It was a cold Milwaukee night when a dog owner was searching the streets for her lost senior dog, who sneaked out. She can’t help but think that the old dog is probably shaken and scared upon realizing he’s away from home. But it turns out that the dog is enjoying himself… in a local bar. 😂 How did this happen?
For dog owners, closing the door when entering the house has been a common practice for us. We wouldn’t want our dogs sneaking out and wandering outside until they’re lost!
Such a thing happened to dog owner, Jenny Hazard, after her 16-year-old Shih-tzu named Bear sneaked out after the backyard door was left open. Bear, during his younger years, is a runner like any other dog. He loved going outside and exploring by sniffing on things that he was curious about.
On that specific evening of January 24th, 2024, Bear found the opportunity to sneak outafter Hazard left it open. Bear immediately took off outside. It wasn’t soon before Hazard realized that Bear was missing, so she wasted no time and went around the neighborhood and nearby areas to search for her poor dog.
How Bear Was Found
While driving and searching for Bear, Hazard posted Bear’s photos on social media to reach anyone who had seen the senior dog roaming the streets. She was all around that evening as she took turns driving and walking, calling out her missing dog’s name. Hazard never gave up on the hopes of her post, leading her to Bear. But just like that, Hazard received good news.
A text message was sent to Hazard on the same evening, telling her that Bear was at Finks. Finks was a local bar known for its, and Bear, being the friendly dog that he is, just made it the perfect place for him to stay. Hazard was overjoyed and, at the same time, intrigued by how a 16-year-old Shih-Tzu ended up miles away from her home.
Upon arriving at Finks, Hazard was greeted by people who were taking turns giving treats and taking a photo since it’s not every day that a dog would join them in a bar. A friend of a friend even shared a photo of Hazard where he was adored by many bargoers.
Bear ending up in a bar miles away from home is the real mystery. In the end, Hazard gets her dog back, and Bear enjoys his little journey away from home. That’s a win-win situation if you tell me!
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Potential Behavior Changes Among Senior Dogs
Bear, the 16-year-old Shih-Tzu, may have loved the outdoors and was a runner during his heydays, but there will come a time when nothing among them makes sense. Bear sneaking out was entirely out of character for him and, not to mention quite unsafe. It’s a good thing that he was brought back to Hazard safe.
It is easy to point out these sudden and weird behavior changes simply into senility because of old age. According to the Dog Aging Project, this is called the canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) or canine dementia. But this is not the case all the time as it could possibly be from the following reasons:
- Arthritis
- Dental Disease
- Neurologic Disease
- Endocrine Disease
- Cancer
With this, it is important to have your senior dogs checked by veterinarians to help lessen the pain that they feel. The American Animal Hospital Association Senor Care Task Force recommends twice yearly wellness examinations and bloodwork screenings to determine the appropriate preventive measures.
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From The Club
Bear’s story talk reminds me of my 14-year-old pomeranian Calix, who suffers from canine dementia. He could no longer walk, eat, and drink on his own, which frustrated him a lot. Oftentimes, he would cry all night due to frustration and sometimes pain that he’s feeling inside. I know that this is a part of life, but I can’t help but feel emotional about the fact that he is crossing the rainbow bridge soon — he was my childhood dog, and we grew up together!
