# Companion Dog for Elderly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962 "2011-09-29T01:58:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/21 "2011-09-30T16:19:01Z")
> [@keno](#): > > Slight hijack: > > in re **shelter dogs** > > My 68-year old neighbor went to the local shelter (Prince George’s County Maryland) to adopt a dog to replace her pet of 13+ years. She was politely told that the shelter has a policy of not allowing its dogs to be adopted by persons older than 64. They didn’t elaborate but my neighbor thinks it’s because they don’t want to have to process the animal again – the shelter apparently thinks human life expectancy is 65-1/2. I hope she found another shelter with a more reasonable attitude? Or did she look as if she would keel over dead in the next 10 min.? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/22 "2011-09-30T16:24:33Z")
my mom has a pug and my grandpa and grandma love him… they can be fairly high maintanence though, but I’d say that they’d be a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/23 "2011-09-30T18:37:25Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > my mom has a pug and my grandpa and grandma love him… they can be fairly high maintanence though, but I’d say that they’d be a good choice. High maintenance? Pugs? In what way? The only thing my two seem to need is a couch to sit on and plenty of toys… ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/24 "2011-09-30T19:30:18Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > High maintenance? Pugs? In what way? > > The only thing my two seem to need is a couch to sit on and plenty of toys… They are prone to [quite a few medical issues](http://www.pugpros.org/pugfacts.html). ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/25 "2011-09-30T19:48:31Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > They are prone to [quite a few medical issues](http://www.pugpros.org/pugfacts.html). Just about every breed out there has a similar list. I’ve read (and my vet backs this up) that pugs are actually one of the heartier breeds out there. Of course, breeding means a lot; get any dog from a reputable breeder and you’ll have a very good shot at a healthy pup. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/26 "2011-10-01T00:19:50Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > Doh. I realized I used the wrong term - I meant Golden Retriever, a breed selected and known for family friendliness. Seconded. We raised several puppies for guide dogs (and I agree puppies are not a good choice) and the last one, a Golden, got chosen for a breeder and we got her back. She is now retired, but there is no more loving dog than you can imagine. My wife takes her to do classroom visits, and even kids nervous around dogs are hugging her before the period is over. We have an older neighbor with health problems, and we often take our dog over as a comfort dog. Our dog also loves this neighbor more than anybody. She is now 7 and doesn’t require (or want) as long walks as she used to, but still loves fetching tennis balls. Our old pet dog was a border collie/cocker mix, and would not have been a good comfort dog. He was very loving, but kind of neurotic, probably due to his intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962/27 "2011-10-01T00:42:28Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Just about every breed out there has a similar list. . This is true. It’s just that some of the things that affect pugs - such as how they can overheat really easily, or that their eyes are more easily injured than other dogs’ - are physical formations inherent to pugness and thus things you always have to monitor, not genetic conditions they either have or don’t. My friend has a pug, and lives in Michigan where it isn’t usually hot, and has been to the vet a couple times with heatstroke and had a few scares as well. [Pugs should be monitored closely whenever temps are above 80-85.](http://www.pugvillage.com/pug-health/pugs-and-hot-weather) [General article about dogs names pugs and bulldogs as breeds which are particularly susceptible to heatstroke](http://www.doctordog.com/dogbook/dogheat.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/companion-dog-for-elderly/597962.md?page=1)