I subscribe to The Bark Magazine. It’s a Berkeley based bimonthly magazine that covers well…dog culture for dog lovers I guess. This month’s magazine was a tribute to senior dogs. I was looking through and read one of the stories about senior dogs that struck a chord with me and thought I’d share.
For those that know me, you know that I’ve “owned” Dopey for the past 5 years and that she’s an old dog, but not just a normal senior as she’s also disabled. I put owned in quotes because she’s not really my dog, but I still feel that she’s my daughter. I’ve seen her go from always runnign full speed across soccer fields, to dragging her feet, to running in a wheelchair, to stuck bouncing around in her bed. The article put into words something that I could never quite put my finger on. I’ll just put an excerpt for those that are ADD, but thankfully the full story is available to read on their website now. I know better than most that she’s old, but the article puts a dog lovers heart into words so well.
From Be Gentle: I know my dog is old
The last years and months we share with our geriatric dogs are among the most bittersweet times in dog lovers’ lives. We know, from the moment we choose these guys as puppies or meet their limpid stares at the animal shelter, that our hearts will be torn apart some day. What makes it so much worse is that the older they get, the sweeter they get, and when they reach absolute critical sweetness—you simply cannot love them any more than you already do—they grow completely exhausted and die.
The end may sound a bit harsh, but it’s reality. I know Dopey will eventually leave and I’m sure I will be crushed.
