Everyone kept telling me how much “Shiner has gone down hill” since we left last April. I couldn’t wait to see her again and for the chance to see for myself what condition she is in. I know all to well the signs of an aging dog as I have watched Shadow change ever so slowly from a bouncing “what do you want to do next” type of dog 
to a “wait a second momma, I am almost standing” type of dog. 
An aging dog seems to happen behind our backs! It is so slow and gradual but once it happens it smacks you in the face so hard it makes you want to cry.
They are still characters and make us laugh but their vibrant black hair turns gray, they take a few more naps, and chasing a tennis ball is a thing of the past. Now I drop the ball in front of him and say, “I‘m going to get it…” he gets all happy bounces a couple of times then tries to grab it with his mouth before I can get it. On the rare occasion he runs a bit to get to the ball before I do, his hind legs slip out from under him and he struggles to get back on all fours. Once again your holding back your tears, which kind of wrecks the mood for your old guy who is still ready to “play”.
As we are growing old ourselves, we begin to think about things that no one ever told us about or they did and we didn’t listen!
Thinking back to when I was in high school I remember how old I thought my parents were!
I am sure Dave thought the same about his parents 
to.
Even in my 30’s and Dating Dave,
I remember all the weekends we spent camping and boating and waterskiing with his parents up in
Eagle River, Wisconsin.
I remember spending 90% of the time in nothing more than a swimsuit and shorts. Never once did I think of his mom as being young and running around in a swimsuit, 
She was a parent of an adult… defined in my eyes as “being really old”. LOL
Then slowly but ever so gradually, just like the dog… I don’t bounce up like I use to, I don’t run marathons anymore and even struggle to run after the dogs trying to “get their tails”! Our kids became adults, they are falling in love,
getting married and having kids of their own: 
LOL.
Okay we really do have only one grandchild, but it is a beautiful start!
Our kids see us as being old, giving no thought to the next cycle when oldness is their turn and we become REALLY REALLY old!
Shiner and Shadow are both going on 14 years old, so slowing down unfortunately is their reality. I just wonder if they know why things are harder to see, and why all of a sudden things are very quiet. I wonder if they know it is their hearing that has gone and not thinking it is us no longer making noises for them to hear.
I have so many questions and so few answers about aging. We have the ability to learn and to use the past as a learning tool; but my big question about age is… does anyone see it coming? Does anyone truly understand what that cycle is and how it affects them - before it does?
I know we didn’t
and now when I look back I am pretty sure my mom didn’t 
or even her mom for that matter.
Do they Shadow and Shiner
know, or are they just content being together again, and having me to spoil them rotten everyday? Whatever the answers are, we are just glad to be given another chance to spend another winter at Deer Lake Cabins with all the dogs! 
to a “wait a second momma, I am almost standing” type of dog. 
An aging dog seems to happen behind our backs! It is so slow and gradual but once it happens it smacks you in the face so hard it makes you want to cry.
They are still characters and make us laugh but their vibrant black hair turns gray, they take a few more naps, and chasing a tennis ball is a thing of the past. Now I drop the ball in front of him and say, “I‘m going to get it…” he gets all happy bounces a couple of times then tries to grab it with his mouth before I can get it. On the rare occasion he runs a bit to get to the ball before I do, his hind legs slip out from under him and he struggles to get back on all fours. Once again your holding back your tears, which kind of wrecks the mood for your old guy who is still ready to “play”.
As we are growing old ourselves, we begin to think about things that no one ever told us about or they did and we didn’t listen!
Thinking back to when I was in high school I remember how old I thought my parents were!
I am sure Dave thought the same about his parents 
to.Even in my 30’s and Dating Dave,
I remember all the weekends we spent camping and boating and waterskiing with his parents up in Eagle River, Wisconsin.
I remember spending 90% of the time in nothing more than a swimsuit and shorts. Never once did I think of his mom as being young and running around in a swimsuit, 
She was a parent of an adult… defined in my eyes as “being really old”. LOL Then slowly but ever so gradually, just like the dog… I don’t bounce up like I use to, I don’t run marathons anymore and even struggle to run after the dogs trying to “get their tails”! Our kids became adults, they are falling in love,
getting married and having kids of their own: 
LOL. Okay we really do have only one grandchild, but it is a beautiful start!
Our kids see us as being old, giving no thought to the next cycle when oldness is their turn and we become REALLY REALLY old!Shiner and Shadow are both going on 14 years old, so slowing down unfortunately is their reality. I just wonder if they know why things are harder to see, and why all of a sudden things are very quiet. I wonder if they know it is their hearing that has gone and not thinking it is us no longer making noises for them to hear.
I have so many questions and so few answers about aging. We have the ability to learn and to use the past as a learning tool; but my big question about age is… does anyone see it coming? Does anyone truly understand what that cycle is and how it affects them - before it does?
I know we didn’t
and now when I look back I am pretty sure my mom didn’t 
or even her mom for that matter.
Do they Shadow and Shiner
know, or are they just content being together again, and having me to spoil them rotten everyday? Whatever the answers are, we are just glad to be given another chance to spend another winter at Deer Lake Cabins with all the dogs! 
Technorati Tags: Dogs,dogs getting old,aging,hard of hearing,going blind,Cycle of Parenting,Children growing up,Getting Married,Understanding aging,Deer Lake Cabins,Happy Dogs,Dealing with senior dogs,Shadow,Shiner
Glad you are back. Glad Shiner has her buddies to play with. Time goes by so fast. Our pets start aging and we can see it, us humans start to go gray. Where does all the time go? Have fun on the ranch.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shannon, Hopefully more coming soon!
ReplyDelete