On a walk yesterday , I got to thinking how much I love Sam, no surprise there then But really ,I was thinking about the difference in him from when we first had him at 9 weeks old . We all adore puppies , I fell in love with this big puppy with massively long ears ( now grown into , thank goodness ) and equally massive feet ( never grown into ) who depended on me so much . That feeling of a duty of care for this pup who looks to us for everything and gives such joy but also frustration in equal quantities, as we fail in training Then, they start to become more independent , and I loved this stage too , feeling their feet , sometimes becoming cocky and stubborn but also a joy as they enjoy training and learning . All too soon they are young adults , and I love this too as the bond grows ever close , truly one of the family . Sam is heading for five years old and I love this stage too , a proper grown up dog ( most of the time ) more steady , more trustworthy unless food is around I love all the stages , but probably love the one right now the most, so far
Aw, what a lovely post! Brings to mind the saying "I love you more today than yesterday, but less than tomorrow"
What a lovely post Kate. I fell in love with a bundle of chocolate fur whose main ambition was to lick every inch of my face. The little bundle grew rapidly and was so easy to live with - keen to train, not bitey, chewy or barky - but still with a keen ambition to lick every inch of my face. Having gone through the trauma of her ED at 8 months of age and the worry about her future I love each and every day with her and each day with no limp makes it a special day - oh and her daily aim is to lick every inch of my face when we're playing on the floor
So true, nicely put. Is anyone else like me? I find myself noticing and being more attracted to other dogs of the same age as mine. When the last two got old other older dogs pulled at my heartstrings. Then along came Oban and meeting other puppies seemed so exciting and fun. This whether my dog was with me or not.
I don't know, the old ones always pull at my heart strings. If I had the space and time, I'd fill it with old rescue dogs to give them somewhere warm and happy to spend their last days.
I've had old family dogs, but not one of my own. I still well up when I remember the last chat I had alone with Sam, our first dog, when he had to be taken on his final trip to the vet. They're heartbreakers, our furry family, but so worth it.
We are only at the nine month stage with our first dog but I was having this conversation with my husband a little while ago. Dexter wormed his way into our hearts from day one but as he's got older I think I like that stage the best. Looking back, I loved all the stages, maybe not the crocopup one as much . I loved Dexter just not the painful biting, that seems so long ago now, a distant memory
I loved my dogs at any age. I found so many aspects of their characters get revealled with time. You think you know them and then a whole new vista opens up. They develop and change all the time. Puppies are lovely so shiny and fresh to see them see a snowflake for the first time is so special and so touching. I love my old dogs its so deep its almost underground, the problem is that when they become so sorted and achieve godlike type of accepting wisdom its usually time for them to go. Doug is so clever, he has a problem knowing where his legs are but we all know where his heart is and he gives it so freely and happily. I know I will miss him terribly (when I eventually PTS) but i so glad to have known him. Dog any age is wonderful they open up places, i hope to have a least one in my life always
When I look back, Dexter made me quite anxious at first to be honest....I was so scared of getting things wrong,so floored by this package of strength,energy and intelligence that we'd opted for.I struggled with his pulling terribly and if I'm honest at times I resented him and I resented Chris,my Husband for not helping me more with training.I had a word with myself,found the Labrador Site, sought advice and started to see progress. I also became GRATEFUL that my OH WASN'T involved in training! Blummin' saboteur that he is! Somewhere in all this I realised one day how completely in love with Dexter I was and went to a next stage of never being able to imagine having another dog ......we will,I've learned so much with Dex, in the future I'd like to try again with an 8 week old puppy. This is a lovely thread Kate but I'm having a weep now because writing this is making me think about him old.....makes me so sad to think of him minus his speed and energy.
you can't stop time and they are just so wonderful I just try to enjoy every moment. They can be total monsters too but it all gets washed away with time the bad days have no meaning in the end. You will love him when he's old in different ways and find so many more things to love them for. I am very soppy about old dogs, time has rubbed off all the edges and you just get funny funny clever dogs who know they rock your world. My dogs deaf now and it broke my heart when I realised he couldn't hear me tell him how good he was but I found other ways and he can still see my face and expresion when i tell how wonderful he is
I too love old dogs . I look back, remembering my last Lab girl Tess who slowly became more of a plodder ( until she saw a squirrel and then she could still shift !).She was wise and tolerant of other dogs unless they became annoying , she learned the right to tick them off when this happened . One habit she had , that no other dog of mine has had, was to come into the bedroom at sleep time and lay by the side of the bed whilst I read . Once the light went out , she would lick my hand and then slowly exit for her own bed in the sitting room . They really are so wonderful , at every stage of their lives .
Lovely thread Kate Hattie is our first dog and I enjoyed the puppy and early years but I must confess to enjoying these older years more. Hattie is so steady, kind, loves to learn and train, so loving just a really great temperament, tolerant of children of all ages, grown ups too and of all animals she really is a complete star to have around xx Charlie well Charlie He was crazzzzzzyyyyy from the day he arrived as a rather large gangly 9 month old pupy, he is 5 years old now and is still just as crazzzzzzyyyyy!! but he has a lovely temperament loves all humans, adores my children, he sometimes sleeps on the bottom of Thomas' bed, when he falls asleep Charlie goes back downstairs to his own bed. For some strange reason he firmly believes he is a lap dog . He has a real zest for life too but I really can't wait for him to CALM down! xx Just love 'em young and older. xxx
