How is Hershey?

[Carrie]

I remember your post about how Hershey is getting old and you're thinking and feeling sad about his last days.

I thought of that again yesterday, as Bonnie, my Lab is 13 and getting decrepid. It is so hard. Yesterday she was walking along the concrete path and her back legs are getting weaker and she just toppled over onto her side. This was very odd to me because some days she seems quite fine. In fact, she loves our walks. We go on trails in the woods, sometimes a mile, sometimes two and she is just fine. Her tail swings back and forth and she trots. I think on the days we have to skip a walk (not often) is when she gets worse....probably from lying around too much. But her back legs are definitely weaker.

I know the time won't be too long for her and like you, I am getting very sad. She's been with me for 13+ years and grew up with my kids when they were young. They're now 24 and 20. She hung out with all their friends and went swimming with them every day. She use to go with me on my rides with the horse....had a ton of exercise all her life.

She has such a lovely disposition, calm, sweet and everyone loves Bonnie. She has always been welcomed anywhere we go because of her terrific manners. I will truly miss this dog. I'm tearing up as I type because this is going to be so hard. I haven't had to do this since my GSD whom we had to pts 13+ years ago, before getting Bonnie. It really sucks! Why, oh why do we keep doing this to ourselves? It will be one down, three more to go for me. How negative I am being. Normally, I just plain appreciate them and their time with me. But today I'm feeling crappy. Weah, weah.

So, you know how I empathise with anyone going through these thoughts and times.


Carrie

[Rip's Girl]

So can I.

Buster has been showing his age for a couple of years now, but these last few months have been pretty hard on him. He can't go up the stairs anymore without assistance, his hind legs give out if we take him for a walk, and he's just obviously very tired and weak. But as long as he enjoys life, which he obviously does still, we're just doing what we can to make sure he's happy and comfortable, I think that's the best thing you can do.

It'll be so strange when he's gone, though.... I have grown up with him, I can't remember a time when we didn't have Buster, with his dog tags and toenials clicking and clanking around, and even with a couple of pups, the house will feel empty after he's gone.

So I can empathize with everyone going through this too.

[Carrie]

I bet a lot of us have older dogs and many have gone through this before. You just can't ever really get use to it I guess.

I'm sorry Rip that you too have this worry and anticipation of a really hard time ahead.
Yes, as long as they're getting more enjoyment out of life than hard times, that is what's important. Today we went on our 2 mile hike and Bonnie absolutely loves it, as she trots along. So, apparently she is OK for now. I think the fun walks keep her going. Her love of these walks (she's absolutely ecstatic) makes her mind go over matter. She's determined to have a good time.
Well, at least we're here for eachother, right? That always helps.

[moonbaby4885]

I'm so sorry to hear that Carrie and Rip This past year you can tell Hershey's age is catching up w/ him. He is now 12 yrs old. As many troubles as he has been having he is still the happiest dog in the world. Im gonna be so sad when he's gone. He is taking meds for his heart(he has a nagging cough which breaks my heart)..and he has cateracts now. He barks at everyone now until he figures out who you are because he cannot see well. My friend has an 11 year old lab. She says that when he doesn't get his exorcise he starts hurting, so they take him often.

[Rip's Girl]

Hershey looks like a happy dog. That's what really counts in the end.

Buster will have been the third dog we've lost in the last 4 years.. Shiner dog died several weeks ago, and our other family dog was Buddy, a mutt/wolf mix, who we had PTS in '00, but then although I loved Buddy dearly and still miss him, I only had him for a few years, I wasn't so incredibly used to having him around, and it was a bit easier than I think Buster's death will be. (Shiner's was very hard on me, because she was the dog that had saved my life and my sanity so many times, and really was my best friend)

I can't even THINK of how hard it is going to be when Ripley goes. He's only 11 months old (My baby's turning 1 on October 7th. ) and I shouldn't be thinking of that, but I'm already so close with this little dog, he really is my baby.. Even when I'm in my late 20's and he's an old dog, he'll still be my baby.. It's gonna be SO hard to lose him, I cried when he had to have a minor surgery!

I guess all we can do is just love them while they're with us, and remember them fondly when they're gone.

[Carrie]

Hershey is just so darn cute. What a sweet face. I am sorry too, that you are having this worry too. One thing we can be glad of and that is that we gave them a great life, unlike so many dogs in the world. That when they go, they go happy.

((((hugs))))

[moonbaby4885]

Yea i'm glad we could make them happy (((hugs)))