Mastiff * Labrador * Female * 12 Years Old

Profile:

Megan is a 💛Golden Years Adoption💛. With a Golden Years Adoption, our goal is to find Megan a loving home that can continue to provide her with the care, comfort, and attention she deserves in her golden years! Megan is currently comfortable and enjoying life, but she does have ongoing senior medical needs, including degenerative joint disease requiring daily long-term pain medication and a large abdominal mass that is being monitored. She is being considered palliative at this time, and her new family will need to be prepared to monitor her comfort, mobility, appetite, and overall quality of life. She is being made available with a $0 adoption fee so that we can help her find a loving home where she can spend her golden years surrounded by the people who adore her.

HOW DID MEGAN GET HERE?
Megan came to us through another organization and is now looking for a soft place to land for her golden years!

PERSONALITY:
- A gentle senior lady. Megan knows that life doesn't have to be rushed! She prefers to take things at her own pace and enjoys calm, low-key outings.
- Sniffing is her favourite hobby. Megan is motivated by her environment and loves taking the time to investigate all the interesting smells around her.
- Calm & well-behaved. She is overall very well-behaved in the shelter environment and has shown a lovely ability to self-regulate.
- Calm harnessing. Megan does well with getting ready for her outings and is generally calm when being harnessed.
- Learning to check in. She is working on building her engagement with her handler, particularly when there are distractions around.
- A big girl with a big pull. Megan can pull on leash, particularly at the beginning of an outing. Because of her size, this can feel quite intense, so her new family should be prepared to continue working on loose-leash skills.
- Able to disengage. While Megan can become somewhat fixated on other dogs when outside, she has demonstrated that she can voluntarily disengage from distractions and return her attention to her handler. Megan's handler should still proactively create space and use engagement and treats to help her move past distractions without pulling or vocalizing.
- Treat motivated. Megan enjoys treats and can follow food lures for behaviours such as down and going to her mat.
- A senior who needs gentle handling. Megan has tolerated handling, but she does prefer not to be fussed with unnecessarily. Predictable routines, patience, and gradual positive desensitization will be important for grooming and other physical care.
- A leisurely walker. Her outings should be kept shorter to accommodate her age and physical limitations. She is much more interested in a relaxed sniff than a marathon walk!
- Good in the car. Megan has a history of travelling in a vehicle and has done well with car rides.
- Bonus....Megan is fully housetrained!

WHAT TYPE OF HOME IS MEGAN LOOKING FOR?
- A home that understands and is prepared for the needs of a senior dog
- A family who will allow Megan to move at her own pace and respect her physical limitations
- A home without a significant number of stairs that Megan would need to climb regularly due to her age and existing hip/leg ailments
- Megan can live in a condo, apartment, or detached home. If living in a condo or apartment, she would need to use an elevator, and her family should be prepared to gradually help her become comfortable around strangers and other animals in the elevator
- A fenced yard is recommended, where Megan can enjoy some gentle outdoor time and sniffing without needing to go on longer walks
- Megan may be able to live with another dog following a successful introduction. A resident dog closer to Megan's age and with a similar energy level would be preferred.
- Megan may also be able to live with a dog-savvy cat. An adult or larger cat would be preferred to reduce the possibility of accidental trampling due to Megan's size and mobility
- Children 6+ may be a good fit, provided they understand that Megan is a senior dog and may not be interested in playing or interacting the way a younger dog would. Younger children may potentially be considered with appropriate supervision
- A family willing to continue building Megan's handler engagement and loose-leash skills
- A family prepared to approach grooming, nail trims, ear checks, teeth checks, and other handling gradually and positively

Megan is eating a prescription diet called Royal Canin Metabolic and Mobility to help with weight management and joint health. Any dietary changes should be discussed with a veterinarian. A starter supply of their food will be provided at no added cost upon adoption.

Megan is also taking a medication called Metacam to help her mobility and any changes to her medication should be discussed with a veterinarian. A starter supply of this medication will be sold to her adopters for continuity of care.

Megan may be an older lady, but she still has plenty of life to enjoy! She would love a family who appreciates the quieter joys of senior-dog companionship - leisurely sniffing adventures, cozy time at home, tasty treats, and simply being by your side. If you're looking for a gentle giant to spend her golden years with, Megan may be the one you have been searching for. Apply to adopt her today!