Ava still has the energy of a puppy. She’s slim, trim, fast, and excitable. Given her breed mix and her condition, Furrydoc says not to be surprised if she lives to be 20 — and I’ll be happy if she does, as long as she’s healthy and content.
So, until the other day when I was searching for a photo to use on Patreon, I totally failed to notice this:
Ava at 19 months, April 2007
Ava at 12 years, October 2017
Several years ago a visitor commented on the whiteness of her muzzle and I said, “Oh, that’s just her natural coloring.” The white didn’t creep up in the traditional way it does with golden retrievers or black labs. Ava always had a lot of white on her, including on her face. But there “a lot of white” and there’s “a lot of white.” And I missed the transition from one to the other.
Oh my. What happened to my wild puppy?
My boy, K-ci, got some white in his muzzle as he aged. He was part beagle and part dachshund and looked like a sawed-off golden retriever. 🙂 The last 3 years of his life he had arthritis in his hind legs and we had to give him pain medication for it. We’d cut hot dog slices and embed the pill in it and that was his morning and evening treat. He made it to 15 years old when he just gave out and stopped eating and I made the call to put him to sleep. I still see him sometime out of the corner of my eye.
But “Ava still has the energy of a puppy. She’s slim, trim, fast, and excitable.” – and that’s what counts. Besides, to see her coloring is… racist. 🙂
LOL, Pat. Guess I’m hopelessly racist then. But does it at least count in my favor that I thought her markings were prettier when there was more black?
My sheltie, Maggie was like that at 16. Then one morning she climbed up on the couch for a nap and never woke up. I don’t know why, but she didn’t appear to be in pain or suffer. One thing I do know; I will always miss her.
What a kind way to go — for her, if not for you. I know they can be suffering without telling us and I hope that wasn’t the case with Maggie. The herd breeds are so often remarkable for living long, strong, healthy lives.
If you were to put one these on Ava when those pictures were taken;
https://gizmodo.com/your-dog-could-talk-back-with-this-mind-reading-headset-1485665261
You would have heard;
“Well are you gonna pet me or not?”
“The herd breeds are so often remarkable for living long, strong, healthy lives.”
Our Aussie shephard lived to be 2 months shy of 19. Then, one day, like Sara’s Maggie, she laid down for a nap and quietly passed away. So, Ava might have many more years ahead of her, even if she is graying like the rest of us golden oldies.
“the things that happen right before your eyes”
But over ten years, such things can sneak up on us?
(I was going to guess when you mentioned a four eyed post earlier, you might have meant you had a puppy to entertain Ava…)
🙂
A puppy. Oh my. Ava would probably eat a puppy. And nope. Since Robbie died last year, I’m enjoying having only one dog. For 26 years straight, I’d had at least two dogs and sometimes as many as six, including fosters (not counting the time I had eight foster puppies).
To have just one is lovely (especially since Ava has always believed she IS the only dog) and when that one goes — whenever it may be — I’m planning to stay dogless for a while. How long, I don’t know. Weeks? Months? Then I’ll probably start a quest for an elderly shelter dog.
A puppy? Oh never again. Or so I tell myself.
Besides, to see her coloring is… racist.
Technically? No.
Breedist maybe.
Both our Cairns died sleeping in the sun.
Or so I tell myself.
Claire, for some reason I have a feeling a dog will find you, when you need one.
“Claire, for some reason I have a feeling a dog will find you, when you need one.”
I have that same feeling, larryarnold. I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I suspect it’s inevitable.
To have just one is lovely (especially since Ava has always believed she IS the only dog) and when that one goes — whenever it may be — I’m planning to stay dogless for a while. How long, I don’t know. Weeks? Months? Then I’ll probably start a quest for an elderly shelter dog.
A puppy? Oh never again. Or so I tell myself.
We decided the same thing when K-ci died, no more dogs. We brought him into our home when the kids were still young and he was a much beloved family dog and he loved us and our friends and our kids’ friends. We did not want to experience that heartache of losing a dog again. Also, when my wife was being treated for the cancer, she didn’t need to be dealing with a puppy/young dog. Now, with my plans to move to Colorado, it would really complicate things in finding a place to rent that allows dogs.
“Claire, for some reason I have a feeling a dog will find you, when you need one.” I agreed.
Never forget, once we had a dog names Bonsai, he was very close to us, saved my wife life a couple of times, and when he passed away my wife was having a hard time of it so I suggested she look for a puppy, one day she said she found one that reminded her of Bonsai so she went to check him out, when she got there they said that litter was all named after trees and that puppy was named after the Japanese tree called Bonsai needless to say we had a new puppy that night.
I believe the dogs are pretty much always there and we are the limiting factor. Indians used to say, I believe (and I don’t know in what order), that a man got one good horse, one good dog, and one good woman. My belief from personal experience is that once we have given ourselves completely away to one of the above, we can no longer do it again for another of the same species. I know my current dog gives me more than I can give her, causing me to feel guilty when I think about it. But she accepts me anyway.
As with my dog, Ava’s eyes seem to have gotten softer with age. I have a feeling that’s usually what happens. Perhaps it does with people as well; I’ll have to try to start paying attention.
If Ava should start to hurt as she continues to age, at least you’ll have a way to assess it (as in Figure 1). https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/44/3/197/678076/Assessment-of-Pain-in-Dogs-Veterinary-Clinical
“My belief from personal experience is that once we have given ourselves completely away to one of the above, we can no longer do it again for another of the same species.”
Interesting. I suspect that varies from person to person. Although I did have one true-and-forever heart dog (Jasmine), I’ve loved Robbie and Ava, each in their own ways, each for their own differences. Of course, whether I’ve ever given myself completely away is another matter. I think they give themselves completely. I wonder how often we do.
I’m glad researchers are coming up with ways to evaluate pain in these loving critters who can’t tell us how they’re suffering. I just wish that paper had been in English. 😉