My girl Danica is probably nine years old. Not bad for a Labrador. She could be a bit older, it's hard to say. We got her from the Humane Society the month we were married. After getting the wedding out of the way, we were so excited to get a dog together.
We visited the pound on a Monday. We'd done our research and had an idea of what kind of dog we wanted. Danica was a stray, she'd been hit by a car and brought in because her collar had no ID on it. Amid all the yelping and leaping, she sat with her tongue wagging in the front of her kennel.
"Look at that dog, the one that's not barking," I said.
We wanted her, but had to wait a few more days to give her owners time to find her. For 48 hours we paced. The earliest we could pick her up was Wednesday at 10am. I skipped work and arrived at 9:30am. Our first baby was here!
"Boy, she's really busy" was the comment I got most. This was a dog who (until recently) needed about two hours a day of running, walking, fetching, swimming, playing, and loving to be content. But she'd love a little more...
Over the past few months, her age is starting to show. Her energy level is down. Her right shoulder gives her a hard time. After a long walk yesterday, she's really limping today. She still wants to play some fetch in the yard, she just limps. The stairs are a little slow, and she doesn't jump on our bed anymore.
We haven't taken her to the vet. What might we learn? She's an older lab, and they are prone to hip dysplasia and arthritis. She does a pretty good job of letting us know what she wants.
So our walks are shorter, our playtime is less intense, and we offer lots of love and scratches. And we remember that dogs are a short blessing in our lives, and we are grateful for every moment.
4 comments:
Aw....good ole Danica. You definitely choose a good dog.
I grew up with labs and arthritis gets very bad in their older age. You might not need to make a vet appointment but you might make a call to find out what you can give her to help with the aches and pains. Our dogs got a dose or two of doggy asprin a day which helped them a lot.
She's a sweet dog, no less a sign of great owners. Give her a hug for me. :)
Danielle keeps telling me she does not want Wrigley, who is about the same age as Danica, to go to heaven yet. It puts a lump in my throat every time she says it. Wrigley has also slowed down. Love you, AJ
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