Old Dogs

It's been a bit.

Life, work, trainings, educational opportunities, print competitions...all have been on my schedule for the last month or so.

In March, I garnered the first ever President's Choice Award for my image "Golden Girl" during the Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania's Inspire Conference.  While I mentioned this in an early March blog, I neglected to post the print photo.  Here it is.

Golden Doodle Echo loves the attention.

More training is coming up this month, and I have been preparing some additional prints for competition, as well as holding some Mom's Day sessions in early May.

But that's not what this blog is about.  

Time has been running like a scared jack rabbit.  One day it's January 1st, then suddenly we are into May.  It's been running that way for our dogs, too.  It got me to thinking about how quickly our lives with dogs can pass us by.

Doggy Lifespans

As the above image by Canine Journal shows us, we really don't have a multitude of years with our doggy friends.  Based on size and breed, as well as health considerations for different breeds of dogs, "fleeting" is an apt word to describe life with a dog.

We have been lucky.  We had our dog Bethy with us for 17 years, and our dog Moe with us for 16 years (both medium-size dogs with a mix of English Setter and something else).  We also have been unlucky, losing our Golden Retriever, Ollie, at age 8 to hemangiosarcoma and our Australian Shepherd, Phillie, at age 5 to heart disease.

It's a crap shoot.

Some Things That Help Longevity

I've found that there are some things that can help in our quest to give our dogs the longest lives possible.  They include, but aren't limited to the following.

• Good Nutrition 
• Heartworm Prevention
• Regular/Yearly Vet Check Ups (vaccinations when due)
• Appropriate Exercise
• Interesting Life Experiences

Winston: Adopted age 10. Left us age 14.

There, of course, are individual dog considerations.  When Winston (above) came to live with us, his mobility issues needed addressing.  We put him on a course of hip and joint supplements that gave him a much fuller life.  After a year, he was romping around our fenced yard with the rest of our crew.

We don't shy away from adopting older dogs.  Geriatric pets are quiet and loving, and only need a caring hand in their lives, for however long that might be.

Here's another more colorful photo of Winston.  One of the most handsome dogs we ever owned.

Hard to Say Goodbye at Any Age

While losing a dog is one of the hardest things we go through as pet owners, giving a dog a good/full life for the amount of time they have on this earth, provides comfort in the loss.

Right now, we are watching our deaf Border Collie, Piper (of kitty-manager fame), grapple with the sudden recognition by his body that he is 15 years old.  May is the month that exactly 15 years ago we brought Piper home with us from Glen Highland Border Collie Rescue at the age of 6 months.

My husband holding Bethy, Moe, and Burton, and me cuddling Piper on the day we took them to meet him at Glen Highland.

Piper has always been a very shy and submissive Border Collie.  He has, however, enjoyed living with all of our dogs, both past and present, and is especially fond of our kitties.

Luckily, our cats love Piper and seem to know he is a gentle spirit that watches over them.  We often find them sharing a spot with him on his dog bed, sometimes cuddled into his bushy tail.

Whatever happens in the next few months with Piper, we have comfort in knowing we have given him a good life, with a job, plenty of treats, loads of love and furry friends.

Old dogs.  They can break your heart.  But it's so worth it.