Alison, having had two very old and doddery dogs before Poppy and Merlin, I understand completely where you are coming from. It’s not easy, I know.
It helped me once I learned to accept that getting older is simply part of the process of life. Once you have ruled out actual health issues, you can just go with the flow of this new, slower pace. Enjoy your time together. Let her sniff to her hearts content on your toddles out together. If she enjoys your company but is too stiff to get up on the couch with you, put a couple of cushions on the floor and cuddle with her there. Make sure her surroundings are easy and comfortable- steps become harder to manage; slippery floors can be frightening, and so on. She may feel a bit confused and just need more physical reassurance from you. Her digestion may not be as good as it was and she may get more picky about her food, in which case you may have to change her diet a bit - or she may get greedier as food becomes more important to her! She may feel the cold more now too. Luckily spring will be on its way soon, and you’ll be able to enjoy the warmer weather together.
Old dogs are lovely in their special way and there is a particular bitter-sweetness about the time we spend with them. Enjoy every day you have with your lovely Sky, and try not to worry too much. The bond and love between you is as strong as it ever was, perhaps more so. Xxx
. For me @MellowYellow has given such lovely advice. I always think with Mabel there are times when I have a young dog in an old body. We do have sofa cuddles but more often than not I make a little cushion nest on the floor and she cuddles with me. Sometimes we can be out for 40-50 mins and hardly walk anywhere because all she can do is sniff. It’s sad o on those occasions I tend to do river walks or go into the fields where the views are beautiful. It’s about making those special memories that will last you a lifetime and one day you can look back and smile.
