THE SIR EDWARD SENIOR DOG PROJECT

This page is dedicated in loving memory to one of the world's greatest dogs and a little girl named Jamie who loved him more than he could have ever asked for.  Please read the beautiful story of Jamie's love for Edward below.   We sincerely hope that the Sir Edward Senior Dog Project will answer Jamie and Edward's hope that "more elderly dachshunds just like Edward just maybe will find love, awarm bed and hope." 

Edward's Story  

My name is Jamie. I am 14 years old and this is Edward's story. Edward came to us through AADR. He and his wife, Grannie were found on the side of a dark, lonely highway in Tennessee. Even if the sun was shining it was still dark for the two elderly dachshunds because sweet Granny was blind and poor Edward had cancer in one of his eyes. He was blind in that eye and had bad cataracts in the other eye. Grannie and Edward were both about 15 years old. They were picked up by a nice man and taken to the local animal shelter.

AADR got these two old babies from the shelter. After only a few days, Grannie died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Edward came to live with us until he could find a forever home.

Edward was the sweetest dachshund you would ever meet! He loved to be petted and he loved to be held. Edward had a bad cough and his eye was really sick. Everyday I would play with him and give him love. At night, I would lay with him and tell him what a good boy he was. After Edward had been with us for about a week, he got very tired. He did not want to walk and he did not want to eat his food. My mom took Edward to our vet and Dr. Ruth said that Edward was too old and his cancer was too advanced for us to help him. We had to send Edward to be with Grannie that day.

I am only 14 but I know that Edward deserved so much more than he got at the end of his life. He was a wonderful, happy boy. How could someone throw away a precious life? How could someone put two sweet, innocent little dachshunds that could not see out in the cold with no food and water? On a highway!

I will never forget Edward as long as I live. He was the best thing that has happened to me. He gave me so much love and I loved him so much back. If you are thinking about adopting a dachshund from AADR, please consider adopting an elderly dachshund. They will love you so much and be so happy just to have a home. They may not live as long as a puppy but they will sure fill your heart with joy. I think they are better than puppies because they are wise! They already know everything and they just want to have someone to love them.

I am lucky to live out in the country on a farm. We buried Edward up on a hill in our yard and every night I go out and talk to Edward. I tell him that I wish I could have had him longer. I wish I could have showed him that there are people in this world that would not throw him away. I also tell him that he is a star and because of him, more elderly dachshunds just like Edward just maybe will find love, a warm bed and hope.

I love you Edward. Rest in peace.

Jamie

Please make a donation to AADR in honor of Edward and Jamie

Edward

Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog*

1. Older dogs are housetrained.  You won't have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.
2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won't chew your shoes and furniture while growing up.
3. Older dogs can focus well because they've mellowed.  Therefore, they learn quickly.
4. Older dogs have learned what "no" means.  If they hadn't learned it, they wouldn't have gotten to be "older" dogs.
5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they've learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.
6. Older Dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home.  They are grateful for the second chance they've been given.
7. What You See is What You Get:  Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality.  Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
8. Older dogs are instant companions--ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.
9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don't make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.
10. Older dogs let get a good night's sleep because they're accustomed to human schedules and don't generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.

*Used with permission from http://srdogs.com/

 "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

- Unknown

The Benefits of Owning a Senior Dog  

Just ask any owner of a senior dog and they will tell you that owning a senior dog is an incredibly rewarding experience for them.  Below are just a few stories from the owners of some very well loved senior dogs.

DAISY

 I just adopted Daisy. She's my little senior girl. She's about 10 years old and sweet, sweet, sweet. I am not her first foster but now I am her last. I have mostly younger dogs in my home but Daisy is so low key and cuddly. She is the perfect addition to my family. Senior dachshunds are just as wonderful as any and are much easier to care for because they don't require a lot of maintenance. All those pesky things like chewing the furniture, and destroying the house just don't happen with seniors. Senior dachshunds are so grateful to have a loving home again. They give you endless love. I have a senior dachshund available for adoption, Pepe, who is just as spunky as a 3 year old. If it weren't for the grey beard you would never know he was a senior. One day all of our fur family will be become seniors, it doesn't mean we love them any less, we actually love them more.

THOMAS

Meet Thomas, his mom says :  

BUMPER

 Bumper is a twelve-and-a-half year old dachshund, but don't tell him that!  He still has the energy to keep up with his little brother Dobby, remind him who is boss, and take a jaunt around the block- all part of a day's work!  Bumper has definitely turned into a wonderful companion in his senior years.  He still has enough energy to greet us excitedly and run around when we return home, but is happy to settle down quickly to the business of warming our laps.  His favorite activities are lying in a sunny patch (indoors or out), ripping apart plush toys, and walking about a half mile a day.  While my family has enjoyed the recent addition of a younger dog to our group during the holidays, they breathe a sigh of relief when it goes back to just having Bumper in the house.  As a senior he is much easier to take care of, is quieter, and is perfectly happy as long as he has someone there to sit with during the evening hours.  I consider Bumper to be one of my best friends, and plan on having him around for a long time to come.  His feisty, young-gun attitude may have disappeared, but it revealed a sweet silver-faced boy who will do anything to make us smile... as long as it doesn't take him away from his sunny patch for too long!

 MAX

Max was adopted from a shelter 4 years ago after being abandoned in an apartment.  He was about 12 years old at the time.  Having him in my life has been wonderful. Max came to me housebroken and grateful to have a home again.  He can be playful in spurts throwing his own ball across the room for himself and then when finished he just wants to cuddle on the sofa with me and be loved.  He is mellow and just wants good food, a warm bed, and a person to call his own.   He knows the days of the week and he knows that on Sunday he gets a scrambled egg.  He  will pad around the house after me on Sundays until the egg is cooked. He wags while I am cooking it and then eats the egg and trots off to bed with a contented look on his face.            

LUCY  

Lucy's mom says:  To own an older dachshund is to know the wisdom of the dachshund breed. An older dachshund is like your grandma! They know everything they need to know and are so very loving and devoted. They are not demanding and are so very happy only to have someone to love them. If I could, I would take them all!

   Rocky & Wincie

 Mork and his sister Mindy came to AADR together.  Mindy was adopted quickly, but Mork had some health problems including heart disease and remained in foster care longer.  One day I was looking at the AADR web page and I saw his precious face and that was it, I was a goner.  I was living in L.A. at the time but I didn't let that stop me.  Diane sent someone from the Southern California Dachshund Rescue to do my home inspection and I flew home (to Nashville) to pick up the love of my life.  He knew I was his mommy the minute he saw me in the airport and we have been happily co-dependent ever since.  At the time I adopted him he was described as being a little depressed and stand-offish and shy but WOW has that changed.  He never meets a stranger.  He is filled with so much love he just spreads it to everyone.  He is now affectionately known as Rocky.

 
A couple of years later, I moved back to Nashville when a cry came out over an AADR e-mail for a special needs rescue, that's when my family of 2 became a family of 3.  His description was a ''true rescue' case.  After his original owner committed suicide he was left living in the yard outside with two large dogs that refused to let him in their dog house to keep warm.  As the temperatures started to drop, a fellow rescuer became even more concerned about little 7 pound Wincie being out in the cold.  She convinced the owners to surrender the dog for $100.00 and took him under her wing until AADR could get him to the vet.  He was vaccinated, tested, neutered, and treated for skin problems and a flea infestation.  He also had a dental during which he lost most of his teeth due to infection (as you can see from the picture his little tongue hangs out quite a bit from lack of teeth). Even though I wasn't able to get him right away because of serious health problems that resulted from prolonged neglect, I just had to wait until he was ready for a forever home and then he was mine!  Wincie, who the vet believes to be about 13 years old, behaves like a puppy.  I think he is living the puppy hood he was denied before.  Since he has problems with his mouth and tongue, he gives me big 'mommy kisses' by nibbling on the tip of my nose.  It's precious.  SO DON'T FORGET THOSE SENIORS!  
 
So that is how my happy family came to be.  Here are pictures of my beautiful boys.  This is just two examples of what good hearts and good work can do for these precious creatures.  My wish is that this story can inspire someone or lots of someone's to give other sweet little angels like mine a good forever home.   

 Our Precious Seniors Looking for "Love, A Warm Bed and Hope"

Please consider adopting one of our very sweet seniors.  Just click on their photo, or their name to learn more about each senior featured below and how you can give one "love, a warm bed and hope."

 



WIZARD

If now is not the right time for you to adopt a senior, please consider a donation to AADR in honor of Edward and Jamie so that we may continue to help senior Dachshunds and Dachshunds of all ages.