A Word About the Old Folks

Adoption Application - - PDF Format - print and mail to the WRAP Rescuer nearest you
E-mail Application - - Copy and paste into an e-mail, fill in the blanks, and send to the WRAP Rescuer nearest you

WRAP has no upper age limit on whippets it accepts for placement. Many of the dogs we take in are past their prime, and some are quite elderly. Rescuers who accept these dogs know they may not be able to place them, and indeed the seniors often spend their last years in foster care. If you have the resources to adopt one of these old folks, please let your closest rescuer know.

Old dogs are a joy and old whippets a delight. Yes, it's a bittersweet time--you know your old one won't be with you long enough--but any owner of a senior whippet will tell you that it's worth it. An older whippet has settled down and doesn't need the exercise he once did. His prey drive has faded a bit and he can't catch the squirrels he did a few years ago. Since he's short-haired, he doesn't have that "old dog" smell that's common with other breeds. He's small and unobtrusive and quiet. He's not destructive, he's already housebroken, and most of all, he knows the ropes of living peacefully with humans.

The old folks are wiser. Your senior girl doesn't get so excited about company, though she still appreciates the extra attention guests bring. She'll sleep in a sunbeam for most of the morning and is content to lie on the couch for the afternoon. Her walks are slower and she'll allow you to stop to smell the roses along the way. She accepts your love with a dignity not usually seen in the younger whipper-snapper.

It's true that old dogs may have higher veterinary bills than younger ones. They may need daily medication and more frequent visits to the vet. Some of them are incontinent (usually treatable) and some are arthritic and grumpy, so not a good bet for a home with young children.

Who should consider an old rescue dog?

  • Someone who thinks the whippet is the breed for him/her but isn't sure. An older dog provides a calmer, more sedate introduction to the breed and for a shorter time. You're not looking at a 15-year commitment when you adopt an old one.
  • An older person who doesn't want to deal with the training required by an energetic younger dog.
  • Anyone who is unsure of the future beyond the next few years. Think you might be transferred overseas in five years? Planning to move to an apartment and give up the house when you retire? Saving to go back to school full-time in a few years? An older dog gives you companionship without demanding a large chunk of your lifetime in exchange!
  • Someone looking for companionship for another old dog! Often the family pet who is in his last years would like the companionship of another dog, but wouldn't appreciate the antics of a puppy. Another old-timer is just what the doctor ordered to keep the sparkle in his eye a little longer.
  • A person who needs to be needed. There's a lot of satisfaction in providing a final home for a dog who's been displaced in her twilight years.
  • And finally, anyone who has ever owned an old dog before. That person knows that though puppies are cute and young adults are fun, old dogs are truly the best.


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