Best Pets for Seniors - Part 3 - Best Dogs for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

View the Rest of the Series

Part 1 - Benefits & Drawbacks
Part 2 - Tips, Alternatives, & Helpful Programs
Part 3 - Best Dogs for Seniors
Part 4 - Best Cats for Seniors
Part 5 - Best Birds for Seniors
Part 6 - Best Rodents for Seniors
Part 7 - Aquariums & Aquarium Plants
Part 8 - Best Aquarium Fish for Seniors

Introduction

When it comes to man's best friend there are several things to keep in mind when it comes to determining which dog (if any) is the right fit for a senior.

Benefits of Dogs

• As pets, dogs are particularly good for providing physical activity & exercise, socializing with other people during their walks, play time, or visits to vets, as well as providing hands on affectionate daily companionship.
• In studies, it's been noted that dog owners walked significantly more than other type of pet owner.
• The act of grooming for non-high maintenance dogs can act as a good hand exercise for the elderly.

Drawbacks of Dogs

• Of the many suitable pets for seniors, dogs have among the highest amount of requirements & responsibilities. The specific mobility & limitations of the prospective dog owner are of particular importance.
• A basic level of mobility is required by the owner or an available dog caretaker for feeding, bathing, providing any necessary medicine, grooming, exercising, providing bathroom breaks, as well as cleaning up any accidents.
• Unlike some other lower maintenance pets such as fish, dogs will require daily attention & will need to have petsitters (whether friends, family, professional private sitter or kennel) if the owner is away or otherwise incapacitated.
• Even smaller dogs suitable for small living spaces such as assisted living or apartments will require either daily walking or access to a fenced in yard, porch, or other methods for exercise & going to the bathroom.
• Dogs are amongst the most expensive of senior suitable pets requiring regular vet check-ups, larger amounts of food than smaller pets, & other assortments of supplies such as chew toys, collars, leashes, beds, and possible micro-chipping.
• Dogs are more likely to be involved in tripping, falling, and other balance accidents as compared to other pets. They also pose other potential medical hazards such as chewing on oxygen tubes or other necessary equipment.
• As dogs are amongst the longer lived of pets being capable of living up to 15 years depending upon their size & breed, they will require succession plans in the case of anything happening to their owner.

Tips & Advice

Things to Keep in Mind when Choosing a Specific Dog Breed or Individual 

• For non-active seniors, dogs should be sought that are non-aggressive, calm & easy going, with low energy and low maintenance. Seniors that are often visited by grandkids should also aim for kid friendly dogs. The quietness (or "yappiness") of a dog should also be taken into consideration when a senior lives in a group setting such as assisted living, retirement homes, or smaller apartments.
• Low shedding dogs that require minimal grooming (including brushing, bathing, and otherwise maintaining their fur or skin) are particularly necessary for those who may lack hand dexterity or strength or those who may not have access to another groomer, whether friend or professional.
• Keep in mind that different dog breeds tend to have different exercise, grooming, trainability, noisiness, health concerns, and life expectancies. However, the actual personality of a dog should be paramount even if they're from a normally recommended breed as each dog has their own specific temperament with outliers from what is normally expected. In general, one should meet & play with a prospective adoptee dog  before deciding to take them in.
• Both the overall health of a breed (such as short nosed brachycephalic dogs often developing breathing problems) as well as the individual health history of particular dog should also be taken into consideration. Daily insulin shots for a diabetic dog may end up being more cumbersome a decade down the road when the owner is nearing 80 instead of 70.
• In general mutts & mixes tend to have fewer health problems than pure bred counterparts, but can have more variable temperaments.
• Mature adult dogs are recommended over puppies, adolescents, and geriatric dogs. Mature dogs should already be house trained & tend to be calmer and require less maintenance over younger dogs that will require more time & monetary investment in their training (with puppies being known to cost upwards of $800 in their first year of care).  Geriatric dogs may require more veterinary attention, come with pre-existing health issues, or otherwise require more care such as requiring daily medications. In addition older dogs should already have reached their full size and developed their full fledged personality manifesting all their quirks & traits, and thus should be easier to tell if they  will be a good fit for a particular senior.
• Small dogs tend to be more suitable for seniors as they are easier to handle (and pick-up with hands alone if they are sick and need to be taken to the vet) and more easily portable to be taken to the vet, groomer, or on vacation with the owner. They also fit in a wider arrangement of living conditions including apartments and some assisted living communities, can use pee pads & crate training if a fenced in yard is unavailable, and are less likely to imbalance or knock over an owner if excited & jumping. Smaller dogs are also generally less expensive to maintain, eat less food, and require less expensive crates, leashes, as well as smaller toys & amounts of medication.
• However, it should be kept in mind that many smaller dogs can be on the frailer side and may be hurt if they are dropped from someone's arms, sat upon, accidentally kicked, or run over by the wheel of a wheelchair. Smaller dogs also tend to live longer than large ones so their longterm welfare must be taken into consideration when it comes to the future health of a potential owner.

Best Dog Breeds for Seniors

Poodle

• 6 - 9 lbs for the smallest toy variety
• Poodles come in multiple sizes from the tiny Toy, to Miniature, to Standard and thus an appropriate size for a senior's particular living arrangement can be chosen. They are well known for being particularly intelligent and easy to train. However, their coats do require grooming, but their fur is low shedding and nearly hypoallergenic. Poodles are very people friendly and require daily walks for exercise.

Chinese Crested (Hairless)

• 7-12 lbs
• These dogs have been bred to be companions for the infirm and thus are gentle, low energy & low maintenance. The hairless variety requires no fur grooming, but their skin does need to be bathed and cleaned. A well trained Chinese Crested is quiet & good for apartment living. They are also playful, affectionate, and kid friendly. However these types of dogs (especially the hairless variety) have low cold tolerance and can get very attached to their owners with resultant separation anxiety if the owner is missing for an extended time.

King Charles Spaniel (Cavalier Terrier)

• 11- 18 lbs
• These smaller sizes dogs are quiet with mellow, gentle temperaments. They are affectionate, good with kids, and are known as being lap dogs providing good companionship. Cavalier Terriers are generally regarded as being easy to maintain with daily grooming & walks and are good pets for small living quarters such as apartments. 

West Highland White Terrier

• 13-30 lbs
• These terriers are a bit more durable than other senior recommended toy dogs such as Malteses and Pomeranians. They also do not require as much of an intense grooming routine as the other long haired toys such as the Shih Tsu & Bichon Frise. They are otherwise easy to handle and low maintenance, thus a good choice for those seeking a poofy little white lap dog.

Welsh Corgi (Cardigan, Pembroke)

• 24 - 30 lbs
• Welsh corgis are obedient, smart, and easy to train. They are known for being affectionate, playful, and gentle as well as being good with children. Corgis are adaptable to many different living situations and only require minimal grooming and moderate exercise such as daily walks.

Greyhound

• 60 - 80 lbs
• For those seniors with the proper resources & health who still wish to have a larger dog, a mature greyhound is the recommended breed. They are low energy & low maintenance, requiring as little as a daily walk for exercise. Greyhounds are easy to groom, mild mannered, gentle, and quiet, and do well in smaller spaces in comparison to their size.