'I purposely asked to see the oldest dog': Wholesome man adopts adorable old dogs from a shelter, prompting people to share their sweet senior dogs adoption stories

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Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Jan 13, 2025 3:00 PM EST

Hello dog pawrents, how many years you have had your fluffy friend at home? Usually, if you haven't adopted your fluffy friendo recently, the answer to this question varies - but always is "X amount" of years. Dogs are friends for life - at least for theirs. Dogs' lives are shorter than ours, but they still manage to live for a considerable amount of time, bonding with their hoomans over years and years of joint friendship. That's why it makes it tenfold more sad to see an elderly doggo in a shelter.

Dogs are sometimes surrendered to a shelter even after spending a significant amount of time with their hooman - it's not only such a sad occurrence because a hooman gave up on their fluffy friend, but because they now have less of a chance to be re-adopted because they're not a smol puppy anymore. But despite all chances, some good-hearted hoomans who adopt elderly dogs exist. Such an example of a hearty hooman like that, who only adopts old dogs, was shared with the online doggo community - and it prompted dog pawrents to share their own old doggo adoption stories.

These stories might have a hint of sadness to them, but the thought of giving a home to a senior dog is so wholesome. When you open your home to an old dog, who probably wants a family so badly, you open your heart completely. These sweet, elderly dogs have such sweet adoption stories, and we respect the hearty hoomans who adopted them so much. They win the wholesome doggo prize, truly.

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  • 01
    Man devotes his life to adopting old dogs who can't find forever homes r/all
    via u/Rook8811

  • This OP is referring to Steve Greig, a man who decided to do something good after a tragic event - when his original dog was hit by a car. Greig decided that from then on, he would open his home for elderly dogs from the shelter, giving them the love and family they need in their twilight years.

    This way, Greig helped, and keeps on helping senior dogs - but also helped himself to heal from his first dog's passing.

  • 02
    According Ad860 Top 1% Commenter When I got my last dog from a local shelter, I purposely asked to see the oldest dog there. He was a 10 yr old white lab named Miles. He was so incredibly sweet, loved my daughter, and needed no training at all. He was such a great dog, I couldn't fathom why anyone wouldn't want him.
    via u/According_Ad860
  • 03
    Unfortunately he had 2 fatty tumors, one on his side and one on his chest. After both of them got pretty massive, I went to have them removed. They told us that the one on his chest was pushing his trachea, choking him. The one on his side was pushing his heart. Even if they removed them, he had maybe 3 months of agonizing pain left. I had to make the horrible decision to put him down that day, 1 month before we moved. I have his ashes in my living room, and my daughter sometimes talks to him. W
    via u/According_Ad860

  • It's no secret that old doggos, like old hoomans, can have health issues - but this is exactly why these older dogs need the extra love, affection, and care. If they go through all these things with a supporting and loving family of hearty hoomans (and maybe other animals as well) - they can spend the rest of their lives being happy and safe.

  • 04
    Keelback You made what time he had left wonderful. Don't forget that. He could have died in the dog shelter. You are brilliant.
    via u/Keelback
  • 05
    WalkerlnDarkness My neighbor keep adopting tiny geriatric dogs that move at a slow shuffle at best. I think she has the hook-up with the local shelters because all of them are sub 15 pound, slow and half blind. She's had 8 dogs in five years.
    via u/WalkerlnDarkness
  • 06
    rnaggie53 Labs are some of the best dogs ever. I grew up with many of them in my house. But when I was a teenager, I took in a 10 year old yellow lab after a family member died. She was the best girl ever. I loved her so much like she was my baby, but she also took care of me like an elder while I was going through such a hard time. She was everything to me
    via u/rnaggie53
  • 07
    through such a hard time. She was everything to me & we helped each other. Honey & Miles definitely went to the same doggy heaven. I wishhhhh my family would get another lab but maybe I can get one when I'm a little more grown up. Just had to share on top of yours. Merry Christmas
    via u/rnaggie53
  • 08
    Padawk I'm not crying, you're crying 18 ○ Reply ... AdmiralVernon I'm crying
    via u/Padawk
  • 09
    133774rd
    via u/133774rd
  • 10
    Our big ol' sweet foster boy Ralph. We don't know how old he is, but he's got plenty of life left in him & all he wants is to love & be loved...& Eat, eat, eat, sleep & fart (loudly). It's a shame no one wants older dogs. Best of boys 11/10!
    via u/133774rd
  • 11
    Prior_Butterfly_7839 Please give Ralph pets from me and tell him I said he is a good boy.
    via u/Prior_Butterfly_7839
  • 12
    Comfortable-Cozy-140. This makes me so happy. Older and sick doggos deserve all of the love and chances. I found the goofiest-looking photo of a "purebred husky" (100% a Malamute mix) I'd ever seen on a local shelter site, and learned he was 7+ years old, 130+ pounds, significant arthritis, and had a
    via u/Comfortable-Cozy-140
  • 13
    significant arthritis, and had a reoccurring soft sarcoma in his leg and shoulder. The shelter described him as a "grumpy old man" and were visibly scared of him, so people just kept passing him over. Said f it, met him alone, and he went belly-up for pets in a whopping 3 minutes because... He was still just a puppy and a lapdog at heart. He just
    via u/Comfortable-Cozy-140
  • 14
    and a lapdog at heart. He just needed a chance. Knew he was my dog, and we shared several amazing years together. The cancer did reoccur, but we managed carefully, and he had a happy doggy life complete with frankly brilliant shenanigans. O regrets.
    via u/Comfortable-Cozy-140
  • 15
    unknowndatabase I went to the pound looking to adopt a puppy and ended up adopting a twelve year old boxer named Tigger. His kidneys were failing and they gave him months to live. Took him to at least let him die with some dignity.
    via u/unknowndatabase
  • 16
    But Tigger the boxer was saved from a Kansas pound and died in the beautiful mountains of Northern California. RIP Tigger. Love you you stinky old boy. Glad we got to spend some time together.
    via u/unknowndatabase
  • 17
    KingDarius89 Both of my last two dogs. were older rescues. We didn't feel like dealing with a hyperactive puppy and we figured we could make their last few years comfortable.
    via u/KingDarius89
  • 18
    Mitzy was a Shihtzu who'd never been outside before we got her and loved laying in the snow. We'd have to fight her to get her to come back inside.
    via u/KingDarius89
  • 19
    Gizmo was a papillon. He was so quiet when we first got him that we assumed that he had been abused for making noise before we got him. Right up until we took him to the vet to get his teeth cleaned and they removed over 20 of them because they were rotting in his mouth and only held in by plaque.
    via u/KingDarius89
  • 20
    He became a lot louder and ate more after they were removed. He was so incredibly happy after he recovered from having so many teeth removed when we brought him home.
    via u/KingDarius89
  • 21
    river_city. My wife and I just started doing this. It's been a dream. of ours for a while as we are not having kids but we always thought we would need to wait as we figured it would be expensive. And while it has been, we work with a local dog rescue non profit and they actually pay for surgeries, diet specific
    via u/river_city
  • 22
    for surgeries, diet specific food, and will even come to our home to take care of our dogs when we are away. Made it much more simple and less expensive than we thought and so worth it. It's a community funded effort and been a lot of fun bring apart of.
    via u/river_city
  • 23
    Our little elderly dogs are bonded and were found abandoned in a trailer eating trash. This first time we gave them a blanket, they cried, and slept for hours. Sweetest things to ever happen to us, despite some of the minor problems they came with.
    via u/river_city
  • 24
    boozleloozle
    via u/boozleloozle
  • 25
    My derp is around 16. We got him at 12. His sister got adopted immediately but due to his arthritis none wanted him. He is a bit slow, doesn't have the best eyesight and if he decides that he doesn't want to listen there is no way to change his mind. Lately he
    via u/boozleloozle
  • 26
    to change his mind. Lately he got epileptic cramps, the vet says it's probably due to a brain tumor but the medicine is working well and his cramps went away a few days after starting them. But he is the sweetest and best boi I could wish for. I'm happy and proud to be able to give him a home and the love he deserves.
    via u/boozleloozle
  • 27
    LynnKDeborah We just adopted two senior dogs who's owner became disabled.
    via u/LynnKDeborah
  • 28
    Cheezburger Image 10453641472
    via u/LynnKDeborah
  • 29
    Nathaniel66 My old neighbour took an old dog from shelter. In short time his health improved so much (due to necessary walks and most likely a reason to live) he took another 2.
    via u/Nathaniel66
  • 30
    LaZorChicken04 I do the same. I have a 13yo that I adopted when she was 10. I also foster senior dogs and hospice. Everyone always wants the young dogs and puppies. The old ones need love too. In my experience, senior dogs are way easier to adopt and foster. They are usually already trained and chill
    via u/LaZorChicken04
  • 31
    -PepurrPotts • That man is the goodest boy.
    via u/PepurrPotts
  • 32
    primordial_rat • I work at a shelter and these people are our saviors
    via u/primordial_rat

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