Your elder parent is getting lonely and you think that a dog might be a good option for companionship, but which dog is the best for the elderly? Many factors need to be taken into consideration when thinking about getting a dog to accompany your elder family member, these include difficulty to train the dog, size and temperament of the dog. Read below and learn more.
Choosing a dog for company is always an exciting choice to make especially for children and their families, but sometimes, when the choice of dogs is concerning the elderly, there are some things that must be taken into consideration. These things may include the difficulty of training the dog, the size and temperament of the little furry four legged friend that one may opt to have as a companion.
Since everyone has their own preference as to what dog is fit for their lifestyle, it is best to choose one that can be a lovable pet as well as a loyal companion. Dogs have always proven themselves to be worth keeping in the homes of many people and studies have shown that with the elderly, dogs play an important role in the improvement of the overall well-being of seniors. Dogs good for the elderly provide an outlet to for these seniors to share their love with.
Smaller dogs are dogs good for the elderly because they are of less maintenance and are easier to handle than the larger dogs. Apart from which, they also make great lap dogs that can be stroked by the seniors to provide a comforting feel. Here are some of the great breeds of dogs good for the elderly.
Getting a pug is a good choice because these creatures are little. But even in their small size, they have very big hearts and are very playful. The little ones are very outgoing and they love all the attention and affection that is given by their owner. Though these dogs may demand a bit of attention, they also give out a lot to compensate for this need. Pugs are perfect for anyone who has a lot of time to spend with the creature.
A Pomeranian is also another good choice for company since because the breed boasts of being perky and good natured. The appearance of most Pomeranians resemble to that of a little fuzzy bear which can surely bring smiles to everyone around it. Pomeranians are also known to be very energetic, but they also have their downtime and love to be stroked a lot.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a popular pick even for most dog lovers as they are gentle creatures that need minimal exercise only. This breed is known for their patience and relaxed personality which makes them good companions for seniors. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is very loyal to its owner. Maintenance is only limited to regular grooming of the dog’s curly hair.
Another dog that loves the company of other people is the Toy Poodle. This breed will prefer people over other dogs and they love being given special attention, even to a point of being treated like a king. This is a perfect pick for seniors if they want something to dote over.
For seniors who want to have security when with their dogs, they can choose to have a Boston terrier because these dogs are very protective of their owners, despite their size. Yet even with their protective nature, these dogs are very mellow and friendly.
These are just some of the dogs good for the elderly and the choice of which one to get will depend on the familiarity of one to the dog’s breed and the health restrictions of the senior.
One last thing that the elderly person needs to consider prior to getting a dog, is to decide if they will have the time and will be able to make the effort to train their dogs. If the elder able to do some type of dog+training? At least, some basic dog training needs to be apply to these dogs, and we are talking here about housebreaking their dogs and some basic dog commands like come, sit, wait and leave it.
