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[Flobo]

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you have to find humor in our 'getting older' canine friends..it does help, and you are laughing with love
I know Jake was a right old dafty with his dementia at times!

 

[Finsky]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry... with his slightly unreliable rear end, Jasper just went to stand up, farted audibly, and surprised himself so much he collapsed on the floor again

Oh you do have to laugh that! Unless you think Jasper would get upset about it...do it then secretly

 

[Flobo]

I do think ageing is one aspect of our dogs lives that we don't really talk much about, there's lots of advice and info on pups, teens and adult dog life stages but not so much on preparing us for our more mature canine friends issues and how to cope/care for them. Maybe because it is such a difficult time actually having to come to terms with the fact your dog maybe showing signs of age, slowing down, arthritis, hearing loss, sight loss to name just a few possible issues!! And as @JudyN said above, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry and actually you probably do both at times..
For me I found it was about learning to accept the ageing process and adjusting my life again to suit the changes in Jake, for example learning to enjoy a 20 minute 'walk' where you may only go 20yards! Or accepting that Jake will be in the garden or have his 'walk' then come back in the house and walk into the kitchen and have a poo!( I remember the first time he had an accident we were driving back from a walk and he pooped in the van, I cried..)
It can be a tough and sometimes exhausting time to cope with, all the while knowing in the back of your mind what is along the road and around that corner, with the constant worry of knowing that you are responsible for making that decision at the right time, there is no doubt, it is heartbreaking beyond words...but also it is a very humbling and loving experience to have the chance to care for your dog into their dotage after the many, or sometimes few, years you have enjoyed together, a life time for them; the learning, the frustrations, the naughties, the thievery, the amazing walks, the play, the laughter, the sillyness, the stubborness, the communication, the farts, the sloppy poos, the snoring, the understanding, the love and the bond is beyond compare and worth every heartbreak I think.
Ok.. maybe this is why we don't really talk of our older dogs, just off to get a tissue now...sorry everyone!

 

[Tinytom]

I think about it alot as my 3 lurchers are 13 ...11 and 10....victor who is 13 has slowed down in the last 3 mths ...doesnt want to be offlead in the morning but still walks 90 min each morning albeit a little slower ...he sleeps alot more ..his face is silver frosted now instead of black ...i do feel saddened that they dont chase each other around anymore but the oldies are special ...
We have taken 2 terriers in the past for end of life so they didnt die in kennels ...one at 14 she had 4 mths with us and the other at 15 she was with us 3 mths ...it broke our hearts but i would do it all again ...One day ....

 

[Finsky]

Oh...oldies are the best. They have been there and done that..with their experience they understand so much. They take life around them in steady pace and take pleasure of little things.
Often we don't even notice how the age creeps up upon them and I have had few dogs that at the time I was almost blind to notice their changed looks. It was only after they had gone and I was looking at their photos, it was like looking at a stranger! We never saw the silver on their faces but in our minds they were always the same 'ageless' beautiful friends...so weird!
And yes...I am looking at the tissue box..if I carry on much longer and start bringing up the old memories tissues will be needed.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper's not going grey - he has light sun-kissed highlights. Just like me....

He was up for a nice long walk this morning He got quite grumpy with a lurcher friend who wasn't looking where he was going and collided with him though - I think he feels more vulnerable now with his dodgy rear end.

 

[Josie]

I do think ageing is one aspect of our dogs lives that we don't really talk much about, there's lots of advice and info on pups, teens and adult dog life stages but not so much on preparing us for our more mature canine friends issues and how to cope/care for them. Maybe because it is such a difficult time actually having to come to terms with the fact your dog maybe showing signs of age, slowing down, arthritis, hearing loss, sight loss to name just a few possible issues!! And as @JudyN said above, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry and actually you probably do both at times..
For me I found it was about learning to accept the ageing process and adjusting my life again to suit the changes in Jake, for example learning to enjoy a 20 minute 'walk' where you may only go 20yards! Or accepting that Jake will be in the garden or have his 'walk' then come back in the house and walk into the kitchen and have a poo!( I remember the first time he had an accident we were driving back from a walk and he pooped in the van, I cried..)
It can be a tough and sometimes exhausting time to cope with, all the while knowing in the back of your mind what is along the road and around that corner, with the constant worry of knowing that you are responsible for making that decision at the right time, there is no doubt, it is heartbreaking beyond words...but also it is a very humbling and loving experience to have the chance to care for your dog into their dotage after the many, or sometimes few, years you have enjoyed together, a life time for them; the learning, the frustrations, the naughties, the thievery, the amazing walks, the play, the laughter, the sillyness, the stubborness, the communication, the farts, the sloppy poos, the snoring, the understanding, the love and the bond is beyond compare and worth every heartbreak I think.
Ok.. maybe this is why we don't really talk of our older dogs, just off to get a tissue now...sorry everyone!

 

[Biker John]

My oldies have always been special, the hardest to loose was Gypsy a Shelti, she wasn't a young dog when I lost my wife but at 13 she never hesitated when I walked her, (and I spent a heck of a long time walking her we covered miles). But eventually at 18 1/2 I lost her, the last couple of years she slowed down and we finished up taking an hour to cover the distance we used to take 10 mins. But she still wanted to go out for her walks so I took her at her pace.

 

[JoanneF]

18½ is an amazing age @Biker John .

 

[Finsky]

Jasper's not going grey - he has light sun-kissed highlights. Just like me....

He was up for a nice long walk this morning He got quite grumpy with a lurcher friend who wasn't looking where he was going and collided with him though - I think he feels more vulnerable now with his dodgy rear end.

He start sounding like blond dog version of Victor Meldrew..

 

[JudyN]

That's pretty much him, Finsky! Though to be fair, if a young hooligan bumped into me and knocked me off balance because they weren't looking where they were going, I'd get grumpy too ;-)

Someone commented to me this morning, 'You don't see many borzois nowadays, do you?' Errr, no, and you're not seeing one now!

 

[excuseme]

Mmm, I've just made my 4th litre of sloe gin, I made my first one 11 days ago. The fruit is so ripe this year. It already tastes good!. Naughty me.
.

 

[JudyN]

Sloe is a fruit - that makes sloe gin a health drink

 

[Finsky]

Mmm, I've just made my 4th litre of sloe gin, I made my first one 11 days ago. The fruit is so ripe this year. It already tastes good!. Naughty me.
.

Oh sloe gin...that's it!...I'll fuel my car and I'll be soon over to make sure your recipe is just right

 

[excuseme]

Sloe is a fruit - that makes sloe gin a health drink

It looks like I will have to make loads more then. Thank you Judy.
.

 

[excuseme]

Oh sloe gin...that's it!...I'll fuel my car and I'll be soon over to make sure your recipe is just right

It's not really ready for drinking yet but your welcome
.

 

[excuseme]

There are still a lot of sloes about but they are very ripe this year and some fall off if the branches get shaken too much, (the dogs search for these pretty quickly). The deer are stripping the lower branches too.
.

 

[JudyN]

Can you freeze sloes for future use?

 

[Hemlock]

Can you freeze sloes for future use?

Oh yes - and it saves having to prick them too.

 

[Flobo]

I made my first batch of sloe gin last week too, I also have a damson gin on the go that I made in July and also a strawberry one...yum..but have to say sloe is my favourite, will be picking more on my dog walks next week! And yes I froze my sloes for a couple of days last week while I sorted out a suitable jar to make it in, no probs.