brookcove
Posted : 8/7/2008 3:15:05 PM
Min weighed in Monday at 75 pounds exactly, but she needs to gain at least 15 pounds, if not more. It will probably take about a year to get her into optimum condition! She's the second tallest dog here, only an inch shy of my male Maremma, who is the size of a Great Pyrenees. I've fostered purebred GSDs, and a GP/BC mix last year, that would be dwarfed by this girl. From what I can tell she's a very good type according to working dog Italian standards - they seem to be tallish and lanky. My male is short for a male, and very stocky.
It's unbelievable how many senior dogs get turned in. I just heard from someone who adopted an eight year old dog from me ten years ago - the dog had passed away quietly, in almost perfect health except for tooth problems - his heart finally gave out. He had, before we found out about him, spent a whole year of his life in a shelter - that was the only thing his adoptive parents said they regretted, that wasted year. These dogs have so much to offer and so many of them are lost, passed over just because they are mature - people don't know how much of a plus that is!
I wanted to be a foster home that specialized in oldsters, but my resources got turned in another direction - I'll never know why, but that's the way it goes. Thankfully there are others who do open their doors to the old guys.