Dogology

Dogology

Laddie was an exceptionally laid back and very friendly dog. But he did have his favourite people. He was always very pleased to see Tony. I think it may have been connected to Tony's touch, which he seemed to really enjoy, or it may have been the scent on him of his bitch Daisy, or it might have had something to do with the ready supply of biscuits, or perhaps all three, or something else.

It was different with Jill - he'd greet her so warmly, often with his singing tone, and for a year or so as her dog Ozzie grew to maturity he'd try to displace Ozzie's ownership of her. When he became ill for the last time he stopped that, but he still showed Jill loads of affection. I never worked out why, but he was rather possessive of her. Did he pick up my affection for her?

He was similarly pleased to see Sarah and her dogs. He liked the dogs. They were friendly to him and greeted him without jumping all over him. He hated that more and more as he got older and his joints became more painful. But he was fond of Sarah too, and would come when she called him when he was busy ignoring me. I think it was something to do with the way she greeted him, although once again he may have been picking up my affection.

But best of all, his very top favourite, was Helen. He stayed with her when we were away, and really enjoyed it. I'd drive him round, open the car, and he'd spot where he was, walk to the front door, and wait to be let in. He greeted Helen almost as he greeted me. He let her wash his feet, even posing while she did it. One of the few things he protested about when I did it was foot washing in water. But with Helen, it was alright. Helen was the first person to allow him on her sofa. He wasn't allowed at home. Helen let him break the rule on his first visit, and he was settled there when I went to collect him. I took him home, he walked into the living room, looked me in the eye, and got on the sofa, gazing at me and wagging furiously. What could we do? Bonnie made a sofa cover for him. I'm glad we did that as it gave him somewhere soft to rest when his joints hurt but also in the heart of his family. He never liked being left if we had to go out, but when I took him to Helen he'd greet her, get on the sofa, and not even look up when I went home without him. He adored her. Something must have been going on after I left! Thanks to Helen he never had to go into a kennel and was never distressed by our holiday breaks.

When Laddie came to us he was a bit anxious. He was disturbed in the car on the long journey back from Manchester. But he settled in quite fast, appointing himself Sentry on the first day, a job he took very seriously for the rest of his life. He always gave the window cleaners a tough time. Once we came back from a walk to find that they had let themselves in the back gate and were cleaning at the rear of the house. He'd not had a very active walk, and was plainly feeling stiff, but he saw them as I reversed in and started barking. I opened the back and he leaped out and charged, chasing them both up their ladders and showing his teeth, growling fiercely. Good boy! Whoever Laddie's successor is will need to learn that role, but it's going to be a hard act to follow.

Laddie's initial anxiety soon passed as he found he was loved, rewarded, fed, walked, and generally made welcome. He showed his love for us in return in many ways, and was always at the door when one of us came home. Well, almost. He was once asleep on the sofa when I opened the door, and I heard the crash as he came running. He'd gaze into our eyes, wagging like mad, sometimes singing too. If we were all sitting together he'd suddenly look up, fix one of us with a meaningful stare, and wag firmly, beating the carpet or sofa in emphasis. I took to working downstairs with him, and if I got distressed at the computer he'd detect it, and come to me from where ever he was, sit by me, and look up, staring into my eyes as if to reassure me that everything was okay while he was here to defend me. He was so loyal.

We adored him with his laid back, affectionate, gentle manner, and he plainly showed his adoration for both of us. And now he's gone. The thing I miss most is the sound of his tail on the floor when he detected that I was out of bed in the morning. Another day was beginning, we'd do things together, and whatever they were he was ready to go for it. Even in his last days he was eager to go out and meet his friends, canine and human. We will always miss him.

Our old friend Laddie is gone.

My dear old friend Laddie died. I have a big aching hole where he used to be. He was getting on when he came to us, and we were told we'd probably have him for a year or two. Happily it was a lot longer than that. He was big for a Collie, but as gentle as any dog I have ever known. Totally laid back, he was always so pleased to see his friends, both canine and human. And the greetings we used to get were second to none. Laddie knew how to make his feelings known.

As long as we've known him he's had two problems; his digestive system and his joints. When he first came to live with us stomach upsets were frequent events. As we got to know his dietary needs better these decreased. He did have a couple of major problems even so. The first was a very bad attack of colitis which laid him so low we thought we'd lost him. But he survived, although he never regained his former energy after it. Later another stomach problem defeated all the vet's diagnostic tools, but once again he came through, having frightened us to death first.

But his joint problems got gradually worse, and from being an active dog who loved his walk in the country he became a dog who liked to go out and sit in the sun and meet his mates. Arthritic joints and collapsed ligaments in his feet made walking a trial for him, despite all the anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers we could pump into him. None the less he retained his good nature, his love of socialising, and his desire to play (even if mostly from lying on the sofa) right to the end. And even on a day when his joints were playing him up, he never lost the desire to show off to a bitch in season. His amazing nose could detect female hormones from a few hundred yards, and he'd set off at speed. Lately he could not keep the chase up long, and I knew the end was getting near when I spotted one of his lady friends that I knew to be in season, some distance off. Laddie's nose went into overdrive, but he didn't even haul himself to his feet. He knew it was hopeless.

Last week another stomach issue laid him very low, and he had to see the vet late on Sunday night. But he recovered and was pretty perky by Wednesday or Thursday this week. However yesterday he was clearly having trouble getting about, and this morning he could not haul himself to his feet. I managed to get him into the car and to his favourite walking spot, but the best he could do was crawl a few yards on his stomach using his front legs. A friend helped me get him back into the car, and shortly after a large group of his friends came by. He was as usual pleased to see them, but he could not get up. He received sniffing from the dogs and stroking from the people and seemed happy enough to lay there for that. Then we took him straight to the vet. His life ended with his family round him, assured of our love and appreciation.

Dog Blog

Very early in my dog-owing life I realised that going out in pouring rain at the dog's accustomed walk time was part of the deal.  Sometimes this involved rather long walks as Laddie seemed to love playing in the rain, which is odd because he doesn't like getting his feet wet. But these days the Old Boy isn't up to a long walk any more. All he wants from a walk is to socialise - with other dogs certainly, but also with his human friends. His arthritis varies with the weather - cold and dry is best for him - so how far he can go and how much he can do is also very variable.  He has developed a technique which involves finding a good spot and lying down there to get the weight off his feet and waiting for his mates to go past. On warm summer days this is fine for me - I take a book, some coffee, and enjoy the rest and chatting to the other dog owners. Cold winter mornings before dawn are a different proposition.  I have a different priority: Laddie's bodily functions have to be attended to (absolutely an incidental for him) so I can go back to the warm indoors.

This going home business has developed into another barometer of how Laddie is feeling.  When we were first walking together he had endless ways to prevaricate and avoid getting into the car.  Now, if he's having a bad day, I only have to open the tailgate and he gets up, comes over, and climbs in.  There are stages in between.

Laddie and his pal Finley

Today it was chucking it down, rain bordering on sleet, really nasty.  Laddie was as keen to go out as always, but I didn't fancy the nature reserve we normally go to and socialise, so we went to a local park.  My priority is simple: Laddie's natural functions and home.  His priority was the same as always, socialise.  So when we got there I headed for the trees for Laddie's convenience, Laddie stood sniffing the air, from which he can tell which dogs are in the park and in what direction and probably a whole lot more.  The result of his nasal survey was negative - no-one he knew, no dogs.  So he lay down on the sopping wet grass to wait.

My only option is encouragement, with biscuits, to wander a few steps and give peristalsis a chance to work.  He saw no reason to accommodate me.  After about 10 minutes of this I was wet, wet, wet, and he simply didn't care. Then suddenly someone we knew came into the park - someone walking an interestingly mis-matched pair of dogs, a Dachshund that barks a lot and a very friendly German Shepherd bitch. She's a nice dog, and rather focused on her ball.

As soon as he saw her Laddie leaped to his feet, drew himself up to his full height (he's big for a Rough Collie) and sauntered over.  She saw him, sniffed him quickly, and went off after her ball.  By now Laddie's coat was waterlogged, but that didn't matter, he walked briskly after her.  But she's young and ball-centred and was soon way off.  A year or more ago he would have chased her, but he knows he can't do that now. But he also knows that dog walks are mainly circular, and having gone, she would return, so he lay down again and settled in to wait.  It was still pouring down, and my priority was now to go home as soon as I could get Laddie back into the car.

I got out my box of biscuits, and tried to lure him back.  No contest.  His options are go get a biscuit or wait and socialise with a nice female. Well, what red-blooded male would choose the biscuit?  In that circumstance he did what he always does: he puts his ears down against his head, looks steadfastly away from me, and simply ignores me. Water was running off my glasses and down my nose. After trying to exert my authority as Pack Leader without success I resorted to my authority as Human Being.  This involves standing in front of him and taking his lead out of my pocket.  It worked; he hauled himself to his feet and began to slowly plod back to the car, finding countless reasons to stop and sniff on the way, his reluctance obvious to anyone.

A winter sunrise lights up Laddie

Back at the car he put his feet in his sitting area and waited to be lifted in.  Then he gave me that look that accuses me of mean selfishness and cruelty when he was in with a chance.  I gave him 3 biscuits and he forgave me, so we came home.

Some days recently he has been so poorly with his arthritis I have wondered whether it was right to extend his life.  But those days are not too frequent, and on days like this when the Old Boy exhibits such character and is so full of himself and what he wants to do (especially in the case of bitches in season) and is so evidently enjoying himself, my worries are dispelled.

Whose got control of the remote control?

When we got home and he'd been dried and fed he was alternately affectionate and frisky and a transparently happy dog. It has been such a pleasure and privilege to share our home with him. Long may it continue to be so.

Retirement?

I don't understand how, having retired just 4 weeks ago, I have been as busy as ever in these last few days.

Still, there are compensations.  Wonderful autumn mornings have let me find some great new places to walk Laddie.  This pic was taken by Helen when we were in NYC - but it's Laddie and November foliage, and very typical of our walks last week.

We've had some good views of wildlife too: lots of green woodpeckers, we surprised a pheasant the other day and his cackle as he escaped surprised Laddie, red kites circling, and a kestrel perched in a tree we were walking underneath.  It was a female - nice to be able to tell the difference!  Which reminds me, we've not had any game birds for dinner yet this season.  Have to correct that.

Laddie

Laddie too is on holiday, staying with his favourite Auntie Helen.

As you can see, he is happily enjoying a therapeutic foot bath.  Since he normally protests at even the threat of getting his feet wet, he must hold Helen in particularly high esteem in order to sit with feet dunked while she takes photographs.

If this gets out his friends will never let him forget it.