This post is for Tara Lara’s Gallery. The theme for this week’s gallery is ‘animals’. Tara Lara said that she wants us to think outside the box and not just go for pets. So I ignored her …
Peanut, the dog, is 9 this month, which is 63 in human years.
In the last year she’s started showing her age; She has white beard, not a good look on a lady; She gets up slowly; Her breath smells as if she is decomposing from the inside out; She sleeps for longer and oh my god the farts … they are getting worse, if that’s possible. Funnily enough in human years she’s the same age as my Dad, Gramps. I must ask him if he’s experiencing similar problems.
I felt so sad about her OAP status that I googled ‘how long do labradors live for?’ . I know, I know, SIT ON YOUR HANDS … but I couldn’t. So facts are facts … and Google is never wrong. She has a maximum of 4 years left. That sliding noise? That’s me on the slipping into denial.
The same day I went to the supermarket with the children. There was a Dog’s Trust stand outside the entrance. Both children took great interest in the stand until I ushered them on. The 7 year old asked if we could get a puppy. I explained that one dog was enough, but that when Peanut died, a long long long long time from now (did I tell you that I’m in denial?), we would probably get another dog. Later at home the 5 year old was snuggling up to the dog, using her as a pillow. He stroked her, “It’s OK, Peanut, we’ll get a puppy when you die” he said … lovingly.
She’s a bloody pain sometimes. The moulting drives The Husband to distraction and whatever you are trying to do in the house she is there in the way, asleep, like a giant log, but I know that our house will be a very sad place without her.
I wonder how much it costs to stuff a large labrador?
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18 Comments on "The one where I show a keen interest in taxidermy …"
If you can cope, it is a good idea to have a puppy with the older dog, as Jacq says – it’s one hell of a culture shock to get a puppy when you are used to an old dog, but it’ll be easier now – you can go out and leave a pup for longer if there’s another dog to keep it company, for example, and it’ll learn to behave quicker.
Go on, Laura, make the family happy – two dogs’ moulting isn’t worse than one!
what a lovely post, dogs are so very uch part of the family heres a post i wrote about my old dog: http://thisisme-sarahmumof3.blogspot.com/2011/05/true-friends.html
I’ve done a bit more Googling for you and discovered ‘freeze-drying’ is the way to go and would cost you around £400.
(http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080729203007AATK2yW)
Over the summer I read Marley and Me. Great book about Labs, sad in Marley’s declining years. Sounds like about where you’re at… If you haven’t read it, I recommend
All the best…
I watched the film with The Teenager a year ago … we both got a little something in our eye at the end!
5 year olds can be so brutally honest! I guess he was trying to comfort himself really. I like old grumpy dogs the best, excitable jumpy puppies are just too annoying.
wow very beautiful post
Labradors are all very lovely and all very special.
Yours sounds just fab too
I had a black lab called Ben when I was young. He was 12 when he died and I was almost incnsolable. Almost but not quite because when Ben was 11 we bought a Bichon Friese called Jasper. He was a bit mental and when old timer Ben had had enough he used to bat him across the living room with one of his great big Labrador paws. Older dogs & pups are a joy to watch.
Love this post and love my dog! (Sunny is 16 now & I half think he’s immortal. His farts stink like rotting meat too, As does his breath. Bleugh.)
LOL. It’s a good idea to get a puppy when you have an older dog. The old one trains the puppy and and the puppy livens the old one up
Love the photos and she definitely sounds like member of the family if she drives you daft!
Really lovely photos. Could almost make me want a chocolate labrador….almost! I’m not really a pet person but I do love labs.
Aww bless, I know what you mean about moulting, my house if covered in a blanket of cat hair but I’d miss it if they were gone
Oh you are funny!! Enjoy your last 4 years with her lol..
Is she a chocolate labrador? I always think that they have such beautiful colouring and are so soft and gentle.
What a great post! I’m sure it would cost a fortune & Peanut wouldn’t want it!
Dogs really do become part of the family and are great for kids. I can’t imagine our home without a dog either even though Coco drives me insane at times with her barking for no reason.
She is a family member and we lvoe her dearly … but the moulting could drive me to distraction.