Old Dogs! When Did You Admit You Had One?

[JACKYSIAN]

Today I've had to finally admit that at 14, Cromwell is an old dog. He's been struggling with his legs the past few weeks (just old age aches and pains according to my vet).

 

On this mornings walk (3 on lead and Sidney off) round the village, I had to turn back because Cromwell was panting and generally not wanting to go out...and that just isn't Cromwell!!! It really hit me like a brick that my boy is old and won't be around for ever!

 

He still enjoys off lead walks and roams around like he always had, admittedly not as fast or as naughty as he once was!!

 

What was it that made you realise your dog was old?

 

Oh and just because...this is my absolutely favourite picture of Cromwell, it says everything about him!! He's always been a loner, who loves being outside and having adventures. (Thank you Steph )

 

[yena]

I never realized Milly was an old dog until she passed away she'd always been so full of life and always on the go. Now when I look at pictures of her I suddenly realize she got old before my eyes and I never saw it.

[redditchlady]

for you both.

 

Max started to show signs of old age at 12. He was diagnosed with CDRM

Suddenly it hit me that my boy wasn't going to be with me much longer. As it was he was just over 13 when that terrible day arrived, and I realised that I had to do the last duty of love that I had promised to do from the day he travelled home with me at just over 7 weeks old.

 

That is why the next doglet we adopt will have to be a youngster as Korky is almost 11, Snoopy is 14 and Mandy is on borrowed time.

 

I think after losing my soulmate there isn't much more I can go through Sorry to be such a misery.

 

Kazz xx

[one.eyed.dog]

My dogs never get old. I break em well before then Not being flippant but, Lucy died of immune system failure at 8 and Lottie who is only 3 is in the vet being stiched up as she ripped herself open on barbed wire last night.

 

Can't imagine my Lottie as an old dog.

[yena]

one-eyed-dog, hope Lottie is ok

[suzeanna]

I realised my little pom Misty was old when she could no longer rush in at full pelt, leap onto the settee and run up my front to give me a kiss. Not long after that she developed dementia and didn't even know who I was...she was about 14 then, but we struggled on for nearly another year before her heart failure became too much.

Edited July 25, 2008 by suzeanna

[barb]

I think I am just begining to realize Holly is getting on a bit. As I said in my post, she needs an x-ray on her leg, perhaps it is old age creeping on. The trouble is she is white and you don't see any grey hairs comimg. She is fit and does still love to run but she now needs curbing a bit to slow her down.

 

Barbara

[Nettie]

I thought Indy was old at 14, he's a bit stiffer on his pins and doesn't run around the fields here in France anymore but then he went and jumped out of the kitchen window which also meant leaping over a raised feeder in front of the window and the drop is nearly 6ft on the other side so maybe he's not quite so old as I thought!

[Mrs Mop]

Both Gracie and Ellie were old dogs when I first got them, Gracie was about 11 or 12 and Ellie about 9, Joe, my little brain damaged dog was 10 months old when he came, he is now 12, where have the years gone.

 

Even though Joe lives with 5 other dogs he still gets the piece and quiet he loves, he is ignored unless he wants to interact with the others.

 

The day Dixie was pts, she was 14.5 years old, 2 hours before she colapsed she was chasing the farm cats and she normally did. A few weeks early she managed to catch a chicken but didn't know what to do with it. The chicked escaped with just a few feathers missing:laugh:

[Tempest]

I think I suddenly realised recently that Ollie seems to have aged so much in this last year

 

It really did seem to 'suddenly' happen but I think it had just been small changes that I'd not really noticed. He's hearing has pretty much gone now and he can't handle the walks that he used to and he definately can't take the heat - just wants to flop out in a heap

 

BUT then I look at a neighbours dog who's probably only about 7 and is rarely walked, hugely overweight and he makes Ollie look like a young whippersnaper So I think for his age he does really really well and is probably much fitter than a lot of younger dogs who aren't well looked after. I'm sure all the oldies on the Refuge are generally fit as fiddles given their age and I think that they're a real credit to all of us

 

Ollie's my first dog so he's the first experience I've ever had of a dog getting older and he's really shown me how amazing older dogs are and how everything they do is just so special

Edited July 25, 2008 by Tempest

[Spins4me]

Lottie who is only 3 is in the vet being stiched up as she ripped herself open on barbed wire last night.

 

for you and for Lottie - hope she's ok soon

[sabina]

im starting to admit arty is getting older, he is 13 now and i have had him 6 years in august. He is still bright as a button and the only thing that is failing is his eyes, he doesnt like going for walks with other dogs now as he is worried he will get knocked over as he cant see them coming. Still wont admit that he wont live forever though!

[K9Fran]

When Bonnie failed to catch a biscuit thrown to her, and started not being able to climb the stairs More recently she's not always been able to get on the settee first try either.........

 

But then she will be 16 in a few months time.....

[Karen]

Lily has had arthritis since she was very young so has nearly always been "old" - she's going to be 11 next month and all of a sudden she really is an old dog.

 

I got the schedule through for our local agricultural show this week (to encourage me to enter the jam competition again ) and in the back is a listing for the dog show. The veteran class is for dogs aged 7 and over. Rosie is 7 and we still call her "the puppy"!

[EAD]

Benji will be 18 on his next birthday so hes been old for ever