Quote: Mara Jessup

"Old" is dependent on the dog. This is Missy on her 12th birthday

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MLJ/media/100_4966.jpg.html?sort=3&o=38

She didn't act old until a few months later when she had advanced cancer.

Kipp is currently 8. He acts about the same as he did when I got him at almost 2.

So be proactive about keeping him healthy, but then try to just enjoy him where he's at now. A healthy dog of that size has the potential of staying fairly active and happy a few years into their double digits

I love that picture, Mara!

My Pointers are 9 and 10 now, and I have noticed on the big walks they are happy to walk with me on the way back, where they used to run the whole time, I think the pack mentality keeps them young.

Kasey is a golden isn't she? there is a good dollop of gun dog in the breed I think, and they do seem to be active till late, or at least is my understanding.

I know how you feel though, I look at Hootie with his grey eyebrows, and it seems like a few months back he was an energetic pup who would go all day.

The only down side to having our dogs is they just don't live long enough.

I would bet that Kasey will be happy and lively for a few good years yet

 Quote: Mara Jessup

"Old" is dependent on the dog. This is Missy on her 12th birthday

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MLJ/media/100_4966.jpg.html?sort=3&o=38

She didn't act old until a few months later when she had advanced cancer.

Kipp is currently 8. He acts about the same as he did when I got him at almost 2.

So be proactive about keeping him healthy, but then try to just enjoy him where he's at now. A healthy dog of that size has the potential of staying fairly active and happy a few years into their double digits

I was googling the average life a golden and it says 10-12. I was surprised it wasn't more than that! I hope we have an exception!

My parents portuguese water dog (my last childhood dog before I left for college) is....10-ish+ now....she still goes out for frisbee every day, and she still goes for frequent jogs with my father.

The difference is that she's on glucousamine(sp) treats, she doesn't jog 10+ miles a day anymore (more like 5 every few days and never in the early morning or when it's cold lol), she's not as fast, and doesn't do super backflip spin leap catches any more.....

 Quote: Jamie Craig

My parents portuguese water dog (my last childhood dog before I left for college) is....10-ish+ now....she still goes out for frisbee every day, and she still goes for frequent jogs with my father.

The difference is that she's on glucousamine(sp) treats, she doesn't jog 10+ miles a day anymore (more like 5 every few days and never in the early morning or when it's cold lol), she's not as fast, and doesn't do super backflip spin leap catches any more.....

Well, she's doing better than me.

I don't know Lori.... my 9 1/2 year old female is just as nuts as she was at 3! If I didn't keep on top of her...she would self-destruct with in a week. I stopped playing any kind of frisbe after her back injury. She used to fly thru the air. She will still jump in the air to catch her toy or do summersaults running after it & stopping short etc if given the chance. I keep her toy/ball close to the ground & not tossed very far now, with the hopes of keeping her grounded. Doesn't always work as she will still leap in the air & jump on top of it to grab it. GRRRR. She does still get a good amount of her running around by chasing after my male when I throw his ball to retrieve.

My younger male keeps her moving at home in the yard, too...as he never stops until he hits the wall.

She has an arthritic knee (which the suppliments have reduced the enlargement)& had a bad back injury (which is now healed) a couple of years ago & is on a couple of suppliments for these. (Adequan Canine & Trixsyn) And My dogs see my Holistic chiro vet regularly for adjustments.

She does settle in the house a little faster, but is still very reactive & sleeps with 1 eye open, even at night.

The only place that I really see her show her 'age' is when jumping into the truck. It's a good 2 1/2 ft jump.(Titan crew cab pickup) Usually several times a day. She will hesitate for a couple of seconds before jumping in. She didn't do that until the last few months.

So I an selling the truck & getting a pathfinder that is quite a bit closer to the ground. Also will allow me the use of a ramp in the future should I need it. My dogs go everywhere with me & to have her not want to jump in because it's too high for her to jump in...is unacceptable to me. I also don't want her jumping that much anymore either. Can't use a ramp for a number of reasons that I won't bother to list.

We all 'age' & need to make 'adjustments' to our lives to accommodate those changes. Some are easier then other to do.

My Bella (who is also a Golden Retriever) Will be 8 in July- she is a little grey around the muzzle now and is a bit better behaved around visitors (doesn't try to jump into their arms any more) but other than that, she is as active and healthy as she was at 2 and thoroughly enjoying her first year in 4H dog club!
I also had a Golden growing up and she was 13 years and 4 days when we helped her cross. I have no doubts that she would have been around a few years longer if we would have diagnosed her reproductive cancer sooner.
It pains me to think of Bella as "senior" Seems like just yesterday I was walking her as an 8 week old puppy- or waddling her I guess since I was 8 months pregnant when we got her!

I just lost a 14 year old and a 15.5 year old in the last few months. Love the oldies. In fact, I just adopted a 12-13 year old ACD this weekend from a shelter in WA after her owner had to go into a nursing home. I will always have an old dog in my house as I have found that they are the best :-)

 Quote: Ingrid Rosenquist

I just lost a 14 year old and a 15.5 year old in the last few months. Love the oldies. In fact, I just adopted a 12-13 year old ACD this weekend from a shelter in WA after her owner had to go into a nursing home. I will always have an old dog in my house as I have found that they are the best :-)

I intend always to have at least one senior, too.

You took a senior whose home had been lost through no fault of her own .... who had been uprooted just when she would ideally be enjoying her golden years, her secure home, her suppers and her trusted pack leader .... I'm with you.

You also did a great deed for the previous owner, who I hope somehow knows that her girl is safe.