My name is Buster!

UPDATE: Our old guy is continuing to improve and has come a long way! He no longer needs a diaper as he doesn't have accidents anymore. His prostrate has shrunk and is no longer pressing on his bladder so he can hold it now and he is a very good boy at letting you know when he has to go out. He has put on more weight and is about 55lbs now with a few more pounds still to go. He LOVES car rides and is an eager road trip companion. We just took him for a 2 hour trip to visit family and he was excellent in the car and with the visits. He is still looking for his forever home and we hope to find a perfect match for him. We adore Buster and he has been such a joy to live with. We know he would provide a lot of happiness and love to an adoptive family as well.

Buster is ready for adoption now! He is a 12 yr old English Bulldog and he was abandoned by his previous owner and ended up in a rural pound as a stray. It sounds impossible that someone would do this to an elderly dog, but sadly, it happens. Buster got lucky though and found rescue and is flourishing in his foster home. He is a happy and funny old guy and he’s ready now to move on to his retirement home with a family that will love him, care for him, and never, ever abandon him again.

Being twelve Buster is in the golden years of his life, but he certainly isn’t over the hill!!! He has a pep to his step when he is out on his walks and still enjoys a good chew toy, belly rubs, and snuggles. He came to us in very poor condition caused by neglect. His ears, eyes, and skin were infected, he was very skinny, and he has an enlarged prostrate from being kept intact for these many years. His infections have been treated and he has shiny fur now. He has put on some weight and is a very good eater. He loves feeding time and will be sure to serenade you with barks to encourage you to prepare his food faster and get it to him! His prostrate will reduce over time as he has now been neutered and came through the surgery perfectly. We have had bloodwork , a urine test and xrays done on Buster and he is surprisingly in great shape for an older guy. With good food and loving care Buster has a great outlook for a healthy future.

Buster is good with other dogs and lives with dogs in his foster home. He would be fine with another calm, mature dog to share a home with but he won’t want to have to put up with a young and playful dog. Buster likes checking out the yard and sniffing things with our dogs, he is past the point of wanting to wrestle and romp, so another dog in the home would need to be settled and calmer to be compatible. Buster is also being fostered with cats and he is fine with them. He ignores them for the most part. Sometimes when he is frisky he tries to initiate play with them by nudging them in hopes they will run, but this doesn’t last long and Buster goes back to ignoring them. Buster is not being fostered with children and we feel he would be best in a home without kids as he likes peace and quiet and a calm home environment. Buster’s great joys are going for short walks, car rides, eating, finding sticks, chewing treats and sleeping in front of the woodstove. He LOVES the heat of the fire and gets as close as he can to it. Buster is a good sleeper and after a good walk he likes to rest up by the fire.

Buster is a fantastic dog with all kinds of personality and he has attracted a lot of attention as we posted his journey with us on facebook. We know that there is a perfect home out there for Buster and that someone will want to give this wonderful old man a loving forever home. There are so many positives to living with Buster and he has been a lot easier to live with then we initially thought when we rescued him. We took him on expecting a difficult transition for him and have been surprised by how well he settled in and how easy he has been for us. We love Buster and love having him live with us but know that he deserves a chance to have his own family to adore him and care for him. Taking on an elderly dog does have its challenges though and there are some realities we need to address for anyone seriously considering Buster. They are:

Buster can do a few stairs in a row but won’t be able to handle a flight of stairs. He lives on the main floor of our home and is doing fine. He needs access to outside that doesn’t include lots of stairs.
Buster is hard of hearing and doesn’t know the volume of his own voice so when he does bark it’s loud. He will not be suitable for an apartment for this reason. He is not overly barky but when he does bark..dinner time, when he has “lost” you in another room, and when he wants treats..it can be loud
Buster has limited sight so he needs consistency in his home to know the layout. He can see some, just not great.
Buster has old man bladder and needs to pee a lot. We take him out regularly and he is good about going every time he is let out. If we are going to be gone for more than an hour or so we put a doggie diaper on him and this works well. He will not do well in a home where the family is gone for 8plus hours at a stretch. He needs someone to be home with him more often to be able to let him out. We are able to come home at lunch to let him out on work days and this works well for him. Doggie diapers are something his new family will need to be ok with as they are needed occasionally. He does ok overnight without them
Accidents sometimes happen when you are a 12 yr old dog so a mostly carpeted home probably won’t be ideal. He can’t help it, he just can’t hold it like a younger dog could, and the diaper sometimes falls off. Again, someone home more that can let him out regularly would be ideal
He will need regular vet exams, at least twice a year, to keep on top off the things that naturally occur in older dogs. He may need to be on medication for his ears..he will go home with the meds we have for him but some may be needed in the future. Unfortunately the reality of owning an older dog is that vet visits are needed more often than with a young dog in it’s prime.
And finally, although we now have Buster in tip top health, the reality is, whoever adopts him needs to know that he is at an advanced age right now and we do not know how long he will live for. It could very well be years but we have no way of guaranteeing that. He needs a family to devote themselves to him for the rest of his life, however long that may be.
Buster brings so much to our lives that we don’t focus on his age, we choose to enjoy the quirky, happy, funny dog that he is. He will brighten each day and will make you smile. He loves to be with his people and will be a devoted companion. And he will be your best buddy, riding next to you in the car, walking by your side on stroll, sitting at your feet in the house. He doesn’t require a lot of effort, he just needs love and companionship and someone to promise him that they are by his side...until his forever comes.

Buster's adoption fee will be reduced from our standard adoption fee, but we promise, what he brings to your life will be worth every penny...

All Pound Dog Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, de-wormed (if required), and microchipped prior to adoption. The adoption donation of $400 is applied to assist in the costs of veterinary care and the overall care of the dog. For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.