Ohio Dog With Dementia Forgets Where He Is But Never Forgets One Important Thing
A senior Ohio dachshund with doggy dementia struggles to remember where he is, but the incredible bond he shares with his rescuer inspired her to build a home entirely around his needs.
Lost in the Details, Anchored by Love
Tanner is a senior dog whose mind isn’t quite what it used to be.
He frequently gets stuck in weird places around the house and becomes easily confused by his surroundings.
His short-term memory fades quickly, but despite his severe cognitive decline, his heart knows exactly who he belongs to.
The beautiful bond he shares with his rescuer proves that even when the mind forgets, love remains.
A Long Wait for a Second Chance
For the first 15 years of his life, Tanner lived with a family, but he was not well taken care of.
Eventually, animal control intervened, removing the senior dachshund from the neglectful environment and sending him to a shelter.
The Dachshund Rescue of Ohio stepped in and took him under their wing, hoping to find him a loving family.
They cared for him for about a year, but adoption applications were nonexistent. Nobody seemed willing to take on the responsibility of a dog who had already turned 15.
Hiding in the Shadows
Hannah, a pediatric feeding specialist, had gravitated toward old dachshunds over the years.
When she heard about Tanner, she knew she had to give him a soft place to land. She officially rescued him in June of 2023.
At first, Hannah was worried that they weren’t going to bond. Tanner’s difficult upbringing had made him incredibly cautious around humans.
To escape whatever neglect he had previously experienced, his first instinct was to hide under the bed for the first few days.
Breaking Out of His Shell
Hannah gave him the time and space he needed to feel secure.
Slowly, the frightened senior dog began to realize he was finally safe, and he came out from under the bed.
In fact, Hannah hasn’t seen him hide like that in over two years. He no longer feels the need to disappear into the shadows.
“There’s something so special about this dog,” Hannah noted. She described him as magical and hilarious, joking that he should be a character in a comic book.
The Fog of Doggy Dementia
While Tanner’s spirit remained bright, his age eventually began to catch up with his mind.
Over the last year, Hannah noticed a significant decline in his cognitive abilities. He developed doggy dementia, changing the way he interacted with his world.
Meal times became a bit of a challenge, with Tanner often missing his food bowl entirely. Hannah gently guides him, saying, “Yep, there you go. Get in the bowl, sweetheart.”
His short-term memory also faded. He would take a drink from his water bowl, do a lap around the room, and immediately return to drink again, not realizing he had just been there.
A Special Bed and Specific Needs
With his dementia, Tanner relies heavily on routine and familiar comforts.
He has a specific bed that he absolutely loves, and it has become his safe space. However, sharing a home with other dogs means his favorite spot isn’t always empty.
If another dog is in his bed, Tanner simply does not know what to do. He will pace around the room and cry, unable to process the change.
Hannah has to keep a close eye on the sleeping arrangements to ensure his bed stays open. Even then, she often finds him resting with half of his body completely hanging off the cushion.
An Unbreakable Connection
Hannah jokes that Tanner has lost all of his brain cells and can’t reason his way out of a paper bag.
Yet, amidst the confusion, one thing remains crystal clear in his mind. He knows exactly who his human is.
“He doesn’t know where he is anymore, but he knows that I’m his mom,” Hannah explained.
Whenever his dementia causes him to pace or feel anxious, she can quickly calm him down just by picking him up and offering reassurance.
Still Full of Life and Laughter
Despite his challenges, Hannah knows it is far from Tanner’s time to go.
He is not in any perceivable pain and still approaches his days with a full heart. She refuses to be selfish, letting his quality of life guide her decisions.
He is still full of life and remains absolutely hilarious to watch. He loves to be held and snuggled by the woman who changed his world.
Because he has no teeth, his tongue sometimes comically gets stuck to Hannah’s shirt during their cuddle sessions. These small, funny moments remind her why adopting seniors is so rewarding.
Building a Safe Haven
As Tanner’s mobility and vision changed, his environment became a hurdle.
The home they were living in was full of steps and stairs, which posed a danger to a confused senior dog. Hannah’s mentality shifted to one primary goal: keeping Tanner safe.
Rather than just putting up gates, Hannah took an extraordinary step. She actually ended up building a brand-new home that was better suited for her pack of really old dogs.
She essentially designed the entire house with Tanner’s safety and comfort in mind. It was a massive undertaking, all driven by her immense love for a rescued dachshund.
A Milestone Birthday Approaching
The construction of the new, senior-friendly home is finally complete.
Hannah and her dogs are in the process of moving over the course of the next two weeks. It was her one major hope that Tanner would live long enough to enjoy the house she built for him.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect. They will be officially moved in right before Tanner celebrates his 18th birthday.
He just has to keep going for a few more weeks to cross that incredible milestone. For a dog who was once unwanted at age 15, he is now the center of a world built entirely around his happiness.
