Old dogs

One of the saddest things I see come across my FB feed are senior dogs looking for a home.  There are often small stories that accompany the photo; explaining that the dog is relinquished from a family that couldn't cope and/or didn't want to deal with old dog issues any longer.  What is wrong with people?  

Sometimes things change in life and humans must re-home a dog.  I do not judge people for this, shit happens as they say.  Perhaps they have to move somewhere where there dogs can not live with them; maybe they have dogs that don't get along.  No matter what, finding a new and wonderful home is the thing to do.  But getting rid of an old dog because it is old?  Inexcusable!!!!

You don't have time?  You don't want to clean and pick up after your old dog?  You can't deal with the slow pace and needs of your old dog?  Horrible.  So you took everything that your puppy, young dog and adult dog had to give and then walked away when it was your turn to give?  

I love old dogs. There is nothing like being gifted with the joy of time spent together.  Many people are never lucky enough to have an old dog; their dog passed far before it's time.  Old dogs require patience, kindness and tenderness.  I remember walking slower than a snail pace with my old girl Tilley as she recovered from Vestibular disease.  Patience was required as we barely moved around the park.  I remember hovering over Luke as he hunched to take a poop. I stood in the ready to catch him if his legs gave out as they had often done when he had his morning poop.  He hated being touched when he pooped so I had to help him in his blind spot.  This was done out of love and I felt honored to have been able to give him a helping hand when needed.  

There is nothing like caring for a dog who needs you.  Nothing comes close to giving out of love.  To offer unconditional love and care to a dog who has given their all to you.  

I just don't get how people can dump a senior dog when it is their turn to receive.  It is a horrible kind of person who does this; someone that you don't want to be associated with.  

Old dogs need our caring arms (metaphorically speaking) wrapped around them as they move into their golden years and beyond.  When the time comes for them to leave this world of ours; they should go by our side knowing the love that they deserve.  Giving the gift of your time, love, care and tenderness to an old dogs is where we show our true colors.  

Our memory bank

Memories

A couple of weeks ago I jumped out of bed, hearing the familiar heaving sound.  I shouted "Tilley, Tilley;" and ran for the sliding door.  Of course it wasn't Tilley it was Elsa and I was aware of this by the time I was opening the door.  Standing outside with Elsa I pondered how our brain works.  This has happened before; calling out the wrong dog name.  But on this night it was a memory recall, not simple confusion.  

Tilley use to vomit quite a bit as she got older.  We lost her to spleen cancer so I assume that was the cause of the vomiting.  Having raced to the door so often with her in the middle of the night; my brain recalled an embedded memory.  Elsa very rarely vomits; typically if a piece of food or bone is not digesting it comes out. 

When Luke grew old I often called him Clyde.  Clyde was the man in my life before Luke and my most recent memories of him were of when he was old.  So when Luke entered the "old dog" stage he was often called Clyde.  Not on purpose of course; it was my brain pulling out memories that had been stored away.  I often thought of Clyde in Luke's senior years.  

 When our brain pulls out memories like this; it gives us time to stop and think, remember.  I love when I have downtime to think about those in the past.  The dogs who have paved the road of who we are as canine guardians today.  If it were not for all those amazing dogs and the mistakes made with them, I would not be who I am right now.  

The brain is an amazing thing.  I often cannot recall a memory file from the past that I want.  Trying as hard as I cannot I cannot remember; but then sometimes it just knows when to pull up an old memory for us.  Time to ponder.