Meet a Senior Dog Named Oliver
When an old yellow lab was found wandering around out in the country, he was in terrible condition. He had been abandoned in a place where people routinely dump their unwanted pets, but fortunately, he was picked up and taken to a local shelter. If it hadn’t been for the man who found him, the old dog probably would have died out there all alone. He had a severe flea allergy that was so bad that he had chewed and scratched off almost all of the hair from his back, leaving nothing but a giant sore. His ears were so badly infected that he could hardly hear, leading the shelter workers to believe he was deaf.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, he had very little muscle mass in his back legs, joint problems, and extra-long toenails. The senior dog was hardly able to walk, even for short distances. Because of the dog’s old age (about 10 years old) and his many health problems, shelter workers thought their only option was to keep him for the specified holding period and then euthanize him.
Then along came Brittany
Brittany Garman was working at the shelter when she saw the run-down dog and immediately fell in love. She asked the other workers about him and her heart sunk when she found out he was on the euthanasia list. In spite of the health issues he had and whatever he had been through in his life, he loved everyone he met. He was one of the sweetest dogs Brittany had ever met and she was determined not to let him die an unwanted shelter dog. So she and her husband, Cory, adopted him, named him Oliver, and hoped they would have a few months to show him what love was before he passed away. That was in June, 2014.
Oliver hits the jackpot with a new family
It’s been a year and seven months since Oliver hit the jackpot! He has settled into his new home with his two adoring humans and six furry siblings (three dogs and three cats). He doesn’t have a flea on him, although his back still has callouses from all of the scabs. His ear infections have been treated and he can hear just fine. Once a week he has laser therapy for his hips and knees, and he takes supplements to help with his bones and joints. As a result, he can walk almost a mile now and is building up his muscles and getting stronger.
Brittany worried about her old dog slipping on floors
One thing medical care couldn’t help Oliver with was walking on the slippery hardwood and tile floors in his new home. Even though his walking had improved greatly since Brittany and Cory adopted him, he had a very hard time walking in the house. He would slip and fall repeatedly, which worried Brittany a great deal. She didn’t want him to fall and break a bone. For a while, she thought they might have to get carpeting just so Oliver would be able to walk around. By chance though, she saw a post on Instagram about ToeGrips® dog nail grips and decided to give them a try.
Would ToeGrips® dog nail grips be the solution for her senior dog?
Brittany thought ToeGrips® dog nail grips would help a little, but didn’t think there would be a dramatic change in Oliver’s ability to walk on the floors. She never would have imagined how much ToeGrips® dog nail grips would change Oliver’s life. From the very start, he walked through the house much easier and more confidently. It wasn’t long before he started using the large living room, with its hardwood floors, as his playground. It was as if he was a different dog. Instead of hobbling around like an old dog, he gets around in the house without any problems at all.
Seeing her old dog walk without slipping was a huge relief
ToeGrips® dog nail grips are a regular part of Oliver’s life now and are changed out about every four to five weeks. Brittany has noticed that the front ones wear out a little faster than the ones on his back feet, but they rarely fall off. She does check ToeGrips® dog nail grips every few days though, just to be sure they haven’t fallen off and are still in place properly.
Knowing Oliver can walk around comfortably is a huge relief for Brittany and Cory. They don’t worry about him like they used to, and see no need to put carpeting in the house. Oliver gets around just fine, and in fact, they sometimes wish he would settle down just a little bit! Even though he’s about 11 ½, he seems to think he’s a puppy and will jump and romp around in the house like a much younger dog.
Brittany credits ToeGrips® dog nail grips with giving Oliver the confidence to walk comfortably and feels they’re a big reason why he’s doing so well.
“The things he can do now because of the ToeGrips is just amazing. I recommend them to everybody. The difference I’ve seen is just incredible.”Click To TweetOliver is wearing ToeGrips® dog nail grips and living the good life
The tired, flea-infested wreck of a dog Brittany fell in love with has blossomed under her care. Despite the fact that he’s a senior dog, the gentle soul Brittany recognized finally has a chance to come out and play. And that’s exactly what he is doing! Even as we spoke on the phone, I could hear him romping around, playing with his toys and trying to get Brittany’s attention. Brittany will never know what Oliver has gone through in his short life, but it’s quite obvious he is loved very much and very content with his new life. He is certainly a lucky lab, living the good life.
You can visit Oliver’s Etsy store, where he proudly works as a bowtie model.
ToeGrips® for senior dogs like Oliver
Finally, if you have a senior dog like Oliver, or a special needs or post-surgical dog who slips on hardwood floors and would like to learn more about how ToeGrips® dog nail grips improve traction on slippery floors, reduce slip and fall injuries, and help your dog regain confidence, check out these additional resources: 7 Reasons I Love ToeGrips for My Senior Dog, What Are ToeGrips® dog nail grips, ToeGrips® dog nail grips Reviews, or ToeGrips® dog nail grips Shop Now.
What questions do you have about ToeGrips® dog nail grips? Please comment below.
Passionate about pets and their people, Therese Kopiwoda is the founder of ThePetScopeTV, the first live-streaming network on Periscope featuring broadcasts from experts in the pet industry. She’s also a social media consultant, WordPress web designer, and speaker. Therese is mom to a border collie Jed, who is her best friend and travel companion.
I loved reading Oliver’s story and it meant so much especially since I follow him on Instagram! Thanks again Toegrips for doing what you were created to do!