When Ashley and Fred met and adopted an overweight, 10+ year old senior dog named Ginger from Dallas Animal Services (DAS), they anticipated they’d only have her in their home for a few weeks or months due to her age and condition. Now, over a year later, a spry and healthy Ginger has happily proven them wrong!
In August of 2021, Ashley and Fred were looking for a companion for their very energetic pup, Stevie. When they first walked past Ginger's kennel at DAS they saw a geriatric, obese dog who barely even looked when they approached.
Despite how sad she looked in her kennel, Fred and Ashley knew that she was their girl.
"We've never had a dog so seamlessly integrate into the rhythm of our home. It was like she walked in, looked around, and said, 'cool, I live here now.'" - Ginger's Adopters
While Ginger doesn’t exactly keep up with energetic, young Stevie, she did initiate the first play and "it was love at first play-bow." Ashley says that Ginger is the "calm in the crazy dog storm" in their lives.
Ginger was a bit overweight when adopted and even got caught in the doggy door! But with a little bit of diet and exercise in the form of walks and playtime with Stevie, her weight evened out. That said, her favorite activities still include snacks and naps and while she will engage in play, she definitely will abandon any ball for a yummy treat. Her favorite foods include blueberries, broccoli... and anything else someone nearby is eating.
"Ginger was our first senior adoption but is unlikely to be our last. She came housebroken, came when you called her name, and knew basic commands." - Ginger's adopters
Senior dogs, unfortunately, get overlooked at shelters. We are so thankful that Fred and Ashley took her in and gave her a second chance at life! Help more dogs like Ginger by making a donation to our North Texas Giving Campaign. And if you are in the market for a new furry family member, please consider a senior pet at DAS!