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It’s been about 4°c all day, and most of the ice has melted from the sidewalks, making it safe for Jack and me to go for walks around the neighbourhood again. This is excellent news, and we will walk around our area tonight, but today, I wanted to give Jack a treat, so I took him to the river. We haven’t been there in a while, and Jack was asking for a bit of adventure. It was a bit muddy in areas, but the path itself was clear and easy to walk. As expected, Jack went into the river. I told him it was cold, but he laughed and dashed in any way. He didn’t stay in long, though, and only went in once. I’m not surprised – Jack still hasn’t grown his undercoat and the only insulation he has is the extra bit of fat he’s carrying. He got a good towelling off when we got back to the car and actually stood still for it today. Usually, he’s all wiggles and wanders, but today he even let me clean his feet without complaint. I think he liked the warmth of the rubbing. He was quiet all the way home, and once we got inside, Jack climbed into his bed and asked for a blanket. He’s been crawling under blankets a lot lately – something that he’d never do when he was young. I think my baby boy is growing older, and it worries me a bit. Maybe, though, he just needs to grow a bit of hair. I like that idea much better.
Yeah, My old boy Jayne, 11 years old, doesn’t like the cold that much anymore. Short times out back in the kennel are good, but 20 minutes is the limit. After that, He’s barking with his “Let me in!” voice.
Driving him to a country gravel road, letting him out to do his business in the ditch, is his reason to live.
Sometimes, his nose will compel him to go further away from me, than I’d like. He is hard of hearing now, but still good at seeing. He’ll look back, from 125 yards (114 Meters), and knows hand signals, so he does come back to the Truck, get back into warm, and keep on going to wherever I’m headed.
He does appreciate being toweled off after being out in rain or snow, settles down, whether in truck or house.
dakotagreasemonkey
Please give Jayne a big *hug* from me.
And another for yourself.
Jack get on with growing your winter coat, stop shillyshllying around!
dakotagreasemonkey
Well done on teaching hand signals as well as voice, I learnt the importance of doing so when after we had to put down our elderly bitch Jazz I realised that Penny our remaining bitch was totally deaf. We hadn’t noticed as Jazz had always brought Penny back when ever we called for her, once she was no longer there to do the job we almost lost Penny. I almost lost her at a place she had once years before flushed some duck, I wasn’t sure if she really couldn’t hear me or was just being stubborn, but dropping treats into her bowl got no reaction at all from a greedy, eat anything (except celery) spaniel so that was that.
Thorn is over twelve now, definitely elderly for a large dog, I do fret about her aging, but she still likes lying out in the garden after dark unless it’s raining or hailing, I don’t suppose it does her arthritis any good, but it makes her happy so she gets to do it most times shes asks, I just don’t let her stay lying on snow for as long as she would like. Of course we don’t get the kind off bitter cold many of you get.