new. any advice for first times staffy owner thinking of taking on oldie

Hi my name is Louise. I'm looking for a little bit of advice support on the up coming adoption of my first staffie. I've volunteered in kennels so I've met enough to know they are a pretty amazing breed. I will probably ask lots of annoying questions once I get my dog home. I have a dog already a 5 year old lab cross and a couple of cats so I need to find a animal friendly dog. I love older dogs there is something endearing about them. I've found what I think might be the perfect dog in rescue, she is good with other animals, with a sweet temprament, my dog is laid back so i feel a older dog would be good for him. She is 12 years old and in good health for her age. Is there anything special I would need for a older girl ? And is she worth taking on ? I love older dogs Luke I said and think she would be a great fit but part of Me worries about taking her on, I know I could give her s great life for however long she has left, I just selfishly worry about how is feel if she doesn't have loads of time left(though healthy so could keep going g for years yet. How long is the average life span of a staffie ? Sorry if I sound silly but any well wishes and advice would be am a ing

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Hiya from me and Vinnie, so well done on rescuing an older dog, as you say I am sure you will give her a very happy and comfortable rest of her life. Any help just shout   

Welcome from me and Alfie.
That sounds like a great idea, well done. There are a few people on here with older dogs so will be better placed to advise you. Good luck

Welcome from Darcy and me congrats on the rescue

Hi and welcome from me and Daisy, I think it's great that you are considering rescuing an older dog, so many people don't and they deserve to live out the rest of their life ( how ever long it may be ) in comfort and happiness, sounds like she will be perfect   

Welcome from Iza and me   

Hi & Welcome from Flo and me   

We took in our Flo as an older dog, not as old as you are considering though. It's been a fun and sometimes frustrating time as we obviously had to learn her little ways. She was 6+ when we got her so had some habits that were all her own, things she liked and things she would flatly not do, but that's half the fun.

One of the reasons I went for an older dog was that she would be house trained already. I really didn't want to go through all that puppy training again. The other bonus is, she is calmer and been through those teenage years but still full of fun.

I'm sure you will find it very rewarding rehoming an older dog and giving it love and affection. They just crave human love. As long as the dog is fit and healthy I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun times ahead  

Hi and welcome from us and Suki

Hello and a warm welcome from me and Stella  
Go for it!!  I think what you are doing is so special as older dogs are endearing  in many ways.  The love and understanding that you give will be all that she needs and that love will be returned unconditionally.
My old girl is 13 1/2 and still generally in good health, apart from her arthritis, which we manage with medication and supplements. She has a daily walk and still has a good quality of life. Well done again and any more questions, just ask 

Thanks for all the lovely messages and support has made me feel positive about going ahead with it, I over think things I think just because all the older dogs I've had In the past were family dogs so I know if anything would happen it would hit me really hard but with any pet it always worth it plus s kennel is no place for a dog her age she should be lazing on the sofa and been spoilt :-) I don't really want to go through the puppy stage again anytime soon if I have the option to adopt a older dog if take that any day as well. I love my dog Zak and he was a great puppy but so much more fun now he's older and all the benefits that go along with that. Its reassuring to know your dog is still up and about at 13 1/2 :-) do you give her any supliments for her at her arthritis or do walks help alot ? I was just wondering food wise what to feed her ? Zak is 5 and he is on James well beloved light as with most labradors he's greedy and prone to putting on weight but gets annoyed if his bowl looks empty, would this be OK to feed her to ? I've noticed a lot of light food is senior food to but not sure.

Welcome from the kids and I

Stella's supplements - Yumove, glucosamine with chondrotin - all have helped her getting out and about. Walking her is very important as her joints needs exercising. Occasionally she has to be persuaded to go out but I also give her rest days.  She does sleep a lot as well during the day and she likes her own space too.

I feed her Wainwrights wet for seniors and and she also gets treats like chicken, cheese and the occasional biscuit  

Don't be put off by thinking you will only have a short time with her.  I have a friend whose Staffy is 15 1/2. And know of another that lived to the ripe old age of 17.
Your new friend deserves to spend her later years in a loving home rather than in kennels and will be so rewarding for you.
Even if you don't have longer with her than you had hoped, you will have lots of happy memories.  "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"..... comes to mind.
Good luck and please keep us up to date x

Hi and welcome to the forum from me and the zoo xx

Bless u mia is 11 1/2 and she can still do 2 mile walks and also plenty of tricks. Every dog deserves their last years in a loving home i would ask the shelter about her habits and what shes likes with other animals and the type of food they have fed her. I feed mia dry mix but in some dry food u can make a gravy. In the library there are a variety of staffordshire bull terrier books that will offer help this forum is also excellent. I only wish i knew about this forum when i got mia.

Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Are you able to take your current dog into the rescue centre so they can meet up on neutral ground with experienced members of staff on hand should you need their advice along the way ? I'm sure the centre would encourage his anyway.

Im just waiting for the rescue centre to ring me back just so I can ask all these questions and to arrange to take my dog down to meet her, I've completed all the checks by the centre so I guess it's realy up to the the dogs and how they get along. I know a little about her back ground and I know she is house trained and good with other dogs and the centre want her to go to a home with other dogs, on paper perfect but animals are never that predictable.makes me nervous that the decision is going to lie with Zak but he's a good dog and is happy to live with other dogs

Hope it goes well, do keep us posted   xx

hia from me and sasha   so hope every thing turns out for you all,my sash is 10 now and is just starting to slow down a bit,thou she does still have here crazy moments   ,i feed her a senior food but she does have a sardine in with it   

Hope it all goes well when introducing them. Keep us posted and hi from peppa and I.

Hi and welcome from Ozzy and me hope it works out for you

Hi from me and Axl. I have a huge soft spot for the oldies I love them to bits, I can't have one because Axl is too hyper and can be funny with other dogs but if I could I would! Good luck and keep us posted and lots of pics please

Hi and welcome from the girls and me   

hello from us...spoil her rotten...I would..   

Hi and welcome from me and my two