The old grey dog, he ain't what he used to be ...

Yeah, Old Dog is 15 now and far from being a pup. He's actually doing amazingly good considering that most large dogs don't make it this far ...

We all love him and I put up with his habit of sleeping on our bed and getting dog hair on my pillow (he seems to prefer my side ... in the picture he's on J's side though) ...

You have to love lab crosses because they can smile :) There is a reason I'm posting about Old Dog today though. Today is the day that his age has really hit home with me. I knew he was getting older and having a hard time with things (like our very steep basement stairs) and I also figured he's had a couple pee accidents because of his age. With little M running around and going on the floor sometimes though this isn't a huge huge deal right now (did I mention I love this dog?). I guess I just thought he'd just keep going. This morning though I saw clearly that the old boy is really feeling every second of those 15 years;

I was upstairs at 4am getting a drink of water when I heard him come thumping up the stairs. I knew the only reason he would tackle the stairs was if he had to go outside so I waited for him. He got to the top all right but then his back legs went out from under him when he hit the lino of the kitchen floor. He was huffing and puffing so I told him I would wait until he caught his breath before letting him out (yeah I know he's a dog, but I thought he'd get the message from my voice). I sat down to wait but he wasn't budging even after he got his breathing under control. I stood by the door and asked him again if he wanted outside and he just looked at me so I decided to go back to bed. As I went by him I stepped in the puddle. Yup he had had to go all right but the stairs had taken too much out of him and he just couldn't hold it any longer. It may have been my imagination but he kinda looked ashamed to me. I cleaned up the pee and dried off his belly for him, told him it was okay and then came downstairs and told J what had happened (right after I told him he was snoring). He went up and checked on the dog a few minutes later and said he was fine, even managed to go outside and wander around the backyard for a while. Sadly the time has come to ban Old Dog from the basement. I hate to do it but the stairs are too much for him now. Hopefully with the reduction in strain on his body he will hold out another year or two ... Right? Right?!? *sniffle* I couldn't go back to sleep ... so I thought I'd blog and sniffle and feel sad. Old Dog is the oldest pet I've ever had (he was 7 years old when J and I met), I sure don't like the idea that someday, way sooner than I'm ready for, we're going to have to take him on that last van ride to the vet's office. He won't be the first pet I've had put down, but he will be the very oldest pet. I don't even want to think about how hard the kids are going to take it, if I'm this upset at the mere thought of it. *sniffle* *deep breath* Okay, I'm Okay, or I will be for now.

While I was grabbing the pictures from the camera of Old Dog that K and I had taken I came across a pair she had taken of me goofing off *grin*. So I will share those now :)


"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!! The Pain! Why is my sweater so lumpy!?!?!"

"Oh! It's just little M sharing Mommy's warmth."

Yes, I can fit a three year old in my favorite at home sweater jacket, M often climbs up in my lap while I'm on the computer and since she insists on being nude most of the time she's cold often and likes to cuddle.

Well that's it for me ... I think I'll go back to bed.

Cass.