Do you have a soft spot in your heart for senior dogs? So do we!

Ernie is a big tricolor boy! We can imagine what a magnificent specimen he must have been in his younger days. Now, at 13+ years old, Ernie is deaf and arthritic and has some weakness in his shoulder and hind legs. He is still mobile, however, although he moves slowly, and can even manage a short flight of stairs. Usually, he chooses to use a ramp to get on and off the deck in his foster home.

Ernie still needs to be neutered, has a couple of sebaceous cysts, or lipomas, and was originally diagnosed with an infected tooth and heartworm disease. We chose to postpone any dental, or surgical procedures until after Ernie finished his heartworm treatment. This month (June 2025), Ernie is supposedly finished with his heartworm treatment and will be retested.

At 60 pounds, Ernie is trim. Because of his arthritis and rear end weakness, we think he should be kept trim, so that excess weight doesn't make it harder for him to walk. He has a good appetite and was possibly quite the counter surfer in his younger days. Now that his hind legs are weak, he just stands and barks at the counter, if he knows it contains food, willing the food to come to him.

Ernie is a fine old fellow who has lived his whole life with his previous owner and several of his doggie kin. Change is hard for us old folks, but, he is doing his best to cope with this "major reorganization" in his life. 

At his age, Ernie sleeps a lot during the daytime. He is quiet when he is content, but can be very vocal when his expectations are not being met, which is often! He lets you know his demands!

With regard to house training, Ernie is pretty good. He seems to know to do his business outdoors, and will bark to be let outside. However, his control isn't the best anymore. His bladder control is excellent; he has had no urinary accidents in the house. However, his bowel control is not good. He usually needs to go out for a late night potty trip in order to sleep through the night and he does have bowel accidents. Ernie's internal alarm clock seems to be set for 5 am, and it’s surprisingly consistent!

Ernie gets along well with his doggie foster siblings. He could often be found sharing a bed with his foster brother, Bubba. Ernie just crawled right into Bubba's bed, usually uninvited. With human company, Ernie would probably be OK as as only dog, but he has shared his space with multiple dogs during his entire lifetime and seems to appreciate their company. He seems to ignore cats. The cat in his foster home LOVES Ernie!

Even though Ernie is sweet and gentle, he would not be a good choice for very young children. He is tolerant to touch, but he doesn't hear well and he snatches at treats in the hand. He nips at human feet sometimes, when he is excited, or frustrated. He would be best with adults, or a family with older children.

Ernie may be available for adoption in a few months, now that his heartworm treatment is complete, but the chances are that this funny and demanding old fellow will remain a "forever foster" in his foster home. 

If you would like to help sponsor Ernie's medical treatment and supplements, just click the box that says "Sponsor this pet."

If you are interested in adopting Ernie and giving this old guy a home for whatever time he has left, feel free to submit an application.