Many people think that older dogs are “set in their ways” and can’t adjust to a new environment, but that is simply not true. Many senior dogs are more than able to adapt to a new home. What people are really saying is that they themselves are not able to adapt to the idea of a senior dog – even though older dogs are generally calmer, housebroken, trained and aren’t impressed by a lot of things that freak younger dogs out. For someone looking for a companion who enjoys leisurely walks and is content to relax most of the day, a senior Shiba is a lot better bet than a freakazoid 1 year old whose main ambitions are to chew through the living room wall.
Current list of senior Shibas and Shiba mixes that need homes
(The above is based on my location, so you might have to re-enter the information to get a list closer to home)
Shibas can live beyond 16 and there are plenty of dogs out there that need homes and are beyond the age that most dogs are easily adopted by. A training class and a regular schedule can speedily adapt a senior dog to a new lifestyle. This is a great idea to put into the heads of friends and family who are considering a new dog.
Miles- A Senior Gentleman
Here is a listing for “Miles” in the San Francisco Bay Area who needs a home. Currently posted on the Shiba Inu Forum.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=5153&page=1#Item_0
When we decided to find a second shiba, we started looking for younger 2-3 year old dogs. Who would have guessed that our addition would be a 10 year old shiba female who shows no signs of slowing down. She is the perfect edition to our house. It’s not about age; it’s all about personality
Crazy timing that you would post about senior Shibas! Three years ago, I adopted Secret at 6 years of age and I felt like she was “old.” Now, Snickers is 6, Secret is 9, and last week we adopted Brandy who is SIXTEEN! I’m not 100% convinced she’s really 16 though. She’s got a lot of gray and almost no teeth, but she’s so spunky! She’s also the easiest dog I’ve ever integrated into the pack. The older ones really are special gems.
Brandy who is 16 years old is she a black n tan. Was she given up by a black lady who may have lived in Oakland, ca or worked in San Francisco? I am looking to see if that is my old dog from 06 she was 3 years old than. Due to reasons beyond my control I had to give her up and I want to make sure she is happy. I have two shibas now but I still think about Brandy black n tan shiba she would be 13 years old now.
Minor correction to posting on “Miles”. He is being taken care of in the San Jose, CA area.