10/04/2023: Zion has been adopted having been spotted on Oldies Club and is very happy to say goodbye to kennels and hello to comfort and love!
Zion is a true oldie! He’s nearly 14 now and spends most of his time snoozing in his kennel at Rescue Remedies near Gatwick on the Surrey/West Sussex border. He really needs to find a comfy, adult-only home as an only pet for his golden years. No matter how snuggly his bed is, kennels are no substitute for home comforts and central heating. For this reason, he’s available to foster for the perfect person.
Zion is great company. He’s very undemanding but does need some understanding of his ways. He’s friendly with all people and usually with other dogs when out and about, so he’s a joy to take out for a stroll. He cannot be rushed though. He plods and has a good sniff of everything. His legs are a bit weak so he doesn’t walk far.
If the weather’s bad he’d probably make do with some garden pottering instead. Also, he is not a morning person. Some days he’ll stay in bed until lunch time! He mustn’t be touched when he’s asleep. Surprizes in general can bring out his grumpy-old-man side. He needs a predictable and relaxed life style.
Zion can be livelier when there are people and other dogs to meet. His tail goes into helicopter mode when he’s pleased to see someone. His favourite place at the kennels is the car park where there are usually people to greet, asking how they are and if they happen to have any treats for him! In the home, he can be wary of unknown visitors though. An experienced owner will be able to manage this easily enough and Rescue Remedies will advise.
When he’s out in their paddocks he’ll happily pass the time of day with any friendly neighbouring dogs. He was once attacked and can be defensive if he feels vulnerable but on the whole, his genial nature wins out.
One volunteer walker said, “He takes life at a gentle, relaxed pace and enjoys time spent with humans, just mooching, munching grass, watching the activities going on around the site, extracting yummy treats from his many fans and relaxing in the sun. Every person and dog he spots is greeted with a happy waggy tail.”
Another said, “Although he was keen to get out of his run he wasn’t that interested in going far. He always feels the need to inspect as many paddocks he can access. He managed three and to his joy managed to get fuss and treats from several people. He did his usual let’s lie down so I can’t be moved when I tried to get him to go further afield.
“Therefore we sat watching the world go by and getting cuddles. We were joined by little Eddie and Elaine. I think he would have sat quite happily all day. This loving boy is affectionate and undemanding. He really deserves a comfortable home to live out his final years.”
As well as treating his sleepy times as sacrosanct, Zion’s food times are sacred too. He has air snapped in the past when someone has accidentally put their hand between him and his dish. Again, an experienced owner will take this in their stride and just be careful not to trigger this automatic reaction. He’s probably too set in his ways to learn not to food guard at his age. His love is well worth making the odd adjustment for.
If you might be able to help this loving old boy enjoy home comforts and cuddles, please read and follow the links in the Rescue Remedies rehoming process here.
Please note that Rescue Remedies has a policy of all adopters committing to kept adopted dogs on the lead at all times when out and about.
Please say you saw Zion on the Oldies Club website.
This replaces Zion’s previous page dated 12 September 2021.