Meet Sophie. She is a mix of bassett, shepherd, and chow and has been a great companion to our family for 13 1/2 years. I'm not going to get all sentimental, but I can tell her days are numbered. She is in good health for her age, but there are signs that the sun is setting on her time with us. Her hearing is nearly shot, her stubby legs don't go nearly as fast as they used to, her muzzle is frosted with the white of her winter years. Wherever dogs go when they are done demolishing rubber squeaky toys, snoring like a lumberjack, and farting in the backseat of the car after being fed the leftover scrambled eggs on a camping trip, I hope there are squirrels to chase. If there are squirrels, Sophie will be a happy dog.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sophie
Meet Sophie. She is a mix of bassett, shepherd, and chow and has been a great companion to our family for 13 1/2 years. I'm not going to get all sentimental, but I can tell her days are numbered. She is in good health for her age, but there are signs that the sun is setting on her time with us. Her hearing is nearly shot, her stubby legs don't go nearly as fast as they used to, her muzzle is frosted with the white of her winter years. Wherever dogs go when they are done demolishing rubber squeaky toys, snoring like a lumberjack, and farting in the backseat of the car after being fed the leftover scrambled eggs on a camping trip, I hope there are squirrels to chase. If there are squirrels, Sophie will be a happy dog.
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Aww, what a sweetie face. As a death investigator, I'm sometimes too aware of the unavoidable demise of myself and my loved ones. My Sadie is only 6, but since she is part Great Dane, I wonder how long she'll last. I know what its like to notice that your dog has mellowed out, how nice that is, and then that awful realization kick in. Keep her happy and as healthy as you can, but don't skip on the loves!
ReplyDeletewhat a precious dog... She reminds me somewhat of a corgie... 13 and 1/2 that is up there... and I am sure she is quite precious being with you for so long...
ReplyDeleteThose stubby legs are the best, but I bet they are hard to get around on.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's dog, Ludo, is 10. For a large dog, it means he too is in his retirement years with a whitened muzzle. He's the last of her dogs I had a hand in training and raising as a pup, and when I go to visit them (my mother and Ludo) I can't help but be aware that there are fewer and fewer months left for me to see his happy face.
So I can fully appreciate your sentimental moment.
In her prime, she was actually quite an athlete...she could run alongside my bike and never got too tired, she loved to hike with us and would scramble over rocks and up and down the trails, and she absolutely loved to swim. Now she only turns on the high gear to chase away the squirrels in the backyard, and sadly seems to pay for the activity in sore feet and legs.
ReplyDeleteGood dog, Sophie.
She is a cutie.
ReplyDeleteHusband and I are big softies when it comes to animals, so we completely understand your post. :)
Cheers!