When this family adopted Kurbis, who literally “fell into their lap” at a senior dog adoption event, they could feel how much he wanted to be loved, but his past was a mystery. In the time since, he’s learned to be a dog and they say it even seems like he’s getting younger!

Why you should adopt a senior!

Senior dogs are often overlooked at shelters and rescues because of their age, passed over for cute, little puppies. Those puppies are undeniably cute, but not every household has the time or energy for a puppy. They can be challenging (which is why so many end up back at the shelter!). Senior dogs on the other hand, often come with life skills at the ready. Important ones like leash walking, not going in the house, even tricks! They most often know that toys and treats are for chewing, while shoes are not!

Seniors often love to sleep and or snuggle the day away, and while they need exercise like any other dog, it’s usually less.

The fit easily into a household and make wonderful companions (for instance, with human seniors, who not only appreciate their low maintenance, but their calm, age and wisdom!).

Senior dogs may not have as many years as a pup, but they often have many more than you’d think. Just think about Kurbis in the above video from The Dodo‘s Pittie Nation — he seemed to get younger once he was in a happy place with a family who loved and cared for him!

Oftentimes, people mistakenly think that older dogs in rescue or at a shelter were problematic, which is why they ended up homeless. Most of the time, this isn’t the case. There are many reasons people give up their older pets. Some arrive at the shelter because their owner had to move or even passed away. But more importantly, it’s not generally their “fault.”

These dogs need homes, just like the younger ones. Give a senior a chance. Most people find it to be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Prince, say volunteers and staffers at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in New York say that Prince, who has been with them for 5 five months, is doing wonderful with his obedience training. But come night time, he has THEM trained!

You see, since he arrived at the upstate New York animal shelter, getting tucked in is an important source of comfort. Some people may find it surprising, but pit bulls are a very emotional and sensitive breed.

“Every night at closing, if someone gets into his kennel and gives him a toy, he climbs right into bed and waits to be tucked in with a blanket,” Mohawk Hudson Humane Society spokeswoman Marguerite Pearson said in a statement to InsideEdition.com.

She explained Prince can get nervous at the shelter, but tucking him in every night helps keep the animal calm and situates him to his environment.

“When he first arrived, Prince was terrified,” she explained. “He stayed curled up in a ball, shaking in the back of his kennel. Staff and volunteers started working with him, and slowly but surely, he came out of his shell.”

Prince came to the shelter back in April. His owner, unable to care for him, gave Prince to his girlfriend, but Prince slipped his collar, ran away and ended up in lock-up, attempts by the staff to reach her went unanswered.

“We followed up, expecting that she would come to redeem him, but she never did,” Pearson said.

Pearson said they’re now looking to find Prince a new home, and spent the last several months training him to sit and drop a toy on command.

“[Staff has] been taking him on outings and showering him with affection, which he loves. And he gives it right back,” she said. “He’s very smart and people-oriented.”

Pearson explained the 2-year-old pit bull would do best in a home where he’s the only animal, and when he gets to know you, “his loving personality shines and he becomes a real love bug.”

To find out more about Prince, visit the shelter’s website.

This lovely lady is Ms. Brynn, 7 years young. And the folks at the Little Shelter Animal Rescue in Huntington, NY (that’s on Long Island!) are sure you’re going to fall in love with her.

Thanks to a grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization, Little Shelter is able to help more senior dogs like Brynn.

A true Renaissance woman, Brynn is a worldly pit bull mix looking for someone who can appreciate all her fine qualities. She will gladly join you for a midday sun bathe or an evening stroll, made all the better if snacks are served…! Who doesn’t enjoy tasty hors d’oeuvres?

Her friendly, sweet and outgoing personality makes her the perfect pup to complete your family. Once she is by your side, you’ll wonder how you ever binge-watched a series on Netflix without her!

This lovely girl is ready to meet you. Don’t keep her waiting! For more information, check out the Little Shelter’s website.

More about Little Shelter Animal Rescue in their own words….

Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter nestled on six wooded acres in Huntington, Long Island. Little Shelter has been dedicated to saving abandoned dogs and cats and placing them into loving homes since 1927. Age, physical condition, and socialization issues are never criteria for rescuing a dog or cat whose life is in jeopardy. Through rescue from kill facilities, rehabilitation of sick and unsocialized pets, and a 100% spay/neuter program, Little Shelter hopes to end pet overpopulation and place all dogs and cats into loving homes. All Little Shelter animals receive the highest quality medical care and are spayed or neutered prior to adoption. Every potential adopter is interviewed and thoroughly screened to ensure the best quality homes. Included on the grounds is Sheltervale Pet Cemetery, which has been the final resting place for companion animals for more than 90 years. Little Shelter Animal Rescue has won Best of Long Island 9 straight years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018) for Best Animal Shelter and Best Animal Rescue!

If Faye isn’t “gettable,” we don’t know what dog is!

And the folks with Get A Bull rescue in Huntington, NY (that’s on Long Island) are keen on finding this beauty a very special home.

Faye is between 9 and 10 years old and found herself in a large municipal shelter after her owner went into a nursing home. She is in early-stage kidney disease, which is mostly managed via prescription diet at this time. This sweet, graying girl is also deaf.

Although found to be friendly with other dogs while at the shelter, Faye moved from her first foster’s home to another. She seems to be better suited as a solo dog. Of course, Get-A-Bull staffers are most interested in finding this silver-faced sweetie a forever home and will happily continue to cover her medical costs for life (that includes the prescription food!)

Faye is very friendly with humans, adults and kids! She is very affectionate and an easy-going girl around the house. This beautiful pibble also is house-trained and she often opts, entirely on her own, to hang out in her open crate where she feels very comfy.

She is truly special, say her rescuers and foster, and they’d love to see a special person give her a happy home!

Faye is currently in foster care in Massachusetts, but Get-A-Bull will happily adopt her to homes throughout the Northeast. Though they are based on Long Island, adopters in the New York metro and New England will be happily considered.

Give this gorgeous, graying girl a home – and if you can’t, share her!

A little more about Get A Bull in their own words….

“Get A Bull is a collaboration between a group of passion-driven animal lovers looking to make a difference in the lives of pit bull dogs in the New York Area. Our collective backgrounds in the area of animal rescue, animal shelters, dog training and veterinary medicine have given us special insight into the plight of the pit bull breed of dogs. We know these dogs and we know them to be just that, dogs. We have seen the impact that overpopulation, backyard breeding, and neglect has made on these dogs. We see that the shelters are filled mostly with pit bulls and that most good dogs don’t make it out alive due to lack of space. We know this is not the fault of the pit bull, but of humans who use and abuse them and continue to breed them. We also know that discrimination towards this breed by landlords, insurance companies, government and in the media, continues to make this an uphill battle. We want to bring to light that these are lovely family dogs that people should consider adopting. But we also know that adoption is only half the battle to helping them. Our goal is to match great dogs with great families but also to facilitate and promote spay/neuter in the communities, promote responsible dog ownership and to provide the resources and education needed to keep dogs with their families.”

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Courtney is a lovely, young woman whose many chronic illnesses keep her at home. Awhile back, she decided that fostering animals would be a wonderful way to give back — and have great company! She’s fostered hundreds of pets before they found loving homes. Then she met a sickly, young pit bull who struck a chord. Now she’s found a permanent companion via foster failure! ?

A beautiful story from the Dodo’s “Soulmates” series.

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When flames began to overtake the Stockton, CA, apartment building where she lives, Sasha — an 8-month old pit bull — flew into action. Her owner, Nana Chaichanhda, was inside with her infant daughter.

Sasha alerted Chaichanhda about the danger even before she was aware of it.

“I was awaken by my pit bull pup Sasha banging and crying at my backyard door. Little did I know, Sasha would become my hero,”Chaichanhda wrote on a GoFundMe page after losing her home in the fire.

The four-plex partially destroyed, but Sasha’s family made it out safe due to her swift action.

“My neighbors home was totally destroyed, and the fire was quickly spreading to my unit,” the mother wrote. “[Sasha] was trying to warn us of the fire. I got out of bed to see what was going on. At that moment I opened the back door and Sasha ran into our home, straight into our bedroom.”

Confused at first, Chaichanhda then realized her cousin’s apartment — right next door — was burning.

“I ran into the bedroom, where Sasha was already dragging my 7-month-old baby off the bed by her diaper,” she wrote. “Thanks to Sasha we were able to get out safe and call 911.”

Firefighters arrived, quashing the flames, but two apartments — Chaichanhda’s and her cousin’s — were destroyed. They are staying with relatives in one of the remaining units, WTVR-TV reported.

Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to save most of the building. Chaichanhda and her cousin’s apartment were destroyed in the blaze. The family is now staying with relatives who live in one of the surviving apartments, CBS affiliate WTVR-TV reports.

Chaichanhda believes Sasha is what ultimately kept her and her daughter safe. She hopes their story helps change the negative perception of pit bulls.

“I owe her everything. If it wasn’t for her, I would have still been in bed and things could have taken a worse turn,” she said.