Old Dog is still with us. Older and slower now, relying on an anti inflammatory pill and joint supplements every day. He was thirteen at Christmas, so he is doing well for a Border Collie. Sometimes his blanket is wet in the morning, but that is manageable for now.
The highlight of every day is The Walk. We have a garden good enough to stretch an old dog`s legs, but there is something special and exciting about the world beyond the hedge!
Old Dog waits at the gate.........
.....we walk along pony tracks in the heath and come to the green by the woods on Stonechat Hill.
Leaving his mark.......
....and sniffing to see which friends have passed by today.
Through the gorse........
......catching sight of a rabbit, hopping away into the bracken.
We climb the gentle slope and it is time for a rest.
We don`t go far these days. Twenty minutes, slowly wandering the heathland tracks, is enough. I miss the exercise of walking a younger dog, but Old Dog is happy to have inspected his local patch.
Sniffing is a job that needs time and concentration......
....again....and again.......
We take a circular route along the woodland edge. Foxgloves tower beside the track and the wild bees are visiting.
Home on the grass, Old Dog flops to the ground. It is time for a drink and a long sleep on a dry blanket. His walk on the heath keeps him contented all day long. In his sleep, he twitches and dreams of longer runs and chasing rabbits through the undergrowth. In his younger days, Old Dog would walk for miles. Now, a wander along the Forest tracks is enough to keep him happy.
9 comments:
Touching....
I always think it's a privilege to care for an old cat or dog - after all those years of companionship and pleasure so willingly given, with really not very much asked in return, the balance seems to level out a bit more. Your Old Dog looks happy with the way his life is at present; long may he continue to be so.
Bless him. Like me, he's easily pleased these days. Give him a hug from his "aunty" and I hope I can see him (and Other Dog) again soon.
Thankfully, the world still has its hold on him. Good dog.
(my verification word today was "spoor" -- rather apropos, no?)
My old cat, Miss Mouse, has markings exactly like Old Dog - black with a white blaze and four white feet. She is also quite ancient, going on 17 years now, but still mostly active when she is up and about from her 18-hour long naps.
Good for Old Dog. It happens to the best of us, but a little daily exercise is good for all of us , so I've found.
What a lovely post, I'm glad tha Old Dog is still getting plenty of enjoyment out of life - long may it continue.
A retired vet freind of mine said you know when your dog is getting old as they spend more time mocching than walking.
We have certainly noticed that with Ellie, who was 13 last November.
I showed this post to my husband who smiled with recognition and fondness.
What a sweet post, thankyou for sharing.
Lovely blog today, it's so hard when a member of our family gets old, but what a gorgeous animal he is.
Thanks for all your kind comments. It is a poignant time when you know that an old animal is reaching the last stage of life.
Old Dog has had a great time today, gardening with his Dad. He watches the gardener intently and copies the hand movements of digging and weeding with front paws going up and down, for hours if you let him!
Post a Comment