Senior Rescue Poodle Tricks New Owners Into Thinking She's 'Frail'

When people think about getting a dog, it's usually a puppy they're envisioning. Accordingly, the internet is full of videos of people surprising their loved ones with their dream puppy, wrapped up in bows and hidden in boxes.

One couple, however, are on a mission to encourage people to rescue and adopt senior dogs, after their experience with an older minute poodle inspired them.

Adrian Lott, 31, and Spencer Erickson, 32, posted a video to Instagram revealing what happened when they brought home a "frail geriatric poodle...not expecting that she'll be with us for long," and it has already garnered more than 144,000 views.

"Getting absolutely clowned," they wrote alongside the clip.

In the video, Emma the senior poodle can be seen looking incredibly frail and wearing a jumper in one frame, then the footage cuts to an animated Emma, jumping up and down.

"We adopted Emma from a local shelter in February 2022, she was Adrian's 30th birthday present," Erickson told Newsweek, "She looked awful in the photos on their website, covered in mats and urine burns. We just knew she needed someone fast, so we decided to bring her home."

The decision to adopt an older dog can mean the difference between life and death for that animal as they are often the last to get adopted—and if they don't they are often euthanized. Senior dogs have an adoption rate of 25 percent, compared to 60 percent for younger dogs and puppies, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Erickson explained that the shelter told them Emma was 14 years old, weighed just three pounds once her matted fur had been shaved off and needed extensive dental work.

"During dental work her tiny jaw broke," said Erickson. "A week later I got a text from Emma's foster wanting to see if we were still interested in bringing her home. Both the shelter and foster agreed that it was best for her to go immediately to her forever home, despite the fact that she wasn't yet well enough to be put up for adoption.

"There was a moment after bringing her home that has stuck with me," continued Erickson. "She was so shaky at the beginning, even wearing a sweater and wrapped in a blanket. I was holding her, and I lightly rubbed her head—she immediately stopped shaking, and looked up at me. We made eye contact, and in that moment, I think she knew she was home."

As well as Emma, Erickson and Lott have also adopted Eugene, a 15-year-old German shorthaired pointer, Gus, a ten-year-old Chihuahua, Millie, a seven-year-old mutt mix, and Teddy, a five-year-old cocker spaniel/poodle mix. "Our first dog was a seven-year-old blind cocker spaniel that Adrian met while volunteering at the local shelter while he was in grad school. He wasn't getting adopted and we decided he didn't deserve to be in a shelter," said Erickson.

Erickson and Lott have a passion for giving senior dogs a second chance in life.

"We like to say that many of us start by adopting senior dogs for the dog—doing a good deed," said Erickson. "But we keep adopting senior dogs for us—you learn after a couple of seniors just how special they are. If a senior dog ends up homeless, obviously that dog needs a home. But we keep doing it because we genuinely love caring for old dogs.

"There's something so rich about knowing we have the power to love this dog madly, spoil them immensely, for whatever time they have left," she added. "It lets you appreciate their time that much more. And, seeing improvement in an old dog's health is deeply rewarding. Plus, senior dogs tend to be couch potatoes, and so are we."

To anyone unsure about giving a senior dog a loving home, "I would say this," said Erickson. "You have a choice. You can either choose to avoid grieving their death, and pass them by. Or, you can choose to know them, love them, and send them off surrounded with love and happiness. I choose the pain of losing them over never loving them at all."

Users on Instagram loved the transformation, sharing their own stories of their senior dogs.

"We've had our toothless yelling senior poodle for 7 years!!," said one user, while another said, "Happened to us! Adopted a special needs rescue with only a few months to live who was gonna be put down anyways. Here we are, four years later, and she shows NO signs of slowing down."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.