Old Dogs are the Best Dogs

[cobalt1999]

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/just-dreaming/staticslideshowwow.aspx?cp-documentid=18780728

Author Gene Weingarten and photographer Michael S. Williamson share stories and photographs from their book Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs.

Old Dogs, published by Simon & Schuster, pays tribute to unforgettable older companions.

“This is a tribute to old dogs, a celebration of their special virtues,” Weingarten writes in the book’s dedication. “All dogs profiled in this book were at least 10 years old when their portraits were made. If you ask us which of them are still alive, our answer is: They all are. May old dogs live forever.”
Written by: Gene Weingarten



Skippy: Skippy is mostly blind, but he still sees shapes. He’ll often walk up to a tree and sit expectantly at its base, a good boy as always, awaiting instructions. “He thinks it’s me,” says owner Matt.


As the owner of 2 14 year old dogs, I really enjoyed this.

[Kalyke]

1. I miss my old doggie.

He was nearly 15 when we had to put him down due to complications of incurable mouth polyps (may or may not have been cancerous - we opted not to do a biopsy on one that was removed because of his age and condition - if he had cancer, he certainly could not have undergone chemo or cancer treatments).

Trooper, buddy, you'll always be my baby.

[cali]

2. aww. my dog, Tucker, was a few months short of 19 when she died

she was incredibly smart. She thought she was a large dog, even though she was a shrimp. She was the best of mutts and up until the last 6 months she was in amazing shape.

[BobRossi]

5. My Tucker will be 10 this year.

He knows he's a big dog!

[cali]

13. may he have as long and happy a life as my darling tucker did

[xchrom]

3. my 80 lb mutsky

lived to be 15.

he was the great love of my life -- came very shortly after i buried my partner -- he and i went through cancer treatments together when he was 11.

he was a revelation as a senior dog -- i had never had one live so long.

i miss my sporty boy every day.

[lpbk2713]

4. There's only three things in this whole world that's worth a solitary dime ...

....

[Jackpine Radical]

8. ...and watermelon wine.

[MadMaddie]

55. oooh that sounds really good

[Kalyke]

10. Old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

:loveya:

[lpbk2713]

11. Link ...

{Click}

[XOKCowboy]

6. Very cool. Thanks.

Old dogs are special.

[RebelOne]

7. I love my 11-1/2-year-old Rottweiler.

I don't think there is a better dog in the world. I'm hoping to keep her around for another couple of years, even though a Rottie's lifespan is about 11 to 12 years.

[Bonn1997]

40. Is your Rottie affectionate?

Just wondering. I know they tend to get relatively low affectionate/playfulness ratings but I've also heard owners say that they are sweet, playful, and affectionate--just not to an huge (maybe excessive) extent like a lot of labs and Goldens.

[RebelOne]

102. No, she is not overly affectionate, but she is very playful.

She doesn't care to be hugged and kissed. Most of the time she will come to me when she wants affection, but otherwise, she is aloof.

[luvspeas]

9. My 14 year old Lab justed barked in his sleep...

He's laying here next to me waiting for his next walk and dinner. I think he said "thanks!".

[sinkingfeeling]

12. I just lost my 13 year 19 day old baby on March 11. I hope this is a picture of my girl.

She suffered from Cushings' disease, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and discoid lupus. She had torn ACLs in both back legs. She went blind from cataracts in 2004, had her sight restored via surgery, and lost both eyes to glaucoma by Nov. 2006.

[cali]

15. beautiful girl.

I'm so sorry about your losing her.

:hug:

[xchrom]

17. what a lovely girl -- sorry for your loss. nt

[cobalt1999]

21. That's tough

She was a beautiful dog though.

[demmiblue]

32. .

What a beauty!

:hug:

[DeschutesRiver]

84. oh, what a sweetheart - my heart goes out to you for your loss:(

it is so esp. lonely those first days, and months after they are gone. Even though we still had one precious older dog still here when my girl passed, the silence of her absence was everywhere.

[wartrace]

94. Was she an American Eskimo?

I lost my eski dog a year & a half ago at around 13 years old, she had kidney failure. I miss her terribly but she did bring two pups into my home (pregnant when I adopted her), they remind me of her every day. It's funny because they have a lot of the same traits that momma had.


Angel.

[sinkingfeeling]

103. No, Criss was a Samoyed (with a floppy ear). I had an 8 week old Eskie, Dinks, when I got Criss

at just 5 weeks old. Dinks died suddenely from Hemangiosarcoma on 6/29/04. I then got two Eskies from a rescue group in Ohio. Here you can see the size difference.

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Lordy, I do not know whether to laugh or cry at the above.

I am a pushover for Golden Retrievers. Had dogs all my life, the world stopped and the moon stayed hung when i got my first Golden.
Cannot imagine life without them.

[MountainLaurel]

16. That book made me sob

Just beautiful.

[GentryDixon]

18. My sweet Hoover was 15 when he passed,

and Misha was 14. I am now the proud owner of a 3 year old, very physically challenged Peke, Sammy Miami.

Hoover and Misha were cremated and sit in lovely urns in a curio cabinet.

[quiller4]

19. As the owner of a 15 1/2 year old dog I enjoyed it , too.

When it is time to go to bed at night, our Sarah goes into the bedroom and barks. She wants one of us to lift her on to our bed. She can't make the jump anymore. She is on a prescription diet and more medication that either of us who are seniors as well. We know we won't have her that much longer but cherish each minute. Would that the old girl could live forever.

[mod mom]

20. I'm proud to say my 9 yo lab mix can still jump up onto the trampoline.

9 isn't so old but my Aja is one good dog (unless you're a squirrel).

[cobalt1999]

22. My 14 year old Husky caught a bird the other day

She's really slow now, but she must have had one last spurt of speed left in her...that or the bird was really old!

She had such a look of pride in her eyes, I couldn't scold her.

[DBoon]

23. our Lucky dog is about 14 or so

A stray, so we don't know his exact age

He has severe arthritis, and has learned to bark to let us know he needs help with steps.

He refuses to eat his dog food, but eats human food with enthusiasm

And he still protects his yard against canine intruders

[Javaman]

24. My little Rosie is 13.

After her buddy Ruby went, she started going down hill. My wife doesn't want to get another dog to give Rosie company.

When Rosie goes, it will break my heart.

[lukasahero]

25. Long may they run...

Lost my 14 year old boy last May. Best friend I ever had and I still miss him every day.

Spoon feeding Beau after surgery in 2007 (he was 13 in this pic):

[Blue Diadem]

44. beautiful boy.

I'm sorry you lost him. I too, still miss my chocolate boy. He's been gone over 5 yrs now and I still miss him so much. He was about 13 1/2 when we lost him.

We have another lab now, yellow, looks very much like your Beau.

I like to think our dear old friends are running like the wind in doggy heaven.

[lukasahero]

61. I'd love to see a picture

I have another pup now and she's beautiful (she gets lots of compliments even though she's "just" a mutt) but I still have a soft spot for Labs. I can't resist them at the dog park or in the stores - I have to touch them. And kiss their face.

I read your post below about wanting to adopt older dogs. I struggled with that, too. Really hate to see the old dogs who look so confused wondering what they did wrong to end up abandoned in their old age. It breaks my heart. I'd adopt them all if I could.

Give a :hug: to your yellow Lab for me.

[Change has come]

86. Here's a picture of my little yellow Bear.

He just turned 6 and is already getting white in the face. He still looks like a pup when there is a cookie involved!

[Bonn1997]

99. Very cute! Is he full grown in that pic? Looks like a puppy!

[lukasahero]

110. Gah! He's so cute!

My boy got white in the face at a pretty early age too. Made him look 'distinguished'. (Good thing because he was such a dufus. :) )

Bear's got such a sweet face, I bet he's a handful. Looks at those feet!

[Blue Diadem]

104. I will have to set up a photobucket acct.

My other photo sharing place apparently expired. :( It might be the weekend before I get it set up, in case I need my daughter's help, but I'll pm you when I post the pic. I bookmarked this thread so I wouldn't lose it.

I have a soft spot for labs too.

[lukasahero]

111. Oops - I hate it when that happens!

Look forward to seeing the pics. Enjoy your weekend!

[cobalt1999]

56. I love the way he's looking at you

Lots of love and trust in those eyes.

[lukasahero]

64. Thanks

We'd been through a lot together. Your post means a lot to me. Thank you.

[DeschutesRiver]

92. What a dear old dog

For the dog who becomes one of the special, once in a lifetime companions, there is simply never enough years to spend with them. I know it is a true blessing to even have them this long, but sometimes the hurt from them leaving makes it seem like a curse to feel so deeply about a dog friend.

My dh's best friend ever is still with us at 14, but we sense our time with him is limited. And honestly, not a day goes by that we don't say to each other that old dogs are just precious and to be cherished for their long friendship and wisdom. I don't know why I am finding old dogs even more precious than all those cute little pups I see everywhere. Maybe because I am aging too.

[havocmom]

106. wow, "maybe because I am aging too"

We aren't pups anymore. ;) And there is a sweetness to the music of an older instrument, even when it has become somewhat fragile. It is a good understanding, is it not?

When an old dog is your friend, it is from choice, experience, life wisdom, not the naive exuberance of youthful energy. There is such comfort in 'I know you, I know your faults, I love you anyway.'

[DeschutesRiver]

117. That hits a perfect note for me:)

Yes, and reaching that understanding is a gift, which helps me find the specialness of the aging process, and its possibilities, instead of seeing it as an inescapable condition where I focus more on what is being lost, than on what is being gained.

I love your last sentence because it sums it where "old me" is with my old dog, and with my old dh:) And if I never achieve another thing in my life, having that awareness and level of comfort in our own skins and relationships is more than enough of a prize.

[lukasahero]

113. "Maybe because I am aging too."

So true. I also found that he represented all the stages of life and the relationships we have. The aging dog as I age, as my parents age, took on it's own unique relationship.

When he was a puppy, he was like my kid - needed me for everything, didn't have much choice in the matter and totally dependent on me for his safety and well-being. Loved his 'mommy'.

As he became an adult, the relationship paralleled that of a friend or partner - now as much my protector as me his, the relationship was one of choice more than need. Trusted ally, cherished companion.

Then he became a senior dog and all the frailties and vulnerabilities of age brought with it the wisdom and comfort of a life well-lived. The change in the relationship from protector to dependent travelled the same path as my parents and it gave me time to come to terms with their aging while dealing with his.

Enjoy your old dog. Take lots of pictures. :hug:

[DeschutesRiver]

118. oh, that so take me down memory lane with our old guy

It has become a total role reversal. As he hit middle age, we got used to fact that if we were outside working, and looked up to see where Max was, he was never far away, just sitting or lying down under the nearest tree, watching, sniffing, protecting. When we'd go start a chore elsewhere, it repeated - he checked out the area throughly, found a tree, and kept an close eye on us.

I am 51, and in human years as they calculate it for dogs, he would be 98 I guess, but I have to jog behind him when we let him out to do his business, otherwise I cannot keep up with him. But I must, because his active legs are very frail now, he can't hear at all, he can't see very well, but fortunately for him he can still smell well enough to know when the rescue girl has peed nearby so he can run over there and quickly mark right over her pee spot just to make sure he is still up to the task of being "top dog".

He is dh's best friend ever, and now becomes pretty anxious if he doesn't have him in his sight; and likewise, dh says that whenever Max is sleeping and goes too quiet, memories flood back of that last day when we realized my Chels had passed away in her sleep, and he reaches over gently to touch Max to make sure he is still breathing :cry: Every extra day now is a gift.

[Bonn1997]

100. Very sweet! A good owner will do just about anything they can afford for their dog

[lukasahero]

114. We tried

We gave him another year, another spring, another puppy (not ours) and us time to say goodbye. Ultimately his body aged beyond what money could repair and his quality of life was failing so we made the difficult call but we all enjoyed that last year together.

[Bonn1997]

128. Oh, I have no doubt that you did try and that it was worth it.

It's too bad dogs can't live like 50 or 70 years.

[hlthe2b]

26. People that become enamored with puppies then lose interest

absolutely baffle me. They don't know what they are missing. All of my dogs who have lived to ripe old ages have merged with my own habits and personality to the point it felt like we could read each other's minds (and I think we did). Such a wonderful experience in a furry package that is unconditional love at its best. :loveya:

[Quantess]

42. They may lose interest when the puppy gets to about 9 months and hits the peak of activity level.

That activity level "peak" lasts for a long time. The owners didn't realize their dog would have so much endless energy, and they are ill equipped to deal with the hyper dog.

Some people shouldn't bother adopting a puppy at all. Many people would be better off adopting a mature dog.

[wartrace]

95. I'm going through that "peak energy" level with my latest pup Lucy.

It's great for me because I have five other dogs & she is FORCING them to participate in her play activities. I have never seen a dog with so much energy, its great for the older dogs to have another dog get them up & moving.

[tritsofme]

27. Our cocker will be 15 in a month

He's not doing too bad, all things considered.

[xchrom]

28. i have to kick this wonderful thread. nt

[frustrated_lefty]

29. With all due respect to older dogs...

My two year old chow-lab mix was the bestest friend I ever had. I lost him to Katrina, and will always regret not getting to see him grow into one of those old dogs who just read your mind and are happy to just sit with you.

I miss him so much, I still tear up, and can't bring myself to invite a new dog into the family.

[KittyWampus]

30. I kind of think some day a dog will invite themself into your family. Maybe a stray or an unwanted

puppy.

And you fall in love all over again. A little at a time.

[havocmom]

73. Yup. And the dog that just shows up and picks the family,

well, maybe, just maybe it was sent there by an old friend.

My sister's Cisco, yeah, it was like he fell from the sky. And he was not so much like her beloved Liz, but he was old beyond his puppy age and devoted to her from the first second he saw her.... just like her Liz.

The dog who just shows up and says 'I love you' is one of the greatest joys in life.

Cisco is getting on in years now. I wonder who Liz will send next.

[DeschutesRiver]

93. I am glad you said that, so I don't feel so wierd

There some things about my rescue dog that has made dh and I say on more than one occasion that my old girl must have picked her out for us. Things she has done that were so unique to my old girl, that when they happen now, we say that she is just channeling Chelsea:)

And when I was looking for a new name for her, I googled her rescue given name only to find that many of the google sites said it meant "heaven", "gift from heaven", and stuff along those lines. Maybe even the universe realizes that sometimes I am so dense that it apparently needed to be spelled out for me.

[havocmom]

105. Great story and illustration of how the fates can work, or at least make us feel they work

;) Don't feel weird. And don't take serioulsy anyone suggesting you are. Who is to say what is or isn't possible? Those who think they know all are the bigger fools.

Glad you got the dog that was intended for you. Wish we could sit, take tea, and swap tales (tails?) sometime. Thinking you probably have had experiences I could relate to! My daughter rescued a cat and it turns out the whole thing was a conduit for uniting (or reuniting) that cat with my husband, who I had not yet met when the cat came. Cat knew him right off, though. Husband said the cat sure reminded him of a cat from his earlier life. Cat feared men but loved my darling from the first moment he saw him. Like long lost army pals. That cat opened a lot of potential in my sweety. It got him back in touch with some very important parts of himself.

Don't feel bad about being dense. Most of us seem to be dense. Once the light goes on, though, it gets easier to notice the miracles that happen around us every day.

[DeschutesRiver]

120. I can tell from your post that we'd both have hours of stories to share:)

That is so cool about the cat's role in opening potential in the human spirit - it does happen.

I've been both unintentionally dense and deliberately dense, and the latter may be a bit self defensive when I face something not easily explained away by what is known. I've had "interesting" experiences since I was a kid, and the years have been kind to me with regards to providing lessons from which I could learn, so long as I stayed open minded and flexible. But most people get annoyed when things are mentioned that are out of their comfort zone, so I've learned to be a bit wary when I explore these issues with others. But I am always delighted when I see someone else whose thinking can also bend this and that way as needed:)

I still have no certainty about the overall scheme, but you could say my light bulb used to flicker and go out, but advancing age has let it stay on fully so I can see and accept life's little miracles and "unexplainables". And thanks for sharing:pals:

[SammyWinstonJack]

33. .

:hug:

[sinkingfeeling]

34. I'm so sorry, how awful a way to part. I hope that in time you will open yourself up to another.

I've found I can't live without at least two dogs in my life.

[blaze]

58. Oh FL

There is a chow mix out there that needs you as much as you need him or her. I just know it.

I have had a chow, a chow mix and now have a chow and a chow mix. :) All have been rescues. There's just something about the chow personality that mixes well with me.

I can *begin* to imagine your heartbreak. :hug:

My chow came from this fine rescue: http://westtexaschowrescue.homestead.com/

I hope your heart will open for a new furry friend. But I understand the reluctance as well.

[stevedeshazer]

31. Thanks for posting this, my Charlie just turned sixteen.

He's almost totally deaf, can't see too well anymore, and needs a little help with the porch steps, and is completely happy.

I've had him since he was eight weeks old. I don't know what I'll do without him.

I've had to save his life twice in the last couple of years. He snatched a chicken leg and got it stuck in his throat. I tried to get it out, but his gag reflex took over and he clamped down on my hand. After a struggle, he passed out because he couldn't breathe. He relaxed, basically died, peed on me, and I got the chicken leg out, but he wasn't breathing. I grabbed his nose and breathed air into him a couple of times and he came back, shaky but just fine.

Last summer my wife and I were with him at a small river park. I looked up just in time to see him float by! I had to jump in the river to pull him out. Seems the old boy can't swim anymore.

Now we are inseparable.

Old dogs are the best.

[Faygo Kid]

48. Lovely. Thanks.

May Charlie make it through one more summer, and congrats on memories that will last your lifetime.

[luvspeas]

50. funny!

I have to laugh. My guy loves to swim! I can just imagine what that was like!

[XOKCowboy]

75. That's what's most endearing about old dogs. Their memories...

They know that no bird, rabbit or squirrel used to be safe in their vicinity. They remember running all day long chasing anything and everything. When they get old you can see it in their eyes that they miss those things.

Keep him close and keep him happy. Take tons of pictures also.

[cobalt1999]

82. Well put.

You can see in their eyes that they miss those things.

[Stinky The Clown]

35. Unconditionality

The noblest of the beasts

A part of the family

As irreplaceable - or more so - as any other relative

I am convinced some of them are long passed humans in dog suits. How else do dogs just "know". And they always "just know".

[demmiblue]

36. I have tried, but I do not seem to be able to articulate my feelings...

she is, she just is.

Bless our furry friends! :grouphug:

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. Birthdays were the worst days

Now we drink champagne when we thirst-ay...

:-)

[reggie the dog]

38. brewww rooo

[Tikki]

39. Tikki ( the dog) is 12...I heard that Chi's can live....

to 17 or more years...I hope so.
Great article...thanks for the Heads Up..

Tikki

[Bonn1997]

41. Pictures please!

So many people here are talking about their dogs. I want to see pics! I love dogs!

[lukasahero]

43. Post 25 has a picture

:)

[cobalt1999]

51. Here's my 14 year old Husky

Nikki

[wartrace]

96. Nikki is a beautiful old girl. n/t

[Bonn1997]

98. Yeah, she's very pretty!

[Blue Diadem]

45. If I had the money, I'd be adopting older dogs.

I've looked at petfinders occasionally and see so many older dogs it breaks my heart. Especially during these times when the economy is forcing people to give up their pets I bet there are more older dogs than ever.

Thanks for this post. I think old dogs are wonderful.

[xchrom]

46. one more kick nt

[Faygo Kid]

47. Missy is 16, and Beebs is 14, They are great. Pictures!

Well, Missy is kind of incontinent, so "great" is pushing it. Beebs is a trooper. Here's Missy, about five years ago:



And, of course, the Beebs:

[lukasahero]

68. Missy looks like a stuffed animal!

Too cute. And Beebs looks like she (he?) owns the place. :) Very sweet.

[Mari333]

49. when we pass on

I really do believe that the first ones to greet us will be our beloved dogs and our other loved ones. the dogs will come running first.

[wartrace]

52. Here's my old guy with his pup.

Buddy is on the left, he is estimated to be 15 or 16 years old (I got him used :) ). I enjoy his company.

[cobalt1999]

54. That apple didn't fall far!

Cute picture.

[wartrace]

72. Here's another with them together.

Buddy is closer to the camera in this one.

[Pastiche423]

53. What a lovely book!

The comments about some of the dogs are priceless...

Lucy: As a pup, Lucy would consume things that were not technically food: shoes, sofa cushions, drapery and so forth. Exasperated, Linda bought a popular obedience-training book titled Why Good Dogs Do Bad Things. Lucy ate it.

[IDemo]

57. We had to take our baby to the vet today

Jessie, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, was adopted in January 2003. We couldn't tell then how old she was, but the gray chin hairs have been coming in for several years.
We found a large lump on her rear leg a couple of days ago and took her in to have it looked at. The vet will call back about the biopsy tomorrow.

I've had several dogs over my life, but this girl has been special. Good wishes appreciated.

[Faygo Kid]

59. All the best.

You have my good wishes. Been there, with Portia, Greatest Dog Ever in the World.

[IDemo]

65. Thank you, Faygo Kid

"Greatest Dog in the World": words that every dog owner knows means his or her pet.

[cobalt1999]

60. She is gorgeous.

Best of luck to you and her. Give her a pat on the head from us here.

[IDemo]

63. Thank you, will do. Pats on the head are better than a biscuit to her.

:hi:

[blaze]

62. Oh gosh

Lots of good wishes!! :hug:

[IDemo]

67. Thanks for that, blaze

[lukasahero]

66. She's beautiful

Older dogs get lots of lumps - most of them are benign. Sending lots of good vibes your way.

[IDemo]

69. Dogs do seem prone to tumor growth,

our Short-hair had to be put down several years ago because of a spinal tumor that was causing her terrible pain.

[lukasahero]

70. I wish you a more successful outcome this time around

My lab had numerous fatty deposits and one large tumor that was successfully removed. It was malignant but they got it all and it never grew back. Best of luck. (And post an update when you hear. :) )

[IDemo]

71. Will do, thank you

[DeschutesRiver]

85. I just saw this post - my best ever girl was a german shorthair

the tumor that she survived was a mast cell tumor, a very nasty malignant one, but cleanly removed with good margins. She was full speed ahead and living life large until the last week of her life - most people who saw how active she was underestimated her age by years. If you have to pass from this life, you are indeed lucky if you can be as active, sharp witted and good humored as she was until the last possible moment.

I'll put my tribute to her here on this post - I was lucky to have had 13 great years with the best dog I'll likely ever know. The 13 years with you went by so fast, while this last year without you here has gone so slow. Miss you still, Chelsea, and will always love you best of all, old girl.

[IDemo]

87. Ours was named 'Chelsea', too

That was the name on her tag at the pound, but I hadn't planned on calling her that at first. On the drive home, though, she curled up in a ball on the floor of the truck and looked positively morose, after displaying such enthusiasm for being taken out of her cage. I said "Chelsea" and she popped up her head and gave me a look and a tail wag that erased any doubts on the right name!

[DeschutesRiver]

90. You are the first person I've ever "met" who had a dog named Chelsea

and a shorthair too! That really made me smile:) So your dogs have been rescues? I'd always raised mine from pups, but after Chelsea passed away, I found myself drawn to rescue a dog instead.

I found an extremely thin English Pointer via PetFinder online, whose name was Celine. Sent dh to a neighboring state to pick her up (where the first thing she tried to do was leap up into dh's arms, followed by trying to leap into his truck), we got her weight back to normal, worked on putting her at ease and fine tuning some issues.

But it was the opposite of your story - she didn't seem too keen on being called Celine, and it didn't fit her personality. She is a 6-8 year old who is a total couch potato who makes cuddling and affection an extreme sport, but then promptly ditches the Ms. Mellow routine to do an enthusiastic series of leaps in the air complete with roo roo'ing howls when she knows it is time to go for a walk - where she becomes nothing but a working nose on a pair of sprinting legs powered by rocket fuel. I ended up naming her Becca just because it was short, and snappy and very much "her"!

[DeschutesRiver]

76. Also been there with my most special girl, so my sincerest hopes this goes well

While the biopsy in our case was not positive, the good news was that they got this one in enough time for her to live another 3 years. My most positive thoughts for you and Jessie.

[IDemo]

81. Thank you, DeschutesRiver

I'm glad you and your girl got another 3 years together. I think Jessie has a few more to come if everything turns out well.

:hi:

[DeschutesRiver]

83. Out here in Oregon, we'll be watching for an update - take care:) nt

[kcass1954]

88. She's gorgeous - same coloring and eyes as my Chessie.

Tony's just a young kid of 4 years. He came from a local breeder.

Here's hoping that everything's okay with Jessie.

[Mojorabbit]

91. Best of luck to you both

our old dog has so many fatty benign tumors we have started calling him Lumpy. We also have two six month pups and an approx. three year old doxie that just showed up a year ago and despite using every avenue available were not able to find his owner.

[xchrom]

74. kick

[undeterred]

77. I miss you Harry dog...

I will never forget you.

[cobalt1999]

78. Aw. How old was Harry dog?

He was a handsome fellow.

[undeterred]

79. He died July 27, 2008 at age 15

We had 5,575 days together.

[Muttocracy]

80. get one of your very own from srdogs.com or your local shelter

http://srdogs.com/

When my dogs go, they'll be replaced by old ones :)

[laundry_queen]

89. It's been nearly a year.

I miss him so much. He was not quite 13. I'd had him since I was 20 and he was 8 wks. He'd had a splenic tumor we didn't know about, we were told the lump was just a fatty deposit, about a year prior. He collapsed while being dog-sat by my parents. He barely made the night and I took him home the next day. The day after that, we had him put down, he'd never survive a surgery. He was so weak. And yet, even though he couldn't walk without falling down, he was determined to stay right by my side and wouldn't lay in our bed if I got up. He was *MY* dog. I've never felt such unconditional love before or since. I miss him doing his 'potty' dance. I miss his shaking his stuffed elephant all over the house. I miss him sucking on the stuffed elephant on my bed at night. I miss him jumping up on me no matter where in the house I sat down. Yes, I even miss falling over him when he'd get tangled in my feet in the kitchen while I was making supper. I doubt I'll ever find another dog like him, and I'm glad. He was definitely one of a kind. RIP Rosco.

[LiberalPersona]

97. Companionship

of an old dog is one of the greatest gifts of life.
I didn't realize this until our family's old boy left us a few days ago.
Practically half my life he was always there and when he reached elderly ages he was like the brother I never had.

[havocmom]

107. An Old Pair of Shoes

An old pair of shoes
this love of ours
Not so shiny and new any more
But with scuffs and scrapes
and places worn thin

More comfortable now than before

[dipsydoodle]

101. That's why I wasn't wholly against

Katherine Harris. :rofl:

[havocmom]

109. YOU are a brat

and a DUzy worthy evilDUer.

[Jim__]

108. "Old dogs and children and watermelon wine"

Tom T Hall

[cobalt1999]

112. Here's my other old dog

We picked Bailey up at the pound 14 years ago. Not really sure what breeds she's got in her. Lab & something.

She's lost her hearing and a good bit of her sight (it's tough to get a picture of her looking into the camera because she seems to always think I'm 15 degrees off to her right). She sometimes has trouble with her back legs. Losing her appetite. Sometimes she'll lay next to someone and tremble.

Time is short for her.

[havocmom]

115. She is wonderful

And 15 degrees.... hmmm. Maybe old dogs are more apt to notice what we do not see.

My daughter knew a man who was in a coma for a very long time. Doctors said he wouldn't come out, but encouraged his wife/family to keep talking to him, just in case. He was on machines and the time came to decide about pulling the plug. Wife made the difficult decision. But when she went to the hospital that day to tell the doctors, the doctors were in a tizzy. 3 other 'hopeless' coma patients relying on machines to live had come out of comas and were breathing on their own that morning. Weird. So, they wanted her to know, they didn't know how/why the others had come around, but perhaps she should consider it all before she told them her decision.

When she got to his room, nurse was starting a sponge bath. She asked if she could do it and took over. Her husband's eyelids fluttered. His eyes opened, and he said he had been waiting for her.

He talked about hearing everyone who visited, and spoke of several conversations with his mother, who told him he had to come around and wake up as his young family needed him. The family was worried, because his mother had died several years earlier. They kept correcting him, telling him he could not have been talking with her. He was insistent that he had talked with her several times. He would get most adgitated about it.

My daughter, who has long had unusual experiences, advised the family to stop arguing with him on the point, after all, who are we to say what happened to him when he was in coma.

When I was to first meet the man, my daughter asked me to pay close attention to 'around him'. It was glaring! It was like he was in front of me when we spoke, but he wasn't really, part of him seemed to be slightly away, 15 degrees off of where he was; 15 degrees to his left, my right. He seemed OK and happy on the surface, but very sad about something and not quite completely 'in his own skin'.

He finally got 'back into his body' as my daughter described it and was again fully engaged in the here and now. But we wondered if he had missed that peaceful place where he was in coma, that place where he could hear the here and now but also be completely still and hear his mother talking to him in present time. He looked so sad under his smile for awhile, when he seemed 15 degrees to his left (our right when we spoke to him)

Who knows what might exist in the 15 degrees from our own left shoulders? Maybe old dogs can see what we can't.

Kiss the old girl for me. She is wonderful.

[cobalt1999]

116. Creepy story

I'll have watch her eyes next time she stares off 15 degrees.

[havocmom]

119. Creepy? Never thought of it like that

seems sorta normal to me, but my kin have unusual events

[X_Digger]

121. I miss my little old man

We had to put him down about two weeks ago- 9 years of being on phenobarbitol to control seizures finally caused his liver to expand to the point where it was impinging on his stomach and lungs.

Here's one of the first pictures we ever took of him


And the last :(

[sinkingfeeling]

124. I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my Crissy 3/11 (see above post).

[H2O Man]

122. I love our dogs.

Big dogs are nice ....



Little ones are, too ....



Flying dogs are funny ....



The puppies are a year old on Sunday, and now weigh 75 and 87 pounds ....



We have six dogs, some young, some old. They are great friends, and I hang out with them every day.

[DainBramaged]

123. I miss my babies every day since I lost them, 7 months apart

Corey, my English Bullie dreamed all of the time, barking, her feet going a mile a minute, yet she hardly ever barked when she was awake. She was 14 years, 4 months, 7 days old when she passed, and my Lab Buddha was 13 years, 6 months 11 days. They share the desktop on all of my computers.

[laundry_queen]

125. Aw you had a lab

named Buddha? That's the name of our current dog, a golden retreiver/lab-and-something cross. He looks exactly like a purebread yellow lab though, just more slight and longer legs. Tell me, was your Buddha, um, calm? LOL, ours isn't. He's a lot more like a Marley than a Buddha.

[DainBramaged]

130. He was very calm, but he was a dick until he was about 9

he was a one person dog (me) and just didn't like many people or kids (even my daughter). But he was also one of the absolutely smartest dogs I ever shared my life with, and he had a huge vocabulary. When he was hungry, he'd move his food dish around, even when he knew it wasn't time to eat, and loved my oldest cat (of all of my cats). He'd let her clean his face until her tongue wore off and let her curl up and sleep next to his face on the couch. He was my bud, and I miss him terribly. And for the last five years of his life he had one favorite toy.

[Tab]

126. We were just given a copy of that

Haven't read it yet (it's only been two busy days ago) but the cover picture looks exactly like our old Golden.

She's gone now, but we have another older dog - they really are sweet as they get old. This one is a rescue, a former street dog who spent the first 7 or so years of his life with a homeless person. Now he has a home and he likes to protect it, and treasures the couch.

In fact, he was in the other room since I came down (it's 5:45 a.m.) but as I started typing this, he got off the couch and came in, lay down at my feet and started licking them.

May be coincidence, but the timing is a little eerie.

[xchrom]

127. give it one more kick. nt

[Faygo Kid]

129. And another.

[IDemo]

131. An update on Jessie

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5422487&mesg_id=5425066

Good news, the lab says the lump on her leg is a benign fatty tumor. The vets had been concerned because there was blood in the material they
withdrew for the biopsy, and they would still like to remove it. She is back to her old self after recovering from her 'relaxation' meds, and
doesn't show any sign of pain or discomfort. I got a long loud "woo woo WOOOOO!" when I walked in the door last night. That's her way of saying
"You're HOME! The pack is all together again! Now let's EAT!"

Thanks everyone for the kind words of support. :grouphug:

[lukasahero]

132. Wonderful news!

Thank you for the update and I'm really glad your pup is going to be ok. :hug: