[Dailydrool] another chime-in on the age issue

[Val lbrewerzwick via Dailydrool]

Like others who have posted, I do not see age as a negative factor for adoption.      Sandi noted that breeders have a take-back policy should elderly owners be unable to care for their bassets any longer, as do basset rescues.  So also do miscellaneous no-kill all-breed rescues.  In addition to doing basset rescue in Hawaii, I work with an all-breed rescue, and one of their prime directives is to take in and place dogs who outlive their owners. It is also possible to designate friends to place dogs who outlive you. Two of the late Dave Wethington's hounds now have fabulous new homes, and back-up homes for both were available.

Seems like the issue to explore would be why your wife does not want more dogs. Is she weary of losses should they predecease you?  Does she worry you both might predecease them and they be left homeless?  Does she want to travel and fear they might stand in the way?  Does she feel a need for more support herself and worry new dogs would be a distraction? IS there something about dogs which has been annoying her for awhile and needs an air-clearing and practical problem-solving approach ( for example, a commitment to hiring a cleaning service weekly to eliminate all the hair and drool, lol)?  IS she hoping to downsize and move into a retirement community (some do allow pets).  I can think of a lot of possibilities, but to my mind most are solvable, but finding out which one is at the base of the reluctance will be key. CAn't really solve a problem if you don't know what it is.

After Bo and Harley passed away, I wasn't sure I had it in me to survive the loss of any more dearly loved beings. (As many of us are, my husband and I are of an age that very well loved friends and family are passing away as well as hounds).  My husband convinced me that we had room for at least one more generation of dogs (and since we do rescues, none are puppies when they arrive).  I am so glad I listened. Our current trio, Mila, Mariah, and Ipo are precious beyond words to us, and I hope we are also giving them a wonderful life. 

Good luck figuring out and then resolving the 'should we add a hound or two or three' issue.

Val vlbzwick at yahoo.com