Dogs and Senior Owners

What size dog? What happens if I go first.

One of the saddest situations I have seen on multiple occasions, is when an old person passes away and leaves their beloved old dog. A beloved old dog who is not wanted by any family member. It is so sad when these dogs end up in shelters or put in a backyard, alone.

Let’s face it. Old dogs are hard. I don’t want my dogs to be old, but then I know (hope) they will get that way and I have planned for it. I certainly do NOT want them to die young. Old dogs take additional home and vet care. They lose control of their bladders, they need special food. Old dogs are hard to care for, but I would not give up my old dogs for all the gold in the world. Not for me, but for them. They deserve the loving care of the person who has loved them.

So how do you plan for your dog if it out lives you? (Younger people my die unexpectedly, so this applies to them, too)

Let’s look at what happened to my dad’s cat, Joe. My dad was in his 80s when my mother passed. He wanted an animal friend, so we adult kids got him Joe, a huge friendly young adult cat. Joe gave my dad a lot of pleasure. When dad died, Joe was middle aged. Because Joe was friendly, well behaved, well socialized and loved by family, friends and the nursing home staff, there were many offers from people to take Joe. Joe lived out the remainder of his life in luxury at my brother’s house. That’s the way it should work.

There are serious considerations if you are a senior who is getting a new animal. First consider your age and health and the longevity of the animal you are bringing into your home.

Seniors who are experienced dog people, should remember that they might not have the energy and stamina to raise a puppy of an active breed such as a Jack Russell or a dog who needs a lot of exercise, such as a Labrador Retriever. You may not have the strength to train a large dog who needs a lot of attention, like a German Shepherd. Consider purchasing or adopting an older dog who has slowed down a little and is well trained. No one is going to want your dog if it not well trained and is nutsy because you could not provide for its needs.

For seniors who are adopting their first animal, choosing a well behaved adult animal is not a choice, it is a requirement. Seek the advice of professionals and animal experienced family. Don’t even consider a puppy unless you are living with a younger caretaker who has plenty of dog experience and who wants to help care for the new dog.

If you already have a dog you need to make plans for that dog if you die first.

Start by making sure your dog is well trained and socialized. While you still can, take it to training classes and take it out with you so it can experience the world and learn to not be afraid of new situations.

If your dog needs special care and medicines be sure there is someone willing to take over the medical care and the expenses of the medicines. If not, consider leaving the horrible but necessary instruction to euthanize your dog. What is worse? A dog euthanized a year or two early, or a dog living the end of its life sick, miserable and lonely?

Face the facts. You are the planner for your dog. Plan ahead so you dog does not suffer.

Dog Friends at Home

Truman Blue lives with three other dogs.

Leala is a quiet dog who has little interactions with the other dogs. It’s not that she’s unfriendly. She is an giving introvert. She was a therapy dog until she got older and it was too much work to walk around and visit a lot of people. She’s the same way with the rest of the dogs in the house. To her, interactions require a lot of energy. She’s willing to share the love-seat, but she doesn’t seek out company. Truman respects her need for solitude.

Stormy is a loud dog. For nine years, she has used her vocalizations to instigate chaos. Part German Shepherd, she loves to bark and make comments about everything around her. She wants to be involved with whatever is going on, not to participate, but to offer her opinion. Sometimes Truman enjoys jumping in to her world of chaos. Other times, he keeps his distance.

Sunny is an ancient Labrador who, at 14 is oldest and most hyper dog in the house. She is still a fish in the pool, but on land, gravity has taken its toll. Truman loves Sunny. He tries to get her to play the way a three year old male dog plays, rough and tumble. When Truman tumbles Sunny, she has a bit of trouble getting up, but she never complains. Her heart is as gold as her coat. Sunny is the only dog Truman cuddles with. He will miss her when she is gone.

Truman enjoys each dog friend. Each has different qualities that add to the quality of Truman’s life.

Sunny, Stormy, and Leala

Dogs of Color

One thing I have never understood is why one color is better than any other. Truman Blue has many colors and mixed together they are awesome. His eyes are blue and dark brown. His coat is cream, gray, white, and black. He has pink and other colors skin. His variety of colors makes him spectacular. What really counts is the way he interacts with other creatures. He is gentle, he is kind, he is brilliant, and he is comforting. What difference does it make what heritage he is, or his color?

He is tolerant of horses, who he does not quite understand. He is gentle with kitties who are smaller than him. He enjoys the company of other dogs and gets along with all breeds and sizes. He is gracious and comforting to the humans around him.

What difference does color make? Colors are the stuff the earth is made of. The more, the more spectacular.

Chewed Up

People often like the idea of a dog, but not the reality of a dog. When someone gets a dog, whether it is a freebee or an expensive import, the person dreams expectations as to what that dog will be. The dream is what the human wants, not what the dog actually has the capability to be. That is totally unfair, and I admit, I am guilty. In reality, the dog’s DNA, personality, training and life experiences will dictate what the dog will become, not the human’s dream.

When I brought baby Truman into my home, I dreamed he would become a wonderful therapy dog, and a great companion. It was part luck, and part hard work on my part to have that part of my dream fulfilled. Like in any relationship, there are struggles. Truman is a dog and he does what dogs do. Today, I looked out the window and he was eating horse poop. He’s a dog with dog values.

Dogs dig, dogs bark, dogs chew. As puppies, although adorable, they are horrible. They pee, poop, don’t listen and do a lot of irritating stuff. As adults they have the reasoning capabilities and maturity close to a two or three year old human. They need supervision and family.

If you want to have a dog as a companion, remember that your companion is a dog. Don’t expect a dog to be an automaton who does nothing but what you wish, and don’t expect your dog to act like a human.

When Truman is in public and is expected to behave according to human terms, sometimes he lapses into his dog brain. He does things like sniff human’s privates, a very polite thing to do in the doggie world. My corrective words are gentle and help people understand what he is doing, and relieves their (and my) embarrassment. I say to Truman, “Don’t act like a dog.”

Waiting in the Wings for the New Normal

sleeping Labrador Retriever with hound dog resting its chin on the labradors side

Truman loves when people come visit the house. Only two came on July 4. There have not been many visitors since COVID. We are all waiting for normal to come back, but normal is an ethereal concept that changes with each passing instant. Normal is a conundrum. Normal has never changed because it is always changing. We have to adapt.

Truman’s best buddy is Sunny, a fourteen-year-old Labrador. Sunny cannot keep up with Truman, even though she tries. It’s sad to see her struggle to be a coequal playmate.

They love to swim together. Sunny taught Truman to be bold in the water. A few short years ago, Sunny would spend hours dropping a “sinking toy” into the pool and diving to the bottom to retrieve it. Floating toys bored her. Her cataracts are so bad now she can’t see the bottom anymore, besides her weak muscles and tired arthritic legs can’t propel her down. Now normal is that Sunny can only swim one small circle before she has to rest and catch her breath.

Normal for Truman used to be visiting the behavioral health hospital and being surrounded by new friends who rubbed his belly, and scratched his neck. How can he understand why he isn’t allow to do that anymore? Does he try to understand? How will he adapt when his buddy, Sunny trots over the rainbow bridge and leaves him to cope with the new normal that is left?

Truman will adapt. There is no waiting for the new normal. The new normal morphs as every second of time passes by.

Fourth of July, 2020 – Our Vision is Clearing

Truman is one of those dogs who could care less about fireworks. He doesn’t like the sound of a cookie sheet hitting tile, but other than that, he is non-plussed by loud noises.

Unfortunately, that is not the case for many dogs. You have heard it. Lock them up. I use one of those tight shirts on one of mine. She is still scared, but at least it keeps her 65 pounds off my head when I go to bed.

In the year of COVID-19, a few thoughts crossed my mind as I watched the musical Hamilton on Disney last night.

People say that the world is worse because of loose morals. I am not sure if that is the case. The world seems better than it was even a hundred years ago. Heck, we even like the British–a lot! Atrocities against other humans is no long the right of leadership in most countries. Except in illicit operations, slavery is no longer legal. Making fun of people with disabilities is unacceptable. We are learning to love our neighbors, even if they are different. People are not routinely crucified on crosses, or whipped, or drawn and quartered for their beliefs.

Humans have been idiots since Adam and Eve, who were of course rebellious. The first of the “first brothers,” Cain, murdered his brother because he was jealous.

Dogs have even been elevated in society. In the USA it is cool to pamper your pet. When John Adams declared that we should celebrate July 2nd with fireworks and celebration (that’s when the Declaration of Independence was actually adopted), very few dogs had the advantage of indoor pampering. We are becoming a more compassionate species, even though we have a long way to go.

Why Pet Therapy? TREAT

Smiles are the reward for therapy pet work. Dogs may enjoy the touch of human hands more than a smile. Who knows? A dog does understand a smile. Humans cherish a genuine smile from another person. When someone is in a situation where smiles do not flow freely and a therapy dog team provides touch that evokes a smile, magic happens. The hurting person smiles, the human handler smiles, care givers smile, and the dog probably smiles. The sum of the smiles is greater than the pain. #therapydog, #trumanbluemysteries, #comfortdog, #cozymystery

Therapy Dog and COVID

Truman Blue is reverting to puppyhood. True, at three-and-a-half he is barely past puppy, but six months ago he was willingly compliant. When I take him out now, he wants to play and explore. His journey back to cavorting canine was a short one.

We haven’t been visiting since February due to the COVID pandemic. He was accustomed to going somewhere at least once a week. Now, I try to get him into public every other week. When I do, he wants to run up to people to get petted. Some folks don’t want to spread their germs, others believe they are immune to disease. It is the latter ones that Truman loves because they don’t hesitate to rub him all over.I keep pet-friendly sanitizing wipes in the car and don’t touch him with my hands for at least an hour. He doesn’t seem to notice as long as I pop him treats for tricks.

I wonder how long it will take to re-train him to be a courteous dog. I wonder how long it will be before we can actually go visit. #trumanbluemysteries, #cozymystery, #therapy dog, #comfortdog, #threapypet

I’m Vulnerable: New Cozy Series Truman Blue

I am launching my new book series and I am terrified. As one of a zillion wanna-be popular cozy novelists, I am starting at the beginning. I guess that is where everyone starts.

I justify the possibility of “no one reads it” with who cares. I write because I love to tell stories. The truth is authors feel approval when folks like what they write. Everyone likes approval from their fellow human beings. Approval is the whipped cream and fortunately not the substance of writing. Time will tell. Marketing will tell.

I release Truman Blue Mystery Book 1, on August 1, 2020. #trumanbluemysteries