Let Us Now Praise Old Dogs

We were watching Brian Williams on NBC the other evening when he teased up the next story: "10-Year-Old Spaniel Makes Comeback." Of course, he was referring to Stump, the Sussex spaniel who had just won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Show. Not only was Stump the oldest dog to win in the 133-year history of the annual event, but the pooch had almost died five years ago. I immediately called out to Max, our 14-year-old cocker spaniel, to come watch with us. I'd forgotten that the old fellow is deaf and by 6:45 had already turned in for the night. Yes, let sleeping dogs lie.

Max has had more than his share of calamities, but we loved him from the very beginning, with his hanging tongue, wagging tail, and carefree swagger. A rescue in the most literal sense, he became ours the very day we first took a look at him and put him on our short list. That same evening, his owners called in a fit: "If you don't take him, we're putting him down." Under the circumstances, how could we not?

Within the first year reborn with us, he - ever the scavenger - had scaled three shelves in the pantry to retrieve the 1-pound cellophane-wrapped box of See's chocolates, devouring them in minutes. I got home to find him in toxic shock from the chocolate, and after $1,000 worth of emergency treatment that night (including induced-vomiting and charcoal suppositories), he survived yet another day. Finally, well enough to come home, his tail wagged happily as he immediately rushed to the trashcan to pull out the empty box of chocolate to see if anything remained. Talk about learning from your mistakes. It's fair to say he's no genius.

While on a walk in San Francisco a few months later, Max scarfed a tab or two of LSD he found in a neighborhood park. That led to new seizures and another costly vet stay. Let's not talk about canine flashbacks.

From day one with us, I can tell you Max lived with enthusiasm and without fear (and certainly with no regard to how much his antics cost us). But having survived his youth, he's an old dog now, plagued by arthritis, some cervical issues, occasional incontinence, and a "touch" of dementia. But while I loved him as a pup, I find that old Max fills my heart in ways I couldn't have imagined. These days we carry him upstairs to his bed because he can no longer maneuver the flight of steps. On alternate weeks, we run over to the vet for his acupuncture, and we both lie there in the dark as he takes the needles and lets his chi run wild while I stroke his "third eye." He's never out of sorts - in fact, he's always happy. Happy to go out, happy to come in. Ready for dinner. Ready for a nap.

We don't value old in this culture. It's all about youth, new fashion, and cutting-edge technology. We forget that some of the best wines and cheeses are aged, and it's easy to overlook that some of the finest literature and furniture come from earlier times. My friend, the good doctor Andrew Weil, wrote about aging in a recent book: "Aging can bring frailty and suffering, but it can also bring depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace." How sad that we give short shrift to the elderly in our society, pushing them out of sight while we try to place them out of mind.

Who made "old" a dirty word? We all did.

In dog years, Max is about to turn 100. We know that his time - like all of our lives - is limited. But he doesn't know that. Maybe if he were a genius he would, but for now I love watching him live every day with the same kind of spirit he's always had, tail wagging, nose twitching, and yes, tongue ever on the lookout for a new treat. If he could speak, no doubt it would be, "What will today bring?!"

Like Stump, the Westminster winner, Max is a champ. Let us now praise old dogs.

Visit Steven Petrow on the Web at www.gayandlesbianmanners.com

 

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Comments

[thebigbike]

Tom T. Hall: Ain't but three things in this world worth a solitary dime, old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

[Steven Petrow - Huffpost Blogger]

thank you all for these lovely comments. i read them to "max" tonight and he says: "WOOF!" actually we went for his acupuncture today and he's doing great. a big shout out for our vet-- Michele Droke in Chapel Hill!

[stayinsouth1981]

Thanks, that was a lovely article. I am sick in bed after fighting off flu, gastro-intestinal something and now upper respiratory infections and my two dogs are here keeping me company. I know they are waiting for me to turn my head so they can steal my nasty tissues but I'll hold onto the belief they love me so much they are taking care of me best they can. I don't know where i'd be if it weren't for the dogs I've known throughout my life. I know I wouldnt smile as much.

[6olddogs]

My oldest dog is 14 now and has been with me since he was a pup and followed me and my two dogs home one night. His owners told me they didn't want him so he became the baby of the pack. Now his eyesight is going, he needs meds and acupuncture to help with the aches and pains but he still enjoys racing along the fence barking at the cows. Still throws his head back and howls like a wolf each time I walk out the door.

Since retiring 4 years ago I've adopted 5 dogs over the age of 10. Having been dumped at the pound or on a back country road they seem to sense that they've been given a stay of execution. Four have been big black labrador mixes because they are the least likely to be chosen for adoption at the pound.

Why? - http://www.blackpearldogs.com/

Across the creek at the top of the knoll I've started a little cemetery for them and some day I will join that pack. Until then I will give a few more senior dogs the care and love they deserve for whatever time they may still have.

[timezone]

I enjoyed your article very much, Mr. Petrow. As an owner of an old dog who has lost some of her vigor, is on meds, but still "smiles", wags her tails and loves attention, I can relate. On another level, I visited a nursing home and made friends with a great old lady who has no one to visit her, who is still very sharp and enjoys telling her tales. The old have many things to share and many things to teach us, patience and looking beyond the obvious are just two of them.

[Namajera]

Thank-you, I loved this post. I have two Newfoundlands, one 12 the other 10 - the breed has a listed lifespan of 8-10 years. The older they get, the more I fall in love with them, the "indiscretions" of their youth are gone and I have very mellow, loving dogs - who granted do not leap with the same abandon, we also have a very deep trust that didn't exist when they were young.
I am loving my dogs old age, never having had a dog get this old (since my father didn't believe in neutering and they all ran off after bitches and were killed by cars).
I have fed my dogs a natural diet, no kibble. The vet is a bit freaked by how healthy they are, with great teeth, never needing to be cleaned and great health at their ages, despite some arthritis. I am at a bit of a disadvantage because my dogs are over 140lbs and if they don't want to get up, we can't get them up - there is no carrying them outside or anywhere, but I knew this getting a giant breed.
I'd dare to say that except for the aches of old age they are happier than when they were two and learning about the world, I can only hope I have the same attitude when I get old and gray.

[cktirumalai]

Steven Petrow: I did not mean that all dogs thought that, only some. I am sure dogs are generally very good at sensing that a loving owner would do only what is best for them.

[cktirumalai]

Old dogs may not know that death is around the corner but for all that they do not like it to be hastened. I thought some suspected that the trip to the vet was not for the correction of a condition but for the final sleep.

[Steven Petrow]

oh not at all. we're going to the acupuncturist for his arthritis.