4 dog breeds who make the best pets for seniors
Whilst it’s super-easy to choose a dog based on their appearance and character, if you are considering adding a dog to your life, you need to figure out how they are going to fit in.
- What does your typical day consist of?
- How much time have you got to spend exercising or playing with your dog?
- Do you want a devoted companion who will curl up on the sofa and is actually quite lazy? Or do you religiously walk for the morning paper to the other side of town?
- Do you have regular visitors? If so, you’ll need a dog who is happy to share you and will accept people milling around their home.
- Where do you live? If you are in an apartment you want a dog who is going to be easy to house-train.
- Those more stubborn doges are better suited to a house with a yard where you can leave the door mostly open during those prime training periods. Do you have close neighbours?
- How will they tolerate a barker? Or do you need a more chilled out dog? It’s also worth considering your experience with dogs.
Just because you’ve always had a large dog, doesn’t mean you still have to. You may find a little guy with oodles of personality!
Let’s take a look at the best four dog breeds for seniors in some detail.
The Pomapoo
A designer cross between the Toy Poodle and the Pomeranian results in a fluffy lap dog, who can be somewhat active – if they want to be!
They are confident and playful, but unlike many smaller dogs, they are not renowned barkers! Perfect if you live in an apartment or have close neighbours.
The Pomapoo craves human attention so is happiest curled up on your lap.
Whilst they are generally good with humans of all ages, they aren’t brilliant with small kids, so not ideal if you have grandkids visiting!
An adorable teddy bear, with a loving and affectionate personality. A definite contender!
The Whoodle
The adorable cross between the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier and the Poodle! He is well-natured, playful and intelligent.
He thrives in any home and with any number of residents; even kids! He is easy-to-train and extremely loyal.
He is happy with around 30 minutes to an hour of exercise per day; perfect for that morning stroll.
Having the Poodle Parent, they are prone to ear issues, so make this one of the things you regularly check and clean them when needed.
A highly versatile breed who is super-intelligent. All whilst rocking the most adorable look! The wonderful Whoodle!
The Chihuahua
You really can have the pick of the litter with these guys.
They can be long-haired, short-haired and even have different shaped heads. What they all have in common?
None of them realise they are one of the smallest breeds to grace planet earth! A feisty companion with a loyal heart. Not particularly high on exercise requirements, these guys are the ultimate lap dog.
They just love their people.
This can cause issues for some as they can become protective. If you have regular visitors, your Chi needs to meet them as young as possible, otherwise you may have issues as they grow. They can also be incredibly stubborn, which can make house-training more of a challenge.
For this reason, they are better suited to a home with a yard where they can easily access where they are supposed to “go potty!” That said, some owners in apartments have successfully trained their Chis to use a litter tray.
A little dog with a larger than life personality – the only place they want to be is wherever you are!
The Labradoodle or Goldendoodle
If you are pretty active and like spending time outdoors, you may be better suited to a Doodle.
The designer mix between the Labrador and the Poodle results in the Labradoodle. The mix between the Golden Retriever and the Poodle results in the Goldendoodle.
Being slighter calmer in nature, the Goldendoodle may suit a more laid-back home.
The Labradoodle however won’t be a fan of missing their daily walk, but they are super family dogs so will be perfect play mates for when the grandkids visit! Both of these guys love hiking and swimming but are equally happy playing with their friends in the dog park.
A super-adaptable dog, they just need a little more action than the others on our list. Both have pretty high grooming requirements, so seek out a qualified groomer as soon as possible and organise a regular schedule.
Another adorable teddy bear, just a little bigger and a little more energetic!
Choosing a dog to suit your lifestyle isn’t easy, but we hope our list has given you a good place to start.
A final thought for consideration, there are over 3million healthy dogs who find themselves in dog shelters each year. Once you’ve found the breed or type of dog you love, why not head down to your local shelter and adopt one?!
Once you’ve adopted your dog, you can then think about names for them!
Story written by John Woods.