Wiggle
wiggle wiggle, twist, jump and spin. I’m
sure all of us have seen this many times if you have had a young BC or young
dog. We are watching “Lola”, Gabby’s
last pup until she goes home in a day or two and to say it has been an
adventure, is an understatement. I have
seen the above descriptions many times because she has stayed in the house with
us getting her training and rearing. I
too remember our own young dogs having the zoomies going from one side of the
house to the other. There is nothing
like “full on” puppy energy and Lola sure has it.
Many
people have ask, “When do they slowdown, because I wish they would” I first ask them, “Do you give them things to
do and keep them busy?” After talking
about their activity for a few minutes, and my opinion and advice is given, all
is set. I do remember the puppy stage so
well and just by chance, have been plunged into it again. Wiggle, twist, jump and spin are in the
vocabulary of a young BC and Oh how have I forgot them running down the driveway, me running after them and their ears set back from the wind running
to the end of the world. “When do they
slow down, I wish she would?” I ask myself forgetting my own advice but I soon
remember. If there is any consolation,
they do slow down, but with some melancholy.
As
I have watched some of my own dogs grow into senior dogs over the years, I
thought I would love the “slower” time.
Now don’t get me wrong, I do love some quiet time, but I also see a
little gray, slower gaits and aches and pains and rather than jumping on the
couch, they slowly climb, and it makes me sad because we are closer to that
inescapable bridge.
The
one that hurts me the most is Dutchess, while she is still spunky and very
playful I can tell she is getting a little slower with some of the things she
does. She has always been the dog that
instigated all the activity here on the farm and still does, but now she picks
things that works for her. She will run
with the best and youngest of them, but when she lays down, her body and joints
are not as quick to return and even though she will get up for more play, she
is just a little slower but with some effort she is ready to start again and go
full speed.
As
I know so well, I to know the effects of a little age and I too will pick my
battles and activity just like Dutchess, Molly and Clancy but we do have to
face some aches and pains and consequences.
Several times I have noticed that some of our dogs will take a few more naps
and seem to be more relaxed than they use to be. Molly has always wanted to be near me and get her head scratched but Dutchess has always been too busy to subsume to
such nonsense, but that time seems to be changing. Clancy will now pick his battles not needing to
win all of them.
In
just the last three months, Dutchess had made a point to come inside the house
and find a place to lay down, but her most sought-after place is when I settle
into the recliner and park her butt next to my feet. She will look at me with her soulful eyes and
as soon as I say “come up”, she will climb into my lap where she will sleep for
hours in-between my legs as I rub her head and she dreams of younger days,
occasionally licking my hand with gratitude. When it comes time for me to leave
because I need to get up for a few minutes, I will ask her to get down, but as
soon as I come back to the chair, she’s right back to her “spot” and off she
goes to dreamland again… Little does she know, her “spot” is shared with each on of the dogs and I covet each visit. As I
rub her face, as I do with each one, I too think of the younger times that we
all have shared with each other and the life bridges we have crossed. We’ve seen the good and bad in each other,
but we also know we are family and friends and there is a love and respect for
each other.
As
I rub their faces and stroke their fur, I too remember the days when they all
had the zoomies, wiggling, running, twisting and barking. I do know that they have “slowed down” and
there is not a better place than in my lap as we both drift off to dreamland.
Watch for us next week and follow us today on Facebook
