Dog Community

Just accepting my boy is getting older :(

Posted : 9/17/2013 10:03:32 PM

My Yuki turned 9 this year and has been slowing down. We dealt with some pretty rough joint pain earlier in the year and he has done pretty well since.

This weekend, he was climbing the walls, as were my 3 & 5 year old. We all went to the park, where the boys could play in the soccer field with my husband, and I could take Yuki to the dog park. We don't normally go to the dog park, it makes me twitch (too many variables to keep track of).

When we were there, it was just so different with Yuki. He used to play for hours, running at top speed, playing hard with the other dogs the whole time. This time, he ran a few times, never at top speed, never for the pure fun of flying. He was very disinterested in the other dogs, in fact, at the end, he growled at another dog, who was barking in his face (clearly, this was my cue that he was done)! He spent 99% of his time there patrolling the park, trying to catch sight of the boys, only relaxing when he could see them.

I know 9 isn't horribly old. I know how lucky I am that he is so healthy, and still active in our yard and on walks. I am just feeling a little sad that he seems to have transitioned to a different place in life.

Sigh, thanks for listening.

JackieG

Posted : 9/18/2013 8:35:59 AM

It is hard to see them showing signs of aging. Keeping them pain free does help a lot so they can remain active and keep their muscle tone. It sounds like you're doing that with Yuki.

My 8 year old shepherd mix has some degenerative arthritis in one hip. He does remain very active with the help of daily exercise, supplements and an NSAID daily. I dread seeing him slowing down so I understand exactly how you feel. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday he was a young dog. The gray on his muzzle reminds me daily that time is marching on. :(

shadowsgin

Posted : 9/18/2013 11:36:55 AM

@JackieG
The gray on his muzzle reminds me daily that time is marching on. :(

So true.

Sounds to me like Yuki is a very lucky boy to have such a loving family. Because he is older his priorities have changed, take it from me I am 8 in dog years, :) It sounds to me that he is more concerned about the safety and location of his humans, especially his kids. Plus we get cranky when we are ready to take a break. I know how hard it is to see our pets move into their Senior years but also rewarding that they have enriched our lives.

mio23

Posted : 9/18/2013 9:04:06 PM

Thank you both for your kind words.

I knew idoggers would understand how I am feeling!

tacran

Posted : 9/18/2013 11:27:15 PM

I totally understand what you're feeling. And I think you described it perfectly when you said Yuki has "transitioned to a different place in life." I remember spotting signs of that same transition in our previous dog, Tonka, and it made me very sad.

I also think Ginger assessed it very well: just like humans who prioritize different activities and preferences as they age, it makes sense that dogs do the same. The trick is figuring out what those priorities and preferences are, so comfort and joy (even if it's more low key than it once was) can be maximized.

When Tonka was aging like this, so many times I wished he could speak, even for a few minutes, so he could tell me what hurt, what helped him feel better, what he really needed for his preferred quality of life, what he no longer wanted to do, etc.. I did figure out that he really loved sitting outside in the shade, sniffing the air (I called it "surveying his kingdom";), even if he didn't seem interested in very long walks anymore.

Best wishes to you and to Yuki.

charliegefen

Posted : 10/7/2019 2:27:52 AM

Yeah dear dog age is very short in years they only live till 8 to 10 years,,, so it feels very bad when we remember our doggie.