Why I adopted two senior dogs (and how the household is adjusting!)

 I can’t pinpoint the exact point in my life I realized the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed was for me, but I have to think watching reruns of Sex and the City and seeing that sweet puppy face on Charlotte’s cavalier (aptly named Elizabeth Taylor) had something to do with it. The breed’s personality and needs align perfectly with my personality and lifestyle–and I just love them! And I’ve always wanted to adopt a senior cavalier. I tried to adopt a senior dog years back and wasn’t approved, but never stopped thinking about getting a senior!

James might appear to have RBF in all my pictures with dogs I’ve fostered through Cavalier Rescue USA, but he’s truly so good with them. He warmed up to Ruby and Roxy so quickly too on one of their visits to my home before I brought them here permanently. Since Ruby and Roxy are a bonded pair (and half sisters), they really stick together and don’t bother James. They just want to cuddle together and eat all the food. The two of them together weigh less than James, they’re so tiny and sweet. Matt and I loved these two girls when we met them and while we’re still getting adjusted to two extra doggies, their little faces make us melt.

The Adjustment

The adjustment for me is just change in general and the change in my routine. Whenever I’ve fostered dogs, James’ morning routine changes and he hops out of bed before I’m up and wakes up the other dogs. This drives me nuts and we’re still working on the morning routine adjustments.

There is triple the hair. Hair everywhere, layered over my velvet couch, lining every hardwood step upstairs and in my food! I needed a solution to this quickly, and so I ordered new dog brushes, hair removal tools for furniture and we bought a Dyson vacuum that picks up every hair and piece of dirt that’s ever existed in my home. We use that new vacuum everyday with glee!

The adjustment to new doggie personalities. James is very easy and maybe he’s easy to me because I know his personality and we’ve adjusted to each other perfectly well. He usually leaves me alone and I can do laundry without a dog underneath my feet and I can scoop his food without any excitement from him. He cares very little about food and most times I have to hand feed him to get him to eat a meal.

And now I have two sweet girls following me room to room and I’m trying not to trip over them! They also LOVE food and go bananas for it and are big beggars! They eat up every morsel quickly and love any and all treats, even toothless Ruby. I appreciate that they eat their food, just need to get them to understand that I won’t be feeding them people food!