‘He can't find his food bowl in front of his face, usually. I also think he may have a touch of the doggy dementia, as well.’: Frozen neglected senior dog, rescued and adopted by an owner determined to give him a retirement full of joy, love and yogurt

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Nov 10, 2025 3:00 PM EST

We need to put this out there, especially has the holiday season is fast approaching and many of you are probably considering bringing a cute canine into your lives. Well, before you do, read this story and strongly consider the good that you could do by adopting a senior pupper. Sure, they might not be as spry as a puppy, but for the little that they might lack, they more than make up for with their years of wisdom.

And even if you put that aside for a moment, consider that doggos have done so much for us hoomans, heck they might even be a part of the reason we exist today. And they have always been there when we needed them most. So why should it be that when they need us most, which is when they grow older and get abandoned, do we neglect them and opt for a 'younger model'? If you were going to adopt anyway, adopt an older doggo this holiday season.

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    In January of this year I was given the chance to take in this old boy who clearly had been put through hell. He was just bones, 4lbs, with a nasty cut on his head. He was found in 24F weather one
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    morning hiding under a blackberry bush. Nothing else is known about his past. Once I got him to the vet his microchip showed a last updated entry from December of 2009....so I knew right away I was
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    dealing with a very tired sweet boy who just needed somewhere to relax. I immediately became very protective of him, and felt the need to get him back to his best self so that he may have a proper
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  • See, this is the kind of attitude we need a heck of a lot more of in our society. Older doggos are so often viewed as impotent and unimportant. As though their many years on this planet only detract from their worth. When in fact the opposite is far truer. They deserve the utmost respect for having made us hoomans happier than we could ever conceive for all those years.

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    retirement, full of joy and love. He was completely shut down emotionally at first. I began calling him Walter after my favorite wizard, Walter Padick, and my late Grandfather, a kind gentle soul
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    who I wish to be more like each day. He loves yogurt, powdered peanut butter mixed with water to get that hydration on, and also can't get enough of his pureed fresh food. I'm so grateful he
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    2
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    has a healthy appetite, he's now around 7lbs!! Walter is functionally blind and deaf. He can see some shadows and movements, but can't find his food bowl in front of his face, usually. I also
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    I have no memory of this place...
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    think he may have a touch of the doggy dementia, as well. His older brother Sweeney who just turned 17 is quite the opposite of him so they are funny to observe. He runs around like a puppy
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    and acts crazy, where as Walter is happy sleeping the days away and only likes cuddles sometimes, when he's sleepy. I love him so very much, my sweet little man.
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    Plus he sleeps in the most hilarious positions you could ever imagine. I work in a chemical engineering lab and he gets to come to work with me every day. He happily sleeps under my desk, gets love and affection from his
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    A00
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    growing fan club, and also keeps me from working too much overtime as he is never going to let me miss his dinner time. He has the cutest little woofs you've ever heard.
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  • It is not all too often that we find ourselves balling our eyes out over a doggo, but we sure are with this sweet pupper. Often, the most heartwarming dog tales are those where the doggo is saved by the person and the person is similarly saved by their pupper, even if it is being saved from working too much.

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    He also HATES kisses, no kissing Walter allowed. How will I survive? The past few years have been so hard, I wasn't sure if was going to make it for a few reasons. My body has been
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    trying pretty hard to kill me lately, and I was letting it win for a bit. I've peonl. that count on me every day to show up. So I do, no matter what. I hope you all hug
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    your loved ones close and have a good day today Much love from Walter and his new Dad xoxo.
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    when you're on the fifth "damn, thats crazy" and they keep on talking...
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Joy doggy dog owner food bowl find reddit story adopted love neglect senior dog dog story frozen yogurt retirement cant rescue
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