Oldies, But Goodies

Here, in rescue, the most common problem is often easily ignored. Age.
People will ring us asking about Collies, and will say they don't want anything over 4 because that is "too old". People are distancing themselves from older dogs purely because of the misconceptions over age.
Let's go through these misconceptions and see what we can do to help the older generation of dogs looking for homes:

1. "I won't have very long with the dog. That's why I want a puppy."
If you buy a puppy, there's no guarantee that he or she will live to a ripe old age. Any number of illnesses, accidents or unforseen cirsumstances can take a dog OF ANY AGE away from ANY of us.

2. "Four years old is TOO OLD!"
I beg your pardon? Try telling that to those hardy old Farm Collies who are still rounding up sheep at the age of 15+!
0-4 is baby to teenager, 4-12 is adult to middle age and 12-18 or more is the twilight years for a Collie.
For a family pet, we always advise people to consider taking a dog of 4 years and up.

3. "If I take an oldie, they won't bond with me."
Older dogs are more grateful for the care and attention they get - and pay you back with the kind of love and affection that younger dogs are too bouncy to give. Sometimes it can take a few weeks to bond, other times it is instant.

4. "You can't teach old dogs new tricks."
Oldies can be as responsive and sometimes can learn even more quickly than the young ones. Their calm grateful nature means that often they are so willing to please you they learn with great skill and dexterity. As with any training you'll need patience, but the rewards are fabulous.

5. "There's all the vets bills...."
In our experience, the oldies go to the vet LESS OFTEN than the young 'uns! The oldies don't get themselves in trouble, and they tend to command respect from the young dogs. Unless an oldie has a long term illness which will take constant care, then there may not be as many costs as you think. In the end, you have to make the choice about whether you can help or not.

6. "He / She won't be very active.."
Some people look for that in a dog. They'll get themselves a Collie Puppy and then try to train the bounciness out of them! That's like expecting a toddler full of sweets and e-numbers to be happy in a room with no toys. A calm oldie is a perfect dog for the older person looking for a companion. And even if you want a more energetic dog, some oldies are VERY active. Perhaps they're too old to work sheep or do agility anymore, but they'll still enjoy a good run around and play ball. Perhaps they'll sleep for longer afterwards or they'll be stiff for a few days, but who isn't after some rigorous excercise?

7. "I don't want a dog with arthritis."
It comes to us all. Would you like to tell an elderly relative that they're not welcome in your house because they have arthritis? These are dogs looking for care and a little love!

8. "I don't want to go through the heartache of a doggie bereavement too soon."
This is probably the most emotionally difficult part of having an Oldie in your home. It is very understandable, and we empathise. Still, the rewards you gain from giving an Oldie a home far outweigh the heartache.

We had a little girl who was around 16 or 17 years old come to stay with us from another rescue. They could see that she was depressed and very unhappy. They said she only had a few weeks to live. Flossie came to stay with us for as long a time as she had.

We were very upset at losing Flossie, even though we'd only known her for a short time. We thought we'd only have a couple of weeks with her, but the right environment (out of kennels!) and a little love did wonders. From an unhappy few weeks in a drab kennel, she lived life to the full in our home environment. It affected us greatly, and we even have a picture of her up on our wall; she's laying in her favourite bright pink bed. She managed to give us so many good memories that it's been worth the heartache. We gave her a second stab at a happy life, and she took it with both paws.

9. "But there are so many reasons why we shouldn't have an oldie.."
We're often struck by the fact that people are focussed on the reasons why they SHOULDN'T have an oldie; We are hoping that by writing this we can show that people should be looking at reasons why they SHOULD have an oldie. We've had other oldies here like Ned (who was only with us for a couple of weeks before he passed away) and Old Ben (who was grateful for a roof over his head and a bed of his own). We wouldn't swap those experiences because you're taking an oldie out of a kennel and into a home enviroment.

10. "If they are in rescue, there must be something wrong with them already."
It's worth remembering that these oldies are very rarely put into rescue because of something they did; it is usually because their owners have died, circumstances have changed or the owners are elderly and can't cope with a dog anymore. They get put into kennels through no fault of their own after a lifetime of giving love and attention.

By now, you might be asking: "What's in it for me?"

Well, when you think about the heartache you're going to suffer or the monetary cost of looking after an oldie, please spare a thought for the heartache that those oldies have suffered going into kennels; and please think about the chance you can give for an oldie to be able to LIVE AGAIN. Without coming to us, Flossie would have spent her last days in a kennel, scared and confused. Everyone she'd ever known had gone, and she would have died the loneliest creature in the world. We can all do something to make sure this doesn't happen by offering a home to an oldie, whose love and gratefulness will fill your heart with a sense of pride. It's something you can do to help that will really make a difference to Oldies who have no home.

In the end, We would like to think that we've all got a space in our houses for a Flossie of our own.

Now Meet the Residents of:

'The Rainbow Bridge Departure Lounge'
All flights are delayed for as long as possible

All our Rainbow Bridge Departure Lounge Residents on this page have come us as foster dogs,
or we have offered to take them from other kennels.

They are wonderful older dogs, who for whatever reason find themselves unable to stay with their families,
or who have been discarded by people simply because they are old.

Sadly, because they are older, people look past them when thinking about offering a new home to a dog.
It is a great shame, because an older dog still has a lot of love, time and friendship to offer -
and all they ask for in return is a warm, safe place to sleep, regular meals and a gentle walk once a day.

We seem to be turning into a Border Collie Retirement Home, as I can not say no to the Golden Oldies.
At their time of life - they deserve nothing but love and safety


If you would like to sponsor one of our Golden Oldies,
they would be very grateful and promise to provide you
with regular updates of how they are getting on.

Grandad Brynn

Brynn joined us from Bryn Kennels in Wales.

Originally named Burt by Jo and Darren at the Kennels, this old boy had been found abandoned....probably come down from one of the hill farms.

The day I met Brynn, I had originally gone down to see a pup that Jo and Darren were looking to home, however when I saw Brynn it was love at first sight....

Grandad Brynn as he is known by his friends, family and many admirers is an absolute angel, a real gentleman. He is a LEGEND in the rescue world and has friends across the country.

GB is now estimated to be in his early 20's!

He is wonderful with everyone and everything. When Brynn arrived, he only spoke Welsh, however he is now bi-lingual! )
Brynn is impecably behaved. He is excellent with puppies, showing a huge amount of wisdom and patience with them. Puppies all adore Brynn.

Brynn is a loving, trusting and happy soul - who is more than happy with laying in the back garden watching the world go by.

Tally

Tally is a 13yr old Blue Merle Border Collie who has lived with her previous owners since she was 9wks old. She was a much loved pet.

Tally can be quiet and reserved, a little shy. She is nervous when meeting new people and animals, and this sometimes comes out in nervous aggression, however once she gets to know you, she is very tactile and loves a cuddle. She is much improved from when she first arrived.

She likes to play games, and loves to go for her walks....which she will remind you about! She loves gardening!

Tally absolutely adores cats and kitten. She has settled in well with all the hussle and bussle here, and likes to be with the other dogs.

Tally is a permanent resident at Wiccaweys

Rebecca

Rebecca is a 13yr old Black & White collie girl. Her elderly owner had to go into sheltered accomodation and couldn't take Rebecca or her friends with him.

Rebecca and her friends e had a bit of a tough life, and did suffer some rather nasty and personal abuse over the years at the hands of another family member. When they first arrived they were all very frightened and wary of men.

Sadly, 2 months after arriving at Wiccaweys, Rebecca's 15yr old friend Lindsey passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

We were worried that Rebecca would pine for Lindsey, but she has settled in so well and is so happy here we decided it would not be fair for her to move on again at her age, and she is now an official retirement home resident.

Rebecca is a permanent resident at Wiccaweys

Basil

Basil is a 19 year old chap who has joined the Wiccaweys Retirement home (31/7/06).
Yes, you did read that right - 19 years old!

Basil's family have lost their home and can't take him with them, so he has come to us.

Basil is a lovely old chap - he has settled in really well, and enjoys pottering around the garden and the company of attractive younger ladies!
Tally has been flirting with him big time!

Basil is a permanent resident at Wiccaweys