Old Dog Drives Me Crazy Sometimes (border collie, labs, vet, barking)
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This is just a venting thread. My old girl is 15 years old and I know I won't have her much longer, even if she's pretty active for her age. But OMG, some days I have to refrain from strangling her. All she wants is to be near me these days, and since I work from home, she gets her wish. I LOVE having her by my side for my work day.
It's when I get up from my desk that is the problem. She is a herding dog with a good amount of instinct. This has translated into her moving in front of me whenever I try to walk somewhere. So if I'm heading downstairs, she moves in front of me at the top of the steps. Or if I'm in a hurry to get to the bathroom, she'll head me off and just stand there.
She doesn't move very fast, but somehow she manages to maneuver herself in front of me when I'm headed somewhere in the house. Most of the time I can sidestep her just fine, but sometimes it's near disastrous. There have been A LOT of near misses, mostly when I've had to rush to another part of the house for some reason.
Ok, rant over. She's lying under my chair right now, happy and adorable as can be
I've got an old beagle mix, he has nearly killed me numerous times by walking up behind me and sitting at my feet. At 23 years old and being blind/deaf he just wants to be near me. It is frustrating at times but he is family so all I can do is pet him and say "good old boy".
This is just a venting thread. My old girl is 15 years old and I know I won't have her much longer, even if she's pretty active for her age. But OMG, some days I have to refrain from strangling her. All she wants is to be near me these days, and since I work from home, she gets her wish. I LOVE having her by my side for my work day.
It's when I get up from my desk that is the problem. She is a herding dog with a good amount of instinct. This has translated into her moving in front of me whenever I try to walk somewhere. So if I'm heading downstairs, she moves in front of me at the top of the steps. Or if I'm in a hurry to get to the bathroom, she'll head me off and just stand there.
She doesn't move very fast, but somehow she manages to maneuver herself in front of me when I'm headed somewhere in the house. Most of the time I can sidestep her just fine, but sometimes it's near disastrous. There have been A LOT of near misses, mostly when I've had to rush to another part of the house for some reason.
Ok, rant over. She's lying under my chair right now, happy and adorable as can be
I adopt senior labs and so there are generally at least 2 who have to follow me everywhere, sometimes as many as 4 or 5 underfoot. My favorite is when I head for the small half bath, just wide enough for a toilet facing a sink and the door opens outward so as they try to crowd their way in you can't even close the door.
We have an 11 year old cocker who is becoming Mr Klingie dog aka Herbie more so than when he was young..The same things
that Jrz is expierencing, he moves slow unless he chasing a fly, or needing the ever important snack..Its frustrating and
funny too..This is our 3rd cocker and the only one to live this long so a whole thing for us.
He can almost get in high gear if he doesn't know where the all important Dad is, then he is all over the house
looking for him..
Our Vet says he is in good health
Have a nice rest of the week everyone
Enjoy him while you can! Sounds like you are, but I have to tell you, those antics, while they drive you crazy, make them dearer all the more. Last Sat, I had to bring my best little buddy for his trip to The Rainbow Bridge, and all I have are the memories and photos. At 17, ( was a Wheaton Wirehaired Dachshund, a tweenie), all he wanted the last few months was to be with me, too. Slept all the time, but if I got up, and moved to another place, he had to go. Work in the yard, had to be there. When he awoke in the morning, he barked until I came down. I still work, and my DW, would tell me, he'd sleep all day, knowing I was gone, but at 6PM, he be at the door waiting for me. We adopted him as an 11 year old senior, and we already had 2 mini Ds since pups, but Poppi & I just bonded so fast and strong, it's something only another person in the same situation can understand. I was not his owner, we owned each other. I loved him and miss him terribly, no matter how many times in the last year I had to carry him out to do his business, in all kinds of weather, trip over him, wake up to his barking, I'd do it all again, if I could have him back, healthy again.
But his arthritis was getting worse each day, and he would just collapse not able to hold himself up sometimes. His quality of life was dropping fast, and it killed me to see him constantly shake for no reason. He'd cry, and had trouble holding food down sometimes, too. I kept putting it off, and DW kept reminding me, it isn't fair. He's had a great life, he's in pain, and his time has come. I cried my heart out while I held him, and he slept and went away, and though I've lost other dogs, he was so much more. So vent away. But hold and kiss him, and thank him, while you can.
It is natural to get frustrated, which I think is at least partially tied into our understanding that we are unable to stop time and keep them with us forever. It is good to be able to vent about it. She is still doing her job of keeping her flock = you, safe. She sounds like a wonderful dear companion.
During the last year or two of my 18 year old border collie's life I taught him a cue- or rather expanded on his "wait" cue- that let him know I would be right back and he didn't need to get up and follow me. I wonder if something like that might help or maybe keep a handful of tiny treats to toss on the floor in the other direction of where you are heading to keep her occupied with that and out from underfoot?
Our time with them is so precious. Treasure every moment you have left with them, but try to be gentle with yourself too. It is so difficult for us to see our beloved companions age.
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