Recueing a 12 year old yorkie.. need help!! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

D_and_Mandy · 03-22-2012, 06:34 AM

HI Yorkie lovers!!
This is my first post. I have a 9 month old yorkie and recently my fiance and I were asked if we would take in a 12 year old yorkie. His owner is going into an assisted living home and is not able to take him with. If he doesn;t find a home, he will be put down. Davis (the 9 MO) is my first dog ever, so I have no experience with older dogs, their needs ect. I'm calling petcare to have him added to our pet insurance, getting his vet records and taking Davis over to meet him a few times before we bring him into our home.. but what else should I do ? What can I expect? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

D and Mandy

GeorgiesMomma · 03-22-2012, 06:48 AM

First of all welcome to YT and bless you for taking in another furbaby

My baby Georgie is 6 but our Boxer is 12 1/2 and the most important thing we do for her is give her a lot of belly rubs and love. I do think it's great that you are taking your puppy to introduce them and let them both adjust

yavenay · 03-22-2012, 07:20 AM

I have a 12 yr old yorkie. I got her when she was 7 yrs old as a rescue. She is pretty much healthy now. She's had her share of the usual problems like urinary tract infections and she needed her teeth pull. Because she is a senior, she gets a wellness check twice a year now but other than that there's nothing else special I do.

Make sure you steps for him if he will be sleeping in the bed with you. You don't want him jumping off the bed. Also, your 9 month old will still be very playful, the 12yr old....not so much. Just keep that in mind. Hopefully the two will get along.

Also Brandi is really laid back with the periodic burst of energy but she can keep up with me on a two mile walk. Okay well sometimes she demands that I pick her up when she gets tired of walking.

CouversMom · 03-22-2012, 07:43 AM

I just wanted to say that you are a saint for taking in a yorkie in need. The world needs more people like you

We just took in an older foster (the vet says anywhere between 10-14 years old), and she has adjusted well with my two. We kept her separated from my two while we were not able to watch them, and slowly integrated them. She now stays in an exercise pen in the room that they hang out in and does well. She sleeps while they play and just kinda walks around when she's awake. I'm used to puppies and younger dogs, so she is a pretty easy dog to take care of.

Good luck, and keep us updated on how she does. I'm sure she will be a great addition to your family!

lillymae · 03-22-2012, 07:59 AM

Welcome to YT !

Bless you for taking in the old guy. The 1st thing you need is to take him to the vet for a health exam & most likely he will need a dental. Get all his belongings if possible as it will make the transition a little easier & be prepared that he may be depressed for a bit as he will be missing his owner , if this is the case just be patient with him & give lots of LOVE. Also even if he's totally house broke he may have some accidents in your home as it's all new & confusing to him so when you bring him into your home , go straight out the back door before letting him down in your home & when he does his business out side tell him GOOD BOY go potty. Take him out several times for the 1st couple of days so he learns his yard territory & where to potty & be sure you watch closely for him telling you he needs to go out. If he only has a collar, buy him a harness as collars are not good for small dogs trachea.

gracielove · 03-22-2012, 08:04 AM

Thank you so much for helping this senior Yorkie. It sounds like you are doing all you can for now. He may need some medical help if his elderly owner was unable to look after his teeth and other health issues.

It must be traumatic for the elderly owner to have to give up a beloved friend. Please reassure them that you are going to give this pet the best of love and attention.

I'm sure the energy levels of the two dogs will be different. Hopefully the older one will be able to curl up in a comfortable place and watch the antics of your younger dog. Sometimes having a young one around will give some new life to an older dog.

Best wishes on this new adventure.

lexi43 · 03-22-2012, 08:22 AM

What a great person to take in a seior yorkie. It's really great to know there are people llike you around. We had thought about a rescue awhile back but they turned us down bacause of our many cats. We do have a number of rescue cats though. The closest thing we have to a rescue dog is our Oliver who was abandoned in the back of our drug store with his siblings. They were only 6 weeks old , but anyway God Bless You

D_and_Mandy · 03-22-2012, 08:37 AM

Thank you all so much for your replies! Tyler (the 12yo) will be going to vet for a check up as soon as I can him there. Right now, Davis (9 month old) has baby gates set up to keep him in the kitchen while we aren't home, I'm going to try and rig something up so that they can see eachother but aren't totally accesible to eachother while we aren't there to supervise. Just until we are sure that they will be getting along fine. I wouldn't want Davis to stress Tyler out to much with his puppy antics! We are going over to meet him tomorrow, I'm a little nervous! This might be silly, but should I bring over one of Davis' blankets or something for Tyler so he can get used to the scent (and vice versa?)
Is senior food bad for puppies? Davis always has food and water available, and I know if I just put a dish of new food down for Tyler he's going to eat it all up.

lillymae · 03-22-2012, 09:02 AM

Puppies need puppy food but if the pup steels a bit of senior food it would probably be Ok unless the pup has any kind of reaction to it. If your pup is vaccinated I would take him to meet the old guy but not in the old guys home, probably out front with both on leashes as neutral territory is best as far as the old guy is concerned.
I hope all goes well & Please let us know how it goes.

Yorkiemom1 · 03-22-2012, 10:51 AM

Bless you for taking in the senior....you know, we ALL will be seniors some day, and I hope we are all looked after by some loving concerned individual! Seems like everyone has covered very well what different things you can do and need to do for Tyler to make his transition as easy as possible....I will stress, just remember, he is going to miss his owner terribly....be patient with that....it would be nice if you had something with his owners scent on it, for him to keep close for a period of time. My brother rescued a senior dog under the same circumstances....I suggested he contact the owner personally and let her dog (ShuShu) was going to a great home and would be very well cared for. Then I suggested he give the owner his name and address and phone #, so the little old lady could check up on her baby from time to time.....they talked a couple of times, and my brother asked if she wanted to see the dog for a visit....she was soooooo excited about doing that......and that got to be a monthly thing for them for almost 6 years.......that may be something you would want to see if the owner would be interested in......(if you are up for that!)

D_and_Mandy · 03-22-2012, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Bless you for taking in the senior....you know, we ALL will be seniors some day, and I hope we are all looked after by some loving concerned individual! Seems like everyone has covered very well what different things you can do and need to do for Tyler to make his transition as easy as possible....I will stress, just remember, he is going to miss his owner terribly....be patient with that....it would be nice if you had something with his owners scent on it, for him to keep close for a period of time. My brother rescued a senior dog under the same circumstances....I suggested he contact the owner personally and let her dog (ShuShu) was going to a great home and would be very well cared for. Then I suggested he give the owner his name and address and phone #, so the little old lady could check up on her baby from time to time.....they talked a couple of times, and my brother asked if she wanted to see the dog for a visit....she was soooooo excited about doing that......and that got to be a monthly thing for them for almost 6 years.......that may be something you would want to see if the owner would be interested in......(if you are up for that!)

@Yorkiemom1- We would love to do that! I inquired with our local St. John Ambulance volunteer association about getting Davis involved with their therapy dog program. He has to wait a few more months, they dont accept dogs under a year, but I'm sure Tyler would love to go visit his mom while Davis could spread some cheer to the other residents.

gracielove · 03-22-2012, 03:45 PM

That would be so great if you could take Tyler to see his previous owner sometimes! Hope things go well for you.

yorkieusa · 03-22-2012, 03:48 PM

How sweet of you to do this. That makes you a wonderful person. I think you will be surprised how loving a 12-yr old will be. If this little yorkie is healthy right now, then you don't really have any difference in care for a 12-yr old than a younger puppy. They can be just as wild and crazy as a yorkie puppy. Just watch the eyes for cataracts and keep an eye out for uti's. Regular vet checks and watching for congestive heart failure are just a few things to do. They need exercise just like a younger yorkie. In fact, the exercise is probably more beneficial to an older yorkie than a younger one, because it helps their organs to work better. Good luck to you.

yorkieusa · 03-22-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D_and_Mandy

@Yorkiemom1- We would love to do that! I inquired with our local St. John Ambulance volunteer association about getting Davis involved with their therapy dog program. He has to wait a few more months, they dont accept dogs under a year, but I'm sure Tyler would love to go visit his mom while Davis could spread some cheer to the other residents.

We have another member here, (Patti) who took in an elderly lady's yorkie. She took him to the nursing home to visit her on a regular basis until the lady passed away. She posted pics of them together and it was so very touching!

D_and_Mandy · 03-24-2012, 06:48 AM

So Davis my fiance and I went to meet Tyler last night. Well.... it didn't go so well.. My fiance(FI) wasn't too happy with Tyler. We got in the car and he basically said, 'this isn't a good idea for three reason.. I'll outline them for you here, maybe you guys can help me out.. He's agreed to at least discuss it.

#1. Before we even got to the front door, Tyler was barking up a storm. FI is very much against 'yappy' dogs, we have Davis trained not to bark when people come to the door ect. He only barks when he plays with other dogs, and even then only sometimes. TYlers mom said that he barks at everything, every little noise. We live in a house and have a yard, but their is a tenant on the second floor. FI is worried that Tyler would be barking constantly and that it would Spur Davis into action. Davis was barking a lot more around Tyler than he usually does with other dogs.

2 and 3 kinda tie in together,,

#2. TYler is not fixed and tried to mount Davis several times. FI is worried that if we aren't supervising them constantly, Davis may get violated or worse (#3) squished/seriously injured.

#3. Visually, Tyler is easily 4-5 times the size of Davis. We were told he was 7 pounds (Davis is around 4). I picked up (or tried to pick up) Tyler, and he is easily over 12 pounds. He may be 12 years old, but he is still so full of energy! They dogs were playing quite rough and Davis got stepped on a few times.

Soo... can you teach an old dog new tricks? Could Tyler be trained not to bark at every little noise, and play nice with a much smaller yorkie? Could we get him nuetrered at 12, or would that be too dangerous at his age?

Any suggestions?

03-22-2012, 07:43 AM	#4
CouversMom and Khloe Mae's too! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 14,732	I just wanted to say that you are a saint for taking in a yorkie in need. The world needs more people like you We just took in an older foster (the vet says anywhere between 10-14 years old), and she has adjusted well with my two. We kept her separated from my two while we were not able to watch them, and slowly integrated them. She now stays in an exercise pen in the room that they hang out in and does well. She sleeps while they play and just kinda walks around when she's awake. I'm used to puppies and younger dogs, so she is a pretty easy dog to take care of. Good luck, and keep us updated on how she does. I'm sure she will be a great addition to your family! __________________ Michelle- mommy to Couver and Khloe Mae! http://yorkiehavenrescue.com/

03-22-2012, 03:48 PM	#13
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	How sweet of you to do this. That makes you a wonderful person. I think you will be surprised how loving a 12-yr old will be. If this little yorkie is healthy right now, then you don't really have any difference in care for a 12-yr old than a younger puppy. They can be just as wild and crazy as a yorkie puppy. Just watch the eyes for cataracts and keep an eye out for uti's. Regular vet checks and watching for congestive heart failure are just a few things to do. They need exercise just like a younger yorkie. In fact, the exercise is probably more beneficial to an older yorkie than a younger one, because it helps their organs to work better. Good luck to you. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

03-22-2012, 06:34 AM	#1
D_and_Mandy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney, NS, Canada Posts: 22	Recueing a 12 year old yorkie.. need help!! HI Yorkie lovers!! This is my first post. I have a 9 month old yorkie and recently my fiance and I were asked if we would take in a 12 year old yorkie. His owner is going into an assisted living home and is not able to take him with. If he doesn;t find a home, he will be put down. Davis (the 9 MO) is my first dog ever, so I have no experience with older dogs, their needs ect. I'm calling petcare to have him added to our pet insurance, getting his vet records and taking Davis over to meet him a few times before we bring him into our home.. but what else should I do ? What can I expect? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! D and Mandy

03-22-2012, 06:48 AM	#2
GeorgiesMomma I love TBCG! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MD Posts: 7,227	First of all welcome to YT and bless you for taking in another furbaby My baby Georgie is 6 but our Boxer is 12 1/2 and the most important thing we do for her is give her a lot of belly rubs and love. I do think it's great that you are taking your puppy to introduce them and let them both adjust __________________ Morgan Mommy toGeorgie boy & Isaiah RIP sweet Coco 10/12/99-8/1/12 Read About Georgie's Experience with Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI) Here!

03-22-2012, 07:20 AM	#3
yavenay Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Delaware Posts: 2,663	I have a 12 yr old yorkie. I got her when she was 7 yrs old as a rescue. She is pretty much healthy now. She's had her share of the usual problems like urinary tract infections and she needed her teeth pull. Because she is a senior, she gets a wellness check twice a year now but other than that there's nothing else special I do. Make sure you steps for him if he will be sleeping in the bed with you. You don't want him jumping off the bed. Also, your 9 month old will still be very playful, the 12yr old....not so much. Just keep that in mind. Hopefully the two will get along. Also Brandi is really laid back with the periodic burst of energy but she can keep up with me on a two mile walk. Okay well sometimes she demands that I pick her up when she gets tired of walking.

03-22-2012, 07:59 AM	#5
lillymae YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 4,544	Welcome to YT ! Bless you for taking in the old guy. The 1st thing you need is to take him to the vet for a health exam & most likely he will need a dental. Get all his belongings if possible as it will make the transition a little easier & be prepared that he may be depressed for a bit as he will be missing his owner , if this is the case just be patient with him & give lots of LOVE. Also even if he's totally house broke he may have some accidents in your home as it's all new & confusing to him so when you bring him into your home , go straight out the back door before letting him down in your home & when he does his business out side tell him GOOD BOY go potty. Take him out several times for the 1st couple of days so he learns his yard territory & where to potty & be sure you watch closely for him telling you he needs to go out. If he only has a collar, buy him a harness as collars are not good for small dogs trachea.

03-22-2012, 08:04 AM	#6
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Thank you so much for helping this senior Yorkie. It sounds like you are doing all you can for now. He may need some medical help if his elderly owner was unable to look after his teeth and other health issues. It must be traumatic for the elderly owner to have to give up a beloved friend. Please reassure them that you are going to give this pet the best of love and attention. I'm sure the energy levels of the two dogs will be different. Hopefully the older one will be able to curl up in a comfortable place and watch the antics of your younger dog. Sometimes having a young one around will give some new life to an older dog. Best wishes on this new adventure.

03-22-2012, 08:22 AM	#7
lexi43 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Deer Park New York Posts: 1,586	What a great person to take in a seior yorkie. It's really great to know there are people llike you around. We had thought about a rescue awhile back but they turned us down bacause of our many cats. We do have a number of rescue cats though. The closest thing we have to a rescue dog is our Oliver who was abandoned in the back of our drug store with his siblings. They were only 6 weeks old , but anyway God Bless You

03-22-2012, 08:37 AM	#8
D_and_Mandy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney, NS, Canada Posts: 22	Thank you all so much for your replies! Tyler (the 12yo) will be going to vet for a check up as soon as I can him there. Right now, Davis (9 month old) has baby gates set up to keep him in the kitchen while we aren't home, I'm going to try and rig something up so that they can see eachother but aren't totally accesible to eachother while we aren't there to supervise. Just until we are sure that they will be getting along fine. I wouldn't want Davis to stress Tyler out to much with his puppy antics! We are going over to meet him tomorrow, I'm a little nervous! This might be silly, but should I bring over one of Davis' blankets or something for Tyler so he can get used to the scent (and vice versa?) Is senior food bad for puppies? Davis always has food and water available, and I know if I just put a dish of new food down for Tyler he's going to eat it all up.

03-22-2012, 09:02 AM	#9
lillymae YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 4,544	Puppies need puppy food but if the pup steels a bit of senior food it would probably be Ok unless the pup has any kind of reaction to it. If your pup is vaccinated I would take him to meet the old guy but not in the old guys home, probably out front with both on leashes as neutral territory is best as far as the old guy is concerned. I hope all goes well & Please let us know how it goes.

03-22-2012, 10:51 AM	#10
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	Bless you for taking in the senior....you know, we ALL will be seniors some day, and I hope we are all looked after by some loving concerned individual! Seems like everyone has covered very well what different things you can do and need to do for Tyler to make his transition as easy as possible....I will stress, just remember, he is going to miss his owner terribly....be patient with that....it would be nice if you had something with his owners scent on it, for him to keep close for a period of time. My brother rescued a senior dog under the same circumstances....I suggested he contact the owner personally and let her dog (ShuShu) was going to a great home and would be very well cared for. Then I suggested he give the owner his name and address and phone #, so the little old lady could check up on her baby from time to time.....they talked a couple of times, and my brother asked if she wanted to see the dog for a visit....she was soooooo excited about doing that......and that got to be a monthly thing for them for almost 6 years.......that may be something you would want to see if the owner would be interested in......(if you are up for that!)

03-22-2012, 03:45 PM	#12
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	That would be so great if you could take Tyler to see his previous owner sometimes! Hope things go well for you.

03-24-2012, 06:48 AM	#15
D_and_Mandy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Sydney, NS, Canada Posts: 22	So Davis my fiance and I went to meet Tyler last night. Well.... it didn't go so well.. My fiance(FI) wasn't too happy with Tyler. We got in the car and he basically said, 'this isn't a good idea for three reason.. I'll outline them for you here, maybe you guys can help me out.. He's agreed to at least discuss it. #1. Before we even got to the front door, Tyler was barking up a storm. FI is very much against 'yappy' dogs, we have Davis trained not to bark when people come to the door ect. He only barks when he plays with other dogs, and even then only sometimes. TYlers mom said that he barks at everything, every little noise. We live in a house and have a yard, but their is a tenant on the second floor. FI is worried that Tyler would be barking constantly and that it would Spur Davis into action. Davis was barking a lot more around Tyler than he usually does with other dogs. 2 and 3 kinda tie in together,, #2. TYler is not fixed and tried to mount Davis several times. FI is worried that if we aren't supervising them constantly, Davis may get violated or worse (#3) squished/seriously injured. #3. Visually, Tyler is easily 4-5 times the size of Davis. We were told he was 7 pounds (Davis is around 4). I picked up (or tried to pick up) Tyler, and he is easily over 12 pounds. He may be 12 years old, but he is still so full of energy! They dogs were playing quite rough and Davis got stepped on a few times. Soo... can you teach an old dog new tricks? Could Tyler be trained not to bark at every little noise, and play nice with a much smaller yorkie? Could we get him nuetrered at 12, or would that be too dangerous at his age? Any suggestions?