back down and goes to sleep. If he were any more laid back I'd have to check for a pulse. My brother's beagle is worse! He and his partner practically have to beg her to get off the couch to go outside (even if its nice out!)

Because of the type of hunting you do with a beagle, they are bred to have short spurts of activity followed by periods of rest (my hubby says, "they're sprinters, not marathon runners"). When Parker wants to play, he's good for about 20-30 minutes, and then he's done for the day and wants to cuddle on the couch while you post threads on internet forums

So, I would ask the person who is fostering the animal what the individual dog's personality is like. Would she recommend the dog for an elderly person? Do you have a dog park nearby or a fenced-in yard? That's all he will really need for exercise. I agree that you should ask the person who has the beagle if you could keep the dog for a week or so to see if he fits in to your household. Everyone has their own energy level, and you should pick a dog that fits yours. Yes, you can get some idea of that based on the breed, but the individuality of the animal should also be taken into account.

Hey - I see you're in Flushing MI - that's where my brother lives - you're just around the corner from me! If the beagle doesn't work out for you, let me know - my brother or I might take him in! Flushing has a dog park, but you have to "belong" to it - I guess it's a private club for dogs. My brother told me about it, but I guess I wasn't listening There's always the riverwalk - so nice this time of year! Or I'll give you my brother's phone number. He's always broke, so he'd probably walk your dog with his for cig money

As for shedding, it's the undercoat that sheds. My dog seems to shed all the time (I always see loose hairs on him), but I don't notice lots of his fur around the house. His coat should feel a bit dry, coarse, and wiry. Hounds have fairly dry skin, so you don't want to wash them too much. I usually wash Parker when he gets too funky, has rolled in something nasty, or his fur starts to get oily - so, maybe once or twice a month.

One thing that's fairly universal from everyone I know with beagles - and its true with Parker too - they absolutely cannot be trusted off-lead. Once that nose hits the ground, it is all over - the brain shuts down, and he is in tracking mode. And yes, beagles are hard to train - short attention span. But if you want a dog who's sweet, loving, merry, loves to cuddle, eager to please you, and just fun to be around - a beagle is definately for you!

Hope this helped!

-Sherri

Ps: here's my Parker and my hubby

 

[mixergal]

Oh and they are prone to obesity...

...so watch how much you feed him. Especially if he won't be getting a lot of exercise.

Case in point: here's my brother's chubby beagle Saffy - you may have seen her around town! My bro doesn't live far from downtown.

 

[kenmoreforever]

My wife just had to put down her Beagle-Daschound mix doggie. Man that was a cool dog. We called her DD, short for delivery dog. As she loved to go on deliveries with me. She will be missed dearly. I see no reason why a mix like that wouldn't be good for an elderly person. I may be wrong though.

 

[whirlcool]

Bringing your father to the shelter to let him pick out his own dog is a marvelous idea. In fact, our shelter will not adopt out pets to be given as a "gift". The person who is going to have the dog in the end must come and adopt it.

Another thing, most shelters usually have a "return" policy. If the original dog does not work out they often let you "exchange" it for another. Just be sure to tell them when you return it why you are returning it so they don't euthanise it.

If you are looking for a non-shedding dog, stick with the breeds listed in this link. But beware, most dogs that don't shed will require a trip to the grooming shop and this can cost up to $75.00 a trip every 6-8 weeks or so.

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/dog-breed-shedding.aspx

 

[rp2813]

Beagles I have known have either been destructive, incessantly loud, or both. I don't think that would be a good fit for a 94-year old. A cat is a lot less work, but if you're looking for a bit of security, then a cat won't cut it for that. A recent episode of "The Dog Whisperer" had a case with an out of control beagle. Cesar (the whisperer guy) advised the owners flat out that if you have a beagle in the city, it's going to howl. Period. No thanks.

Be very careful with the rescue thing. Back in the 70's my friend's mom sent us up to San Francisco to get a rescued golden retriever that she intended to give to her parents. The dog was absolutely psycho and tried to wedge itself under the driver's seat in the car. It slinked around everywhere. Needless to say, my friend's grandparents had the dog for a day or two and then said, thanks but no thanks and gave the dog back. My friend's family had to deal with that psycho dog for years. And when we were at the shelter we both spotted a big beautiful dog, kind of a great dane/weimeriner mix with tons of intelligence behind its beautiful yellow eyes. We both wanted to bring that dog home instead. When I think of things I would do over again differently, this particular incident always comes to mind first.

Be very careful and make sure any rescue dog doesn't have something going on that caused its previous owner to throw up their hands and dump it on a shelter, or was maybe somehow messed up beyond repair by the previous owner.

Ralph

 

[mattl]

Hey, thanks for all the advice. I guess the beagle may not be the right fit because I want a dog that won't wander off if not on a lead. I wasn't until our terrier was well into her teens that it was safe to let her out unsecured.

My dad is moderately active, more so after he recovers from his latest surgery. He likes to work in the yard even though he should not. It's a balance between sitting around all day or letting him do things. I'm dealing with a little dementia here, he thinks he's capable of doing things he's not, makes bad decisions. Having a dog to alert me to problems would be a big help. Almost wish there was a trained elder care dog, like seeing eye dogs available.

Keep the info coming, I'm learning a lot!

 

[spankomatic]

This web site might be of some help....

http://www.eukanuba.com/EukGlobal/US/en/jsp/home/LocalHome.jsp

 

[mattl]

Hmmm, I'm not sure about that site. I went through the pet finder and it came up with a Chinese Shar-Pei, Hygen Hound or a Uruguayan Cimarron.

Are there any service dogs for seniors?

 

[mixergal]

Maybe a specially trained dog for your father's needs?

I have a friend who trains dogs to be helpers for older patients. The name of the organization is PAWS. You might want to look into that. They carefully breed and train their dogs specifically to work with older or hadicapped people. I can get you in touch with my friend (also here in Bay City) if you want more info.

Frankly I think this is your best bet. You're not likely to find a dog from rescue or the pound with all of your requirements. It sounds like you need a working dog. But don't get me wrong - they are wonderful companion dogs too. The orgainization uses yellow and chocolate labs. I have met a few, and only the best tempered and trained make it through to graduation.

Ralph - I'm sorry you've had such bad luck with rescu dogs! And for the first time ever, I will have to disagree with Caesar Milan. My beagle doesn't bark - unless he wants back in from outside - and even then it's just one, sharp, punctuated bark to let me know. Other than that you wouldn't know he had a bark - and we live in a city larger than where Matt lives on a very busy street.

Maybe I just have a weirdo dog (wouldn't suprise me)

But seriously, Matt - maybe you should look into PAWS - they are trained for exactly what you are looking for.

Here's the link:

http://www.pawswithacause.org/

 

[sudsmaster]

The Japanese came out with a hand held "pet" device that you have to monitor, feed, bathe, pet, groom, etc... Apparently it was a big hit in Japan a couple of years ago. Maybe there's an English language version?

 

[mattl]

Sherri, thanks for the suggestion. I'll give them a call next week and see if we are a fit for the PAWs program. My dad does have a seizure disorder, but as of late it's been controlled by meds, but sometimes he gets stubborn and wont take them.

 

[ronhic]

I've been thinking some more on this.

Have you thought about contacting the Guidedog association and seeing (pun?) if you can get a retired guide dog? They have a good working life, but cannot work until the expire so need good homes (like we do). I would expect there to be a waiting list, but when told it was for a companion dog for a 94yr old, that may make a difference.

They are impeccably trained and virtually 'unspookable' as they have to deal with traffic etc.

 

[kenmoreforever]

speaking of service dogs, have any of you guys read up on the newly classified service dogs for diabetics? These dogs can actually alarm their owners of blood sugar problems! Amazing to say the least. I am hypoglycemic and I truly know what diabetics are going through although I'm not diabetic.

 

[whirlaway]

Beagle

Im on my second beagle,the first was a copper and white one and so is this one,wonderful dogs.My neighborhood has about 10 in it,mostly elderly folks.They love their dogs,beagles seem to sense old people and children and are gentle with them.Skipper was easy to train,but thats the key with any animal.They all have to be trained.He has me trained also.

 

[mattl]

Sherri, gave PAWs a call today, looks interesting, but it may not be feasible. I talked to Mary on the 800 number and she indicated it's along process and with my dad's age it might be an issue. She is sending out an app. and info.

I'll let you know what we find out.