I had cooked sausages and always used to cook some extras for Milly. Of course I had cooked extras put them in the fridge and realised she wasnât here anymore. Topped with a bad Sue day my late wife, that was it.
Watching Strictly last night didnât help with the flood of emotions going round. The house is so empty.
I need a dog again, but I want to be sure as I am going to sell up and go back to Norfolk next year. Also at 76 is this sensible? I think a puppy is not a wise move but on the other hand donât want an old dog to potentially put me through all of this grief again. My last 3 old English sheepdogs were rescued and feel loyalty to the breed. Have also wondered about a bearded collie
Yes thought about all of the rehome options and maybe the way to go again, thinking fostering may not be for me as Iâd get attached. Also I do now have breathing space without responsibilities.
I think Chrisâs suggestion of fostering is a really good one - naturally youâll get attached, but itâs still WAY easier handing over a happy, healthy dog to a loving new home than it is dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of end-of-life care for a long-termer (and, pragmatically, itâs a lot cheaperâŚ). Plus, youâll get Christmas cards from themâŚ
It also makes it a lot easier for You to do things - like take a break (holidays abroad, say), or indeed if your health becomes troublesome, it makes time-out for healthcare easier too, because you always have the rescue centre to fall-back on for any support you need.
Plus you get the satisfaction of giving a whole load of deserving doggos their first experience of a proper, stable, loving home - a very rewarding thing to do, as youâll know from your experience rehoming.
Iâd also give some careful thought to breeds, because lovely though OESDs and kin are, theyâre intelligent, active dogs that need a lot of stimulation and exercise. This doesnât sound like a good fit with osteoarthritis⌠Instead Iâd make my usual suggestion - the ultimate couch-hog - a retired greyhound: most leave racing between the ages of 3 and 5 (and typically live to 14-16), at which point they will cheerfully spend the rest of their days snoozing quietly, ambling up the road for 20 minutes to the pub and back if the weatherâs nice (they hate cold/wet/wind/snow/ice &c, just like we do), picking daintily at a few prime morsels, then sleeping more.
They will (and do) go very fast around a track (or garden) for five minutes a day, but thatâs it - after that: sofa. Theyâre an excellent older-personâs dog - almost infinitely better than the usual yappy rat dogs older people usually go for (which actually need way more exercise and stimulation than the less-mobile can give them).
Give it some thought - you and a dog can be mutual lifesavers - win/win
Just heard Chris Rea has died so thought you might like this as a little tribute, to both.
Hereâs Milly with Chris Reaâs keyboard player Max Middleton who arranged and played on âDriving Home for xmasâ. Max is teaching Milly the song with the aid of a ball and glass of wine. Great days.
Out for an early evening walk and a guy stopped us to ask if weâd seen a black dachshund. No, sorry. And frankly after dark in a very rural area youâre screwed.
Still walking five minutes later and I heard the chk chk chk of claws on tarmac. Sure enough there was very wet, frightened, jet black dachshund about the size of my boot.
I stayed and gave her fuss while the wife went off and found the (by now quite large) search party.
Thought Iâd take the dog out for a long early walk this morning as heâs staying at my brothers while we all stuff our faces and get pissed at my other brothers place (they live about 1/2 mile from each other)
Little bastard decides to tuck into two piles of horse shit and numerous dog shits.
Great, will now have a dog stuck in a crate on xmas day with explosive shits
