Getting older

[skyeboxer]

Have you ever had a moment where you look at your dog and an icy hand clutches your heart and you have to admit that creeping thought that your dog is getting older and will not be there with you forever?

I was out with her today and noticed that instead of skipping up over rocks the way she used too she sticks closer to me preferring to take the easier route. With this in my mind at one point I called her name and she turned to me, the sun glanced off her face and she looked for just a moment so old.

Logically I know that SKye is in good health. I should have at least 4 more years with her ... but oh... emotionally my heart stopped for a moment today.

So have you ever had that moment? Please someone tell me you did and then your dog went on to live another happy seven years. I really need the reassurance.

 

[bubbatd]

Been there too many times ..........it's hard to face reality . Enjoy every minute of lives with us . That's why I always had to have another fuzzy friend to cry with . When my Chip was pts , I had nothing until I got Ollie .

 

[Kase]

Yes I'm going through that right now. I hope I have many more years with Casey but the fact that she's getting older weighs me down. I just can't believe she will be 9 this year, time sure has flown by.

I hope you have many more happy years with your girl .

 

[squirtsmom]

I am thrilled that Squirt is only 9 mon ths old. Plenty of years to enjoy and love her. Don't know what I would do without her.

 

[darkchild16]

WAlker will be 3 in July adn i can jsut see him getting older what i wouldnt give for him to be the 3 month old puppy with a head to big for his body adn ears to big for his head lol. Now hes stilt boy

 

[Kayla]

We just had our boxer pass away two months ago and looking back 6 years didn't seem long enough ( she was already 6 when we moved in with my uncle who she officially belonged to though we all took care of her). Duke's only 5 mo old right now but I've vowed not to take his presence as lightly as I did Diamond's as precious moments pass by to quickly.

Kayla

 

[kidsanddogs]

I went through that a lot with our tri girl, Kelly. For some reason, from the day she turned 10, I was afraid we'd lose her everyday just about. The good news was that it made me appreciate her more, and take her out to do more things. She lived until her 14 and a half birthday. We were very grateful for all that extra time.

 

[LoveMyKees]

I'm starting to realize it with Max now, since he just turned nine. Its not a great feeling, but we need to learn to accept it

I'm sure you'll still have many years with your girl, as I will with Max.

 

[bubbatd]

We just never know ..... so enjoy every dog ...every day .

 

[Spirit2010]

yes, I have had this moment with my girl, Sugar. We only had her a year.. She looked old, older than 1.. I miss her so.. I looked at her when we were walking, and she all the sudden stopped, and I thought, no, she can't go yet, no... (she had bad heartworms, and kidney failure...) I only had a few more months with her, But, Hershey, I think I have like... ohhh, 6 years now.. 9 more years with him! Maybe more. I don't know how old Sugar was when we had to put her down, but.. It was heartbreaking when we did.. I was at school, when she was put down.. But, I am sure your dog, has plenty of years left with you! Just enjoy her everyday.

 

[oc_spirit]

Last month when I was bringing OC across the border with me I was looking over his papers and it dawned on me that he will be 4 next month!! He is finally physically mature. It baffled me how time has flown. Then I realized that Ronan is already 5! Its going to break my heart the day that Ronan is too old to be hitched to the sled. He loves his job so much being left behind is what is going to kill him in the end

 

[skyeboxer]

Well, I don't know if any of you read the gluocosamine thread but I finally tracked something down that I can get locally. Everything has been closed all weekend for Tres Reyes but I'll be buying that tomorrow.

She's been great today - funny and playful - but I am very conscious of her passing middle age. Anybody have any suggestions on how to keep our dogs vital and content for as long as possible?

 

[krisykris]

Even though my dogs are still babies technically.. all under a year... I constantly worry about the day they won't be with me. I try to take it one day at a time though and not let myself get too caught up in sadness and enjoy the joy that they are giving me today.

It's funny.. I've had a cough for 3 weeks and Emmie just started coughing a little bit and I've been so attentive to it.. so much more attentive than to my health things

 

[Brattina88]

yea... petsmart sent Maddie a birthday card (even though its not until April!)
when I opened it, I looked down and was reminded the age she is turning this year, in bold letters. 5
where did the time go ??

 

[silverpawz]

Two of my dogs are 9 and 8 years old. Bear is the only "puppy" left at nearly 1 1/2 now.

I think about loosing them more than I should, and it eats away at my heart. These two have been through so much with me, I can't imagine not having them around.

I try to tell myself that I should focus on enjoying my time with them, because I don't want to look back and regret only worrying. Worrying automatically means you aren't having fun, enjoying a snuggle or being happy just to have them near. Worrying takes over those moments and I don't want that to happen.

I figure they'll be plenty of time for worry when something actually happens to one of them. Plenty of time for sadness then.

 

[Dani]

Bear is about seven which is borderline adult/senior for her size. I hadn't really thought about it...but yes, she isn't getting any younger

 

[Renee750il]

I realized the other day that Bimmer is 7 . . . He still looks and acts like he did when he was 2 or 3. Hard to tackle the idea that we are at a halfway point in life . . . all of my GSDs have lived to be 14 - 16 years old, and lived well. Purdue caught a starling stealing his food the day he died - at 16.

 

[Whisper]

I know this is sort of old, but I'm bumping this because I have been thinking about this a lot today...
On January 25th Millie just turned 5...time has flown and I'm so afraid of losing her. I can't picture my life without her and Lucy..Lucy is only a year and a half old so it doesn't hit as harshly...but I know if the past 5 years with Millie have passed so quickly so will the next..
When I think about losing them it's like an icy hand is squeezing my heart...
They make my life so complete and I love them so incredibly much I can't word it..
It's so hard to face the fact that your animals will not always be with you..

 

[skyeboxer]

I know exactly what you mean Momof7. I know I am a soppy git but I can find myself in tears thinking about losing Skye when I probably have years of time left with her. I MUST have years left with her because GOK I am not ready to lose her.

 

[tessa_s212]

Yup.. just had that sad realization today.

http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46194