Grey Matters

Living with a blind dog is neither as difficult as you may fear nor as easy as you might hope. Paulette Calleen has lived with Lily, her blind Shih Tzu, for several years and offers some recommendations that can help people with visually impaired dogs.

As 2015 comes to a close, we at Grey Muzzle are taking a moment to celebrate our achievements and look forward to 2016. With the help of our supporters and partners, each year we get a little closer to realizing our vision of a world in which no old dog dies alone and afraid.

Dogs love to be touched, and massage in particular can be very enjoyable. It is also very helpful for a senior dog's health—improving blood flow, stimulating the immune system, and reducing pain. In this post, Grey Muzzle President Jennifer Kachnic explains the benefits and types of canine massage.

The new book My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts offers a collection of stories about senior shelter pets finding love, and sometimes fame. Author Laura T. Coffey and photographer Lori Fusaro were interviewed about the book, and excerpts can be read here.

Smart Cookie Dog Treats got its start after Ruger, the beloved dog of founders Bri and Scott Bradley, was diagnosed with lymphoma and Bri herself with cancer. The result was a company that makes health-conscious, customizable dog treats. We interview co-founder Bri Bradley.

Proper nail care is important for the health and mobility of all dogs (and senior dogs, in particular), but can be a dog guardian's least favorite task. To show that it needn't be a source of dread, veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby shares her "recipe" for safely and painlessly trimming a dog's nails.

For shelters and rescues, making sure that homeless senior dogs get their second chance often involves more than finding loving people willing to open their heart and home to a senior dog. They first must provide needed medical care, and this care can cost more than shelters and rescues can afford. 

No one knows the joy that adopting an older dog can bring more than the volunteers, fosters, and adopters of Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions, who were recently included in Jane Sobel Klonsky's Project Unconditional photo series.

A senior Shih Tzu named Maddie is one of the dogs featured in the new book My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. Maddie was adopted from Grey Muzzle grantee Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. We asked her adopter, Madelon, to tell us more about Maddie's story. 

Older dogs, with their greying fur and sagging jowls, have a special beauty. This beauty is wonderfully captured in a series of portraits by Toronto-based photographer Pete Thorne, which will be published in a new book, entitled Old Faithful: Dogs of a Certain Age.