Friday, June 18, 2010

Dawgs

No better thing than clean, freshly groomed dogs. 

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Over 2 days, I’ve managed to do them both – bathing, drying, drying some more, brushing and grooming, and so on.  This is what happens when you get a week off of triathlon and suddenly have time to spare!

Max looks so puppyish next to his much younger nephew here!

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Somehow it occurred to me today that I can show Max in veterans now.  He’s been eligible age-wise for over a year but I never really thought about it.  With several specialty shows still to go this year though, I realized I can take him back in the ring NOW.  Not with any intent of going out to win something but just to take the old dude for a spin around the ring and do something else together that we enjoy.

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Why is it that just about the time you realize they’ve settled down and aren’t strung higher than a kite anymore, you also have to face the fact that your dog is aging?  Max is only 8 and his father lived to 15 and I’ve told him for years he is required to live 20.  But still…there is some recognition of the fact that he’s not the hyper adolescent he used to be, that he does a few things a little slower some days, and that we’re sharing this nice middle-age stage together.  And let me make this clear:

I AM NOT READY FOR IT!

It’s a good thing I have the goofball in the house to remind me we’re all old compared to Stanley.

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3 comments:

Wes said...

My Moo is ten, maybe eleven. Lhasas are rumored to live to eighteen and some into their twenties. I don't know what life has in store for him. I just know I want him to have the best :-)

beardies3 said...

I see Harmony moving a bit slower in the mornings or after waking up from a nap. I see her stretching for longer too. It all makes me wonder what is in store for us. She has also been told to last FOREVER.
I thank doG for the younger two and the comic relief they provide.

Maria said...

I'm telling ya, you need to do a post about cleaning your dogs...I would love to see pictures!