My grandparents
 

My grandparents are 76 years old, still live in their house on their own, still are mobile completely and do so well still on their own. Im so happy to have them with me still and appreciate everyday they are still here. I couldn't imagine life without them.

About 10 - 15 years ago, they had a little poodle named brandy. My grandmother took brandy everywhere with her. One day my grandfather let brandy out to go to the bathroom but did not put her on a leash. Sadly she got hit by a car and died. My grandmother was a mess and my grandfather has lived with the guilt of this for so long. He always wanted to get her another dog but she always said no.

Well I think the time has come that he does not care what she says he wants another little dog and he knows once she gets her hands on one she will want it too. A couple weeks ago they drove home with my dogs and my mom, and my Dexter snuggled up with my grandmother and fell asleep in her arms, my Fletcher snuggled up next to my grandfather and fell asleep. Since then my grandmother talks about how much she loves my dogs and how good it felt to have a little furry body to hold again. So my grandfather is convinced he wants a little dog.

My grandmother is also getting alzheimers and its getting worse and worse. My grandfather has to watch over her all the time at this point. We all know the stories of how dogs help those with alzheimers and other elderly ailments. So the search is on for me to find them a little dog. Boy or girl it does not matter. Money matters though. I'd like to adopt from the humane society where the baby will be fixed. He wants to keep the age 5 years or under and 10lbs or under. I think a puppy would be too much at this time for them to have to train from scratch, so I'd like to find a baby about a year or two old who is housebroken. My grandparents have the financial means to take care of a dog and give a dog a great home with lots of love and attention. The dog will be no less than spoiled rotten! :)

I am in Northern MA, if anyone hears of a dog that seems to fit this situation please PM me. I'd like to do this for their birthdays, which are in Sept. Thanks so much! :)

what a lovely granddaughter you are.. i just got chills.

Hey, I don't know of any dogs but, I wanted to say good luck in finding one. That's really sweet of you. I'll pray you find the perfect little baby for your grandparents!

Oh how sweet :) I wish you luck in your search.
I'm praying you find the perfect companion for them. :wub:

Why the need for 5 yrs or under?

Small dogs can live 15-20 years. Are you sure your gps could still care for a dog when they were 86+?

I think a slightly middle age to older dog would be a better fit, IMO. Are you prepared to take on another dog if something were to happen to both of them?

My mom is 70 and I always worry what will happen to her 5 yr old dog if something were to happen to her.

Yes, but 86 is the new 66!! :D Having a little dog to take care of might just be what they need to keep them feeling young!!

Good luck in your search for the perfect little dog for your grandparents. I'm sure it'll be just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks everyone!

Yes Im prepared to take on their dog if (god forbid) something happen to them... but they are healthy and happy and very indpendant... nothing will happen to them Im sure and I think even at 86 they will still be good to go. My grandfather does not want my grandmother to out live another dog and go through the pain. Its sweet of him in a strange way. Im sure if the perfect dog came around who was a bit older they would take it. But I think he'd prefer a younger dog who would be a lap dog for the most part. My granfather walks 4miles a day faithfully also, 2 in the morning and 2 at night. He has done this as long as I can remember! He is fit and would love a pup companion to walk with him also.

There are a few rescue orgs here in So Maine that have taken in hundreds of puppy mill puppies and dogs. Here are the links to 2 of them:

Find a Friend > The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

www.animalwelfaresociety.org - The Animal Welfare Society - Adoption - Adopt Dogs

I have seen malteses, chihuahas and a few Yorkies come through. Give them a call as the small ones go quickly.

You are blessed to have your granparents. I never knew 3 of mine and lost the last one when I was 10. Your a great grandaughter :)

That's so sweet of you~ grandparents are the best, aren't they? I hope you find them a little dog that's just the perfect fit for them!

I had to laugh though...my MOTHER is 76 and if she saw what you wrote about them still being in their own house, still being mobile and doing so well on their own, she'd be AGHAST, ROFL. She's had a few health issues in the past couple of years, but they own 4 houses, she manages 3 as rentals, cleans her own house and yard, drives an hour and a half each way 3 days a week on very heavily congested freeways, goes out to plays and restaurants all the time, drives an hour just to have her hair done, etc.....the only thing she DOESN'T do is get on the computer;). Oh..and she doesn't have a dog b/c she doesn't want to be tied down at all....but she loves her granddogs:D and brags about them all the time.

I'm still giggling over it:D.

Good luck with your search~ your grandparents are lucky to have you!

Thank you for the links, Maine is a bit far and the adoption fee is a bit high for me to pay on my own.... but I will keep an eye out for places like this a little more local. thank you so much! Yes, I am sooo blessed to still have both my grandparents and them to be healthy! I just know a dog is exactly what they need in their life. :)

Thats awesome about your mom! :) My grandparents COULD do all that stuff... they just choose not to. My grandmother got afraid of traveling too far and my grandfather flew once in his life, hated it and will not fly again. Its too bad because my mom (their daughter) moved to New Mexico and they will not go visit her and see her house and my brother who moved there. They are healthy enough to do those things, but they are very much homebodies and fear of the unknown and big bag world scares them. LOL Next time I fly to New Mexico my grandmother will come with me. She wants to go and won't be afraid with me there but my grandfather would never go! Stubborn man! :) You're lucky to have such an active mom! Thats GREAT! :)

Maybe found a baby!
 

Ok I found this little girl and I think I fell in love with her at first sight from the pic.

Adopt a Papillon: Mitzi: Petfinder

What do you guys think about this dog being a potential match? Isn't she just sooo sweet and sad looking? I read her story and see her sad eyes and I emailed the shelter to explain the situation to them to see if I was eligible to fill out an adoption application. I'll let you know what I hear back from them. I just adore her already :)

She's precious. I hope you get her for your grandparents.

I have to agree that age is really just a number. My father will be 91 in September and he is packing his bag as we speak to visit his cousins in Switzerland for a few weeks. He drives everywhere and walks several miles a day. He works a full time job preparing food for the indigent at a local food kitchen. Sometimes I have a hard time keeping up with him. :) I'm really proud of my dad.