# Spotlight your Seniors!



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Do you share your life and love with a senior? GSD or mixed-breed? Let's honor those seniors here, and give everyone a chance to appreciate and get to know them better. Lady Jane? Chama? Shadow? Zamboni? We'd love to hear about the seniors on the board!

What is your senior's personality like? How did you acquire your senior dog? What is his/her best qualities? What surprising quirks has your senior got? This is a brag zone!

How are you managing the health of your senior? Some folks may be unaware of available good treatments and supplements that we can share here.

How are you holding up and dealing with things regarding your dog's health and aging? What brings you special strength and comfort in dealing with meeting the health challenges? Got coping advice for dealing with the stress of caring for a senior?

Got a funny story about your senior to share?

Thanks for spotlighting these super seniors, be they GSDs or mixed-breeds!

Let's meet those seniors!


----------



## Cathygirl (Dec 29, 2006)

This is Jessie. 
She turned 11 on January 26th and we have had her since she was 8 weeks old. She is a very, very gentle girl. She loves everybody she meets. Loves our kitty Sammy and loves her brothers. 
Jessie is a model for good health. She has never been to the vet for any illness at all, only regular check ups. She can pretty much eat any food and nothing bothers her. I have only recently seen some changes in her. Her eyes are starting to cloud and once in a very great while she gets up a little slower than usual. But when we go for a walk back in our field she runs around like a little puppy and runs circles around the boys.
Here is my baby girl. May we have many more years with her.










Yesterday, playing in our creek with her brothers









Giving her daily kisses









And one of her that I really like, she was 10 in this picture


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Oh, Cathy! Jessie is just stunning! What a regal girl with a gorgeous, eye-catching coat, and gentle, warmhearted eyes she has. Thank you for sharing Jessie and her gentle nature with us! May she continue to do so super!


----------



## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Lady Jane Cobb is 13 years, 4 months old. We've had her for 3 years. She sees a chiropractor every 6 weeks and had been doing really well until Vestibular Disease struck a few weeks ago. She is much, much better but her rear is wobbly. We started Adequan injections last Friday. 

Here she is snoozing:










Steel is 9 years, 8 months old. We've had him a little over a year. He is super sweet - the best behaved husky I've had. He never does bad things. He still has Lyme Disease. I'm very worried about my boy.

Here is Steel looking petrified of LJ, and LJ looking annoyed:


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

We know already that I'm a Lady Jane Cobb fan! Such a lovely girl she is. I really hope the Adequan makes a difference for her. She is such a beauty! My gosh, handsome Steel-- a well-behaved Husky! I wonder if LJ keeps him in line? Thank you for sharing about Lady Jane and Steel. What sweethearts they are!


----------



## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Thank you Patti. LJ does keep him line. When he ticks her off, she mounts him. He immediately falls to the ground and rolls on his back. He loves to leap over her when she squats for a pee.


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

What a great idea Patti and thank you for allowing mix breeds









Jessie is too cute, especially the one giving kisses. She looks great for her age. Unfortunately I cannot see LJ's and Steel's pic









This is Ginger. She is now 15. Her happy-gotcha day is June 7. We hope she still will be with us. A stroke last year has diminished her eye sight and hearing but she aged well. She gets a bit confused upon awakening but still can run, goes to work with my husband every day and LOVES her dog cookies and begs for them







She is still raw fed and barely ever was sick in her life. In her younger days she was an agility, ski-joring/sledding dog. She was so agile and fast, too smart for her own good, very loving but she can also be very stubborn at times LOL I believe she safed my life twice. She was a stray and most likely abused and she has been with us since puppyhood.


----------



## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Oh Fee, Ginger is beautiful! 15!!! You have given me hope!


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Ohhhhhh there she is!! GINGER!! She has the dearest, sweetest expression-- all precious eyes and lovey-face! 15 is so super for an age, and it really sounds like she feels GOOD! What a family member she really is.. you can see it in the pics how well-loved these seniors are!

Joanne, my last GSD lived until 15.5. I had surgery done on his elbow (a wound healed open), and he got pneumonia following the surgery. Who knows, he may have lived longer had he not had the surg?

I love seeing these adorable seniors!


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

Thank you Joanne! Ginger actually loves having her pic. taken







Unfortunately your pic. won't upload on my computer







I so love seeing senior pic.! I will keep my fingers crossed for LJ and Steel! My friend had used Adequan shot on her GSD and it did wonders. From being imobile to running around like crazy again in a few weeks. He was a lucky dog. Ginger is a Husky/Collie Mix and I found that Huskies really age well so I hope Steel will be O.k.! 

Patti, that is amazing that your GSD lived to 15.5 yrs. What was his name? Our GSD's grandmom lived to 15 too and her parents, aunts and uncles all until 14 to 14.5 which is really great. So we are hoping. 

Off to walk the beasts. Ginger might be carried for a few minutes as she tires, trying to keep up with our high drive monster. Wishing everyone lots more time with their special seniors!! They are the best!


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

His name was Chell Avax. "Chell" was on supplements galore but basicly healthy until the pneumonia.

So nice to see Ginger! may she enjoy her walk!


----------



## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow Patti - 15.5 - that is amazing.


----------



## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

This is my girl, Rica. We've had her since she was 8 weeks old. She turned 12 last November. We have 2 female GSDs and Rice is the "Queen Bee". 
She was diagnosed with HD and back problems when she was 5 and the orthopedic vet who evaluated her thought she would be completely crippled by the time she was 8. We started her on supplements and medication to manage her symptoms and she was still hiking at 10 years old. Unfortunately, her symptoms are becoming more difficult to manage lately. She has severe arthritis in her hips now and has a lot of trouble getting around. But I'm grateful that she has made it to 12 and it's only been in the passed 6 months or so that she's really started having a lot of problems getting around. 

Here she is at 2 years old (don't have any digital photos any earlier)









One of my favorite hiking pictures of her at 6 years old









Taking a break at the top of the hill when she was 8









I recently got her a harness to help her get around and make it easier to get up and down stairs in the house









She's been on Adequan and gloucosamine supplements for quite a while. The vet taught my DH how to do the injections so we could do them at home. 
She doesn't do much hiking anymore - maybe to the top of the yard and then she's pretty worn out. But she still let's Aodhan know who's boss and that all the toys belong to her - especially the balls.


----------



## mychance (Oct 22, 2007)

This is our much loved Roxy Belle (aka Roxy Bella Cinderella or Pixie Belle). She ended up with me as a foster after three failed attempts at adoption. She pushed buttons I didn't know I had, challenged my patience well beyond the breaking point, and made me laugh every day. She's smart, quick, curious, and girly through and through. 

She does not tolerate fools lightly and is quick to express her preferences (I can currently hear her giving etiquette lessons to our latest foster), but she adores her family and friends and is the gentlest dog I have ever seen with small children. She was about 2 when she became my first "foster failure"; she just turned 11 last month. If you look closely you can see that she has a deformity of the right front leg. We call it her flipper and she's famous for boinking dogs between the eyes when they are not sufficiently respectful. It has never been a problem, but I do notice it hindering her more recently and our walks are calmer and shorter these days.


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

Chell- what a nice name!

Rica looks so sweet and pretty. I hope you can keep her comfortable a while longer... Did you try acupuncture as well with her? That might help.

Roxo Belle sounds like a character. Wishing her lots more quiet, calm walks. Wouldn't have noticed her 'flipper' - she uses it just fine as a weapon


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

All of these dogs are so beautiful! Thanks for starting this thread, Patti and thanks for sharing your wonderful seniors everyone else! May you all enjoy each additional day you have together! 

I found an ad for a litter of rottie mix pups in the Penny Saver magazine almost exactly 14 years ago! I called and was told the pups were 6 weeks old and that I could come down to meet them. I drove for an hour and found 2 female pups. The males had all been adopted already and the other females were hiding under the shed. The pups were living outside and had a torn up towel to play with. The one I picked was the cuter and less timid of the two who dared to come out from under the shed. 

She learned from her super alpha sister how to be the boss of the world. Other than taking off after anything that moved, Chama has always been a very good companion. She's super smart, independent and has a very strong personality. She could boss around the biggest male gsd in the world. 

She knew people by name and was the reason at least two of my friends adopted dogs. Many people tell stories about her and say she's the smartest dog in the world. She is definitely one of a kind! 

Here my muttweiler on an outing to a nearby field. All of these pictures were taken today. 

She can still run--despite that stupid tumor (which is very obvious in this photo--look at her right front elbow, that's the tumor)! 










Here she is giving Rafi the business:










Marking over his pee! 










And blowing in the wind.


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

I am so sorry about the tumour







In the photos she looks so vibrant, strong and happy. Is she one of those females who lifts her leg LOL Hope sweet Chama gets to stay here with you for some time to come!!


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: FeeI am so sorry about the tumour
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Chama is 14 years young and continues to enjoy her life. As long as that is the case then I am happy! We are taking one day at a time and cherishing each one. 

She lifts her leg really high and pees over Rafi's pee.







She learned it from my first dog, Massie.


----------



## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

My heart dog, sweet Murphy girl... 

At this point in her life, we are just glad for every single day we have. She's doing well - continues to eat twice a day (Natural Balance + canned) and still enjoys her walks, even though they are quite slow. The only supplement she takes is Glycoflex III because her back legs have become quite a bit weaker in the last year. Maybe this is the secret to her health - she gets one peanut M&M every morning from her dad - I don't think he's missed many days in the last 17-1/2 years.







She has not had vaccinations since she was 10 and my vet whole-heartedly agrees with that. 

She is queen of the house and there has never been another who has challenged her on that position - including Czar, a wolf hybrid; Cully, a GSD/lab mix; Max, a GSD; and now Sammy, a rambunctious 16 month old GSD. All she has ever had to do is give them the "look" and it put them right in their places. Last night, she took Sammy's bone away from him. She had no interest in chewing on it - she just wanted it! Girlz rule!!!!!

This was on her 17th birthday last Halloween...










She has been a mother to many, and in most recent years to Lucy, a tiny 6.5 pound kitty who was born with cerebellar hypoplasia...


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Ah, there's Murphy.







She is our senior-most senior, I think. Such a sweetie. 

And Chama does the same thing with that look! She also takes Rafi's bones from him just because she can. He's taken to sleeping on top of them!


----------



## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

I tell 'ya Ruth - these old broads have no fear of the youngsters! Sammy was circling around Murphy last night like "what the heck - how dare her!!!". But he didn't try and take it away from her either!

These pictures are all so wonderful. I just don't think there's anything more beautiful than a senior's face!


----------



## IliamnasQuest (Aug 24, 2005)

It's fun reading about people's "oldies", and of course I'm always glad to talk about my own old dogs! I've been lucky in that nearly all the dogs I've owned have lived to age 10 or older. My first chow died last April at the grand old age of 16 1/2! She was a wonderful dog and a fantastic ambassador for her breed.

My current "oldies" are Trick (GSD - will be 13 in May!) and Dora (Chow - will be 12 this summer). Trick is the world's most trustworthy dog. She came to me as a puppy and was trained primarily off-leash and with positive reinforcement (I didn't even teach her "no" until she was 7-8 months old). Trick grew into the most reliable, obedient, fantastic dog and even learned to resist the temptation of going after moose when she was off-leash. 

Trick loves to swim and when we lived on the river she would swim out into the current and then face upstream so that she could swim in place. I remember one day I was cleaning the boats and I heard this snorting sound - and glanced up to see this big black thing in the water behind the boat! Startled me for a minute until I realized it was Trick, hanging out in the water so she could be close to me. I had to quit taking her with me when I went fishing because she thought she should retrieve every time I cast the line. I didn't want her to get caught on the hook.

Trick has slowed down a lot over the past year, and gets up stiffly these days. She still loves to go for walks with me and I rarely put a leash on her as she is still very dependable. She's a bit deaf now, though, but she responds well to a whistle and clapping of the hands. When I take Tazer out to play, I have to watch out for Trick as she thinks she's still a puppy and wants to chase after Tazer. I often take out two frisbees - one I throw a short distance and send Trick after it, and then I turn and throw the other a long way for Tazer to chase. Trick thinks that's okay, but if I only throw one frisbee she's unhappy if I keep her from chasing after it. 

I dread the day I lose Trick. She has been one of the most amazing dogs I've ever had the fortune to know. Here are a couple pictures taken last summer:



















Dora is a little (38#) black chow who joined the household when she was 14 months old. We had some trouble getting her acclimated to living with a group (she'd been separated from the other dogs in her previous home) and she also had to learn to accept living with cats. But it all worked out after a bit and she became a comfortable part of the family. 

I trained Dora in agility as I was working other dogs in agility at the time and it was interesting to see how she learned. Chows are much more independent-minded than most other breeds, and there were days when Dora said "nope, not gonna do it!" and I had to be more stubborn than she was. I remember one agility practice where she ran off the course and wouldn't return. I went to her, hooked one finger in her collar and simply dragged her back out onto the course (she had all four legs locked and I literally had to drag her .. *L*). I set her up on the starting line and when I say "OKAY!" she ran the BEST RUN she'd ever done! And as a reward, she got to take the rest of the day off .. *L* .. I found that doing half a class with her was more productive than forcing her to do a full class, and as a trainer (always learning!) I felt it was best to go with what worked for the dog.

Dora's always been sort of a clown, too. She can look so darn serious and then suddenly bounce into a play-bow, tail wagging like crazy, jumping sideways with her mouth half-open in a smile. She always makes me laugh when she does this. I love silly dogs!

Dora has become a scruffy dog in her old age. Her formerly thick coat has dwindled down to thin hair - less than half of what she had before. We don't know why (blood tests say her thyroid is normal, as are all the other results, and she eats really good food). But she's healthy and active otherwise so I quit worrying about it. She looks scruffy but looks are not everything, right? 

Oh, one last thing about Dora - in her old age she has developed a liking for fruit of all kind. She's always liked bananas, but then apples became tasty to her, followed by peaches and now citrus fruits too! It's funny because the other dogs want to eat whatever Dora's getting, and they can't quite figure out why she likes oranges. My other chow loves peaches (and that's why Dora started eating them) but oranges?? Dora even got into a case of mandarin oranges and chewed on several one day. There are things I like now that I didn't like as a kid so I guess the dogs are entitled to that too!

Here's a photo of Dora from early last summer - I think the sun was in her eyes and that's why they're half-closed .. *L*










Melanie and the gang in Alaska


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

Oh my - a 17+ yr. old. Wow!!! Good for you Murphy. You are looking good and keep ruling! Everyday is a blessing now.

That's hysterical about Trick swimming in place. Very smart. Dora has such a sweet face and too funny about her newly liking of fruit. 

Ginger actually reversed to puppyhood and started stealing food off the counter again but at 15 we do not have the heart to tell her off. We only leave healthy food anyways LOL. We also stopped vaccinating her when she was 6. The only supplement she is getting is Q10 with her raw diet. She always refused joint supplements even when mixed in with the food -being a Husky she really doesn't need it. 

Seniors are the best! We all should be so lucky and do so well in old age.


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Rica is adorable, Johanna! She has such a cuddly look to her fur. 

Dora is a gorgeous dark chow-- so pretty, and full of spunk in her pic. Smart, sweet Trick really seems to be all heart from what you have written, Melanie.

Murphy at 17-- wow! Isn't she a fluffy beauty, too.

Chama Bear looks so tough in all her pics Ruth, as if she rules the world!

Jill, Roxy Belle looks so sweet and loved.. such a darling girl!

I love seeing these seniors, you can feel all the love and care flowing through their lives with each greying hair on those wonderful, dear muzzles.


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

I started this thread because I LOVE seniors!! But also because I thought people dealing with the stress of caring for older dogs need to come together and feel some support, too. Maybe ideas on supplements, harnesses, whatever.. or just seeing these lovely senior faces makes our hearts melt every time! Seniors can make the best friends ever!


----------



## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Patti, another title could have been "Spotlight on Seniors and their Exhausted, Stressed Out, Gray Haired, Ulcer Ridden, Neurotic Owners".

At least that's how I feel today! I need a vacation someplace warm but I just can't leave my babies at home!

Definition of optimism: ordering a 6 month supply of supplements for your senior.


----------



## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: BrightelfRica is adorable, Johanna! She has such a cuddly look to her fur.


Thanks, Patti, she is a beautiful girl and her coat is more plush than Aodhan's. I like to cuddle her, but she has never been a big cuddler. She's becoming a bit more accepting of snuggles now that she can't get around so much. She still would much rather play fetch. Yesterday I had the 2 of them in the yard so Aodhan could burn off some energy playing fetch. Rica was absolutely insistent that she wanted Aodhan's ball (I roll one to her so she doesn't have to chase it). At one point she went after Aodhan's ball because Aodhan had become distracted. She could barely get her rear up off the ground, but she was determined that she would get that ball out of the bushes. I love her determination.
She's just getting over a UTI and its very noticeable that she feels better - she's been quite vocal the past few day - making it known she wants attention, wants to play and wants her meals . It took me by surprise that she was being so vocal as she is usually pretty quiet


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Joanne, I so totally hear you. Having a senior means memorizing the number for your vet's office. We always feel that we are trying to stave off the next crisis while just escaping the last one by the skin of our teeth. There's that feeling of "how much longer/what more can we get away with here?" We project how we might feel if our bodies were reacting as our seniors's do, even though they don't experience the stress we would be having in the same situations. Basicly, we worry ourselves into a real state trying to put out fires and prevent new ones. So yeah, talk about stress! 

The best thing though, is that even though we are scambling, struggling, worrying bigtime (even panicking sometimes) and stressing-- our seniors are enjoying their sedate walks, their special recipes, thick deluxe orthopedic beds, TONS of attention and loving care, and they feel the energy of love beaming out to them with every interaction. They are not distracted, they have slowed down enough to feel each and every drop of love we radiate towards them, and they drink it all in. It has so much meaning to them. Our relationship becomes richer, and the seniors enjoy every minute of it.


----------



## Fee (Jul 4, 2004)

> Code:<div class="ubbcode-body ubbcode-pre" style="height: 34px;"><pre>I started this thread because I LOVE seniors!! But also because I thought people dealing with the stress of caring for older dogs need to come together and feel some support, too. Maybe ideas on supplements, harnesses, whatever.. or just seeing these lovely senior faces makes our hearts melt every time! Seniors can make the best friends ever! </pre>


Oh Patti how thoughtful!! And that makes me appreciate Ginger even more because she is practially self raised. It was our GSD who gave us the gray hair and worry, a working dog after being in a terrible accident and after a malpractice screw up surgery nearly killing her and the numerous following surgeries to undo the damage from the first surgery... The care for all the human an canine emergencies was overwhelming and through all this Ginger was somewhat 'neglected' but thankfully to her more independent Husky nature she was completely fine, doing her thing. She had to survive as a street dog for some time and it made her tough. 

When my father in law was dying last year I had another GSD emergency right at the same moment. I tried to calculate how much time for my GSD, how long can I stall, to see my father in law as I couldn't forgive myself not being there for both. Thankfully we managed and it was Ginger being in her own world, being content and we knew we could rely on her - she never gave us any troubles! We don't have to do anything for her except feed her lots of dog treats through the day - the only thing she must have







This dog can still hold her bladder 20+ hours!!

Our GSD is on the mend thanks to her strong will, top vets and excellent genetics and hopefully no more human emergencies for a while because now we want to give all the focus on Ginger. Every day is a blessing! We had so many great moments with her. She was a gift from my husband, a motivation to fill out the darn immigration papers She was my first Canadian friend!

I will keep all the speciall seniours in my thoughts! Before seeing Ginger age I would always go crazy for the puppers but now looking into senior faces -those are the most precious moments!


----------



## mychance (Oct 22, 2007)

"Roxy Belle looks so sweet and loved.. such a darling girl!"

Roxy says, "Thanks, I'm all that and more."
I say, "If you only knew!" 

Roxy's on the small side (about 65 pounds) which is what I attribute to her lasting good mobility. She can still keep up with her "baby" brother (90 lbs. and almost 4 now) for short bursts and still very much enjoys playing ball. She'll practically go through the window to join a game of football or soccer. 

She recently was treated for a high-positive lyme result. We had to laugh as the vet was describing the symptoms to watch for: irritable, limping, picky appetite. Roxy's all attitude, she has a deformed leg and always limps, and you have to stand over her to get her to eat most days. She's also had a few vestibular episodes which have scared me to tears, but once she comes around she's back to her normal self. 

Thanks for starting this thread Patti - I treasure every moment with Roxy and it's great to see that a happy, healthy, senior is not as much of a "rare breed" as I once thought.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Caring for a senior can definitely be stressful, especially when they have health problems and you think you're going to lose them! It's also tough to watch them slow down but I am trying really hard to take things from Chama's perspective. She doesn't seem to be feeling sorry for herself at all!









The key to Chama's longevity and happiness has been regular physical and mental stimulation. I notice that many people stop walking their dogs as they get older and say things like, "They don't need it anymore" or "They just want to sleep all of the time." Chama used to walk 4-6 miles a day and I've gradually reduced that over the past 3 years. Now she does 1 to 1.5 miles a day and she goes for 3 walks a day. I also take her on outings and for little hikes. She looks forward to her walks and although they sometimes take a long time she sleeps better and is much happier when she gets lots of outside time and exercise, etc. She also hasn't lost nearly as much muscle mass as so many other seniors I've seen and consequently has an easier time getting up and moving around, etc. And she's still VERY strong! 

I think a high quality diet is also important as is recognizing that you may need to change their diet multiple times as they age. 

And I really swear by all of these supplements and herbs and homeopathy! Chama is on 5 things for her arthritis (addressing pain and inflammation and also building joints), 1 senior vitamin, 1 thing for immune support (this has really helped her digestive issues) and now transfer factors as well. 

The whole package adds up to a dog who is happy and relatively healthy and is 7 weeks out from bloating and recovering on her own!


----------



## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

Ruth,

Chama is really a inspirational senior, as well as the others here that are in good health for their ages.

I can relate to what you've said here and often think I did the wrong thing in "coddling" Rica too much the past couple of years. When we would go on hikes, she would limp and seem to be very uncomfortable for days after and I just felt so bad for her that I started to walk her less and less. Now, she does have a lot of muscle loss in her back legs and her arthritis is really bad. She looks like she has Christmas wreaths around her hip joints. And she's certainly prone to more infections now.

I've been reading a lot of other posts and doing some other research into supplements and want to get her on some additional supplements to manage her a little better - and possibly reduce the amont of prednisone she gets. Over the winter we've had her on a once a day dose, up from every third day at the vet's recommendation to help her out during the cold months. And I'm concerned that this dosage is adversely affecting her immune system. The vet is hoping that the warming weather will help her and we can reduce the dosage, but I'm not too sure the warmer weather will be enough to make a difference. And I'm willing to try anything to keep her more comfortable.

At any rate I'm going to put her on Ester-C and Cetyl-M as a start and was wondering about something you had said on another thread. If I start her out at 250 mg Ester-C twice a day - how long before starting to up the dose, until I can get her to 2000 mg/day?

She's already on a double dose of the Springtime joint supplement and the Factor Four. I have a bottle of the Longevitiy, but I find the tablets easier to do than powders so I haven't tried it yet.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: WoodrebRuth,
> 
> Chama is really a inspirational senior, as well as the others here that are in good health for their ages.
> 
> ...


I mix water in with the Longevity and usually something wet too like homemade food or canned. That makes it easier to mix in. As for the Ester-C, I think you could up it gradually over a week or so. If you see loose poops then you know you're going too fast! 

I wasn't able to get Chama out much this winter other than our thrice daily neighborhood walks. The ground was either too hard and uneven or too icy or too snowy. I took her a couple of times and she had a really hard time walking around and it looked very painful so I stopped doing anything but sidewalk walks. She really got bored and a bit depressed too. 

Now that I've been taking her out several times a week she has a much more positive attitude! I think it gives her something to look forward to because she knows that sometimes I will take her with me and not just Rafi. 

I think there's a happy medium between overdoing it with your dog and under doing it with your dog. I think if you really pay attention to your dog they will let you know what that is. The mistake I made was not to look closely for that before now!


----------



## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

did i read 17??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! amazing! well, paige is 10 but her wickedness may keep her alive till twenty. people guess her age at 3-4. she is still solid muscle and sass! she could take down an army. walks with her two yr old brother everyday.
jazmin will be 10 in june. still alive due to a leg amputation. three weeks ago she was at death's door because of cancer. I am so glad she is still with me although the anputation was trying. she is a rescue-chow/lab mix and is a therapy dog as well.


----------



## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

Ruth,

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

Rica has been down right feisty the past week. I half suspect that she had a low grade UTI for a while before it became full blown enough to cause incontinence. And she's making up for lost time now that she's feeling better. Even with weakness in the rear legs she pulls my DH across the room to get where she wants to be. I got her one of those Get Up and Go harnesses to help her get around - especially up and down the stairs.

She's been very vocal when she wants attention and has also been letting Aodhan know that she wants the toys - after all, they all belong to her. 

We're going to take them to a local park this weekend for an outing, since the weather is supposed to be really nice.


----------



## geokon_2000 (Jan 25, 2005)

Here's my old man Yukon. I got him from a BYB (Before I knew any better) when he was only 6 weeks old. He was a great pup, learned fast, potty trained in a snap.

He's 11 and 1/2 years old now.










He is a weak nerved dog, was shy as a pup. On top of that, not knowing better he wasn't socialized enough. When he was a few months old I took him everywhere, and everyone petted him. He got to be a few months few months older and he started barking at everyone. He'd run after my neighbor when he turned around and bite the cuff of his pants, then run away, and bark.

He barks at anyone he doesn't know. He's definately a shy dog.

Spent the first 2 years or so battling allergies, before I found a food that worked for him. Before I got on this board or I'd have found something quicker. 

He LOOOOVED all water, creeks, ditches, sprinklers. Now not to much. I think the cold water bothers his joints.

So, here's my grumpy old man. Doesn't look like it here does he. Don't let the picture fool you!


----------



## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I'll have to get one of duchess, not doing as well as she used to be but she'll be 13 later this month.


----------



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Joan, Yukon is beautiful! He does not look his age at all. Here are a couple of my baby boy Zappa, 8 1/2. I also bought him from a BYB before I knew any better. I have completely lucked out with my baby. Neither of his parents would let you anywhere near them and they had to be penned so I could see the pups. I sat down on the ground and all of the pups ignored me except my Zappa. He crawled into my lap and fell asleep. We have had several issues with his health, but I wouldn't trade him for any other dog in the world. He is so layed back and well mannered. He is amazing with my children. He is so amazingly friendly with strangers, especially their children. He is a big part of my heart and I dread to think of the day he will no longer be in my life.

This is Zappa staring at something (who knows what)









This is Zappa with my boys. He hates having his pic taken and was hiding his face lol


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Joan, is it me, or does Yukon almost have a romantic look to him? Such a stunning darling fellow he truly is!

Kendra, Zappa is adorable with the kiddos! And such a dear sweet face, too! Melt-y eyes.. sweet!


----------



## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

A few fairly recent ones. Though this thread has me thinking I need to haul out the camera soon for another senior photo shoot.









Kaiser (will be 11 in a couple months) and Kali (12.5).


















Kaiser and Nara, who turns 10 this month.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Everyone's seniors are gorgeous and obviously well cared for and loved. 

I miss my Chama so much. Seniors rock!


----------



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I think one of the reasons my Zappa is so special is because I grew with him. He has been through a divorce, raising a newborn by myself, a deployment to Iraq, a new marriage, a new baby. He was always there for me. Anytime I felt down when I was a new single mom or any other time, he would nudge me until I would go play with him. He has always made me smile. Any time my kids make a sound while sleeping, he is there. He has given me the best and deserves the best in return.


----------



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

And Chris, your babies are beautiful. I have really started to fall in love with the sable coloring. I love the pic on the stairs.


----------



## geokon_2000 (Jan 25, 2005)

Wow Chris! Your seniors look incredible!!!

Patti, Yuki can be a ham sometimes, and sweet. Fizban defers to "His Holy Oldness." He'll walk up real slow and lick his nose. Yuki don't let the others invade his space, but for some reason he understands Fiz's gentle body language and accepts him into his space.

But if Fiz moves too fast and isn't paying attention, Yuki "RAR, RAR, Rar"'s at him too.


----------

