No spam here. Just heartwarming happy tails and smiling senior dogs! Our monthly newsletters include stories of the dogs and their families who have been helped by your support, tips for senior dog care, and updates on the latest happenings at Grey Muzzle.
Helping Shelters and Rescues Care for Senior Dogs
For shelters and rescues, making sure that homeless senior dogs get their second chance often involves more than finding loving people willing to open their heart and home to a senior dog. They first must provide needed medical care, and this care can cost more than shelters and rescues can afford.
Sugar Pie
True to her name, the late sweet Sugar Pie nearly reached her 17th birthday after she was rescued by Central Texas Dachshund Rescue and helped by a Grey Muzzle grant to live her final years pampered in a loving foster home.
Goodbye Finn by Maria Stoerrle
When Maria took Finn home as her foster dog, she knew he was ill, but not quite how ill - or how much she would come to love him in the months that followed. In this post, Maria Stoerrle, a member of Grey Muzzle's Board, tells of the love and heartbreak of deciding when to say goodbye to a terminally ill dog.
He Chose Me: The Joy of Loving a Senior Dog by Christine Starr
Many children dream of getting a puppy, but in the new children's book He Chose Me, a little boy named Oliver discovers that what he actually wants is to adopt a senior dog. In this guest post, the author of He Chose Me, Christine Starr, writes about Maddie, the senior dog who was the inspiration for her book.
Let No Old Dog Die Alone and Afraid by Jan Zulkeski
When a puppy becomes an old dog, will his family still love and care for him? In this prize-winning essay, Grey Muzzle volunteer Jan Zulkeski explains - from a dog's perspective - the importance of The Grey Muzzle Organization's mission to ensure that "no old dog dies alone and afraid."
A Senior Dog Adoption Story: Mary and Walter
Our most beloved dogs often come into our lives unexpectedly—a chance viewing of a photo on social media or an appeal to care for a dog in need. That is what happened to Mary and her daughter Chandra when they heard about the plight of a Labrador named Walter.
Susie’s Senior Dogs: Helping Old Dogs Find Their Love Connection by Carrie Collins-Fadell
A wiry-haired, 14-year-old Chihuahua mix is taking the Internet by storm this year. Her name is Susie, and she’s on a mission to connect homeless older dogs with the family that will love them. Meet Susie - and Erin O'Sullivan, the woman behind Susie's Senior Dogs - and learn how they are helping senior dogs in need.
How Old Dogs Become Homeless
Those who have had the pleasure of sharing their lives with a senior dog probably can‘t imagine allowing them to end up at a local humane society or animal control facility. Yet, shelters care for many old dogs every day. For this article, Grey Muzzle asked experts to share the common reasons for senior dogs being in shelters.
Helping Seniors Care for Their Senior Dogs by Sean Hawkins
We all want to grow old with our canine friends by our side, but some seniors find themselves unable to afford care for their dogs. Sean Hawkins of Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando explains how his organization keeps vulnerable pets out of shelters by helping seniors provide their companions with necessary care.
Treating Arthritis in an Older Dog
The first sign of aging that most owners notice with their dog is arthritis. You might see some slowness when your dog gets up, stiffness, and even limping for the first few steps in the morning or after a long nap. Don’t ignore aches and pains in your old friend; there are things you can do to make your dog healthier and more comfortable.
Maddie: A Muttville Happy Ending by Laura T. Coffey and Lori Fusaro
A senior Shih Tzu named Maddie is one of the dogs featured in the new book My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. Maddie was adopted from Grey Muzzle grantee Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. We asked her adopter, Madelon, to tell us more about Maddie's story.
Fella
Jim is a retired doctor and Fella is his second Muttville rescue dog. Jim was lonely when his first dog passed away, so Muttville handpicked Pretzel (now Fella), an 11-year-old terrior mix.
"Old Faithful": Celebrating Grey Muzzles in Photographs
Older dogs, with their greying fur and sagging jowls, have a special beauty. This beauty is wonderfully captured in a series of portraits by Toronto-based photographer Pete Thorne, which will be published in a new book, entitled Old Faithful: Dogs of a Certain Age.
Harley: The Little Senior Dog Who Became a Big Hero
The top honor at the 2015 Hero Dog Awards went to a little 14-year-old dog named Harley, who had spent most of his life in a commercial dog breeding facility. Now, thanks to the efforts of the couple who adopted him, Harley has become a "spokesdog" and fundraiser for puppy mill rescue.
Susie-Belle: Her Life Began the Day She Left the Puppy Mill by Janetta Harvey
When Janetta Harvey adopted Susie-Belle — a Schnauzer who had spent her life as a breeder in a puppy mill, she knew that her new dog would finally get the life she deserved. What Janetta didn't realize was how much she would be inspired to change lives of other dogs like Susie-Belle.