Appreciating Eddie the senior :)
It took a while, but I think I've started to embrace Eddie's senior years. In my last blog, I was a mess. Eddie had turned 10 and I was panicking over him entering his senior years. I was mourning his passing before he was even gone.
I decided the only thing I could do is not look back but to enjoy what I have right now and appreciate his senior years. I've discovered, while there is lost youth, there is also gained maturity. He's a much more mature dog today than he was as a pup.
I see it in how he tolerates his sister. As a 5-year-old, Eddie would beat her up if she went for his toys. He was unpredictable and scary, and I spent countless hours working on ways to get him to behave. Much of it worked to a degree, but I think more than anything he just grew out of it. He matured.
Now, while they're not lovey-dovey, he accepts her and maybe even appreciates her. They'll share the doggie bed for hours when they each have their own bully stick. He knows to chase his own toy at toy time and let Jillie chase hers. That was unthinkable just a few years ago. I've even seen him step in at dog meetups when some big dog was giving Jillie a hard time.
He's also more wily! He's always hid from me at walk time in the winter because he knows that means having to put on a coat and booties. For years, I was able to trick him. I'd have him do one of his tricks, give him a treat, then pick him up and put on the booties. Or I'd shut all the doors to the rooms so he had nowhere to hide.
I found out today that another technique I use -- picking him up as he comes in from a potty break outside -- no longer works! He's too stinkin' smart. Today, I had his coat behind my back and out of sight when I went to let him in. I don't know how he knew, but when I opened the door, he backed up 2 steps. He knew I was up to something. I laughed and had so much appreciation for his newfound wisdom that I let him in without scooping him up. He won that battle.
That maturity shows up in every thing he does. Eddie has been a therapy dog for 6 of his 10 years. He's always enjoyed visiting the hospital and getting treats for doing tricks for the kids. But sometimes we find ourselves in situations that test his patience. Usually, if he's not comfortable on a visit, we call it quits.
But last week we were doing some tricks for some 3-5 year-olds. A video crew from the hospital was there recording his show. I could tell the camera crew and young crowd made him a little uncomfortable. He refused to do one of his best tricks -- limp. And he was slow to do some of his others. On a regular visit, I might have quit and let him go home. But the camera crew needed the shots, so I decided to reassure him often but keep going even though I knew he'd rather quit.
His maturity, I believe, is why he persevered. He did all of the rest of the tricks -- sometimes multiple times for the camera -- and delighted the youngsters and camera crew as well. Believe me, he got LOTS of treats during and afterward. I'm always proud of him, but I was even moreso on that day because I knew he could have refused at any time. He literally sucked it up.
I realize I LOVE Eddie the senior just as much or more than I loved Eddie the puppy. I'm always on the lookout for new things he does because of that maturity. In a few years, maybe it will be soreness or eyesight that changes. But I'm determined to find the best in that -- to admire him for how he deals with life at every age.
For now at least, I'm finally at peace with him aging.
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Comments
I'm feeling your sadness at Eddies being a senior dog now. I've been going through these exact feelings about my sweet 10 1/2 yr. girl, Tinky. Just worrying about her passing when she's not even there yet but has also been showing signs of aging. Your words helped and I'm going to try and focus on all the wonderful things she does. | |
Posted 03-19-2015 at 04:00 AM by Grandmommy |
I'm so glad that maybe my words helped. Eddie turns 11 in May, and I'm embracing every day we have together so I'm left with no regrets. It's working so far! Good luck! | |
Posted 03-30-2015 at 09:25 PM by alaskayorkie |
Sometimes learning how to be in now with your dog is hard when worries of age or health issues occur. I have been fortunate to be owned by 4 Yorkies in my life. Bella now 15, Tobey her son just turned 14 yrs and Spike, his brother, the one who I felt was like a soulmate to me died on his birthday at 14 in my arms at 2:02 am this past February- only a few months ago. He was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure 4 1/2 years ago and the cardiologist told me he probably had 6 months to a year left. In the beginning I couldn't imagine life without him and cried every time we cuddled as if he was already gone. A few months later I decided there will plenty of sorrow to fill my world but that would come later. So we lived each day to the fullest, took 2 walks a day length depending on how he felt, he attended classes twice a week at UC Davis in CA and made many new friends. Now that he is gone and what I have left is a little wooden box with his remains but also many many wonderful memories of that little Fuzzybear that was my constant companion. I shed a tear everyday still but am so blessed we had that extra time and I did not put a number on him of how much time I thought we had left. By doing so I would have lost as you wrote in your post those beautiful golden years when you look into your dogs eyes and their curiosity is now filled with knowledge- knowing you more than he ever did or could when he was young. His absence is felt daily and I shed a tear for him. But he fooled the vets and not only lived the year they gave him but lived a wonderfully filled life for more than two more years only really feeling down about 5 days before he passed.So I am grateful that I lived each day enjoying him as a wise, calm, loving creature that quietly followed me from room to room, watching, learning which seemed to give him an inside view of my feelings,knowing me better than I knew myself. | |
Posted 04-24-2015 at 02:21 AM by Tinypause |
Thanks for sharing that, Tinypause It's somehow comforting to see I'm not alone. That my hope of embracing the now and living for the moment is possible and a very worthwhile goal. You no doubt added those years to Spike's life through love, just like you're doing with Bella and Tobey. Bless you. And thank you for showing me the way. I missed your post when you made it last month, but just today as I was playing with Eddie, now 11, I thought of this blog post and how writing about it put me on the path toward enlightenment. I now appreciate everything Eddie does, and I marvel over his adult wisdom. And today, I laughed until I almost cried when he stuffed two huge toys in his mouth and pranced around the house like a proud puppy. I realized that's one of the things I've always loved about senior dogs -- when they show they keep the puppy in their hearts their whole lives. So thanks again. I hope you come back to see your words are appreciated | |
Posted 05-20-2015 at 11:17 PM by alaskayorkie Updated 06-16-2017 at 12:50 PM by alaskayorkie |