You can’t teach an old ...but can you give one

MEET some of the country’s loneliest dogs hoping to find their forever home in time for Christmas.

These adorable mutts have been passed over time and time again as potential owners opt for young puppies to adopt instead.

They are Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s long-stay residents, some of them languishing in kennels for months on end.

With an increasing trend for fluffy designer dogs such as cockapoos and labradoodles these ageing mutts find themselves scoring low in the pup-ularity stakes. While it is important to remember that a dog is for life, not just for Christmas, Battersea are desperate to find loving homes for these deserving animals.

The average length of stay for dogs is 38 days. Desirable breeds such as spaniels and retrievers and smaller dogs find themselves rehomed almost immediately.

But centre manager Steve Braddock said potential dog-owners should keep an open mind when adopting. He said: “People come in with an idea or they’ve seen a dog on the website, but we try to find a dog that will suit their home and lifestyle.

“We’ll take down as much information as we can to find the right match – and a home that will make the animal happy for the rest of its life.”

Exercise

The “oldies” are some of the hardest dogs to find homes for because potential owners are often put off by fear of expensive vet fees as the animal ages.

But Steve believes that there are lots of benefit to older dogs.

He said: “People often forget how much time, training and exercise younger dogs need.

“Older dogs are already housetrained and while many still have a lot of get-up-and-go, older dogs need a lot less exercise making them a lot less work for a new owner.”

He added: “Older dogs are often much more relaxed than younger dogs, and in a lot of cases they would rather just have a cuddle on the sofa and some human affection, than be chasing tennis balls all day.”

Since it was founded over 150 years ago, Battersea has rescued, reunited and rehomed over 3.1million dogs and

IF you are interested in adopting a dog you can register online at Battersea.org.uk or call 0800 001 4444

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