Cali turns 15
My dog, Calliope, turns 15 today. FIFTEEN! That is pretty old for a lab/shepard mix. I made her come outside this morning for some photos and tonight I will take her to dairy joy for a small vanilla cone.. I wonder if she knows its her birthday?
I do know she hates having her picture taken and she wouldn't sit still for anything.
The vet says she is in really good shape for a dog of her age and she is just starting now to have hip problems. I do not do so well when she is not feeling good or when she might be sick. I guess when I got her I never gave a thought to what it would be like all those years later when she was getting older, or to the fact that she might not be with me forever.
My mother asks me if I am going to get another dog after Calliope and I am not sure I am. I love her but its heartbreaking to see her get older and I am not sure how I will be when she is gone. I got Cali when I was 20 years old - I am 35 now! I can hardly think of who I was back then, what I was thinking. I am pretty sure I either thought I knew everything or I wasn't thinking at all about how long she would be with us, how many times we would move, she would move, how many jobs I would have or places I would live. I think she likes where we live now, we have 2 acres of land and for the most part she can wander all over it as much as she likes. She has had Lyme disease for over 8 years now so I don't worry too much about the ticks so I can let her go where she wants. She doesn't have any other animals to compete with and except for my nieces, who I think are her arch enemies - she is the queen bee. We never broke her of the habit of eating people food, so she wants that alot - sometimes I wonder if she is being fed enought considering how much human food she consumes.
She now sleeps in later than I do and some days I have to wake her up to go out before I leave for work, but that is what retirement is - sleeping in alot:) She has either gone deaf or she now has selective hearing. I like to think it selective hearing and she is thinking to herself "you people are crazy - I am just going to ignore you when you call me inside or tell me to move over - I am old and get to do what I want"
So thats my dog, and I love her, and I think Matt likes her a bit. My family loves her, the girls aren't really sure, the other day Riley had forgotten I even had a dog....
Happy Birthday Calliope!
Comments
Oh Cali, Happy Birthday! Maybe she going for a world record, the oldest dog in the world record.... is there such a thing?
I've been saying since for a few years now that Maine has been good for her. In the years I've known her she hasn't looked better!
I remember when you told me you got a dog... I came over to meet her with a 'puppy' toy because thats what I thought you meant when you said you got a dog. I was a bit surprised when I met Cali! haha.
I second the large cone, c'mon its her birthday and she's earned it!!!